Chapter Seven
Silent Suffering

It had finally arrived. After waiting for weeks for its arrival; it finally came. And after weeks of planning and preparing it was finally time. Yes, Valentine's Day had arrived, and the Day Class girls were giddy with excitement. At least... most of them. A few who did not care diddly-squat about the holiday, spent their time sleeping or working on homework. It was a very small percentage, but there were still a few that did not fawn over the Night Class.

Kagome had gotten used to the schedule and enjoyed the time spent with her brother and sister, even if they were in class. She especially loved to spend her time with her brother. She convinced Yuuki to take her shopping in town so she could get the supplies needed to make chocolates for her father and brother. She didn't tell Yuuki that she was also making some for her, because that would spoil the surprise, so she explained that they were just for her brother and father.

She was currently in her room in the Chairman's house, wrapping up each of the small chocolates she made for them. She was going to bring them to the Chairman's office, where the three of them were talking about the events for tomorrow. Smiling, Kagome tied the last bow on the third small box. Gathering them in her arms and putting them in a small bag, Kagome stood up and made her way to her father's office, whistling a small tune the whole way. Many of the Day Class students greeted her and said their hellos, she replied in kind and continued on her way. She had become rather popular with the Day Class girls, most proclaiming that she was "so cute" and proceeded to coddle her. Needless to say, she spent as much time with Zero as she could. Many didn't dare get too close to him, especially when he was in one of his moods. Which was pretty, much all the time.

But not Kagome, she stayed by his side whenever she got the opportunity, which was most of the time. She couldn't explain it, but she felt some sort of attachment to him, and he made her feel safe and secure. As far as she could remember, she had never felt that, not even when both her parents were alive.

Looking up, she discovered that she was in front of the Chairman's office door. Knocking quietly, she waited until someone opened the door. A moment later, the door was opened by Yuuki. Kagome smiled and looked past Yuuki to see their father crying over a book of coupons. Raising an eyebrow, Kagome looked curiously at Yuuki. Yuuki laughed nervously and scratched the back of her head.

"For Valentine's Day I gave the Chairman some coupons for my shoulder massages."

Kagome nodded before smiling and pulling out a pink box with a green ribbon.

"This is for you Yuuki-nee-chan."

Yuuki looked surprised; she truly had not expected to get anything. Giving Kagome a small thank you, Yuuki began to open her box. Kagome smiled again and moved over toward her father's desk, all the while pulling out a yellow box with a pink ribbon.

"This is for you Otou-san."

"Ah, my little daughter had made me handmade chocolates! I will cherish these while I eat them! Or maybe I won't even eat them? Oh, yes! I should keep them because they look so pretty, and were given to me by my cute little daughter!"

Kagome looked blankly at him and said, "But, Otou-san, if you keep them, you will never get to see how good I can make my chocolates. And that defeats the purpose of me making you the chocolates to eat."

"Oh, you are right of course! Than I shall eat the chocolates made by my cute daughter!"

Kagome ignored him as she turned with a even larger smile or her face, if that was at all possible, and pulled out the last, and largest, box from her bag. Moving in front of Zero, Kagome held out the green box with blue ribbon to Zero. She waited while he took it from her with a small look of astonishment on his normally scowling face.

Zero had not expected to get anything, least of all from Kagome, but he was even more surprised when she gave him the largest box, as well as smile. Yes, he had noticed how she acted different toward him than she did toward others, even Yuuki and her father, but he never thought much about it. He expected for her to get over her interest in him and attach to someone else, but she stayed with him and continued to sleep in his room with him. True, now they had separate beds, but she still moved to his when she couldn't sleep.

"I made the chocolates myself. And Yuuki-nee-chan helped buy the chocolate. Some of them didn't turn out the best, but they tasted fine. I gave the ones that turned out the best as Valentine's Day gifts to you," she explained as the three of them were looking at their chocolates. Some were deformed, but still edible, and some had the white spots and streaks from over heating. Other than that, they looked pretty good for the work of a seven-and-a-half-year-old. Zero also didn't fail to see that she bestowed upon him the best out of the ones she made. He looked down to see Kagome looking at him eagerly, obviously wanting his approval. Giving her a small, rare smile, Zero raised up his hand and set it gently on her head before giving it a small pat. Kagome beamed at him from his small show of praise, before turning to Yuuki when she mentioned that it was time for class. And through the distraction that Kagome caused, the three of them were able to forget about the conversation about vampires being monsters in human form, as well as the painful memories they brought up.

Later that night brought the chaos that always occurred near Valentine's Day. Many of the Day Class students were trying to give their chocolates to the Night Class before anyone else had the chance. Kagome was standing in the back of the group, waiting for Yuuki and Zero so she could follow them on their patrol until the Chairman came back home. Normally, she would never get this close to the Moon Dorm gate, but since the Chairman had to go into town for something that she couldn't be there for, Kagome went with the two prefects as they tried to keep the girls from the Night Class.

From what Kagome understood, they weren't supposed to try to give the Night Class students chocolate until Valentine's Day. But she could see quite a few determined souls that wanted to give their chocolates to them now. She almost ran into the crowd when she noticed one girl try to climb the wall to get to the Night Class. Her sister was standing on top of the wall preventing such acts, but the girl slipped and fell. The crowd was a light with chatter as she fell, but it grew quiet when her brother caught her.

Running into the crowd, and pushing through all the girls, Kagome made it to Zero and began to praise him on his fast reflexes. All the while checking to make sure he was not hurt in any way.

Zero could see what she was doing, but couldn't find it in himself to snap at her for thinking he could even possibly get hurt for such a small occurrence. Looking to the girl that tried to climb the wall, and back to the rest of the girls. Zero warned them that if they continued to break the rules, the event would be discontinued. The girls were not too happy to hear this showed their objection verbally. He ignored them as he looked up at Yuuki as she jumped down from the wall and walked over to them. The girls voices became louder when the gates opened and the Night Class came forth. Zero looked down to make sure Kagome had not been pushed when the girls surged forward. He found her standing exactly where she was before, the other girls had gone around her so as not to harm her. He would have been grateful for that, if he didn't already hate his job.

Zero stayed off to the side, while Yuuki tried to keep the girls from pushing. Kagome moved behind him when the Night Class moved farther down the row of girls. She grabbed tightly onto the back of his shirt when Kaname turned toward Zero and began to walk toward him. As he approached, he took a glance at Kagome, before returning his attention to Zero.

"Kiryuu-kun, how are you feeling?"

Kagome could tell that Zero was shocked by the question, but he didn't react to his shock. She hid farther behind him as Kaname took another glance at her before he continued.

"Take care of yourself."

Zero watched as Kaname turned away from himself and Kagome. He knew that Kaname was, in a way, making sure the Zero was not harming the small pure-blood. But he was also trying to see how far he was from reacting to his bloodlust.

Clenching his fists, Zero said calmly, but with challenge, "If you're trying to start something. I'll challenge you anytime, Kuran-senpai." What he meant was that he would not give in to his bloodlust so easily, and he would not hurt Kagome purposefully. And if Kaname had a problem, he would deal with him, personally.

Once Kaname and the rest of the Night Class had left, Kagome moved a bit away from Zero and looked worriedly up at him. He didn't look at her for a few minutes, as he watched the Night Class disappear from view. He turned his head downward to see a head of black hair. Kagome was hugging him tightly around his middle. And he let her. Yet, he still did not know why. And he was not sure if he would ever understand why he was able to stand Kagome's presence, but not that of any other vampire. He wasn't sure if he wanted too.

Later that night found Kagome sleeping soundly in her bed in Zero's dorm, Yuuki attempting to make chocolates for Kaname for Valentine's Day tomorrow, the Chairman somewhere in the house, and Zero staggering through the halls trying to rid himself of the need for blood. The attacks were becoming shorter apart as time wore on and the vampire blood in his veins spread. But he could not drink the blood tablets, they did little to sate his burning hunger, and he found himself thirsting more and more for the thick red liquid inside each human being. And each time he had to stop himself from thinking about drinking from those around him. It was controllable for the moment, but he dreaded when a time would come where his vampire side would take over and he would become that which he most hated. A vampire. Worse, a Level E.

Staggering to the wall, Zero leaned against it and slid to the floor, breathing deeply to try and calm himself. He could not return to his room in this state. Zero did not want Kagome to fear him, almost anyone else would be fine, but not his sister, not either of his sisters. But especially not Kagome. He stayed in his position against the wall until the Chairman came walking up with a glass of water in one hand and a blood tablet in the other.

"If you just fight it, or run away from it, nothing is going to change," Kaien said as he walked closer. "But you just keep pushing yourself like this...," he trailed off while looking down at Zero's suffering form.

"Shut up," Zero whispered harshly. I know, he added mentally.

Gazing down at the human-turning-vampire, Kaien knelt down and offered the water and tablet.

"This will make the pain easier to deal with, so drink it."

Zero stared at the water and tablet almost painfully, before bringing his hand up and knocking the glass out of Kaien's hand, the tablet following its trip to the floor. The Chairman sighed before standing, holding the blanket tighter around himself.

"Please understand what will happen if you continue like this."

Zero held himself tightly, still trying to get his body under control. He already knew. He knew what would happen. He would eventually lose his human half, and he would possibly attack his family and friends. He could hurt the Chairman, his father-figure. He could hurt Yuuki, his best friend and sister-figure. He could hurt Kagome, his new little sister and more. He was not exactly sure what she was to him, but he knew she was more than just a little sister.

When Zero didn't answer the Chairman continued, " No... you already know."

Yes, he knew. And he would try everything in his power to prevent it from happening. He only wished that the tablets worked, but they did nothing. Nothing. And he knew it was only a matter of time before someone was hurt. He only hoped that it was himself that got hurt and no one close to him.