-o-
In the Chairman's office, Yuuki felt almost as if she had gone back in time to before she had ever left, before all the chaos had begun. It was a strange feeling, but one she embraced. However this time there were many changes, and important things that needed to be discussed.
"Um, also…" Yuuki looked away, feeling her face heat. She wasn't sure how to word what she needed to say. "I'm not…um…" Her heart was accelerating. Why was this so hard to say? "I'm not coming back to stay with you," she rushed out.
The Chairman's eyebrows shot up. "Oh, then where are you staying?" Something sparkled in his eyes.
Her face was getting redder. Forcing the words out, she felt as though she might combust on the spot from embarrassment. "…With Zero…"
"My precious daughter is so cute!" the Chairman exclaimed, yanking her towards him for a crushing hug. "You're so adorable! Of course you're staying with Zero-kun. You didn't have to tell me that." He winked. "I knew that before you did."
"What?!" She wanted to sink into the floor. Instead she extricated herself from his arms, taking a step back out of range.
"Invite me to the wedding, okay?" he winked.
She ignored this. "How did you know?"
He smiled gently and returned to his seat behind the desk. "You'll understand this one day when you have children." He coughed to mask his comment of: "With Zero."
"I'm leaving now." She glared at him, blushing fiercely.
"Bye-bye then," the Chairman waved her off. "Actually I have a meeting, anyway..."
"Should I come back tomorrow?"
"Of course!" he exclaimed. "We have much to discuss, like your enrollment back in school for the final year!"
She grinned happily, moving to the door to let herself out. "Okay, see you tomorrow then!"
The Chairman waved as she exited, and she let the door shut behind her. As she rounded the corner of the hall, she felt herself collide with a moving shape. Hurriedly, she babbled an apology, trying to not look this person in the eyes unless they recognized her.
"Yuuki!" a familiar voice cried, followed by the distinctive scent of autumn and lavender.
"Yori!" The pureblood beamed at her best friend.
"Your hair!" Yori exclaimed, reaching out to touch it.
"Yep. I felt like a change."
"It looks cute," Yori approved with a nod.
"Guess what?!"
"You're coming back." Yori winked.
Yuuki's mouth pulled down at the edges into a sulk. Why wasn't this a surprise for anyone? She was so excited, too!
Yori laughed. "Sorry, but I have a very good source of information, you know."
"Well, true…" She blinked, suddenly aware of something she had completely forgotten. Where was Aidou, anyway? "Where is he, by the way?" Her heart flopped a little guiltily. To be honest with herself, she had forgotten the blonde vampire over the course of the past day.
For a moment, Yori didn't reply to her, eyes slightly unfocused as she clearly was remembering something.
-o-
That was right, last night, after Yuuki had let them know she was alright… Yori felt her mind wander in spite of herself.
After Yori had gone out to the bathroom to brush her teeth change into her pajamas she had hurried back to Aidou, who was waiting for her patiently.
"Although I do want Yuuki to clear everything up soon for her own good" he said after she'd securely locked the door, "I have to say that the circumstances didn't work out too badly for me." Aidou grinned at her devilishly.
"By the way, I'm so terribly sorry, but the thread count of my sheets is pretty low," Yori informed him, sarcasm lacing her voice.
"You expect me to sleep on these?!" Aidou mock-glared at her, feigning disdain. "I, a vampire of high birth, am expected to sleep on a commoner's bed? How dare you?!"
"Would you prefer it if I fluffed your pillow, your majesty?" She raised an eyebrow at him.
Aidou grinned, and flopped on her bed, hugging the pillow to him and inhaling deeply. "I really prefer this. No thread count could match your scent, Yori, and there is no where I'd rather sleep than beside you…"
Yori flushed, looking embarrassed for perhaps the first time Yuuki had ever seen. "About that…"
"Out with it!" Yuuki giggled, already knowing the answer. She shook her friend by the arms.
"Well…he stayed with me of course." Yori stated it matter-of-factly, but her inflamed cheeks gave her away.
"Ha! I knew it!"
"And where were you last night, missy?" Yori demanded to deflect the attention from herself.
"With Zero, duh," the brunette replied boldly. "But you know, it actually is a problem…"
"How so?"
"Not me, you. Aidou can't actually stay with you."
Yori frowned, "I know. Not to mention, keeping him cooped up in there just won't work. After just one day he's already gotten restless and hopped out the window to go somewhere while I went to class." She felt a little bad for him, because he had been stuck without much to do during the day, but at the least he'd escaped for a while during her morning classes and went to buy some clothes to last him a few days in case the situation remained the same. He couldn't return to the mansion, that much was obvious, and he certainly couldn't go home without making his separation from the pureblood known.
Yuuki seemed to grow thoughtful, and then shook her head. "I'll think about it. Don't worry too much. I'll try to find a way for him to stay close to you."
"I trust you. I'll think about it, too."
"I'm really sorry to rush off, but I have to run some errands today and it's getting a bit late," Yuuki apologized. "I'll see you later? Tomorrow, maybe?"
Yori nodded and gave her friend a quick hug. "I'm glad you're back."
-o-
"Okay, mister! You're coming with me to run some errands," Yuuki declared as soon as she'd located Zero, who was sitting on the floor of his "living room," if it could be called that, sorting through some papers marked with the stamp of the Hunter's Association.
He met her eyes in greeting, and she watched as he leaned ever so slightly back more comfortably against the wall. He always relaxed, perhaps unconsciously, in her presence.
"I need clothes, and we need food. There's a bus that should be here before too long to take us into the main town."
The corner of his mouth crinkled in the hint of a smile, and he stood, "Alright."
"You don't have work today do you?" She cast a suspicious look towards the papers.
"No. Did you see the Chairman?"
She nodded. "And Yori, too! Everything is fine for now. I'm going to see him again tomorrow and we'll talk about the rest."
They exited the house, and Zero locked the door. There was something light to his expression that she wasn't sure if she had seen before. When his eyes met hers, there was a smile hidden in them that left her feeling a little dazed.
"Did something good happen?" She peered up at him, overwhelmed by violet.
He glanced away, then back at her. For a minute, he didn't answer, instead descending down the stairs. With his back to her, he answered quietly, "You said 'we'…"
Her brow furrowed. We? She followed after him toward the bus stop, brain churning. She rewound through the last few minutes, trying to decipher his meaning. She had walked in the door, and then…
"I need clothes, and we need food."
For that one word? Of course they needed food! She didn't want to live on a blood-only diet. She frowned, then ran up to walk beside him. She really didn't get it. "Of course, because from now on…" She hugged his arm suddenly. "From now on, it's us together."
Ah. That was it. Because now, finally…finally… She pressed her face back into his sleeve. Finally they were together.
He didn't say anything, but his expression clearly told her 'Yes, that's why."
-o-
Zero shifted uncomfortably. He hated being crammed into tight spaces like this with the smell of so many strangers suffocating him. It reminded him too sharply of his lost humanity, of the fact that no matter what life he chose, they could still be considered 'prey' to the vampire him now.
Despite that, there was a scent beside him that pushed those thoughts into the background and grounded him there. He felt at ease for once. All that had happened in the past was already growing more distant. Still there, still painful to think about, but increasingly less so with every second. That was because the girl beside him now, with her familiar perfume of sunshine, was already scribbling over all of his grief and rage with her smile and touch.
"Zero, look." Yuuki pointed out the window, suddenly excited. "Remember that place? We went there with the Chairman to tailor your school uniform that one year. You grew like four inches and your pants were way too short! Oh, and there's the café we always went to. I really want to go back and eat their ice cream again…" She pressed her face closer to the window. "And that place, too. Remember the Chairman tried taking us there for dinner once and the food was horrible?" She glanced at him to catch his reaction and immediately her expression softened.
He hadn't realized it, but from hearing her excitement, the sound of her voice, the brush of her jacket against his arm as she moved around…he was visibly smiling, though ever so slightly. Somehow he couldn't force his lips back down. Really, this girl… Only she could evoke this level of emotion of him. Ever since the beginning, since the first time he had seen her until now…it had only ever been her.
Yuuki smiled at him warmly, and he felt that everything had finally fallen perfectly into place. How could he have ever once wanted to forget this…? Considering how he'd been living only a few weeks before, he had already realized that he couldn't live without her. She was the sun at the center of his universe, the light that chased away the darkness that threatened to blot out every human shred of him. She was, without a doubt, a necessary part of him now, and he would never try to let go again.
-o-
Yuuki peeked at Zero over the rack of clothes. He seemed content there. There was no tension in his shoulders, and the frown line that had once seemed permanently burrowed into his brow was now gone. If anything, he was relaxed. She smiled happily, adding another shirt to the armful she had. She was still amazed by how well they were able to get along now, after everything that had happened. But Zero was Zero, and for that she was infinitely grateful.
"Going to change now," she informed the silver haired hunter cheerfully, and stepped into the changing room. She had several outfits to choose from, but for today she didn't want to overload on new clothes. After all…she needed an excuse to drag him out again in the near future. She giggled to herself. He didn't know what he had gotten himself into.
Rummaging through her armful, she decided to try on the matching pink blouse and skirt first. It was spring time now, and as the weather warmed up she knew she would want brighter colors. She added a blue and pink silk scarf for a finishing touch, and stepped out a bit shyly, eyes immediately darting to Zero's face. He wasn't much for pink, she knew, but… She bit the inside of her lip.
"Well...?" she ventured, "How does it look?"
There was a moment of silence. He was looking at her, absorbing the outfit, assuredly taking in all of the pink… Her heart fluttered a little nervously, and she shifted from one foot to another. There was no indication on his face as to whether it met his approval or not. Not that she needed his approval on what she wanted to wear, but she did prefer to have clothes that Zero at least could tolerate.
His eyes flicked away, almost embarrassed, though she didn't think he was capable of embarrassment. His voice was muted, barely a mumble. "…Cute…"
The nervous flutter in her chest turned to excitement. She thought she might be blushing a little. She beamed at him and ran to his side, pecking a quick kiss on his cheek before he could react. Then, oblivious to everything except her own radiant happiness, she dashed back into the dressing room to try on the next outfit. This time, she thought she would go with the yellow sundress.
-o-
Yori looked up from her homework. Aidou was sprawled on Yuuki's old bed, reading a novel in English that he'd found in her closet. She smiled to herself, happy to have him at such close proximity for so long. She knew she couldn't keep him for herself forever, but she could certainly enjoy the experience while it lasted.
"Yuuki brought up something today when I saw her," she began, though she felt her heart sink a little to have to articulate the words.
"Hm?" He looked up from his book, curious.
"Well, she pointed out that you couldn't exactly stay in my dorm room… But we weren't sure what to do about it."
"I could dress up as a convincing girl." He winked. "I'm gorgeous no matter what."
She rolled her eyes. "Seriously, we need a solution."
"Honestly, I already gave it a lot of thought." He sat up. "I was thinking maybe she should try to restart the Night Class."
Yori blinked. Could it really be so simple? "Would that work?"
He shrugged. "If a Kuran suggests it, it's nearly certain to go through, isn't it? Then it would give Yuuki and I both an excuse to be back on campus without any issues. I mean, I'm sure I could endure it if I had to enroll as a Day Class student but I don't think my parents would approve, really. Well, maybe if I explained it was necessary as her guardian…or something…"
"How did the Night Class get started to begin with?"
Aidou scowled. "It was supposedly to foster good relations between humans and vampires and the Hunter Association, but honestly I think it was because Kaname-sama wanted to be close to Yuuki."
"Somehow that sounds exactly right…"
"Well, let's forget about that for now… Are you finished your homework yet?"
She shook her head. "I've still got a bit more…"
"Well, hurry up and finish," he complained. "Then we can sneak out on our date."
Yori giggled. "I've become such a bad student."
"Hey, as long as your grades keep up it doesn't matter, does it? Now get back to work. If you finish in the next twenty minutes I'll reward you with a kiss." He grinned.
"You really haven't stopped being a sensei with a reward system have you…" But she picked up the pencil again anyway. She hoped this peaceful existence could continue for a long, long time.
-o-
"Zero, this is delicious!" Yuuki hummed happily, nibbling the edges of her omelet. She couldn't remember the last time she had gotten a treat like this from a street vendor. Or that last time she'd had a day out, really. Her heart fluttered and she smiled in response. Everything about this day was perfect, but even if it had been a disaster, she was sure that just being by Zero's side would have made it equally perfect.
The street back to the bus stop was long, but she didn't mind. Every minute was a treasure, every second was a miracle. She was finally back where she belonged. With that thought, she swung her bag of clothes back and forth in contentment, continuing to hum and slowly consume her omelet. It wasn't a gourmet meal, but after a diet of almost exclusively her brother's blood it tasted better than one.
Halfway through her snack they had arrived at the bus stop. It was deserted at the moment, but the schedule claimed the next bus would arrive in 15 minutes. It was strange for no one to be here, but then again it was an odd day and time to be shopping, and the town was small to begin with.
"Yuuki," Zero murmured, instantly claiming her attention.
"Hmm?" She peered up at him curiously.
"You have ketchup on your face."
She laughed. "Oh." She hadn't noticed at all. For a moment, she attempted to manage her bag and snack so that she could wipe it off, but couldn't quite manage to balance everything. As the ground was muddy where they were standing, she didn't want to set anything down. Zero had insisted on carrying the bag earlier, but she had been stubborn about it. Actually, she had just wanted to feel like a normal girl again. It was the first time she had been shopping in what felt like decades, and for some reason she had just wanted the sensation of the bag in her hand as she walked down the street. She shrugged. "I'll get it later."
She thought she heard Zero sigh ever so slightly, and then with a single movement she felt the warmth of his tongue run over her cheek, erasing all evidence of the stray condiment. She could feel her face heating up.
"There," he said.
Her heart was rioting in her ribcage. All she could manage to say was a stammered, "T-thank you."
He lifted one shoulder, looking away. She could tell he was embarrassed, too, and she felt a smile compressing her mouth. She took a giant bite of the omelet to contain herself. Really, all she wanted right now was to drop the bag and throw her arms around him. But, she chewed with an increasing bubbly feeling, perhaps that would be the first thing she'd do when they got home.
"Next is the grocery store on the way home," she reminded him, finishing off her treat and throwing away the napkin into the nearby trash can.
He nodded.
"And then, let's go home." She moved back beside him. The bus was coming in the distance, but she threaded her fingers through his anyway for the wait.
"Yuuki…" he trailed off.
"Yes?"
"Your fingers are sticky."
-o-
"Chairman, there's something very important that we need to discuss."
The Chairman looked up, face serious. "I think I have a fair idea of what you want to say."
"We've received word of Kuran Kaname."
-o-