A/N: Thank you for the wonderful response to this fic! I find myself now wanting to write furiously to post as many chapters as the holiday weekend will allow. Happy Thanksgiving to my USA readers~! Yes, the eventual pairing is KxZ and ZxK (both ways) and unless otherwise noted, all the characters coming into play from Kaname's workshop start out as wooden dolls that he brings to life. For full disclaimers and summary see first chapter.

I hope you enjoy the story! ^_^

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any Vampire Knight Anything, I only lay claim to my original characters, plot bunnies and such. Beware that it is Puppetland/Dollworld, adjustments had to be made. ~_^

The work was long and tedious.

Kaname took his time.

For the entire first week, he ate, slept and lived in the workshop—a routine he was familiar with, one that brought the faintest sparks of happiness to his life. Work was slow in that Kaname couldn't bear to do anything but take his time. This one he had to be careful with. This one he had to do his best. Of course, he would give his best to everything that came beneath his hand so as long as it was for the right reasons, but this one—this was his first.

He didn't know when exactly he started talking to Takuma, but somehow in the midst of the carving and whittling, he did. The words between him and the lifeless block of wood were exactly that—private words between a creator and his subject.

"I might start sanding tonight." Kaname murmured, checking measurements again with the golden measuring tape that hung around his neck and past his waist. "I think you're almost ready." His fingers ran lightly over the roughened outlines, testing the ridges in the wood. "Yes, I think tonight."

He finished the measuring and then took up a soft bristled brush to clean up the shavings around him. "I should hope you would make yourself useful." He commented. "Very useful. This might tickle." The brush was briskly passed over the entire statue-on-a-pedestal that remained from the once unoriginal block of wood. The result was somewhat easier on the sharp burgundy eyes that stared straight through the wood, it seemed, seeing something else far more different than what was before him.

The sanding began without delay.

Kaname's expert fingers guided the machine in, out and around the rough statue, smoothing the roughened wood into a silky finish. When he was through, the result was a simply stunning wooden figure in the shape of a young man. There were no details yet, just the necessary arms, legs, torso and head.

"Tomorrow." Kaname promised, running his fingers lightly over the formed head. He could already see the gentle eyes, curling hair and sloped nose that would make up the vision dubbed 'Takuma' in his mind. A smile nearly slipped to the forefront, but he pushed it away and undid the heavy work apron. There was an annoying presence he could sense just outside in the hallway. He'd been ignoring it for quite some time now, but there was a different note of worry attached to it this time.

It seemed he would have to make an actual appearance to drive it away.

For the first time in nearly two and a half-weeks, he left the workshop.

TAKUMA'S POV

He was leaving. He promised that he'd come back to me tomorrow, but the moment I saw his slender shoulders pass through the privacy curtain, a sense of loneliness and dread settled into the very grain of my wood. I could see him clearer now. It had been both painful and exhilarating to be under the weight of his talented hands.

A strange kind of torture.

A sweetly agonizing torture as the lovely Kaname had ripped away the old, useless parts of me until he'd reached my very core. Then, he'd begun to gentle, the touch of his hands changing along with the tools as he coaxed me to life from the gray matter around me. I was so relieved when he started talking.

I could listen to his voice for nearly forever. It made being trapped and silent within this wood more bearable than I thought possible. He was special. He was definitely special and he had chosen me. I could not wait to see him—for real.

KANAME'S POV

Kaname stepped outside the workshop feeling a faint twinge in his chest as he turned the lock and then stopped to fish out the keys from his pants pocket and secure the extra locks. Once done, he turned, hands in his pockets, head bowed, a scowl beginning to form on his pale aristocratic features. "Joren?" The name was half-growled out. "I know you're prowling around here, show yourself!"

The young secretary appeared almost at once, a strawberry tinged flush had crept up above the white-collared shirt that was tightly buttoned all the way up his neck. "Kaname-sama." He gave the very slightest of bows as status required.

"Don't 'Kaname-sama' me." Kaname glared at him. "Just because you can't see me doesn't mean you are any less irritating than you really are. What is it that couldn't wait another-"

"Asato Ichijo has come to see you." The words were blurted out in such a hurried fashion that the pink flush grew more pronounced, lending credence to the embarrassed expression that stole over the young man's face. He looked away, unable to maintain eye contact with the russet-eyed pureblood.

"And you tried to tell me this…five times?" Kaname scoffed. "Five times I endured your artless pacing, fear-drenched fluke of courage and-"

"Kaname-sama?" A tall, thin woman stood at an open door several yards down the hallway. Her upper torso was visible and nothing more, save the clipboard in hand. "Asato Ichijo to see you, Joren, make your useless self useful, hm?" With a slight jerk of her head, the door slammed as she disappeared from view.

Kaname's glare softened to a deliberate frown. "Why is he here?"

"Ah, well, uh-"

"Walk and talk!" Kaname brushed past him, not caring to temper the darkened aura beginning to settle around him.

"It seems he has heard you are creating an original."

"Really?"

Joren swallowed. "H-he wishes to offer his…name as a sponsor."

"His name? The Ichijo empire?" Kaname gave a harsh laugh. "Of course he would offer."

"He's waiting in the third conference room."

"And?"

"Kaname-sama?"

"He's waiting in the third conference room and what?" They had reached the door and Kaname stood aside, allowing the secretary to hold it open for him. "Is it the CEO or his pet dog?" He smirked. "Perhaps it's both." Stepping through the doorway, Kaname paused and turned back. He seemed as if he were about to say something, then thought better of it and merely tugged at his shirt collar before turning back and continuing down the gloomy hallway.

Joren stood holding the door until the famed craftsman was out of sight. For a moment longer, he held the door open until his hand trembled and he released it. Subconsciously, one hand raised up and he tugged faintly at the crisp shirt collar then turned and retreated down the hallway. If he was lucky, there would be no more necessary work for him today—he'd rather be useless than useful, there was simply something about being useful that didn't seem to bode well.

~*~*~Thanks for reading. I've got chapter 3 half done and might get it up tonight, if possible. ^_^ I have to get some plot stuffs/groundwork settled in first, so stick with me here.~*~*~* Leave a comment if you like-I really love the feedback.