Hi guys! Sorry for the long wait! here are two chapters of fluff and drama to enjoy. I am afraid this story is turning into a little giant. I might have to split it in arcs once it is done, or reorganize previous chapters.
Let's not bother with that for now. Enjoy chapter 26&27
Love you and sorry for the lack of response lately, I have been crazy busy with RL.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Time skip : few weeks xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Are you sure you are okay? I can call the doctor and have him come back if you want?" Kaname insisted, worries getting the best of him.
"Onii-sama, would you please stop fretting, it is just the regular Braxton hicks, nothing to worry about. Okay, they were a tad bit stronger this time but I will be fine. I am sure I can tell if I am going into labor and it is not going to be anytime soon, as that doctor said barely five minutes ago."
"Still"
"No more arguing. Anyway, you were talking about some important work you needed to do earlier, do not hold back on my account. I am going to sleep now so … shoo" Yuki pushed the taller man to the door and jumped back into her bed.
Kaname felt guilty about leaving her, even if she was not going to be alone. They were enjoying a meal together with some other nobles and the kids, when Yuki suddenly doubled over in pain only to end up as a false alarm. Kaname felt conflicted for not being able to take back his words about the important work that was nothing but an excuse to go see Zero as agreed with the hunter previously. Not only that, but the pureblood surprised himself by feeling relieved that Yuki was not about to give birth anytime soon. He could not believe that, in such a short time, he came to care so much about Zero that the idea of losing him surpassed the desire to hold his own daughter in his arms. His dark obsession called Kiryuu Zero was consuming him to the point of insanity, and here he was, in his lab office ready to teleport from there to Zero's place like he did for so many times lately.
As usual, he found himself inside the familiar bedroom. Kaname frowned when he sensed more than one presence in the apartment. He took light steps toward the direction where the voices were coming from and ended up in front of Zero's working area. He did not say anything about a work meeting last time I checked.
Just as he was about to leave, the door clicked open and Kaname felt himself being pulled quickly back into the bedroom by a pissed off hunter. Zero slammed the bedroom door and locked it before turning around and speaking through gritted teeth "What the fuck are you doing here?"
The anger took Kaname by surprise, but he did not show it, he felt rather offended by the unwelcoming attitude that Zero was showing even though Kaname did not come uninvited. "May I remind you that we had previous arrangement about today? You invited me to come spend the night."
Zero crossed his arm, still pissed "Then, may I inform you that I sent you a text to cancel that arrangement?"
Brown eyebrows shot up in surprise before wine orbs narrowed "When?" he asked, pulling out his phone to check for unread messages.
"About an hour ago"
"Oh! It is correct." The pureblood felt awkward. I guess it happened during the panic about Yuki and I forgot to check my phone before leaving.
"Duh!"
"I guess it cannot be helped if you are busy with work" He tucked his phone, and shrugged.
Zero felt bad for obviously putting the brunet on the spot "Yeah! Sorry, Kaname. I would have asked you to stick around, but Ichiru is here and we are rather swamped with work. There is trouble with a project belonging to an important client and I had to intervene so that we can meet the deadline or it will cause a big loss for the company." The hunter tried to explain in order to dissipate the awkward situation, "I should have called instead of texting…"
"It is alright! You don't need to worry about me" Kaname interrupted what seemed like the start of self-reprimanding. He took a moment to assess the state of the hunter. Zero's hair was mussed with a headband keeping his bangs out of the way, which allowed the rare sight of his small face to be fully exposed. It allowed Kaname to notice the paler than usual skin, the blood shot red rims surrounding dim violet orbs. Kaname had to wonder about the humongous workload that left the resilient hunter in such a wrecked state. They must be in a pinch if he is in such state.
He took a few steps to close the distance between them and reached a hand to caress the hunter's cheek before grabbing his neck gently and kneading the side of it. Zero sighed at the comforting gesture, melting into the touch.
"You seem tired." Kaname whispered
"That does not even start to describe it." Zero whined
"When is the deadline?" Kaname had both hands on Zero's shoulder by now, soothing the tense knotted muscles.
"Soon~" Zero hummed as he inhaled the scent of the pureblood while he rested his forehead on a firm chest.
"Will you make it in time?" He inquired while stopping the motions of his hands at the hunter's request.
Zero looked up at the concerned vampire and snorted weakly "Well, only if a miracle occur… At this pace, I might have to renegotiate with the client for few more days."
"Did you consider hiring extra help?"
"Mmm… no~… not that simple" Zero answered lazily as he wiped his face in attempt to chase away the drowsiness. Kaname started to worry when the hunter looked like he would fall asleep while standing up, "Certain important clients tend to designate the staff members overseeing their project for confidentiality matters. If by any chance, the content falls into the hand of a freelancer, they have the rights to file suit against us. Another fucked up perk Allen came up with and left me to bear the burn of it. However, I cannot deny that it earned us some unbelievable clients. Ichiru is fine because he is not from the same field, but there is not much he could help with."
Kaname hesitated for a second, "If you're okay with me helping… I am free for the…"
"No… I appreciate but…" Zero sighed, running a hand through his hair reflexively before groaning when it hit and messed the hairband. "That would have been a big help. Unfortunately, Ichiru is too sharp to risk it."
Kaname nodded in agreement "You are probably right. It would not do to just waltz in and be like 'hey, I just happened to materialize here and thought I could help'. I can't begin to imagine the look he would have."
Zero chuckled "Exactly! Even if we try to cover up by saying that, I called you that would just set his alarms off. I mean, he would certainly question my mental health because of that." He added, smirking in amusement at the comical situation that would never happen.
"Well! I better get going…" Kaname was about to focus on teleportation when Zero grabbed his arm.
"I… Again… Sorry for the mix up, but… I will make sure to call you as soon as I am done… After taking a shower of course" Zero winked jokingly before letting go
Kaname tilted his head in amusement before leaning in to kiss the hunter, enjoying the fact that Zero naturally responded by putting arms around his neck and reciprocated the kiss. Kaname wrapped his arms around Zero's waist and pulled him closer, causing the silver head to tilt, eliciting a moan as the angle deepened the kiss.
The pureblood got greedier after tasting the hunter and grabbed the silver hair, plunging his tongue deeper into the warm mouth. His other hand roaming around the pliant body of the hunter. Zero felt his eyes stinging with tears caused by lack of oxygen; he tried to breathe through his nose, reluctant to break the pleasant connection.
Kaname was the first to break the kiss, he released the clutch over the hair and rested his forehead on Zero's, who sighed and bumped their noses in response. Kaname traced the wet lips with his thumb before parting them and teased the red tongue he tortured seconds ago. Zero let out a breathy chuckled and shook his head to get the finger out of his mouth, "Any more and I won't be able to stop…" He tiptoed to whisper into the pureblood ear, making Kaname smirk, "You're cruel, Kaname! making me hot and bothered when you are going to leave anyways." the sultry whisper and the arms caging his neck made the brunet groan and squeeze the hunter against his body in response, earning another victorious chuckle from the silver-haired man. "I will take it as the compensation for getting stood up" Kaname whispered back before releasing the hunter from his embrace, and kissing him lightly, "Don't forget to call!" he reminded Zero before vanishing into thin air, leaving Zero to blink few times. He shook his head and left back to join Ichiru in their marathon.
Back in his office, Kaname sighed deeply. When he made it back into the moon dorms, He softly opened the door to Yuki's bedroom and peeked at the pregnant pureblood. He let out a relieved huff when he noticed the steady breathing indicating that she was deep asleep, a rare sight these days since Ai seemed to never give her a break. He carefully shut the door and headed towards his quarter.
Surprisingly, he found none other than Isaya Shouto standing absentmindedly in front of his door. After a little inquiry, it seemed that the pureblood came over for an informal visit and thought of swinging by to visit him before leaving, but failed to find him at the research facility. Kaname was grateful for the change plans that saved him from an awkward situation. He invited the fellow vampire in for a drink.
Twenty minutes later, Kaname showed Isaya out and sat back on his desk. Their casual conversation somehow escalated to social matters, politics and finally to the issue they were having hard time dealing with, Sara Shirabuki's farewell gift and the new unknown enemy. He gazed upon the scribbles and diagrams scattered on his desk. If there is one thing he appreciated about the other pureblood, it was certainly his effective method of brainstorming and looking at matters from different angles. While Kaname is used to strategic games and manipulation, Isaya Shouto tends to think more outside the box and likes to pull others into weaving the bigger picture, the plan to remove the problem from its roots. Shouto is certainly an efficient team player, the complete opposite of Kuran Kaname, the lone wolf.
Despite the progress, they made on such a short notice, and the urgency to develop the idea into a proper proposal, Kaname could not stop thinking about the exhausted silver haired ex-human he left few miles away. An interesting thought suddenly popped in his head and he wasted no time acting on it.
"Kaname-sama?" The vampire scientist answered his phone as soon as he realized who was calling him.
"Aido, are you busy?"
"I am analyzing the results of some test I… I mean… It is nothing I cannot put on hold for later…" the noble clarified, and waited for the instruction he expected to receive.
"I presume that Ichiru-kun is not with you then?" Kaname inquired, already knowing the answer.
"… No…" Aido answered cautiously, surprised to hear the pureblood bring up his lover into a conversation, even though he knew they shared few work related connections.
"Do you happen to know of his whereabouts, I called his home but no one answered, and I did not have the chance to ask for his cellphone number?"
"Is there a problem I should know of Kaname-sama, if Ichiru is in some kind of tr…"
"No. Aido, it is nothing like that. Long story short, I would like to have his input about some ideas we put together. I am sure you are aware that Ichiru-kun is actively contributing in solving the case of the blood pills."
Aido's trepidation dissipated instantly when he understood what it was all about, "Oh! Yes!... Uhm… As for his whereabouts, I believe that he is staying with his brother for the last couple of days. If you could not reach him at home, he is certainly at his twin's place."
Kaname paused a bit so that he does not sound too eager, "This is quite troublesome… I assured Shouto-san that I would compile the ideas into a proposal and submit it in two days. However, there are some loopholes needing the information that Ichiru-kun gathered previously."
"Would it not be possible to ask for a copy from the association?" Aido pointed much to Kaname's dismay.
"The procedure will take too long as it is considered a confidential paper… I guess I will have to pay him a visit."
Aido's head snapped at the last sentence, and blurted out the first thing that came to mind "Shall I get the car ready?" he belatedly realized that the pureblood might have meant a visit at another time.
"Sure." Kaname answered calmly, happy that his plan worked.
Few hours later, Kaname found himself in front of Zero's apartment. This time, he was entering the place in a civil way, with an actual knock and waiting for someone to open the door. Quite the refreshing change from their sneaky routine. All would have been perfect if not for the fidgety noble in front of him. He sincerely pitied Hanabusa. The door opened to a confused Ichiru who welcomed them in. Aido explained the reason behind the impromptu visit after placing a quick peck on his cheek.
At this point, Ichiru did most of the talking while guiding the guests to the working area. Kaname had hard time hiding the smirk on his face as he entered the room, waiting for the hunter to turn around and look at him.
"It is great to know that the association's board are finally thinking about making their move. The damn government's dogs are starting to spread rumors about the uselessness of such an organization. They are constantly looking for ways to cut off our intel and connections. By keeping still and quite about this epidemic situation, we are giving them the perfect reason to categorize us as a cult working solely for their own interest… Anyways, for now, I have to help Zero with some urgent work he has to submit. I will be taking a break in half an hour; Hana can drive me to my place to fetch the papers you need then… Nii-san! We… Actually I have guests, if you don't mind."
Zero answered the call by turning his chair around to face the door where the three men were standing. He jolted slightly at the sight of the pureblood. A deadly glare immediately plastered on his face, clearly annoyed by the presence of the brunet. Kaname kept his deadpan mask on, internally enjoying the hunter's dilemma.
Aido could swear to seeing sparks flying between the two vampires, feeling a storm ready to erupt.
"Hey Zero! You look like a total wreck. How long have you been going on without sleep or food?" He attempted to stir a conversation, but chose the wrong topic.
"Unless you are blind and an idiot, you can figure that out just by looking…" Spat the cranky hunter.
"Maaa…Ma… Nii-san… Hana is trying to be considerate. Don't take out your stress on him!" Ichiru interrupted with a calm voice, but Zero did not miss the warning tone laced within, thus gracing Ichiru with a death glare and a flick of tongue before turning to his screen and resume working.
Ichiru turned to face the two guests with an apologetic look, "I believe it is better if you made yourself comfortable in the living room. He is like a ticking bomb right now, better not stay around any longer."
Despite the pleading look and the obvious annoyance of the hunter, Kaname had no plan on complying.
"Since we will be here for a while, how about we lend a helping hand," the pureblood suggested.
Zero's eyebrow twitched along with a vein popping in his temple. Annoyed was an understatement, Zero was downright pissed at the obvious game that the pureblood was playing. He never appreciated it when the other party could not take a hint. What part of 'the arrangement is canceled' or 'I will call when I am done' does this idiot not understand.
"That would be great!" Ichiru's chirping snapped him out of his thoughts
To Zero's horror, Aido joined in by bragging about Kaname's achievement and how he got a degree in software development at a young age just because he was curious about new technologies and what lies behind it. Zero rolled his eyes, ready to spout one of his smart retort and put an end to the farce when Ichiru cut him off by bringing out a workstation for Kaname on a nearby table. Even Kaname was surprised to see the interaction between them. He realized that either Ichiru had an unexpectedly strong hold on Zero, or the hunter had an extremely soft spot for his brother to the point that he does not argue when he is being nosy or meddlesome. The pureblood was certain that anyone else would have been chewed or burnt to crisp if they dared impose themselves.
Zero finally conceded and sent a rather large chunk of work to the pureblood, as if daring him to finish it on time. After folding his suit jacket neatly on the nearby couch, Kaname made himself comfortable on the working chair, unbuttoned the cuffs of his sleeves and rolled them up.
Finding himself left as the odd one out, Aido asked for the permission to use the kitchen and left the three of them in order to make coffee and look for some snacks.
About an hour later, Zero found himself astonished by the speed with which Kaname was tackling one task after another. Although the frown never left his face, a glimmer of hope shone inside at the thought that they might finish the job much earlier than predicted. Nonetheless, he just had to preach about the reckless behavior of the pureblood.
A blinking light caught Kaname's attention to the incoming message on his phone,
:"What do you think you are doing?"
:"I had nothing better to do. Seeing how exhausted you look, I figured that you would not mind a helping hand. I just had to think of a way that would not make you worry about what your brother might think. Is that bad?"
Zero rolled his eyes at the obvious bullshit, feeling the pureblood staring at him from behind.
:"It looked more like you just want to get this done sooner so that you can bang me"
:"that sounds like a good idea too" the hunter could easily imagine the smug face that Kaname could make while writing this. Zero contemplated what was left to do, not denying that he liked the idea as well. He sent him a big chunk of work and texted Kaname right after,
:"how long do you think it will take to debug and test this part?"
:"two to three hours at most, it does not look like it has too many errors"
:"alright here is what we are going to do …." Kaname finished reading the long message and smirked. Right on cue, Ichiru chirped from his seat "Nii-san, I am done sorting these data, what else is left for me to do…"
"Not much Ich, just the last part I sent you, you can go home after that because all what is left is debugging and testing which I am sure is not to your fancy."
"Ugh! You bet! It was torture doing those practical labs when I was posing as you back in US. Anyways, I can help a bit if it is something simple"
"Have a look" Zero beckoned his brother to check, and Ichiru's eyes bulged out
"Crap! That will take an entire day, how come Allen let such shitty work slide"
"Believe it or not, this is the work Allen did after that subcontractor went under and failed to deliver, I guess he is out of it because of his wife collapsing and having to take care of his daughter. It would have taken two days actually if I were alone, but with the help of Kuran, we might not need to plead with the client to push the deadline"
Ichiru poked his brother cheek and beamed at the statement "See! I told you that he would be helpful. You should take my advice more often and accept other's kindness when in need. Kuran! Thank you for the great help and sorry for the ungratefulness of my rude brother" Zero rolled his eyes and tried his best to hide his amused face.
Aido came in at that moment with another set of steaming coffee mugs for the hardworking team, Kaname looked up from his seat and nodded at Ichiru :" don't mind it Ichiru-kun, I would not have offered to help if I did not have enough free time. In fact, I think you should go home and get some rest now that there is not much for you to do here, those dark circles look painful under your eyes. How long has it been since you last slept."
"Since yesterday maybe, but it is nothing compared to what Zero has to go through, he has been glued there all the time while I managed to take short naps," Ichiru explained, yawning when reminded of his exhaustion.
"Kuran is right for once Ich, you should take off with Aido, and we will be done soon anyways. I think I might sleep for twenty four hours myself after this." Chuckled Zero as he saw Aido's expression lighten up.
"It's okay, I will crash here in case you needed assistance" Ichiru insisted
"No, I won't! Now go, I will take a short nap while Kuran takes care of his part and get back to work with more energy. Does that make you less guilty over leaving to have some quality time with your man? For heaven's sake Ichiru, how many times did Hanabusa manage to get some time off to come visit you, and you want to make him into our errand boy tonight serving drinks and buzzing around aimlessly." Zero snapped at his brother making the couple blush and fluster at the truth of the statement.
"Okay! I got it" whined Ichiru "but if you -"
"ever need extra help I will call you up even knowing I am interrupting some quite…"
"Okay we are out of here!" Aido pulled Ichiru out of the room before Zero made his face go tomato red with his crude joke. Zero looked back at Kaname who finally looked at him after stifling a laughter "worked like a charm, now we have a full day to ourselves." The hunter winked while stretching his back.
Kaname took the mug and sat on the lazy chair beside the desk sipping on his drink. Zero followed suit but sat on his lap instead with a Cheshire smile. He leaned in and gave the pureblood a peck on the lips after pushing the mug out of the way. Kaname smiled into the kiss and whispered, "Your brother still has something to say it seems." Confusion flashed through Zero's face before his eyes widened.
The door opened once again as Ichiru rushed back inside to pick his phone and looked at Kaname, puzzled. What kind of pause is that? is he trying to mimic the status of liberty with a mug in in his hand?
Looking around, Ichiru did not find his twin, "Where did he go?"
"To wash his face, I think" Kaname kept a blank expression as he sipped on his coffee to stifle the chuckle. The hunter got himself worked up quite fast, and Kaname knew how hard it was for Zero to hide his lust filled look once he gets in the mood. He practically flew to the bathroom in a split of a second to avoid his brother.
"Thanks again for helping him. You're a life savior. It was not guaranteed that the client would agree to push the deadline, and even if they did, there would be some kind of loss. I just have to apologize beforehand in case he shows some nasty attitude, Zero tends to get cranky and lash out on others when pressurized."
"I understand. Have a good rest and don't worry, I am sure I can handle what comes my way. Just don't forget to send me those documents. Oh! and you can tell Aido to go back whenever he wants. I will leave by myself when I am done here."
"Sure!" Ichiru nodded enthusiastically.
Once the coast cleared, Zero opened the door and leaned back on the frame, "So you think you can handle what is coming your way?" He asked sarcastically with a raised eyebrow.
Indeed, Kaname had to exert a great deal of self-restraint to deny Zero the 'short break' he wanted them to have before getting back to work. He expected the hunter to pounce him as soon as they were done a couple of hours later, which he certainly did. Zero straddled him as soon as he sat on the couch.
Breaking the sloppy kiss, Zero arched his back to the limit until his spine cracked pleasantly. He was certainly not worried about falling from the brunet's lap since Kaname had a strong hold on him. He cracked one violet eye open, smiling lazily before yanking the hairband off his head, "Now then, what should we do now?" he whispered while placing his palms over Kaname's chest, enjoying the feel of his heartbeat. Kaname did not waste time to flip their position, much to Zero's delight. Unfortunately, the pureblood made him believe that he was about to kiss the daylight out of him before pulling away at the last second and standing up.
"Tsk!" the frowning silverette followed the regal man walking towards the kitchen. He rested his chin on the back of the couch, pouting, "Kaname~ come on, do we really have to do this. I already rested enough while you were finishing the last touches. I am obviously not tired to the point of collapsing like you assumed, and nowhere near sleepy. Stop being a douchebag when we both know that you are as horny as I am."
A brown eyebrow twitched while Kaname looked at his watch, "We will see about that… the time we bet on is still not over. Until then, we are doing things my way." He announced as he rummaged through the cupboards.
Zero groaned "Buzzkill", turned to cross his arms and sank in the comfortable couch, ignoring the pureblood and his preaching.
"What are you? Sixteen?" Kaname teased. He hovered over the couch with two steaming mug letting out the fragrant smell of cocoa. Zero just tilted his head back and scowled at him. A moment of silent seemed to stretch as they stared at each other stubbornly. The hunter finally gave up and sighed, he left the comfort of the couch and took the offered mug. He silently followed the older vampire out of the apartment, into the elevator that went up to the rooftop, and ended up following him to the gazebo that stood out in the middle of the carefully maintained garden. Zero pondered about how Kaname came to know about the presence of such a place in his compound. Surely, Zero was aware of it since the time he purchased his place, but he rarely came by.
Thanks to the height of the building, the clear starry sky seemed magically close, the sound of water from the fountain in front of the gazebo were soothing in the stillness of the night, accompanied by the sweet smell of the moonlight flowers blooming around the place. Can someone remind me why I never come here?
Kaname's voice pulled him out of his musing; he let out an exasperated sigh looking at the brunet, "Are we roleplaying a picnic now?"
"Just come sit and enjoy a moment of peace and quiet, would you?" Kaname grounded, he stretched out the quilt he placed on the bench to make a space for Zero beside him. The hunter, stubborn as he was, ignored it and sat on the other end of the bench, sulkily sipping on the hot drink.
Kaname was not about to give in and go along with the hunter's whims. If he learned something in the past few weeks, that is the fact that Zero does not seem to realize his limits, and that he has hard time suppressing his carnal desires. Which leaves Kaname with a sense of emptiness whenever they were done lately. The pureblood could not pinpoint the reason for such a feeling, but he knew he needed more of the hunter, he was not sure about what he wanted exactly but he was certain that he did not want to settle for the temporarily position of a sex friend. He glanced towards the silver-haired man, noticing the shivering.
"Zero… Could you please stop being stubborn. You are obviously feeling cold in that light clothing."
"Let's go back inside if you are that worried?" Zero grumbled
"No."
"Grrrr"
"I like to enjoy this time of the day outside. Usually, I would be sipping on a fine glass of wine on my balcony instead of keeping company to a grumpy kid."
"Asshole!"
"Sunrise will be in a few minutes, bear with me until then."
"I don't get why you would be so interested in watching the sun fucking rise."
"Are you saying that because I am a creature of the night?"
"Duh! Pureblood have the least tolerance towards the sun. Yuki always complained about how harsh it gets for her eyes."
"Hmmm… You have a point, and I can't really explain. Anyways… Come here." Kaname hummed while shifting closer and pulling Zero to his side. They were finally both wrapped in the woolen fabric resting against each other. As the starlight started to fade, the darkness started to unravel, leaving a rising burst of colors in its wake. The reddish golden hue brushed against the white clouds, bringing forth their fleeting beauty as they traveled the sky. Kaname could hear a lazy mutter against his shoulder, he smiled when hearing the word 'beautiful' coming out of the hunter's mouth. He enjoyed the sight of the first sunrays that came out like a fan, chasing away any darkness left. Kaname was lost in his thoughts like every time he did when watching such a fascinating sight; it was the one thing that he never got tired of.
When the light got too harsh on his sensitive eyes, he decided it was time to seek refuge inside. He turned to the impatient hunter to grant his wish only to be surprised by finding him asleep against his shoulder with the luckily empty mug dangling on his lap. His lips curled up and a tender look adorned his face as his finger teased the fine strands of silver hair. He enjoyed watching the innocent, peaceful face of the hunter while asleep. Carefully, Kaname wrapped him in the quilt and picked him up bridal style back to his bed.
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In the dimly lit bedroom, the bodies joined on the bed moved in harmony against one another. The harsh breathing mixed with the rustling of the sheets underneath them drowned the soft sigh and breathless moans that escaped the silver haired man as he tightened his clutch on the shoulders he was gripping for dear life. He arched his body to its limit, trying not to leave any space between them as he whispered sweet nothings in the ear close to his mouth. It did not take long for the strain to catch up to his neck, forcing him to rest his head on the pillow. He screwed his eyes shut, feeling his release coiling as the man above made love to him tenderly. Slightly cool and sweaty fingers brushed against his parted lips, and then traveled down his chin and neck. He could feel them brushing away his long silver hair. He craned his neck sideway, leaving his pulsing vein more exposed for easy access. He could see the ruby red color from the corner of his eyes before the familiar golden one replaced them. A warm tongue lapped at his sensitive skin. His body shivered at the mix of sensations and anticipation. Soon enough, pristine fangs broke his pale skin and the warmth of his own blood coated it. His breath hitched, body jerked and muscles tightened at the second intrusion, but he soon relaxed when the beloved cool hand cupped the side of his face and rested on his forehead, the thrusting went slower at a more sensual pace by then. Once over the first reaction, his body immediately went into overdrive, he felt himself getting more excited at the feeling of being so intimately connected with his loved one. His fogged mind went blank when his release erupted suddenly, and he did nothing to resist it, just like the way he reveled in the gulping sound so close to his ear laced with a muffled moan that was followed by the warmth flooding his inside. This moment has always been his favorite, he could feel them becoming one as part of him poured inside his lover while the other gifted him with his own essence. At that point, neither knew whose heartbeat was faster, whose trembling more as everything reunited as one. Ichiru belatedly registered the coppery taste slipping in his mouth. He waited for the liquid to pool before swallowing it, grateful for the exhausted kiss that followed to wash the unpleasant taste.
Feeling like he was crushing his lover with his weight, Hanabusa propped himself on elbows that dug on either side of Ichiru's head. The vampire could not help the giddiness he felt every time he came across the blissful expression of the silver hair human after he made love to him. Ichiru's pale skin had a rosy hue accentuating the beads of sweat making him glow in the eyes of the blond vampire. Blue eyes examined the punctured neck; relieve washing over them when he made sure that the wounds were closing properly. He smiled back at the silver beauty, as purple irises seemed to finally focus on him. Hanabusa leaned to place a soft kiss on the sweaty forehead, "I should have let you rest properly instead of burdening you like this, Gomen…"
Ichiru smiled lazily, he caressed the biceps next to his head as he hummed, "I am sure I would have wanted you to embrace me even if I were half dead…"
Aido chuckled at that, "That is one scary joke… let me go get a towel… I stained a sheet yet again" He shifted a bit, but Ichiru restrained him.
"Stay… Keep me warm, you got the room freezing, again!" the human smirked as he hooked his arm around the blond's neck
Aido looked around before dropping his head, "hahaha… It's been a while since I had done it… You are to blame for that, though… Getting me worked up like that." They both laughed looking at the ice sparkling around the place due to the vampire's control slipping during his climax.
A while later, Ichiru released him and waited obediently for his lover to come back with a warm wet towel. He did not have another choice since he was too exhausted to move a muscle. Once back, Aido helped him into a sitting position, and started to wipe down the little bit of blood that trickled down his shoulder and a few strands of hair. Then, he went to fetch a water bottle from the mini fridge that he handed over to Ichiru, "You should probably hop in for another shower."
"Mmm… *gulping water*… Later…" Ichiru dismissed the hectic task in favor of lazing around with his lover. He traced and scratched the arm of the vampire who was now dressed in his pants, topless staring at him as if he turned five.
"Ichiru…" Aido spoke slowly.
"In a while…" came the reply coupled with purple eyes averting the knowing blue ones.
"Do we have to do this every time?"
"If you stop nagging about it, it would not be every time." the silverette pouted cutely, swaying the stern stance of the vampire.
"Baby~ You know perfectly well why I have to nag about it. You will only end up with a funny stomach if I don't clean you up properly… And forget about leaving it up to you because I don't want a repeat of that time."
The pout turned to puffed cheek and frowning face that started a headache for the vampire, I bet he learned that from Yuki-sama, but damn he looks so cute like that.
"Bearing with a funny stomach or whatnot is fine by me."
Here it comes! Typical Kiryuu stubbornness. The blond vampire groaned, knowing the familiar pattern that will only lead to more heartache.
"No."
"I am not moving from here. Suit yourself."
"I can always drag you like a sack of potato"
"Hana!?"
"It's either you stop the nonsense or that." the vampire stated, a serious expression on his face,
"It is not nonsense."
"It is Ichiru! How many times have we talked about this?" Aido finally snapped, "There is no w…"
"What if!... What if it happens… by some miracle… what if…" Aido felt his chest hurting at the pleading visible in violet eyes "What if by any chance… you know… a chibi-Hana gets conceived inside because I kept it for a while longer… just a little… please?"
Aido huffed and climbed on the bed, he pulled and cradled the dejected human in his lap like a baby. A hand stroking the small silver head that he secured on his shoulder. A moment of silence passed before he whispered gently against Ichiru's forehead, "I love you, and I always will… You know that right."
The answer came as a soft nod.
"Then, you did not happen to forget that the one I fell in love with is Ichiru Kiryuu, a human, obviously male, who has quite the problematic stubborn strike."
His sarcastic tone earned him a fierce scowl that made him chuckle. This has become some sort of routine for the vampire ever since they had to give up Keiichi whom they were planning to adopt as their son. The experience of being responsible for such a fragile life and watching over them as they grow up left a deep impression on both of them. However, it seemed to have affected Ichiru in a different way. Hanabusa could still remember the day his lover suggested trying to conceive a child of their own. The idea caused a huge argument to explode between them as Aido categorically denied it. It defied every law of science he learnt. Nonetheless, the obstinate stance of his lover led him to agree on digging into the tiny possibility to make it happen. Now, he considers it as the worst decision he had ever made. Everything pointed back to the fact that it was impossible for a vampire to impregnate a male human unless they were purebloods. Unfortunately, Ichiru never gave up. A pattern occurred each time a child was born or when a pregnancy matter was brought up. Aido cursed internally for being careless about mentioning the incident of Yuki that happened that day. That coupled with a tired state of his partner was a recipe for disaster.
He looked into glassy purple irises, "Please stop looking so sad… I can't stand the thought that I am making you wear such an expression"
Ichiru shut his eyes and hid his face into the crook of Aido's neck, swallowing the lump forming in his throat.
"Hey… Hey…" Aido cooed while he managed to cup his face and look him in the eyes, "I will say it as many times as you need to hear it. I want you and only you. I don't care about having a child of our own."
"Liar!" Ichiru mumbled, "You were trying so hard to find a way for us to have one before."
"That is because you insisted on trying."
Ichiru's thoughts drifted away, and Hanabusa patiently waited for his reply, hoping that he would drop the issue and get back to his cheerful mood.
"It would be easy if I turn into a vampire." the silverette deadpanned.
Electric blue eyes widened in horror, he let out a strained smile "Love… Look… I am happy just knowing that you wish for us to have a family… I am perfectly okay with adopting if you want to, but you objected before."
"…and I still do… Kei-chan was an exception… I want us to love and raise our children… I wish…" Ichiru was having a hard time getting his thoughts in order. He knew perfectly well that it was too much to ask. He knew that Hanabusa indulged him in this matter to the point of insanity. He never forgot the endless hours that the vampire spent digging around the books and reference for the glimmer of a clue. He could not forget how, despite the egocentric alpha male of a noble he is, Hana still allowed Ichiru to take him, thinking that it might work the other way around. However, Ichiru still hoped for a miracle to happen. A miracle that his scientist of a lover never believed in. Conceiving their own child meant to Ichiru more than playing house together. Knowing that his mortal life would end eventually. He wanted to leave a vestige of himself for his lover to remember him. He was scared that Aido would forget about him centuries after his death. Having a child would be the living proof of what they have, of their love.
At this point, Ichiru got off Hanabusa's lap and curled up under the covers. The blond haired vampire scooped him from behind and kissed his exposed shoulder in attempt to sooth him.
"Sorry…" Ichiru apologized and turned to kiss him.
"It's okay…"
"Gosh! I get so annoying when I sink in one of these moods!" Ichiru huffed and puffed at himself before turned to hug his lover, tangling their limbs together. He could feel Aido relaxing in relief…
Aido stared at him for a moment before a goofy smile ate half of his face "It is fine by me as long as you don't act one of the crazy thoughts you get when you are like that."
Ichiru frowned at that, "I was being serious about turning into a vampire…"
The smile vanished in an instant "But you know that won't happen…"
"I do" Ichiru answered with a tongue out, "Grrrr! If only Shizuka had turned me instead of Zero… If only they had not removed the law of turning humans if they wished to… The universe is certainly conspiring against me?"
Aido laughed at the dramatic complaint, "Well… If given the choice, I would be against you turning."
Ichiru was surprised since he thought Aido would welcome the idea of an eternity together. The vampire caught on the derailing train of thoughts and quickly amended, "I meant that I do not want to risk it. I prefer having plenty more years with you as a human than risk you perishing from pureblood venom, or fall too quickly to level E because you could not withstand the transformation, or…"
Ichiru smiled widely, and clasped his lover's hand. Aido sighed before adding, "Besides, it is not a piece of cake to impregnate a male ex-human. Moreover, most level D's are unable to carry pregnancy to term, even with the support of the father. They either lose the child or die together with it. That is why the thought never crossed my mind and I want to never ever consider it."
Ichiru nodded in agreement. He pondered a bit before speaking again, "Fate works in weird ways."
Aido raised an eyebrow, puzzled about the observation "How so?"
"I mean," Ichiru started explaining "Here I am, in a loving relationship… Happy to have found the one and only for me… But still greedily wanting more… My twin, on the other hand, who actually have what I wish for, is wasting away his life without settling down."
"Well… That may be true, but I would not wish for you to suffer what Zero has to endure." Aido replied.
"Uh! I know… Come to think of it, how come that you fell in love with me and not with Zero."
"Huh?" The question caught the blond haired man completely off guard. His eyes narrowed, "In case you have forgotten, your brother and I were and still are like oil and water. We just tolerate each other out of consideration for you."
"But you still go out of your way to help him and monitor his health." Ichiru inquired
"That… He is your priority and you are mine. If anything were to happen to him, it would affect you and I promised that I would show you enough happiness to forget about anything else, and keeping your brother from screwing up his life and turn suicidal again is one way of ensuring that." Aido grumbled on and on about the headache, Zero would give him and how his life would have been easier if he actually settled with one partner as his lover said.
Ichiru's eyes teared up from laughing so hard at the hilarious memories they shared with his twin.
"But you came to care about him in the end. You cannot deny that."
"Maybe… Ok! Yes, as my brother in law…"
"You know…" Ichiru trailed "Back in US, I was quite insecure every time I had to leave him in your care and go substitute for him in class. Since we were kids, everyone were more attracted to Zero's charm, so I worried that you might fall for him after getting to know him better…" he let out a silly laugh "Sometime, I imagined Zero actually seducing you to get back at me for hurting him… Crazy right? I mean, that would be bad because it would be near impossible to differentiate us back then."
The amused vampire joined him with an equally silly laughter, "Nah~ I did not fall for that… His smell was a dead giveaway, even with my sleepy brain I could-" Aido froze when he realized that he just blurted something he should not have said. He cursed when Ichiru pushed on his chest to bring some distance between them. A look of shock and suspicion graced his features.
"You… He… What?"
"No… I meant if he tried, I would not have fallen for it…" Aido quickly clarified, praying to any higher power that his lover would buy it.
"Cut the crap! Did something happen between you and Zero while I was gone back then? What was it and when…" Ichiru snapped, his eyes blazing with fury.
"Damn!" Hanabusa sighed before surrendering to his fate, "It was about the time he discovered that we were together, a couple. You were gone for classes and it was midday. Naturally, I was deep asleep. Zero… He… He kind of sneaked into my room and … joined me in bed…" Aido paused when hurt flashed across Ichiru's eyes,
"What… Happened?" He could barely get the words to come out of his mouth.
"Nothing…"
"Hana!"
"NOTHING! I swear… He started kissing my face and I woke up just in time to find him fumbling with my pajama shirt… I immediately realized that he was not you and pushed him away… You know how he was back then… A total mess. I did not bring it up because I knew it would break whatever fragile connection you managed to mend back with him. I never intended to bring it up… Neither did Zero… I am sure he regret his actions more than anything he had ever done."
"Oh? Now you are defending him for what he had done. Are you sure you pushed him away?" Ichiru was livid at this point.
"What? You think that I actually cheated on you with your brother?" Aido gawked in disbelief
"I don't know! I can't think… Anything is possible when it comes to Zero… No one ever resisted his temptation… Why should you be an exception?" Ichiru was pacing the room in frustration, putting on whatever discarded clothes he can find.
"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU. Because I am not a lowlife who would go cheat on his lover after promising a forever together… Because I would never do anything to screw up what we have, especially not with your nutcase of a brother." Aido stood in turn and grabbed Ichiru's arm to keep him still. "Nothing happened I swear…" His anger about being accused subsided when he felt Ichiru trembling. He quickly hugged his shaking form, "There is only you and no one else… Even your carbon copy would not faze me because you are two different people inside, and it is definitely not your pretty face that got me hooked." Aido tried his best to convince his lover. After being together this long, he came to understand the inferiority complex that was deeply rooted inside Ichiru because everyone he cared about had only eyes for his prodigy of a brother. He tried times and times to prove him that he was equally amazing if not better than Zero in some areas, but never succeeded. The vampire wanted to take the incident as a secret to his grave; he knew that Zero felt the same because such a thing would cause a bad blow to Ichiru. Unfortunately, it happened because of a slip of tongue.
The blue-eyed man loosened his hug when Ichiru pushed against him. Just when he thought that the storm was over, Ichiru started throwing insults and accusation out of thin air. The prideful vampire could not take any more of it, which lead the tension to rise and the argument to heat up until their screams could be heard next door. They finally ran out of insults and energy, both faces red and contorted into a mix of pain and anger. Ichiru took a deep breath and spoke first "I want you to leave. Now."
"What? No." Aido denied, crossing his arm as if to stand his ground.
"You will leave. I can't stand anymore of this bullshit… Heck, I can't stand looking at you or hearing your voice for another second…" Ichiru's voice was dripping with contempt that only serve in flaring up Aido's fury.
"Oh really?" He answered sarcastically. Ichiru only glared at him in response. The vampire gritted his teeth and yanked his clothes from the floor to put them on hastily. He threw one last glance at his lover who looked away. "Tsk! Don't expect an apology for I did nothing wrong… Whatever… It is not like you will believe anything I say anyways…" he barked as he fetched the car keys. He paused in front of the door, suddenly feeling like his feet were glued to the floor. He did not want to leave, he wanted to fix it, he was scared of losing the silverette, but his pride and ego were getting in the way and the hurt he was feeling was too great to ignore. "Never Had I imagined that you had so little faith in me." He finally left with that last remark, slamming the door behind him.
Ichiru finally collapsed on his bed, feeling weak, helpless, betrayed, scared but mostly brokenhearted.
∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞ few hours later ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
Kaname woke up to an empty bed. Judging from the glaring digits of the alarm clock, he barely had two hours sleep. He fumbled around and found a note from Zero saying that he was in the gym, and that if Kaname was joining, he will have to wear the proper attire. Of course, he ignored the side note saying that he can leave if he thinks that he might still be impotent. It seemed like the hunter hated the fact that he lost the bet.
The pureblood made his way down to the lobby and asked the receptionist about the gym location. When the clerk made the same remark about the attire, Kaname headed to the 24/7 gears store open besides the gym. He finally bought the clothes, since wearing Zero's would have been hilarious.
Kaname was impressed with the great service and high security of the building, he understood the reason why Zero chose to live in such place, it was not because it was posh, but because it was practical and suited his lifestyle. He slid the badge Zero left him on the marble counter for the gym's receptionist to examine. When the man read the badge, his eyes widened for a second. Kaname could swear that the man glared his way, checking him out with a sense of rivalry before he finally told him that Zero was in the inner covered swimming pool.
Following the signs, Kaname reached while Zero was still swimming, he watched him do his laps, liking the way he sliced through the water. The hunter came out of the water upon noticing the other presence in the empty gym, He was naturally dripping wet, and wearing swimming trunks that were too tight to Kaname's liking. The brunet did not lose time to fetch a towel from the nearby lounging chair to wrap him in. Zero gratefully accepted the gesture and leaned into the warm embrace since they were the only people around.
"You did not sleep much, are you okay."
"Ugh! I told you I was not tired. I replenished my energy with some blood pills. I don't get much sleep after pulling all-nighters unless I overexert myself, physically." He complained with a mischievous glint in his eyes. Kaname was unable to see through the perfect acting of the silverette, who managed to dodge the real reason behind the lack of sleep. Zero deemed it unnecessary to burden another person with his plaguing nightmares. He was grateful enough that Kaname was deep asleep and did not notice his agitation, nor the fact that he almost shot the pureblood in his sleep when he woke up and found him nearby. It was a good thing that he kept Bloody Rose locked up and was too out of it to get the passcode right at that time. He took a shuddering breath as he sneaked his arm from under the towel and squeezed the brunet's midsection, inhaling his scent to remind himself that he was safe.
The subtle clinginess surprised Kaname but he smiled and patted the silver wet hair in response, not bothering to talk back. His wine eyes caught the reflection of the receptionist staring at them through the glass wall and he shot him a cold glare. The unflinching man irritated him, but he was not about to let him ruin the mood.
Noticing the way he tensed for a moment, Zero looked up quizzically, "What wrong?"
Kaname smirked "It seems we have some curious audience." his head titling in direction of the still staring man.
Zero huffed in annoyance, "Think of him as an ugly painting on a wall."
"hmm?" a brown eyebrow shot up in amusement.
"He always strips me naked with his perverted stare every time I come on his shift."
"Oh! From the way he was assessing me, I thought that he was one of your unfortunate victims." the pureblood teased.
"Fuck no! He did hit on me more than once though…. but no! The last thing I need is a live in stalker… Still, it is annoying how he does not seem to give up"
As much as the way Zero was tiptoeing to scowl and frown at the man over his shoulder amused Kaname, the idea of the stalker displeased him to no end. Thus, he blurted the words before even processing the idea in his usually calculating mind "Shall we make him give up."
"Huh? Whamm…mnnn… ah…" Zero heard the whispered words but did not react on time since Kaname claimed his lips harshly all of a sudden. He grasped the hand cupping his face. Kaname broke the kiss briefly, "What… was…that?" Zero gasped the words
"A way to make him give up." Kaname smirked, but Zero noticed that his eyes were not smiling. The silverette shivered under the intense gaze of the eyes fixated on him. He was used to others staring at him with raw lust and desire, he thought that he became immune to anything by now, but he was greatly mistaken. Whatever dwelled in those dark eyes seemed to strike his very core. He could not pinpoint it, but all he knew was that he felt hypnotized. For an instant, he forgot about his surrounding, what was it they were talking about, what was it that he wanted to say. His lips simply parted and joined the silky one awaiting them. His hands tangled into chocolate brown locks, and he pulled the taller man down. The towel long forgotten on the floor, Kaname let his hand roam and trace the spine of the pliant body molding into his embrace. He was startled by Zero's reaction and passionate kiss. Hungry for the hunter, he wasted no time pulling him closer to the point that it seemed like the hunter was hanging on him. Out of breath, their lips parted but not their bodies as Kaname kept placing kisses and sucked the tender skin all the way from a flushed ear to a pale collarbone, eliciting delicious moans and gasps from the hunter. Zero's mind was nothing but a dense fog of desire, everywhere Kaname touches seemed to scorch him with unbelievable heat. He could feel his body thrumming in harmony with his erratic heartbeat. He tilted his head back, allowing more space for the pleasant treatment his neck was receiving. His glazed violet eyes had long fluttered shut.
"Ehem! ... Ex… Excuse us…" Both vampires stiffened as a meekly sounding voice called them back to reality. They untangled their limbs in what seemed like a slow motion picture and glanced at the direction of the voice. A furiously blushing man was standing couple of feet away from them, looking the other way with his wife standing beside him and smiling at them. She was the first to break the awkward silence, "Sorry to interrupt, but we need to get through… Uhm… to the locker room?" She explained hesitantly.
∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞ TBC ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
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