Together At Last

Chapter 1
It was transition time at Cross Academy. Pure blood vampire, dorm president and last of his family, Kaname Kuran was trying to watch his secret obsession while having to make it look like he was doing his job and watching his cover obsession. Amazingly, it was easier done than said. Zero was always on Yuki’s heels and the night class didn’t require much attention. He felt bad about using Yuki like he was. He knew she liked him, maybe even thought she loved him, but it was Zero who drew him. If only Kaname could get past Zeros’ scars of the past, life would be perfect.
As the last of the students made it to their respectable places, the three came together.
“Hello, Yuki,” Kaname greeted her with a warm smile. It was retuned with a small smile on a feverish face.
Yuki met his eyes with hers. “Hi, Kaname,” she replied quickly, looking back to her feet before his name died in the air.
He turned to Zero, face hardening. Kaname saw hatred in those eyes, and felt sick. It was hopeless; Zero would never return what feeling he had for him. He quickly steeled himself. He would have to try, no matter what. Still, Kaname wished he knew if it was just a general hatred, or something he himself had done. Whatever it was, it hurt all the same.
“Zero,” he said with a curt nod. Zero just stared back with numb eyes, refusing to be friendly. Kaname’s eyes must have lingered only a bit too long because Yuki looked between them.
“Zero!” She yelled, “Stop it!” Zero looked down to meet her eyes. Instantly, his own softened.
“I’m sorry, Yuki,” he said, voice soft, “If you wish to spend you time with this,” he gestured towards Kaname, “I will not interrupt.” With one last look at Kaname, Zero turned and headed for the Day Class Dorms.
Both Yuki and Kaname watched Zero leave with heavy hearts. Finally Yuki turned to Kaname, “I’m sorry about him, Kaname. He doesn’t man it really.” She looked at her feet, ashamed of how Zero had treated him.
Kaname lifted her chin with his finger, “No need to be ashamed, little Yuki. I do not take any of his harsh words to heart; he says things about matters he does not fully comprehend.” He finished with a smirk, a kind one, of course. Poor little Yuki, she
understood so much but knew so little.
“I know,” she replied with a smile, and turned to leave. “Good night, Kaname,” she called as she ran to the dorms.
Kaname sighed; he knew it was time to end the lie, however much it would hurt Yuki. She would hate him at best, yet it would be worse if she understood. He was horrible for stringing her along for so long, he knew that. It was time to sink or swim, so to speak.

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The next day, Kaname was trying to figure out exactly how he was going to tell Zero. He had been pacing back and forth when his thoughts were interrupted by a loud scream. He ran to his window to see what it was about. All he could see was Zero standing over something, rigid and unmoving.
“Fuck,” he swore as he turned and ran to the front gardens.
Kaname strode into the gardens with an air of assurance. He kept telling himself that whatever this was, he could handle it. When he got close enough to see what was happening, he shook his head. There was Zero, rigid as ever, standing over a Night Class student with the Bloody Rose pointed at her chest. He could be such a trigger finger at times. All she had probably done was walk up behind him. Whatever it was, it was his job to clean it up. He hated being Dorm President sometimes.
“Zero,” Kaname called, making sure his voice carried, “Zero, put the gun down.” He got no response what so ever from him. Kaname tried again, “Zero, you are frightening the others, not to mention the poor girl you are threatening. What did she do to you to deserve this?”
“She tried to bite me,” came the growled response.
Kaname turned to the girl, “Did you indeed try to feed off of Zero, knowing full well the penalty for such an action?”
She shook her head earnestly, “No, Kaname, never,” She answered, “We could not hurt Yuki in such a way and, in turn, hurt you.”
“She’s lying,” Zero claimed, “She’d say anything to not get shot.”
Kaname laughed. Poor naïve little Zero, he thought, Vampire hunter and a Vampire yourself, why you are about as wrapped up as you can be in our world yet you know nothing of the rules.
“You don’t get it, do you?” Kaname asked him. Apparently he didn’t, for all he gave Kaname was a blank stare.
“Zero, what am I?” he asked the other, his voice carefully neutral.
“A monster,” Zero growled, an assured look back on his face, like that was all he needed to know.
“Yes, indeed, in your eyes I may be a monster. But what am I to the Night Class, Zero? What makes them follow my orders? Why do they listen to me?”
“You’re Dorm President. So what?”
“Zero, you are as wrapped up in our world as you can be. Let me teach you the rules.” Kaname did feel bad for him, to not know anything about the world you live in, it must be torture.
Zero lowered his gun slowly. “Why should I trust you?”
“If you don’t come now, you will always wonder if what I said is true, if something I would have said could have helped you. You may try to forget about all this, but it will always be there in the back of your head.” Kaname’s voice was still carefully neutral. He didn’t want his true feelings to show through. He was finally going to be alone with Zero. He could have jumped for joy at that moment.
Zero sighed, defeated, “You make a good point, monster. I will follow.”
The girl, now released from the barrel of the gun, got up gracefully. She turned to Kaname, “Thank you, sir.”
Kaname nodded in acknowledgement, “You may go now.” She gave him a deep bow and turned to Zero.
“I am truly sorry.”
“Whatever,” Zero replied.
The girl gave Zero a small nod and walked away. When she was gone, Kaname turned to Zero. “Come,” he said with a small smile, “it is time you were . . . enlightened.” Kaname smirked at Zero’s confused face and gestured with his hand.
Before Zero took a step, he said, “Just to make myself clear, just because I’m coming, it doesn’t mean I trust you.”
“Oh, let me assure you, I know that all to well.”


*~*~*