Chapter 11 ~~ understanding

It had been three months since that night. Three months since his life had been ended by two simple words. "It's Over." Kaname hated every reminder of that life around him. Every picture, every gift, every letter and note. They were all like a stab to the heart. Every nook and cranny, all of the furniture, everything it all was somehow linked to Zero.

He was sick of it. Sick of this feeling, of how his chest hurt whenever he thought about Zero. He wanted to escape it all. He needed out of this place. Being here only made him hurt more and wonder ad puzzle to no end why zero had ended it.

Spring break would start at the end of the week, and he would finally have an excuse to get away. Ichijo had informed him that his inner circle would be going to Ichijo's family's residence in the countryside. He'd also said that there was a secluded villa on the property that Kaname could stay in if he wanted to be alone.

He hadn't decided whether or not he would actually go, but he had decided he would get away from the memories in his room. The perfect opportunity to do so presented itself then in the form of him hearing Yuuki walking up the path to the dorm.

He slowly stood intending to let her in the building, but hesitated before opening his own door. Was he sure he wanted to rejoin the real world? He opened the door and stepped out resolutely. He reached the stairwell landing facing the front hall just as Shiki was telling Yuuki she had to leave.

"Actually I will see her today. Let her inside."

Shiki turned in surprise. He tried to appear normal by pulling out a box of pocky and started eating, but in reality he was very surprised to see Kaname. "Alright, you're the boss. Should I tell anyone you're out and about or…?"

"Do as you please. Yuuki come to my study and talk."

"Coming!" she flashed her goofy smile and trotted up the stairs after him. Shiki went off to tell Rima, his girlfriend, that Kaname had shown his face. Soon the whole dorm was buzzing with the news.

Yuuki looked around wide-eyed. It was all destroyed. "Guess he hasn't cleaned up after the rampage they told me about. This is bad."

Kaname broke her train of thought by telling her she should sit on the windowsill since it was the only thing like a chair left.

"So what is it that you want so badly that you come here every day?"

"Well mainly to make sure you're okay. But also to tell you that…. Well that you and Zero need to get back together."

"I believe that is out of the question. Zero made it very clear that he doesn't want to be with me."

"Dammit Kaname! That isn't true and you know it! I thought you'd know him better by now. I figured it all out within a week, shit boys are dense."

Kaname stared at her. This outburst was so unlike his sister hat he was speechless. He just sat there in awed silence as the words sunk in. "wait, you figured out what?"

"Oh. My. God. Did you not know something was up when he just randomly spouted nonsense and broke up with you? I know you're smarter than that."

"Yuuki can you please explain to me what you're saying?"

"Fine. The day he broke up with you Mr. Toga came to dinner. He wanted to talk to Zero alone so Cross and I left. I had Cross pick a movie because I knew he'd get absorbed in that. I went back to eavesdrop. Mr. Toga was saying a bunch of crap about you using Zero. Of course I knew better, but Zero… Zero's really insecure when it comes to you so he believed it. This explains the weird stuff he said to you that same night."

"how do you know what he said to me? And how did Yagari Toga even find us out?"

"I'm getting to that. It's why it took a week for me to get it. I was really worried about Zero because he wouldn't leave his room the day after. It turns out he was trying to kill himself. We had to take away Bloody Rose and force him to drink some of my blood. It took Cross and me a few days to get him to say anything other than curses and insults, but when we did he said he didn't want to live if he couldn't be the person you loved. He even asked me to kill him, put him out of this miserable pain, he said. He was really scared, but mostly really, really sad. But he also said he had no idea how Mr. Toga found out either. That's when I decided to do a little digging. By watching a few security tapes I saw Hanabusa Aido send a picture of you two to him. After that I pretty much understood the whole thing. I wanted to talk to you about it but you wouldn't let me past the front door."

"I see now. Yuuki, a moment?" he walked to the door, furious. He opened it and called out: "Hanabusa Aido. Come here immediately." His order reached the blonde, who came running into the room.

"Yes Kaname-sama? What can I do for you?"

"Why did you interfere in my relationship by informing Yagari Toga about it?" his words were not only menacing, but he put some power behind them to send pain into the aristocrat.

"I dint know he didn't know about it."

"You have the audacity to lie to me?" Kaname threw Aido at the far wall. When he reached the other vampire he shoved his hand through his shirt and into his chest and grabbed Aido's heart. "I'll show you what happens to scum like you."

"Kaname stop it! Don't kill him!"

Remembering Yuuki was there; Kaname released his grip on Hanabusa and pulled out his hand, wiping it off on Aido's shirt. "I apologize Yuuki, I had forgotten you were there." He looked down on the slumped vampire. "You however, are lucky she is here because it is the only reason you're still alive. You are not to speak to me or be seen by me until told otherwise. I want you as far removed from my life as possible. This is an order from your pureblood master. Now get out before I lose my self-control again."

Aido quickly ran out of the room. "Again Yuuki I am sorry you had to witness that. I'd have preferred you not see that side of me."

Still a bit scared, Yuuki replied. "It's fine Kaname. I'll take it as temporary insanity if you want. Anyway I just wanted to let you know what was really happening. I helped you guys get together last time, but I think I wouldn't be of use this time around."

Kaname was lost in thought for a moment. Suddenly something clicked and he rummaged through the mess on the floor for a pen and piece of paper. He quickly wrote the address of Ichijo's villa and gave the paper to Yuuki. "Have Zero spend spring break here. I'll be going and since the night class' vacation starts earlier I'll be able to get a few things ready. This will not be our end if it was all because of Aido's obsession. Before you ask: yes, Ichijo will be fine with this. If I tell him more people are coming he won't question it, he's very loyal. Also; to make this less suspicious you and Cross should come and stay in the main house. A few other vampires will be there, but the mansion is large enough that you two won't be near enough to be a temptation most of the time. And all of the servants are humans so they can keep us vampires sated should we run low on tablets."

"Uh….. Okaaay? It'll take some convincing, but he'll be there!" she walked towards the open door. "Oh, and Kaname?"

"Yes?"

"Don't let him run away from you again. It's getting hard to watch it without yelling at you both for being stupid."

"So you were eavesdropping on us too?"

"I never said that." She winked and left.

Kaname stared after her, incredulous. He collected his thoughts and called Ichijo. He explained his intentions, and Ichijo had been more than happy to go along with it. Kaname had known that would be the result from the start. Ichijo was a good friend, he could be trusted.

Later, when he was in his room packing for his vacation he saw the cookbook he'd bought all that time ago. With a smile he placed it in one of his suitcases. He was going to get his Zero back and he knew just how he'd do it.