A/N: This was almost the last chapter, but it was getting too long, so I split this bit off of it to go by itself. So if it doesn't exactly seem to go anywhere on its own, that's why, it's basically leading into the next chappie.
Chapter Six: "Lost and Found"
A quick scan of the main area of the arcade turned up nothing more than some curious glances and Kaname obtained the desk attendant's permission to go in and search the now empty laser tag arena. The two vampires were fortunate that the game in which they had participated had been the last one of the evening, otherwise the arena would already have been occupied again.
Not that that would have been likely to stop Kaname. Zero was having visions of the pureblood emptying the arena – one way or another, with or without the coerced help of the attendant – and was silently grateful for their good fortune in avoiding making any more of a scene than could be helped.
The door to the arena wasn't locked, so with the attendant's permission, the two vampires simply let themselves in. The room seemed even larger when it was empty. Kaname took one side, starting by the door and Zero took the other, heading for the far wall. Intending to meet in the middle, both of them started a methodical search around, behind and underneath all the various structures and obstacles. The arena was a giant maze, intended to promote concealment, and there were a million places for a small box to have fallen out of sight or gotten kicked beneath. The attendant had turned the lights on for them, but fully lit in this room was still equivalent to twilight and it was a good thing that both boys had good night vision.
Vision wasn't Zero's only sense that was keen and as he drew nearer to the far wall, he was quickly aware of other presences hidden at the very back of the supposedly deserted arena, masked from easy notice by the strong pulse of humanity radiating from the nearby arcade and the passers by outside in the street. An odd, sweet smell drifted to him, along with the definite sensation of more than one presence.
Zero's warning flags went up and his body tensed, his steps turning completely silent. He automatically reached into his jacket before remembering that of course, he didn't have his gun with him.
Kaname might or might not already be aware of the other presences, even from the other side of the spacious arena, but Zero doubted it. Kaname was closest to the arcade and the large number of people there would be clouding his senses. The hunter understood now, why Kaname didn't like crowds much. Hyper keen vampire senses became less useful when they were inundated by too much input. Zero intended to check the situation out before drawing attention to it. There were many perfectly innocent reasons for people to be in here and already, he was ascertaining that whoever they were, they were human. So, unless they were hunters, the threat wasn't too high. Still, he remained alert. No one with harmful intentions was going to get to Kaname because of a lack of watchfulness on his part - that was a promise.
The people were hidden from easy view by one of the shadowy game towers, but as he drew closer Zero saw two slight, feminine figures loitering near the emergency exit. They were smoking something that didn't look or smell like cigarettes and Zero understood immediately why they had sneaked back here to do so. The ends of the short blunts glowed faintly in the dim light, illuminating their faces a little. The old door beside them was cracked open a couple inches. Although apparently not open enough to make the building's alarm system sound, the fresh air from the outside created a mild draft in the empty room, sucking most of the smoke out into the night and explaining why the scent was not more prevalent in the arena.
One of the girls leaned against the wall; the other was looking around a bit warily, probably wondering why the lights had come on. Deciding they were not a threat, Zero started to turn away to return to his search, but the girl who was looking around caught sight of him. Zero cringed inwardly. It was barnacle girl, also known as Nikki, according to the embarrassing note still scribbled on his hand. Her eyes lit up in recognition upon seeing him. Great. Apparently he had no luck at all tonight.
Zero quickly strode away and started studiously searching around several of the colorful plastic barrels near the wall. Nikki and her friend looked pretty well on their way to getting wasted if the glassy-eyed look he'd glimpsed was any indication, so maybe they'd just ignore him.
And maybe pigs would fly if they had wings.
The second girl stayed by the door, sliding down to sit on the floor in a comfortable haze once she realized that Zero wasn't the attendant and they weren't about to get busted, but Nikki seemed more alert and she followed him. The sweetly cloying scent of the mild narcotic she was smoking was strong about her as she sidled up beside him. "Hey, it's you again. Miss me?" she giggled softly, her body language unnaturally relaxed and her manner suggesting some kind of intoxication. She rested her hand on his back as he stooped to look under a ramp.
Zero realized that she was already stoned and tried not to be too irritated. Geez, it hadn't been that long since he'd last seen her, she must smoke quick or else have a low tolerance. He didn't really care to be honest. He shrugged her hand off of him and ignored her, crossing over to the base of another ramp and looking all around it before checking along the wall. It had to be here somewhere. Please don't let us have lost it anywhere else. Kaname seemed so distraught, Zero really wanted to find the box, and quickly.
Nikki was apparently past taking a hint. "Want some?" she offered, proffering her blunt towards Zero magnanimously as the hunter dropped to his hands and knees, peering under a lime green crate.
Zero shot her a glare as he straightened up and dusted off his palms. "No, I'm busy." Okay, so tact had never been his thing and he really wasn't in the mood for distractions right now.
Forget hints, Nikki was apparently impervious to direct statements either. She grinned as if he were simply being coy and reached into her jeans pocket, pulling out a small plastic bag filled with some kind of powder. She waggled it like a prize. "Okay, okay... I got better stuff. I'll share..." she offered in a giggly seductive tone. She wrapped her arms around his waist suggestively. "Come on... lighten up and live a little..." Without warning and much to Zero's shock and chagrin, Nikki leaned in against the hunter and kissed him aggressively on the mouth.
On the other side of the arena, Kaname's sharp hearing picked up voices. As quick and quiet as a cat, he ascended one of the hanging second level walkways, making his way silently towards the source. He was concerned for Zero's safety for a moment, but when he reached the source of the voices, that quickly melted into other emotions. Amusement, certainly, but also... he hated to admit it... a small but distinct spark of jealousy. His jaw tensed silently as he saw Nikki coming onto Zero. He didn't want these emotions, but he couldn't help the way his pulse pounded in his temples and his chest tightened as he saw her running her hands across Zero's butt, pressing her attractive little body to his and trying to claim his mouth. She had no right.
Kaname fought the overwhelming instinctual urge to kill her. That, he knew would be a gross overreaction and Zero would get upset with him. Do not overreact. Do not overreact. Kaname sucked air into his lungs deeply, containing the dangerous urges with admirable self-control. Zero could deal with this just fine. He trusted Zero. He knew he hadn't invited this attention or contact.
Yet... that didn't entirely help the ache that had spawned unbidden in his chest. He knew Zero would reject the girl's advances, because the hunter wasn't that type of person. But deep down... did Zero wish he were free to see where this might lead? Zero was young, full of life and young men's desires... did he regret that he was already bound to one lover? A lover who wasn't even from his preferred gender?
Despite knowing Zero loved him, there was still a small, niggling concern in the back of Kaname's head that Zero did, in fact, like girls and since Kaname wasn't one, that was something he couldn't give him. Heck, Zero didn't even like hearing the two of them referred to as boyfriends and Kaname suddenly wondered if that was just because of the term itself, or because it had been a couple of young women who had labeled them such. He didn't expect Zero to go for someone like this girl - Zero had taste after all - but still, just the thought that the hunter might want something other than him someday was enough to make the pureblood feel sick. Kaname gripped the metal railing tightly, trying without success to tell himself that he was being stupidly childish.
Zero was caught off guard by Nikki's unexpected advance. "Wh- hey! What the hell?!" the hunter spluttered, turning his head to get his mouth free and back-pedaling quickly. This girl was crazy! "What is your problem?!" Embarrassment flooded him. He couldn't pretend that the body contact hadn't been exciting on a purely physical level, but irritation was his current overriding emotion. This girl was seriously screwed up. He'd never even seen her before tonight and she was acting like this?!
Zero pried the girl's arms from around his waist and shoved her away, only to have her follow, almost struggling with him as if this was all some kind of game. She didn't seem entirely in touch with reality. To a certain extent, it wasn't the first time he'd seen someone make an idiot out of themselves. He'd been a Prefect at Cross Academy for several years after all and those Day Class girls had been enough to scar anyone for life, but at least they'd been going to the same school as the objects of their obsessions. Nikki was a total stranger and this was just ridiculous. Zero eyed the bag that had fallen to the floor during the small scuffle. Okay, maybe it wasn't a matter of her being quick or having a low tolerance, maybe this girl was already on something a lot more powerful than what she was smoking. That would explain her overall erratic and impulsive behavior. He frowned. As someone who had had the consuming, life-altering addiction for blood forced on him, it upset him to see people who walked themselves into other kinds of destructive addictions willingly. It also upset him how vulnerably the stupid girl was presenting herself. If he was more of a predator, either human or vampire, he could take advantage of her so easily right now it wasn't even funny. Sheesh.
"Stop it! Get off me! I don't want that and I don't want you," he said bluntly. This was incredibly humiliating and he did not have time for it. Finally giving up on being overly gentle, Zero gave her a more powerful shove that separated them, backing up quickly. "Just. Leave. Me. Alone," he growled, striding quickly away to the other wall and starting to ascend one of the ramps to the elevated levels.
Soft sounds behind him arrested his escape and he reluctantly halted with an exasperated sigh. Oh. Crap. Nikki was crying. It had been a while since he'd made a girl cry. Except in the case of someone dear to him, he'd gotten kind of immune to that back during his Cross Academy days. Being a Prefect and keeping order sometimes meant setting off the over-emotional who didn't realize that he was trying to freaking protect them.
Zero wondered if Kaname was making him soft or something, because he felt guilty for causing tears, even though he didn't know this girl and she was kind of being a pain in the butt. Slowly, he turned back towards Nikki, although remaining on the ramp, a hopefully safe distance away. "Look... I didn't mean to be sharp, okay? I'm just busy right now. My..." Zero faltered, realizing what he had, unthinkably, been just about to say to her. He hesitated, a sudden, strange flush of heat churning uneasily in his stomach. You big coward, this girl's high as a kite, hanging all over a perfect stranger and you're afraid to use a word? Just say it. Why not? What are you ashamed of? Zero's shoulders squared slightly. He wasn't ashamed. He wasn't one little bit ashamed of who he loved.
"My boyfriend lost something important, and I'm trying to help him look for it, so I have to go," he said quietly. Using that term towards Kaname was hard, but somehow freeing at the same time. There. He'd said it.
Suddenly, Zero felt a small spike of emotion, an unintentional tug in the bond he shared with Kaname and his head jerked up. His startled gaze found the pureblood standing silently above on the elevated walkway opposite the hunter. The pureblood was almost invisible in the dim light, his dark suit and hair blending into the shadows with unnatural ease. Zero suddenly wondered how long Kaname had been there. Apparently, long enough to hear what he'd just said...
Zero felt his face burn for about the billionth time that evening, but the look in Kaname's almost shocked eyes was incredibly soft and deep. The hunter swallowed, staring transfixed.
A small, deeply touched smile danced at the corners of Kaname's mouth. He'd not expected to hear Zero refer to him in that manner, especially unprompted to a complete stranger when the hunter obviously didn't even know Kaname was eavesdropping. To many people those words were no big deal, but Kaname knew quite well that for Zero to use them was a big deal. The hunter was an incredibly kind and generous soul, but verbal affection was not his strong suit. Maybe it was terribly silly, but hearing that small acknowledgement of their relationship from Zero at a time when Kaname had been feeling so insecure and the hunter hadn't had to mention it at all meant a lot to the pureblood. It erased the ache in his chest from a few moments ago and quieted his fears.
Nikki, blissfully unaware of the silent exchange taking place, blinked as if trying to comprehend Zero's statement. "Oh," was all she said for a moment. Then, the boyfriend bit finally seemed to register and she recalled the stunning brunette that she had seen Zero with earlier. "Oh."
She looked both intrigued and relieved; as if Zero having a boyfriend meant that she took his rejection of her a lot less personally. She actually brightened and wiped her eyes, although it could have been her unstable mood in play as well. "Okay, I'll help you look. What did he lose?"
"Um, well, some kind of jewelry box," Zero replied, already caught between being distracted by thoughts of where to start looking next and the fact that Kaname was still watching him appreciatively from the other walkway.
Nikki suddenly dashed off back to where she'd left her friend by the emergency exit and Zero wondered if her attention limit had suddenly expired or something. Whatever. He had just turned to start up the walkway again when Nikki reappeared at the base of the ramp, having retrieved something from her purse.
"Like this one?" she asked innocently, holding up a small, burgundy jewelry box in one hand.
Zero didn't know it by sight, so he wasn't sure, but Kaname was suddenly standing at Nikki's side, his hand curled firmly over hers. "Yes, it is," he said simply as he plucked the box from her fingers.
Nikki flinched, giving a soft yelp at his sudden and unexpected appearance and cringing away a step at the not entirely friendly aura that Kaname was directing at her. "I-I tripped over it on the way in here, I thought it was one of the arcade prizes somebody had lost," she babbled, suddenly nervous and almost afraid although she didn't know why. "I didn't know it was yours."
Zero cast the pureblood a slight, warning scowl. Moving way too fast again, and cut it with the aura. In her condition she's likely to have a heart attack.
Kaname looked like he couldn't have cared less about her health, but he did scale back on the negative vibes. He clicked the lid of the small box open quickly, keeping it turned away from Zero so the hunter couldn't see the contents as he checked to be sure the necklace was still inside and all right. Thankfully, it was. Kaname felt the sickening knot in his stomach start to slide loose, a giddy wash of relief taking its place.
In the dim, black lighting of the arena, the stone and the white gold both looked a funny neon-ish color. He could see how it might have been mistaken for nothing but a trinket, especially to mere, human eyes. Thank God the girl had no idea what she'd actually found or she would probably never have returned it voluntarily. Intense relief made Kaname a little more kindly disposed and he gave Nikki a smile.
"Of course. Thank you for finding and returning it. I appreciate it very much," he said graciously, trying to keep in mind that she hadn't had to volunteer it so quickly. He didn't like this girl at all, but he was so good at acting charming that you wouldn't have known it as he gave her a small, appreciative nod. He turned to go and gestured to Zero to come, slipping the box safely back into his pocket. "Good evening, then."
Nikki smiled back uncertainly, not sure if she was sad or relieved to see them go. She'd been intensely attracted to the brunette earlier, but something about him just now had given her the creeps. Zero came back down the ramp and joined Kaname, but he paused, glancing back with a troubled expression as he watched Nikki bend to pick up the bag of drugs that had fallen earlier and put it back in her jeans pocket.
Kaname caught the look and followed his gaze. His eyes softened slightly as he observed the hunter's concern. It was so like Zero to be worried about a complete stranger. The hunter was the kind of person who would bring a stray kitten in out of the rain, feed it, dry it, wrap it in blankets, tenderly make sure it was okay... and then pretend like he'd just been tired of listening to it mewl under his window and simply wanted it to shut up. By now, Kaname knew better.
The pureblood held up his hand in a gesture indicating that he wanted Zero to wait for him before retracing his steps back towards Nikki. This wasn't for her sake, but to make Zero happy... there was a lot he'd do to make Zero happy.
Zero looked at Kaname quizzically and hesitated, wondering what the pureblood was up to now.
"Young lady? One more thing..." Kaname said as he approached, causing Nikki to start and look up. Without warning, Kaname captured her face between his hands and pressed his forehead lightly to hers.
Zero frowned in puzzlement, then started quickly retracing his steps towards them when he felt Kaname's aura shifting in his hunter senses and realized that the pureblood was flexing his powers in some manner. "Kaname? What are you doing... Kaname?" Zero hissed softly, starting to get a little worried as he reached them.
Kaname stroked Nikki's temples lightly with his thumbs and then straightened. She seemed dazed, her gaze blank in a way that had nothing to do with drugs this time. "Now," Kaname whispered in an alluringly soothing voice. "You don't need these anymore, do you?" he touched the pocket holding the drugs lightly.
As if in a trance, Nikki slowly shook her head.
"Good," Kaname purred in approval. "Then you should go get rid of them. You'll find other ways to feel good from now on, won't you?" he murmured. Again he was answered by a trancelike nod.
"That's a good girl," the pureblood said softly and Nikki looked dazedly happy at his approval. If Zero didn't realize that Kaname was actually trying to help her, this would have been both frightening and disturbing. Nikki was obviously under Kaname's influence in some way.
"Now go home and get some good sleep, tomorrow, you'll feel wonderful for having made this decision," Kaname finished his instructions softly and touched her face one more time.
Nikki seemed to snap out of whatever hypnotic trance she had been in and blinked owlishly. She looked almost surprised to see Kaname and Zero standing there, but then just smiled at them and ambled off to find her friend. "Trish? Trish, come on, let's go home..."
The two vampires took their leave quickly and quietly, thanking the attendant and letting him know they'd found what they were looking for before making their second and hopefully final exit for the night. Once they were outside, Zero turned an unreadable look on Kaname.
"What did you do to her?" he asked softly. It was quieter out here now. The hour was growing late and the traffic on the sidewalks had thinned. A cool night breeze ruffled Zero's hair.
Kaname gazed at the hunter silently for a moment. "I didn't hurt her. You seemed concerned about her use of narcotics," he said simply. "So I merely suggested to her that she didn't need them anymore and planted the memory of her deciding it for herself so she'll have a reason for the change. She may go through some withdrawal, but I don't think she was a serious user yet. She might relapse I suppose, but it's amazing what a firm resolution can do for one. If she sticks with it, she'll be better off in the long run. That's what you wanted, isn't it?" The pureblood sounded a trifle wary, as if suddenly wondering whether doing that in front of Zero had been such a good idea. The ex-human generally held a dim view of tampering with people's free will. Kaname hadn't thought of it in that light at the time. Crap.
Zero gave the pureblood a wry, slightly wondering smile. "Oh, is that all." He knew Kaname had the ability to alter memories and influence minds, both human and vampire, he'd just never thought of putting it to such a use. Kaname's hesitant defensiveness quickly alerted him that the pureblood might have taken his question as an accusation. There was certainly a huge grey area here, but even if Kaname did have a tendency to simply 'fix' things without considering how anyone else might feel about it, he could see that the pureblood had had the best of intentions at heart in this instance.
"I didn't..." Zero wasn't sure how to say what he hadn't meant and decided to say what he did mean instead. "I think what you did for her was pretty nice," he murmured, his eyes filled with quiet appreciation. Kaname's power was impressive, but more important to Zero, was how he chose to use it.
"I did it for you," Kaname clarified softly, his gaze holding Zero's. Kaname knew he would not have stopped to consider the girl as anything but a nuisance without Zero present. The hunter brought out that side of him.
Zero smiled and looked away self consciously, not sure how to respond to that. "Oh... well... thanks." He cleared his throat. "So..." he changed the subject, a hesitant but intrigued look coming in his amethyst eyes. "Now that we've successfully recovered it... what's in the box?" he nodded towards Kaname's jacket pocket. The pureblood's hand was still in there, as if he was afraid to let the thing out of his grip again.
After realizing how much importance Kaname attached to it, Zero was quite prepared to be properly appreciative of whatever probably sappy and embarrassing thing Kaname had gotten him. And, truth be told... he was more than a little curious now.
Zero's interest climbed rapidly as Kaname's pale cheeks flushed again and the pureblood took on an adorably uncertain look. It was very, very hard to fluster or embarrass Kaname, or at least to get him to show it, and Zero thought he was endearingly attractive like that.
Kaname was uncharacteristically at a loss for words. He hadn't planned for this; he didn't know what to do. It wasn't supposed to happen this way. "Zero... I-I don't think..."
"Come on, you said it was for me..." Zero prodded with a smile, enjoying the pureblood's lovely lack of balance and finding that he really, truly was eager to know what could possibly have Kaname so flustered. Far from dreading it now, he found he was itching with a curiosity that was fairly unusual for him. There was still so much he was learning about his lover. He wanted to know what Kaname thought was special.
"So? Give." Zero held out his hand with a teasing smile, waggling his fingers.
Kaname hesitated, the jewelry box gripped tightly in one hand while the fingers of his other hand worried at the edge of the cardboard box from the arcade, which he was once again carrying. Zero probably hadn't even noticed when he'd set it down and when he'd picked it back up again, but Kaname was excellent at keeping track of details, at making sure things came out like they should. Except that this, this very important moment, was not coming out at all like it should.
The pureblood was pleased to see that Zero actually seemed to be quite interested in the gift now, but it... it felt wrong to just hand it over like this. He didn't know if Zero would get the significance of it. What if, after Kaname's embarrassingly panicky reaction to losing it, Zero was expecting something else? What if when he saw what it actually was, he was disappointed...? Kaname was making himself almost sick with the spinning concerns. It was ridiculous. He knew that. But...
"N-not like this. The setting... it's all wrong. I wanted..." Kaname bit his lower lip, his face flushing harder at how unbelievably childish he was being. God, you should just give it to him and get it over with, he's going to think you're such a moron now. "I wanted it to be special," he whispered faintly.
Zero's eyes softened. Kaname looked miserable and he was practically radiating embarrassed heat. Wow... this really was important to Kaname, more so than Zero could understand, apparently. Gently, Zero caressed Kaname's burning cheek with the back of his hand. Kaname leaned instinctively into the tender touch, finding the coolness of the hunter's fingers soothing.
"Okay," Zero whispered, his expression more quiet and serious now. He lightly drew Kaname's hand out of his pocket and entwined their fingers together.
Kaname looked at him, relieved, but puzzled as Zero checked the street for traffic and then tugged on Kaname's hand, leading him across the avenue and towards the dark void created by the silent park.
"Zero, where...?" Kaname started to ask where they were going as Zero didn't stop at the sidewalk, but continued out into the grass, leading Kaname down the grassy slope that led away from the road and towards the whispering trees beyond.
In the moonlight, Zero's hair shone like spun silver as he turned and gave Kaname a tender, impish smile, putting his other finger to his lips. "Shh," he hushed Kaname's inquiry. "Trust me."
Those two words and that look were quite enough to gain complete, blind obedience from the pureblood who simply twined his fingers even further with the hunters and followed his lead. The cool air slowly started to sooth his burning cheeks and his emotions settled. Trust you, Zero? With my life... no, with something far more perilous than that... with my heart.
They walked in silence for several minutes, passing through murmuring strands of tress and across windswept plains of grass that were painted with the milky light of the moon, dim to human eyes, but perfectly clear to vampires. Every now and again, Zero would pause and look around them, as if considering their surroundings or searching for something unknown. Always, he seemed to not find what he sought and would move on again with a little shake of his head and a squeeze to Kaname's hand.
They lost themselves deeper and deeper into the park and soon Kaname could tell they were very near the lake from the increasing scent of water and the sound of lapping waves. The ground sloped up and they found themselves climbing a small but steep hill.
Kaname wondered again what Zero was looking for and where they were going, but he didn't ask. He was perfectly content to wander like this with his lover forever. Zero seemed to have relaxed and mellowed so much in comparison to the tense way he'd behaved earlier, the pureblood found it delicious. The park was quiet and peaceful, the sounds and sensory input of humanity fading behind them, buffered by nature. The moon, the stars, Zero by his side... Kaname honestly couldn't think of anywhere he'd rather be.
Zero found himself glancing across at Kaname repeatedly as they mounted the hill. The pureblood hadn't questioned him once, seeming content to let Zero lead. The hunter was enjoying this - very, very much. They'd had a wonderful evening full of unexpected enjoyment. They were alone. He was walking hand in hand with Kaname under the stars, and it was beautiful. He was not entirely wandering aimlessly though, even if it seemed so. He was looking for something, he just didn't know where it would be because he was unfamiliar with this park, but he'd know it when they got there.
At the top of the hill, Zero finally found what he was looking for. The earth leveled out, creating a broad, rolling expanse of moon-drenched grass. There were trees off to the right and empty picnic tables nestled in amongst tasteful shrubbery off to the left. Ahead of them, the earth sloped down again, falling away to meet a vast, glistening expanse of water. The lake was calm, rippling peacefully as it lapped gently at the shore. The moon caught and glimmered on the crests of the small ripples as if each one was encrusted with diamonds. Above, the inky heavens mirrored back the bright pinpricks of light with a multitude of twinkling stars. Off in the distance, the glow of the houses that bordered the distant shore added to the cornucopia of lights, clustered like sparkling lace around the velvet and diamond blackness of the lake. The view was breathtaking.
For a moment, both vampires just soaked it in, appreciating it in silence. They stood beside one another, shoulders brushing lightly, hands still clasped. In the silence, Zero's gaze slid away from the lovely vista before him, and onto the one that was next to him.
Kaname almost disappeared into the night, even to vampire vision. His dark hair faded into the sky and his dark eyes caught the light of the stars as he gazed out across the lake. Only his skin stood out, pale and almost luminescent. It was as if the shadows hugged him lovingly and the moon took extra care to paint the delicate lines of his creamy, porcelain skin. He was breathtaking.
Kaname felt Zero's gaze and turned to regard him with a small, twinkling smile. The hunter's gorgeous amethyst eyes looked more silver than usual in the moonlight. They gave away his thoughts quite clearly, even as Kaname's tender and completely besotted expression probably did the same.
"There," Zero murmured, breaking the long silence at last. He gave Kaname's hand a final squeeze. "Found it."