Misery Loves Company II - A Vampire Knight Fanfiction by Clue-sama .{Sequel}.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything legally affiliated with Vampire Knight as made by Matsuri Hino. But I do own Nezu Harita and Eiji Nanako.

Author's Notes: Hey! Sorry for the freakishly long wait- but I've started yet another VK fanfic... so... yeah... But I reread the first chappie and what I had had of this one and I was like... well, this needs to be continued!

I had gotten a review commenting on a little problem with the whole 'maker's blood' thing that I had planned... The person had pointed out something that I had overlooked (thank you, by the way), and I understand where I had gone wrong, but as I've already kind of hinted at Zero's cured-ness... I have figured out another answer to the thingy. ^^ I hope this one is correct, but seeing as how I don't want to spoil anymore, I'll just put it in there, and if there's still holes in it, I'll ask you all to act like it is fine. DX

Reader, Help Please? If a Level D- going on Level E- gets his maker's blood would he remain a stable Level D- (a former human) forever, or would he ascend to Level C and be a common vampire? Are Level Ds only the ones about to be Level E?

Chappie Warning: Hints of teenage-girl-slumber-party phone calls! o.o

For the love of all that is holy and sinful, enjoy it!!! XD

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Chapter 2- In On It

"Who is that?" Nezu's blond-haired, blue-eyed, flamboyant friend hissed, leaning heavily over to hear into the phone the Level B had pressed to his ear. Eiji didn't have to do that- he, too, was a vampire, only he was a common Level C (but he liked to annoy his buddy). It didn't matter, though. Nezu did not care what Eiji was in terms of rank- what Nezu cared about was that Eiji Nanako was his best friend and basically all he had.

Nezu's parents ran huge monopolizing interprises overseas somewhere and Eiji's parents worked for them. So when they were little, their parents stuck them together to keep each other company while they went to another country and worked. Of course, Nezu was a little snob when he was a bit smaller and sometimes looked down on Eiji as a Level C and less-rich boy, and that was all he was to him. But one day, when they were alone in Nezu's big home (as they usually were, to this day), Eiji pointed out that Nezu looked "a little lonely," as he had said and for some reason Nezu had started to cry. The aristocrat was, and is, older than the blonde, but at that moment, he felt like such a little kid in the sense of his maturity. Ever since then, Nezu was hardly ever home alone, because Eiji had practically moved in with him.

Eiji attended a regular all-vampire school and they had tried to at least get Nezu's parents to let Nezu go to that school. They told him that if he was going to attend a school, it would have to be of Cross Academy's level. And he couldn't go there, they had reminded him, because of the humans. Never mind Kaname Kuran, the pureblood.

Nezu never really wanted to go there either, for that same reason, but now there was something totally worth sticking it out for... and he was on the other end of the cell phone right now.

"Eiji, cut it out- you're heavy!" Nezu growled, shoving his nutty friend off to the side. Nezu re-situated himself up on his bed while Eiji squealed as he tumbled from the bed and onto the plush floor.

"Harita-san? What are you doing?" Zero's voice came clear and silky over the phone and it sounded like he was trying to keep his voice quiet...

"Is Kuran near? Are you trying to cheat on him?" Nezu asked, a slight teasing tone apparent in his voice. Eiji fumbled with a chip topped with salsa he was trying to eat and squawked, "Kuran?!" Nezu ignored him in favor of listening to Zero let out a scoff and growl, "No. Not at all. In fact, I'm calling to tell you to keep your nose out of our business."

Eiji, able to eavesdrop from his spot on the floor, snickered a bit at Zero's words while Nezu replied, "Zero, I'm not in you two's business. I just want you."

"Damn it! I'm not fucking playing with you, kid. You know what I mean- leave me alone. I don't want you near me, and, I swear, I will have Kaname rip your head off, and not just the one on your neck. And stop calling me 'Zero', like you know me."

The line made a harsh, crackling snap as Zero presumably slammed the phone down.

Nezu let out a little chuckle and he also slid his cell phone closed before putting it down.

"Didn't I tell you he was fiery? You should see him- he's just as good-looking..." Nezu said, wistful-sounding in his own reserved way.

Eiji gave a coy smirk as he sipped his soda.

"Yes, you have been telling me all week. And I know who Zero Kiryuu is, silly! But you didn't tell me he was with Kaname-sama!" Eiji gasped, pouncing up on the bed and laying on his stomach so that he had to look over his shoulder and up to see Nezu. "That's some competition! Do you really think you can get Kiryuu-san away from him?"

The brunette smirked, too, and said, "Of course I do."

--

"God. What a fucking jerk..." Zero snarled as he stormed around the room, half-consciously waiting for Kaname to get out of the bathroom. "Who the hell does he think he is...?!"

Kaname, from inside the bathroom where he was getting dressed, could hear his lover's ranting and could definitely feel the anger pulsing through their bond. The distress was making him automatically anxious even though he knew what was wrong. Zero had called Nezu to try and get him to back off, but Nezu probably ticked the hunter off. Oddly enough, Kaname got some kind of reassurance from that. He knew how to talk to Zero and get him calm or happy or turned on and he also knew how not to talk to Zero. It seemed either Nezu didn't know how to rub Zero the right way like the pureblood did or he had some plan that consisted of teasing Zero to rage. But Kaname couldn't imagine what Nezu hoped to gain by pissing the ex-human off...

Finally, when Kaname heard a slamming sound, he quickly stepped out into the main bedroom. He nearly thought someone had flipped a table over or something, but no. It was only Zero punching the wall, only aware enough to control his strength so that a crack was the only evidence of his action. Kaname smelled the enticing scent of the ex-human's blood and he felt that tickling, yearning sensation lace through his veins softly.

"Zero..." he murmured, coming across the room to the seething vampire. Zero had such a temper... -_- "Calm down... I'm sure he did that on purpose."

"You should have heard the way he spoke to me... The haughtiness and... and the way he acted like that I would come crawling to him, begging for him, no matter how he talked to me... Do you understand what I'm trying to say...?" Zero confided, drawing back his fist and looking at Kaname, who was listening carefully.

"I get it..." Kaname assured, taking Zero's healing hand in one of his. As he rose it to his lips to kiss his bloodied knuckles whispering, "But it's okay... Zero, you belong to me as I belong to you. ...So I don't think that you need to worry over someone like him... As long as I am around, no one will have you like I do."

Zero had earlier thought that sweet-talking would never make him feel any other emotion than annoyance, but damn, did Kaname know how to play Zero's heartstrings... He began to feel a blush steal its way over his cheeks and his anger over Nezu Harita quickly disappated like a sublimated ice cube. He let out a small grunt instead of the swooning sigh that he wanted to give, dropping his eyes to the floor.

Ah, sometimes Kaname made Zero so embarrassed that he just wanted to hide...! But Kaname, ever the calm one of the two, just smiled gently at how bashful Zero would always get around him when things got a little too romantic for the hunter, and gingerly cupped Zero's jaw, bringing it slowly back up to look at him. The translucent lilac eyes widened slightly at the seriously infatuated-looking russet ones and both just stood silently for a little while. However, it was not one of those tense, awkward silences. Strangely enough, Zero felt very calm and unthreatened while he stared into the pureblood's eyes, even in this vulnerable position: Kaname had one of Zero's hands in his and his head in the other.

Their blood bond seemed to purr contentedly at this closeness and the ability to silently communicate, as they were doing, and Zero, not being a vampire by nature, was kind of pleasantly surprised to find that he liked the way the bond felt when he was like this. Warm. Complete. Together... He wondered if he would ever get used to it. But he kind of didn't want to! Forget what the others thought- he loved being with Kaname. He liked how the pureblood touched him, bit him and made love with him on occasion, when Zero wasn't being shy. He liked how Kaname listened to what he had to say, even when he was being difficult and kept his cool if Zero, perhaps, said something mean. Zero would always apologize because they both knew that he hadn't meant what he had said.

Sometimes, Zero thought that he had no right to be happy. Not after he became the last member of the Kiryuu hunters. And he had killed the only other person in his family. Why should he get to be happy when everyone else was dead? Sure, Ichiru had raped him, but Zero had thought that maybe that was the punishment for living so mundanely while Ichiru had suffered his loneliness and while he drank from Yuuki to support his own cursed life. Certainly, Zero deserved what misfortune he got?

Then, Zero would look to Kaname Kuran and wonder how a pureblooded vampire, royal and powerful, could even glance his way, a hunter/ex-human, let alone love him. How, indeed? But something... something just emitted from the man's eyes when he looked at him... Just like how he was doing now. It made Zero shiver hotly from the inside out and if love had a feeling, that's what his brain would suddenly start telling him. He couldn't even explain it. It was like... when you go into a room and its freezing cold, but lo and behold there's a bed over there with like... three quilts and a fluffy pillow on it. And your bloody tired as you approach it. You slip under those blankets and lay your head on that pillow.

And you feel loved.

"Kaname... I..." Zero mumbled without thinking, starting to get sleepy again.

"Yes, Zero?" Kaname cooed with his one hand sliding up to caress Zero's soft cheek with his thumb, always ready to listen and soothe.

"I'm glad that you and I... are together like this..." Zero whispered, his eyes unable to look away from Kaname's even as he felt himself getting all flustered again.

The older of the two leaned in and planted a tiny kiss on the tip of Zero's nose and whispered back, "Me, too, Zero."

Zero's eyelids slid closed slowly, as if he was dazed, but his lips curled up into a slight smile and he leaned up into the caresses of his lover's lips and hand like a kitten to his master. How tender this man treated him... It almost made him want to cry with joy.

"Kaname... I love you..." he whispered, coming closer a bit ungracefully and burying his face into Kaname's clothed chest with a soft sigh. Kaname immediately wrapped his arms around Zero while mentally latching onto those breathy words- that was the second time Zero had ever told the brunette that he loved him. It wasn't really because Zero didn't love him as much as Kaname loved the hunter (because Kaname voiced his affections nearly everyday), but Zero definitely had a hard time saying how he felt. Usually, to get Zero to say anything like that, he had to be tired or in an emotional high, and right now, Zero was sleepy.

Kaname nuzzled down into Zero's hair and murmured that he loved him beyond all possible comprehension before lifting Zero up in his arms easily, bridal-style. Zero only let out a surprised intake of air and had opened his eyes wide for a moment before calming down again with a small groan of protest as he curled against Kaname and put his arms around the pureblood's sensitive neck. Zero was so adorable when he was sleepy... It made Kaname remember when he had first had that uncontrollable urge to care for this adamant, yet fragile, man- that night when Zero had come back and Kaname had found him collapsed on the floor...

"He is safe now..." Kaname reminded himself as he grew a little and unnecessarily on edge at the thought of what had happened to his dear Zero. Instead of brooding and possibly stirring Zero again with his angry aura, he watched the hunter's face (which was so peaceful when he slept, not intimidating like it was when he was awake and around others) and occupied himself with that beauty as he carried him to the bed once again.

And after tucking him in, he wondered absently about whether or not him skipping class was going to be a problem. He didn't do it too often, but then again, he didn't see Zero too often either. And he would pick Zero over some class any day- if given the choice. Unfortunately, and he wasn't thinking vainly when he figured this, he was the one who was keeping Chairman Cross' dream together.

He would have to go to class tomorrow night and leave Zero alone for once. Ah, how dull. But for now, he just sat up on the bed, leaning back against Zero's headboard and let his fingers explore the younger vampire's sleeping form gently, intending to do so until it was time for Zero to go to class.

--

Wiping a few patches of thin sweat from her brow, Yuuki let out a puff of job-well-done air before putting both hands on her hips. She must be a gettting out of shape... She could barely keep up with escort with Zero around, and now, when he was with Kaname, it was even more hectic. She had just watched the Night Class head back into their dormitory, effectively locking the fangirls out, so her part of the deal was done...

Now when Zero showed up in class, he would take notes for her! Pretty good deal: Yuuki let Zero have some escorts off to be alone with Kaname in exchange for a small favor. This time, she figured that notes on their lectures from a natural brainiac like Zero would do wonders on her grades if she studied them well. Just the thought of the Class Rep. easing up on her was enough to get her through that particularlly chilly and demanding escort.

Chilly... Yes, it was starting to get a little cooler around Cross Academy and that meant that the holidays were coming up... Pretty soon the breaks would be upon them and the classes would be canceled so that the students could go home and visit their families. Except... the trio seemed to be lacking in that field, didn't they? Sure, Zero and Yuuki technically had Kaien and each other, but Kaname... Kaname had no real family left, did he?

No. No, Kaname-sama has family. He's got me and Zero- even Takuma, Aido and everyone. Maybe we could all do something together this year...

That sounded like fun, actually- she would have to ask her two favorite vampires about it later. Kaname and Zero were definitely on better terms than they had been last year, so perhaps Yuuki and Kaname could find a way to get Zero to tolerate the pureblood's inner circle- and vise-versa- for one night.

A goofy smile found its way to her lips at the thought of everyone getting along and she could totally see where her adoptive father was coming from with his aspiration of vampires and humans living in harmony. Ah! But today, it was time to go take a nap in class while her "little brother" took notes! Today was going to be a good day. ^^

--

Author's Notes: I just typed those last two sentences after months of not typing in this one and figured that that was good for Chappie Two. So how was it? X3 I've been working on The Used so I've lost the feel for this one, but I'll try to get this one up and running again.

Ah, and I have noticed that this story could very well turn out like lightpathetic's A Place For Us Ken arc. I DO NOT want that to happen! So while I can write for a little bit on the holidays and how our characters relax, I want to have Nezu and Eiji in it. So if you would like to leave a suggestion on what to have happen, feel free. ^^