Second drabble in my series of unrelated short stories with various VK characters. :D

#: 02
Title: A bad lie for a good reason.
Characters: Zero, Ichiru. (Mentions of Kaname also.)

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight, this is a fanfic written for fun and for love of the series. I'm not making any money with it.
Warnings: Implied spoilers for chapter 30 or the manga, possibly.

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"You are a hypocrite, Zero."

The hunter turned around to face the one who had just insulted him, eyebrows creasing questioningly at the accusation.

The man in front of him had the same face, same eyes, same voice… but slightly longer hair. Ichiru gazed at Zero with a condescending look, unfazed by his older twin's glare.

"After all you've said of my relationship with Shizuka-sama, you go and take a pureblood lover."

Zero's face twisted with a mix of shock and disgust at the unfounded accusation.

"That's a lie or a gross misconstruction, Ichiru!!"

"Is that so, really? Every other night you slip into his private chambers at the wee hours of dawn, through the window, and return a while later, visibly looking relieved. How is this a misconstruction of the truth?!"

Zero's face fell. He couldn't reveal the truth, of course. That the secret meetings were for him to drink Kaname's blood. That it was because they had an agreement and a common purpose. Because Kuran would stave off his madness and let him prey on his blood as long as he didn't touch Yuuki's blood anymore.

It was a forbidden thing, even more so between a pureblood and an ex-human. If it was known, the vampire society would be outraged and inevitably would wreak havoc upon the school, hell bent on catching and tearing apart the tainted being that defiled their precious prince. Kuran himself would suffer consequences, for submitting himself to something so degrading and wasteful for them. A pureblood was sacred at the eyes of the other vampires, but precisely because they had so much power and so much importance, it was dangerous for one of them to use it in a way that the council disagreed with. Hadn't they declared Shizuka mad and hunted her down precisely because her use of her powers put the balance of their society in danger?

While Zero wanted to believe he didn't care for whatever may happen to Kuran, the truth was that he felt indebted to Kaname and wouldn't risk betraying him after what the older vampire sacrificed to him, even if ultimately both were merely allies of occasion, working together just for Yuuki's sake. Just like Kaname kept Zero alive for Yuuki, Zero wasn't about to endanger Kaname either, for the same reasons.

Zero may refuse as much as possible his vampire nature, but he wasn't a fool, and knew well the consequences his words could have, and the taboo that Kuran's blood could represent. Ichiru had far too close ties with the council.

But it wasn't uncommon for ex-humans to service the higher ranks of the vampire society. A pureblood wouldn't stoop to taking someone of such low rank as an actual lover, but then again, Zero wasn't just a level D, he was also a hunter. Either way, the council would just close their eyes over the matter, assuming it was most likely a mere inconsequential affair stemming from the young pureblood's curiosity, or something of the such. A pureblood could very much satisfy their desires with whoever they wished without having to answer to anyone.

So, with his face burning in absolute shame, Zero retorted "I will bed whoever I want, Ichiru! It's none of your business!!" before turning around and striding away, mortification sweeping through his body at the obscene lie he had just had to tell his own brother, to protect the delicate balance of this precious haven of peace.

As he walked away, the hunter couldn't help but think that perhaps he understood a little what Kuran must feel like whenever the pureblood found himself forced to manoeuver around the dangerous politics of the vampire society and its many lies and unpleasant obligations.
Zero may hate Kuran most of the time, but he felt an inevitable twinge of sympathy at the thought, albeit slightly deterred by his rising anger at the idea that his brother –and possibly soon a whole lot of the bloodsuckers – would be thinking he was Kuran's bed warmer.

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The End.

Sagakure, August 02 2008

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In this one, they're not lovers, but in many of my other plot bunnies...hahahaha! ;D