A/N: Annnd here's the next one :D

Disclaimer: Don't own VK.

Yuuki raced down the path, feet pounding a quick-paced rhythm against the hard-packed dirt. The world was so much bigger when she was out in it. The trees on either side of her loomed large, their skeletal branches interweaving into a thick mesh that blocked out the sky. The weather was still cold despite the imminent approach of spring, but she could scarcely feel it. At least, it didn't give her the discomfort it once might have.

The end of the path deposited her on the central road that wound its way into town. Here, the trees were less populous. She could see the sky above her now, a vast blue canvas split by a single crack of cloud lightning on its side. Her eyes winced a little from the prick of raw sunbeams, and she drew her hood down around her face a bit further, retreating into the comforting darkness. It had not always been this way, but now her sensitive eyes preferred the dim of twilight or the dark of night.

She hurried along. She wasn't sure what the train schedule was, but she didn't want to miss the one leaving soonest. No cars passed her on the road, and she entered town without a hitch. It was the first time she had been in the town at all, and the first time in a year that she had been out in the sunlight. It was a strange sensation.

Picking her way down the streets, she made her way towards the center of town. She was sure that the train station would be there. If not, she would certainly find people there to ask. The town was not that big, anyway. There weren't many places the station to be.

As she worked her way further into the center of town, she began to pass more people. The first time this happened, she flinched instinctually, eyeing them nervously. Should she keep her head down? Would they be able to tell she wasn't one of them? Wasn't human? But then she reminded herself sharply that normal humans didn't even know vampires existed. There was no reason for her to be nervous or worry. Besides of that, she had chosen to come out in the daylight. It was a perfectly normal time to be out and about. She relaxed a little, though such thoughts left her with a twinge of sadness. After all, she was different now… What had once been normal had become strange, and what had been strange had become routine.

"Fi-Finally I caught up with you," she heard Aidou's voice then, a touch out of breath. "What was that about?! So you could only be patient for one year, after all?"

"I told you I'd be back later." She sighed, removing her hood to have a better look around.

"That's not the problem. Kaname-sama will be worried, you know." He seemed a little anxious. She supposed that made sense. They had only just gotten into trouble, and now she was racing off to get them into even more trouble.

"I said I'd be back, so if he doesn't trust my word and still worries, that's his own fault," she replied, a tad petulantly. How long did they expect her to remain cooped up in the mansion, anyway? She wasn't a child, and now that everyone knew who she was and where she lived anyway… She thought the greater danger was probably to stay there, where she could be easily found.

"You know that's not it at all. It's about you possibly getting in danger that he worries."

"I'll be fine." She put her hands on her hips. "Purebloods don't die, remember? Well, aside from one or two ways… Anyway, how do you buy a train ticket?"

"Huh..?" He stared at her.

"I want to go someplace, but… I wonder if I can go there and back in the same day… I'm not sure of how things work in detail, because I never bought tickets by myself before. I want to go on that train." She pointed to the station, which she had spotted not far from where they stood. "That's the station for the train, right?"

"Where is it you're trying to go?" he asked suspiciously.

"It's a secret." She smiled. "Come on, show me how to buy a ticket and I'll tell you."

"Fine. But I'm coming with you."

"Duh." She stuck out her tongue at him, and then started off for the station.

"You're a real handful, you know that?" he asked in exasperation.

"Takes one to know one," she retorted.

"Kaname-sama will be upset when we get back."

"I know," she replied easily as they stepped inside the station.

"You know. Of course you know. You realize it's my neck that's on the line here, right?"

"Yep." She skipped off ahead of him.

Aidou stared at her impassively on the train. Did she even realize how dangerously reckless it was for her to be away from the manor? Here she was, munching away on a snack and slurping up her drink without a care in the world, where any rival vampire or hunter could attack her at any time. He sighed. Yeah, she definitely knew what she was doing. If Kaname-sama had wanted to keep her locked up forever, he should have never given her a taste of freedom. Not that Aidou was really complaining. He preferred a change of scenery himself. Especially when the change of scenery involved Sayori Wakaba.

Yuuki rummaged through her bag, pulling out more snacks. Geez, she ate a lot. That had been the general consensus of the students back in the academy. She ate quite a bit despite her size, was completely insensitive and thus one of the only ones with enough guts to speak to Kaname-sama or Kiryuu, and actually pretty cute. What a bunch of idiots. Of course she was cute. She was related to Kaname-sama!

"Here, have some," she offered him a snack now.

"No thanks, I'm not hungry." To the contrary, he felt a little sick from thoughts of Kaname-sama making him go back into the kitchen to recount the chickpeas. "Also, you've got food on your face."

"Really? Where?" She wiped it off. "It's really tasty, though."

"You do realize…that if Kaname-sama had really intended to stop you from going out, there's nothing that could have prevented him, right?"

"I do know that." She seemed a little miffed. "I'm not foolish enough to think my power could compare to onii-sama's. But since he put Artemis in my hands, I think he's telling me I can do as I please."

"Why don't you ask him that when we get back," Aidou muttered.

"Aidou-senpai. It will be fine. Besides, you get to go out whenever you want. I don't. So I'm going now. I told Yori I'd come visit her next time, and I meant it."

"Whatever. Just explain to Kaname-sama that you were going no matter what so it was better if I came with you."

She shrugged. "He should know that."

"Easy for you to say. You didn't have to count all the chickpeas."

"Oh!" Yuuki exclaimed in excitement.

"What?"

"We're slowing down! I think we're here!"

"Well, it isn't far…"

"We're here!" she sang happily.

Aidou shook his head. But then, he supposed it was probably exciting for her to revisit her old town after a year had passed, and to see her closest friend again. Letters were a poor substitute. He could afford to relax a little. There shouldn't be any danger in the town now that the vampires had left, anyway. Well, other than Zero Kiryuu and his shiny silver gun…

"It's exactly the same! Exactly like I remember!" Yuuki whirled around, smiling widely.

The campus hadn't changed. The dorms still stood where they always had. Students milled around here and there. Since it was a Saturday, many of them were playing sports, chatting, or studying, though most of them were inside as the weather was still cold. Yuuki kept her hood up to avoid being recognized.

"I can't come any further, you know," Aidou replied testily from the shadow of the trees off the path. "Someone didn't bother to inform me where it was we were going until we were on our way, and I didn't have time to prepare."

"You really think they'd remember you?" Her brow furrowed. He had been popular, but would the students really remember him after a whole year had passed?

He rolled his eyes. "How could they not? Just go. I'll be here. If I sense anything wrong, I'll come find you."

"Okay. Thanks, senpai!" She gave him a salute and started down the path again.

"Hey!" he shouted after her.

"What?"

"Don't forget to send Yori over here when you go visit the Chairman, okay?"

Yuuki rolled her eyes. "You see her a lot more often than I do!"

"Your point being..?"

"Fine, fine, I'll send her. Bye!"

Aidou didn't call her back again, for which she was grateful. She wanted to walk the paths again for a moment undisturbed. Once more at the academy, she felt transported back to a year before, when she had attended school here. When she had been human. She could still imagine herself as a student here, in her uniform, patrolling to ensure that the vampires and humans remained separated.

She paused for a moment by a fountain shaped like a swan, deep in thought. It had been here that she'd often run to think and to escape from the turmoil that had increased particularly within the last month or two that she had still been a student. It had been here that Kaname-sama had officially asked her to be together with him.

She passed other places filled with memories as well. None of the students questioned her presence or stopped her. Certainly no one recognized her, with her hood drawn up tightly around her face. Her feet continued taking her forward, although her mind had become detached from them, lost in her thoughts and memories. She didn't even realize that her feet had unconsciously led her to the person she had come to meet until she heard the familiar voice.

"Yuuki?"

"Eh?" She halted abruptly, looking around herself a little dazed. Yori stood before her, dressed in her riding outfit. Yuuki remembered how Yori had liked to go riding a few times a week, in the evenings if she had class, and in the afternoon on the weekends. "Yori?"

Her friend smiled then, pulling her towards her in a hug. "How terrible of you, having this sort of expression when you meet me!" she joked.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I was just thinking."

"It's okay. Why are you here?"

"To see you and the Chairman," Yuuki answered as they stepped apart. "I did promise I would come visit you, next!"

"Did you sneak out?" Yori asked with a sly grin.

She coughed delicately. "Maybe…"

"You've become such a bad girl, Yuuki. Sneaking out, fantasizing about two men at the same time, while you're engaged…"

"Hey!" Yuuki blushed in embarrassment. "I do not do that!"

"Uhuh, yeah, okay."

"Yori!"

Her friend laughed, eyes sparkling. "Should we go someplace to talk?"

Yuuki nodded. "The hill, maybe?"

"Yes, that sounds like a good idea."

The two girls made their way to a nearby hill overlooking the horse pastures. They had often come here when they had been at the academy together. Sometimes they would chat, other times Yuuki would draw as Yori studied or read some novel. It had become their spot, a place of treasured memories.

They settled themselves on the grass, watching as the horses grazed and meandered around the pastures. Yuuki spotted Lily, Zero's favorite horse, in the field closest to them and smiled. She remembered how bad tempered Lily had been. Even now, she doubted anyone else was able to ride her.

"Other than the dance, it's been an entire year since we got to chat casually like this," Yori murmured.

"Yeah… I'm sorry…" Yuuki grasped at the grass, feeling the strands twist beneath her fingers. "How have you been recently?"

Yori smiled. "I've been cooped up here. In the past, it has certainly been lonely. But since you've been able to send me letters, it's been much better. Especially lately… But I forgive you for never coming to see me. It's not your fault." She leaned her head against Yuuki's shoulder.

Yuuki didn't answer for a long moment. She wondered about that herself sometimes. If she had tried to leave before, would Kaname-sama have stopped her? Most likely he would have, but perhaps the important part was that she should have tried… If she had done that, though, would she have been able to send Yori and Zero letters?

She turned her mind away from such questions. Instead, she concentrated on the familiar scent she had missed so much: the blend of autumn and lavender that belonged to Yori alone. Actually, now that she was so close to her friend, it was easy to see why Aidou had been drawn to her scent. Yori did smell particularly delicious, if she thought about it.

What am I thinking?! She felt startled with herself. Did abstaining from blood drinking for such a short time really make her thirsty enough to consider her friend as food? The acrid taste of disgust welled in her mouth. Yori was Yori. Not some morsel to eat.

"Yori, you're not afraid of me?" she asked then.

"In what way?" Yori's brow furrowed as she sat up.

In what way? Well, for one thing, the way she had just been thinking Yori seemed very delicious and tender… Like some kind of gourmet meal… Not that she would ever tell her that! Still, she wanted to be sure her friend wasn't scared of her. That, despite how she'd changed, their relationship had not.

Moving quickly, she pinned Yori to the ground, trying her best to make as threatening a face as she could. "I am a vampire," she explained. "To me, you look very tempting. I don't know when, but I might assault you if I'm hungry."

To her surprise, Yori actually laughed. "Sorry," she giggled. "You're not scary at all."

"Eh… Really?" She puffed out her cheeks, flopping over in the grass beside Yori. "Anyway, I'm supposed to be a terrifying person. But as for that or charm, I have none of it…"

"I think you're perfect as you are now," Yori said serenely. "I don't think you should worry about how you're supposed to be. Just be yourself."

"Yori…" She was touched. "Thank you…"

"My instincts must be off, though. I'm not afraid of you, or Aidou-kun, or even Zero-kun."

Yuuki glanced at her. "Why do you still use his family name?"

"Huh?"

"Aidou-senpai. I think he would like it better if you just called him his name, like you do with me, or even Zero."

Yori flushed slightly. "I guess… Somehow it's hard to say…"

"Well, you are sort of dating him now, right? Oh, he's also here today. When I go visit the Chairman, he asked to see you."

"Really?" Her eyes sparked with happiness.

"Yes. I think you should try it. Call him by his first name." Yuuki poked the other girl in the arm.

"Do you call Kaname by his first name?" Yori raised an eyebrow.

"I… No… But…that's different." Very different. The relationship was not similar at all. "Anyway, you even call Kaname-sama by just his name! So why not Aidou-senpai?"

"That's because I don't like him," she responded acridly at the mention of the pureblood.

"I don't really get why, but it's okay."

"I'll try, though," Yori said quietly.

Yuuki grinned. "Good. You have terrible taste in men, by the way."

"You told me." Yori grinned back. "Since you picked Kaname, so do you."

"Hey!" But she was laughing.

The two girls continued to talk until the sun had climbed high above their heads. Yuuki could have spent the entire day there, chatting with Yori, but she knew that she had to be mindful of the time. She especially wanted to pay a visit to the Chairman, so she bid her friend goodbye and headed back towards the academic buildings. Hopefully, the Chairman would stick to his normal routine, which was to come in on Saturday afternoons to take care of extra paperwork.

Some of the students watched her curiously as she entered and worked her way through the halls. None of them stopped her, however, and neither did they venture to talk to her. Yuuki felt a little foolish, walking around inside the building with her hood up, but she knew it was best to remain that way. She didn't want to take a chance that some of the students might remember her. There were a lot of unfamiliar faces, but sometimes she passed someone she did recognize.

As she turned the corner to come into the main corridor where the Chairman had his office, an all too familiar scent assaulted her nostrils. She froze for a moment, eyes locked against the window. It couldn't be..? Quickly, she ducked down out of sight, heart pounding.

What was Zero doing there? Actually, the question really was, what was she doing there? And why bother to hide, when he could most likely detect her scent anyway. Despite that, her body was unresponsive, held in place by her rampaging heart. She could remember all too clearly the way he had responded to her at the ball. Conflicted, angry… He had reaffirmed his promise to kill her.

"I'm so useless," she murmured to herself, leaning her head back against the wall. All she was doing by sitting there was becoming more and more anxious, but she couldn't find the strength to move.

What did she want? She wasn't sure. How could she possibly know, when her heart had been rent in two? She had chosen, but still the doubts and fears threatened to carry her away.

At last, she stood up. Zero was no longer in view through the window. She took a breath. She had come here to see the Chairman. With that in mind, she started back down the hall towards his office.

"Yori." Aidou's voice greeted her ears as he stepped out from the shadows of the trees. It was strange to see him back on campus without a uniform, but definitely less strange than seeing him in a ridiculous disguise.

"Hi," she greeted him, mentally annoyed with Yuuki. Thanks to what Yuuki had said, she wasn't even sure if she could call Aidou a name without becoming shy.

He kissed her once and then asked, "How was your surprise visit with Yuuki?"

She smiled. "I'm really happy she came, though I was surprised. I guess Kaname won't be too pleased when she gets home."

She thought she saw Aidou grow a shade paler. "No," he said, "he won't be."

"I take it you'll be getting into trouble?"

"Undoubtedly…"

"It can't be that bad."

"Kaname-sama is scary when he gets mad," Aidou pouted. "And just yesterday he made me count every chickpea in the pantry."

Yori giggled. She couldn't help it. He was making the cutest pouty face. Underneath that, however, she knew that there was very real fear of the pureblood, and she wondered what kinds of things Aidou had witnessed to inspire that in him. When they had talked, Yuuki, too, hadn't seemed completely happy with the idea of going home later that evening. Yori had a very low opinion of Kaname, and each time she heard something new about him, her opinion dropped even lower. Although she laughed, she was actually a little worried for both of them. What had they risked to come out here today?

She knew she did not have to do anything, but suddenly she felt the desire to give Aidou something to balance out with the fear and punishment that was sure to come later. At least, if he was afraid or unhappy, some part of his day would have been memorable in a positive way. She inhaled slowly. It seemed like she intended to go through with Yuuki's suggestion after all.

"Hanabusa…" Her lips trembled. She knew it was okay to call him that. He had asked her himself, before. Right now, she wanted to give him that. It was all that she could give. All the same…it was like admitting just how close he was to her, how much she cared about him… It was another form of confession to her, and somehow her lips continued to vibrate uncertainly. Another syllable hurried out in a rush to mollify the effect. "…kun…"

He had become very still. Then, a moment later, he grinned, his eyes sparking with blue flames. "What was that?" he asked.

She flushed. "Your name."

"No, I mean, say it again." His eyes were buzzing static electricity.

She took a breath. She had already accepted her feelings. She wasn't really sure why she was holding back. Perhaps out of habit. Perhaps because she was still afraid to admit how deeply he had become embedded in her heart. "Hanabusa-kun."

His mouth was against hers then, swallowing the words. She shut her eyes, focusing on the feeling, on him, on the sonic resonance that his touch sent through her nerves. She didn't understand why she always held herself back, reserved in a way that she couldn't name or pinpoint. There was still that seed of fear, encapsulated in her chest. She was afraid that, in the end, he would leave her, too.

When he pulled away from her, she stared up into the blue atmosphere of his eyes, feeling warm and a little dazed by the magnetic power she found there. She smiled then, the seed of fear dissolving away for the time being. His eyes offered no chance of loneliness; instead they only promised sincerity.

"Better," he murmured. "Though you can still lose the kun."

"I know…" she averted her eyes for a moment, a little guilty.

He laughed. "There's no need to rush it. Though…I definitely like hearing it."

"Maybe next time," she teased.

"Maybe. How about we make a deal?"

"What's that?" She looked at him suspiciously.

"If Yuuki manages to ace her next test, in the subject you pick, then you have to call me by my first name. Nothing else. Just my name."

She thought about that for a moment. The chances of Yuuki actually getting an A were pretty slim. Even if that weren't the case, however, it wasn't that she didn't want to call him by his name. It was just…unexpectedly hard to do so. She wasn't used to that level of informality with men. And then, it was another confession in and of itself.

"Fine." She nodded. "I'm picking the subject, right?"

"The only requirement is that I have to be able to teach it." He made a pained face. "If you pick nuclear fission, we may have a problem."

Yori paused in thought. What was something Yuuki hadn't studied lately? Something challenging to ace, but not impossible? Asking Yuuki to do well in certain subjects, like calculus, would give Aidou no chance at all. On the other hand, something art related would be far too easy. So, what then?

"Hmm. How about... English?" Yori smiled. Aidou would have to work hard if he wanted Yuuki to ace an English test. Yuuki had always struggled in that subject, but it wasn't impossible for her. She could do it if she set her mind to it.

"Ugh. Deal."

She grinned. Yuuki was going to hate her when she found out what Yori had subjected her to. She just wondered what she would do if Yuuki actually got an A on her test.

It was nearly evening when Yuuki ended her visit with the Chairman and went to retrieve Aidou from Yori's company. Once again, she found it a little strange to see them together; more than that, to see them sitting beneath a tree, holding hands and talking quietly. Watching them for a moment, however, she thought that there was a naturalness to it that couldn't be denied. At least, they both seemed happy and were completely oblivious to her as she approached. It somehow reminded her of the days she had spent here long ago, obliviously happy and patrolling the campus with Zero by her side.

She felt a pang of thirst shoot unexpectedly through her throat, followed by a wave of dizziness. She hadn't fed in so long, now… She was so close to Zero, so very close… Her nails scraped against her palms uselessly. It didn't matter. He was still going through with his promise to kill her, wasn't he? Even if she had still felt a small rekindling of that old spark as he'd hid his face in her shoulder, reflected in his eyes as he'd pulled back to walk away from her.

She steadied herself against a tree. The world was rocking slowly, back and forth. Silver and violet were exploding across her vision. She had felt it there. Hope. There was still a chance. Not everything had died when they had gone their separate ways. If only she knew how to nurse it into a flame again… But if she did, what then?

Red scalded her cornea with tongues of flame. She had burned her promise onto her flesh. It bound her, a tight circle around her finger. If she managed to persuade Zero to let her back into his heart, what would become of her and her promise? The thought made her stomach clench.

Abruptly, she straightened, forcing the ground to stop curving before her eyes. She had to be stronger than this. She couldn't be the helpless Yuuki Cross anymore. Now, she had to become someone much more capable. If she was going to maintain her promise, she needed the conviction and fortitude to do it.

She moved to where Aidou and Yori sat, coughing loudly to catch their attention. "Sorry to interrupt, but it's getting late!"

Aidou glared at her, "Oh, sure, now you're worried about the time."

"Do you have to go already?" Yori asked, a touch sadly.

"Well, there's somewhere else I need to go before we leave." Her tone was apologetic.

"And where is that?" Aidou raised an eyebrow.

"I need to pay my respects to Ichiru-kun. I didn't have a chance to do so before."

Yori nodded, rising. "I think that is a good idea. Do you know how to get to the cemetery from here?"

"Yep."

Aidou stood, too. "If we're going to do that, we need to leave now, as you say. We should try to get back before Kaname-sama does."

"Yes," Yuuki agreed. "I'll come visit again, Yori-chan," she promised, hugging her friend.

"Don't come if it's too much trouble, though! I want to see you, but I don't want to make anything harder for you with Kaname." Yori frowned.

"It's okay. I'll write you how it goes."

"Please, do!"

"Then, I'll talk to you soon, okay? Bye."

"Bye." Yori turned to Aidou, squeezing his hand before letting go and saying, "I'll see you soon."

"Good night, Yori," he murmured, kissing her gently on the cheek.

Yuuki looked away pointedly, grinning. When Aidou stepped beside her, she waved goodbye to her friend, and both of them began to make their way back down the path towards the gates, keeping a careful eye out for students. Fortunately, there were none in sight, and the two vampires made it out of the academy unmolested. From there, they continued on towards the cemetery in silence.

It had been over a year since Ichiru's death, and Yuuki had not had an opportunity in all that time to visit his grave and pay her respects. The visit was long overdue. She had nothing to bring him, but she wanted to tell him that she was sorry for what had happened, and wish him a peaceful rest. Although she hadn't known him very well, he was her classmate and Zero's twin. It only seemed right that she should take the time to do this.

When she reached the front gate of the cemetery, however, the breeze had picked up, carrying with it a scent so familiar that it cut into her nostrils like steely thorns. She sucked in her breath, stopping rigidly in place. It couldn't be. Why would he come here today, at this time, of all days? Longing and trepidation battled in her chest.

The gate was growing smaller. In the distance, she could hear Aidou asking her if she was alright. Somehow, her lips felt too heavy to respond. Instead, she felt suddenly consumed by hunger. Her throat was lacerated with fire, her mouth filling with flames. She could feel her body calling out to his desperately, wracked by tremors that urged her to run forward until she collided with the source of that scent.

She needed him. She needed that blood. Her body craved it more intensely than it craved air or sleep or…she felt the thought rattle hollowly through her bones…her brother's blood. She was scarcely aware that she had fallen to the ground, stricken with a thirst that screamed at her from every nerve. She felt as though she might faint. Her hearing had gone fuzzy, buzzing and hissing, while her vision had swirled into grey. Grey that was nearly silver…

She fought to hold on to herself, to consciousness. She forced the words out over a chasm of colorless mist. "So-sorry, I'm okay." But the buzzing was so loud in her ears that she couldn't hear the answer.

And then, abruptly, she felt the air burst with silver and violet, felt her throat go numb with need. He was here.

A/N: And the moment you've all been waiting for... Zeki in the same physical space together :D. Review!