Chapter 7

"Accidental Wingman"

It's the night of Ichijou-senpai's birthday. I had just woken up from a short nap as the sun fell below the horizon and I could hear the chatter from students outside. I got up sleepily and looked out of my window, I'm still not used to waking up to the dusk light instead, though it is easier on the eyes. The sky was even a little more pink tonight rather than the normal orange.

Surprisingly, it was the night class that I'd heard. Seems that they were getting the decorations ready for Ichijou-senpai's party.

I'm not looking forward to this...

I've never really been one for 'get togethers' or, well, 'crowds' in general. Too many people for my liking.

Can you tell I'm a little socially awkward? No?

Anyway, I decided it was time to get changed and go down for 'breakfast'.

On my way I ran into Souen. She'd given me a bad look. Guess I wasn't dressed the part. Everyone was already in casual/formal clothes. Simple dresses and nice shirts and the like. I though, was dressed in ripped jeans and a dark hoodie with my hands stuffed into the pockets. Oh well, can't really blame me for wanting to be comfortable, considering I didn't have to wear the stuffy uniform since class was cancelled for this.

I made it to the kitchen, grabbed some ingredients and began making myself a traditional Japanese breakfast. A piece of grilled fish, Tamagoyaki, some miso soup, rice, and a small salad. I had it all balanced on a tray as I brought it out to the dining room only to find some of Kuran's circle sitting nearby.

Once seeing them, I decided to instead take my tray to my room and eat there. However, before I could I got called over by Ichijou-senpai asking where I was going.

"To my room"

"Eeeh? But why don't you sit with us? It's my birthday today. Pleeeease?"

He reminded me of Chairman Cross when he spoke like that.

"Don't pressure him into sitting with us, Takuma. It's clear that he doesn't like us." Touya spoke up and, as if I wasn't standing there, Ichijou-senpai said "Well, that's only because he hasn't been invited to join- "

"I'd rather just eat in my room, to be honest." I cut him off, but apparently that wasn't enough because he then started giving me this puppy eyed look.

"At the very least, make an appearance at my party tonight. Besides, Yuki will be there, she will need 'protection' from us, right?"

I knew he had me when he said that, I couldn't possibly leave her to be alone with them all.

"Ugh… Fine, but don't expect any presents from me, I'm there strictly to keep her safe from you lot."

"I expect nothing less." Was his reply.

Id taken my food back to my room to eat and waited for the night to properly begin.

It wasn't much longer before I got a visit from Aidou telling me that Kain was ushering Yuki to the party already. Nodding, I followed behind him down to the back garden of the moon dorms. It had been set up nicely with few decorations here and there and a centre table with a massive cake and assorted snacks. Yuki had already gotten here by the time I arrived with Aidou and was already discussing what happened earlier in town.

"Oh! Kiryuu-kun, you decided to join us. Come, I was just telling Yuki-chan about the different levels."

She should already know, in my opinion.

A voice sounded behind me as I got closer to them. "I heard, today, a report that there was an "E class" vampire roaming outside."

Kuran was standing on the veranda with Seiren slightly behind him. "Ichijou and Shiki went to hunt him down," He paused, I guess for some kind of effect. "At my order."

He must have only just joined the party also because all the other night students, aside from a those in the discussion, whispered his name under their breaths like he was this revered king.

"Kaname-senpai!" Like always, Yuki was surprised at his appearance. "Yuki, why didn't you report this matter to Chairman Cross? As a school prefect, upon hearing Ichijou's words, coming to this dangerous place…"

"I-I think that simply reporting this matter wouldn't be enough. Also, I would like to confirm this myself."

"Yourself, is it? Coming to this place…" he didn't finish the sentence and sat down on a loveseat at the top of the stairs onto the veranda, he patted the seat next to him, beckoning Yuki over to him. "Yuki, come sit beside me." She looked startled, like a dear in the headlights. "Just come." She looked towards me as if asking for help making this decision but I turned my face away from her.

Yeah, I'm not helping her out of this situation that she got herself in.

Kuran then pulled her to sit with him. "The safest place is beside me" What a cocky bastard, 'the safest place'? what a load of crap. He's the most dangerous here.

He continued "I would never have expected Yuki to encounter the 'hunting' scene. However, you are at fault for wandering around that sort of place." He was too close to her for comfort now, I stiffened, waiting for his next move, in case he tried anything.

"You were injured by that vampire, right? It must be painful."

She tried to reason it "no… it was because I was careless".

"Ex-humans should not have been created." He explains to her about the wars they were used as fodder for, and also how nobles are 'taking care' of them now, I guess out of a false sense of guilt.

It pissed me off, what he was saying.

"Hunting vampires is a hunter's responsibility."

"Then, why did you not kill him that time?" before I could even respond, he pulled Yuki's arm to his mouth, sliding up her sleeve, saying "Let me erase the pain of your wound…" before he kissed it.

A kiss? Is that really necessary?

Then he continues mocking me, "Or is it that Kiryuu-kun, you pity him?"

Oh, he's done it now…

Swiftly, I pulled out my gun and aimed her right at his forehead. Not a second after I lifted my gun, I'd felt Seiren move and hold her hand to my throat, her nails so sharp that she actually nicked my skin, letting a drop of blood slide down to my collar.

"Its ok. The one who spoke carelessly was me"

How fucking nice of him, to take the blame for something he did.

I lowered my gun as I heard Ichijou in the background say "that gave me a fright".

I also heard Aidou going on another tangent about how "disrespectful" I was, or something along those lines. I glared back down at him.

Though, before anything further could really happen, Ichijou spoke up in that childish tone again.

"OKAY! It's so mean of everyone to forget! Everyone is gathered here tonight to celebrate my birthday. We must enjoy ourselves properly. No matter if its Kiryuu-kun, they're still my honoured guests."

That seemed to break up whatever unease was still floating around and the party went back to how it was before.

Id taken up a space of wall with a clear view of Kuran and Yuki still sitting of the loveseat as well as a view of the rest of the gardens where the other night students were mingling.

I noticed some interesting things though, besides Yuki blushing at whatever Kuran was taking to her about, Shiki Senri was standing at a table not too far from me, glaring holes into the back of Ichijou's head, looking ready to hurt someone. And suddenly there was this idea in my mind, something to cause a little bit of trouble. I'd made my way over to him and snagged a knife from the table closest to me, one left out to cut one of the many cakes or tarts with. As I pulled up beside him, I gestured to the knife in my hand and said "use this" to him, and continued on to casually browse the table next to us.

When Shiki moved over to Ichijou, I was interested to know what was going to happen. How badly was this going to go? I was making my way back to the wall near Yuki, so as to get her out if anything too serious happens, and that's when I smell it.

I looked over to see Ichijou, however its not at all what I'd expected. Merely his hand was cut, barely a scratch but just enough to cause it to bleed.

"Ah, I cut myself." Ichijou cut himself?

"No problem." Was Shiki's reply as he bent down and pressed his tongue to Ichijou's hand.

"You did it on purpose, right" was Ichijou's soft reply.

"Eh?"

Are they… Flirting with one another? Where was all the anger that I saw in Shiki's face earlier?

Could I have misread the situation?

As I was leaning back against the wall in disappointment, my entertainment robbed from me, I'd felt it. Ichijou's blood must have set my bloodlust off, but it was such a small amount and so far away too. Was it really enough to set me off? Apparently so because I found myself racing back to my dorm room and locking myself inside.

I'd tried downing a few tablets but they just did nothing except make me puke them back up along with whatever I ate beforehand. I'd managed to make it to my ensuite before I ruined the carpeted floor, thankfully. But as I sat in front of the toilet, I heard a shy knock at my door.

AN: So, who's popping in to save Zero from his bloodlust? Guess we will find out next chapter. Mwa ha ha.

On another note, I know it's been a long time since I last updated and here's why.

Firstly, I got a new job that gave me less time to do anything I like doing, and secondly, that damn pandemic is just being such a pain in the arse. I'm fine, haven't gotten it yet, can't say I won't in the future though. Australia's government is kind of pulling back on the whole mandatory masks and closed borders thing. Anyway, no one wants to talk politics on a fanfiction website.

Back to the important stuff:

I want to continue writing this, I really do. I have some ideas about how to continue thanks to my friend EmoPissass. She was a lot of help and this chapter wouldn't have been written if it wasn't for her. So go read her Zero x Akatsuki fanfic "plotting" cause it's really good.

Now, if you want anything specific to happen in my story, let me know in the comments. Hell, just say hi in the comments, I read them all, I promise. Not that there's many…

I also haven't decided on a final relationship for Zero so let me know who your favourite ship is. Ps, I will say that I refuse to ship him with Kaname, Yuki, Shiki, or Ichijou. Mostly cause they are over-done and not what I want this story to turn into. I also won't make this an OC story. It is Zero-centric and nothing else. All characters will already exist withing Hino-sensei's work.

As a final note, Thankyou for waiting so long for me to write this chapter, and I hope you all stick around for the future ones. (Hopefully they don't take as long).