Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

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Zero woke up with a strangled gasp. He couldn't get enough air into his lungs, regardless of how hard he tried. The fear in and around him was suffocating, ripping the life out of him with each little huff. Fog filled him and drowned out every bit of life inside his mortal shell until only panic remained. No matter what he did, he was not calming down anytime soon. Little sparks danced around his field of vision while his head sorted through all the memories it could process at once. Nobody would be coming for him there. Zero was utterly alone and could only rely on himself in this situation. Nobody would understand, no, could ever hope to understand. He was running out of time. Just keeping his eyes open was a chore; they fluttered shut every so often. Any second now he would pass out again or lose control entirely. Neither was acceptable however, and so Zero held on for as long as he could out of sheer spite alone.

Before he had woken up he had been elsewhere. No. That's not quite right. Rather, he had been sometime else. He couldn't explain why he was so sure of it, but Zero knew with absolute certainty that he was in his room at Cross Academy. Yet before that he knew he was not. He was certain he had not been in his room, or his bed for that matter. The faint memory of pinewood and riverbank sand could attest to that.

Another bad dream then? He shook his head. That seemed logical at first, but it was quickly disregarded. It had been too real. There was a certain weight of truth in his so-called dream that he could not ignore. He saw facts, not figments while he slept. There was no way he could be time traveling. Magic may exist, but something of this magnitude was far too much. Not even the pureblood king could hope to pull that one off. Which left him even more confused than before. If it wasn't a time travel accident, then he needed to figure out what had happened exactly. For his own sake, and for everyone else around him, Zero hoped with all of his long dead heart that there wasn't another crazy vampire involved. 

Looking around he saw his – old? – room as if he had never left it behind. The wood didn't look like it was a few hundred years old, nor did his books for that matter. Paper was usually the first to show signs of aging, but these letters were new. His homework was finished and put away neatly as well. When was the last time he did his math homework…? Then his eyes went wide. The ink was still a tiny bit wet. This was impossible. Unless he really was in the past. No. Again, time travel was impossible. But… if he could not move through time, maybe there was another explanation. Perhaps, Zero mused to himself in the dark room, perhaps there was a way to see the future without moving through the stream of time?

Of course he has heard of things like palm reading already. Half of them were a scam, but a very few may be able to actually do it. Not that Zero knew any medium or soothsayer. He only knew a very nosey and overbearingly caring pureblood princess and her asshole of a…  let's say brother. Yuki. It has been so long since he last saw her and their kid. Of course he loved them both but sometimes he knew the mother of his child was thinking of another. Zero had pushed her away to make the inevitable split hurt much less. His daughter tried to stay in touch but…  he was a lone wolf with hundreds of years of experience in avoiding all kinds of vampires. Neither mother nor daughter had stood a chance against him. Zero knew how to vanish.

Then there was Kuran Kaname. What had Zero done to deserve to have to deal with this pest? Over time he came to somewhat respect his royal highness. If it weren't for the fact the prince had used him like a chess piece they might have become friends earlier on, but manipulation was something Zero couldn't forgive that easily. If only Kuran had asked for his help instead of forcing him into this mess against his will... That was all, really. If he had done the human thing and asked him to help take down Rido, then Zero would have gladly helped. When Kuran used his authority and power to force Zero into doing just that, like the obedient lapdog he wanted him to be, it was infuriating the hunter. Even worse the whole thing was orchestrated when he was just a scared and hurt child. Kuran demanded respect but would rarely show it to anyone who wasn't special enough to him. 

Well…  if the recently done homework was any indication then these things have not happened yet, right? The only war he would have to deal with was changeover. Speaking of change… Zero could change things. Right? He knew where to push to avoid things spiraling into death and pain. He could turn the tides, bend them to his will alone. Should he do that though? Who was he to dictate which way history was to play out? And, in the end, would that make him no less better than Kaname and his own manipulations?

Zero growled in frustration. One thing at a time. First he had to figure out what was going on. Then he had to figure out how to keep his sudden ability to sneak a peek at the future a secret. Then, maybe if he felt like it, he could save the world from falling into full blown war. 

Pale moonlight illuminated his room. The cold light dipped everything into a soft blue hue and made the shadows seem larger than before. However, it also softened those. Sunlight would cast hard edges while moonshine was a lot gentler. His vampiric eyes thanked him for the blessedly dim room. Old Zero would have insisted on burning his eyes out just to stay outside during the daytime like any other human being. This Zero had made peace with his situation while he spent years inside a dream. He was used to the night, real or not. That meant he was used to navigating in the dark and thus he was quick to take a shower and dress for a scouting trip as well. One graceful jump out of the window had him standing on dewy grass. 

It was time for a little midnight walk around the moon dorms. If he was right about the current date, then nobody would come looking for him there. After all, everybody knew he hated the night class with a fiery passion. Zero couldn't help but snort at that thought. He hated the ones responsible for the death of his family. He wanted all of them eradicated, yes, but what "all of them" truly meant was only for him to know. What was a vampire, but a soulless killer? What was a man, but a miserable pile of secrets? What was black and what was white, on the chessboard of life?

The first thing he noticed was how bright it was outside despite it being almost a new moon. The very thin crescent above him was barely more than a hair on the endless night sky above. Yet, he could still see as clearly as if it was a sunny summer day. From the tiny droplets of dew caught in a spider's web to the little fuzz of the moss that grew on every third tree's bark, Zero saw it all without even trying to. It was unnerving. Useful, he admitted, but as unnerving as a sleepover on a stranger's grave. 

The second thing that Zero noticed was how quiet he was. Even with his hunter training and all the years that apparently have not happened yet, he was only ex human. Even Kaname should have made some noise as he walked around. In comparison to the ethereal pureblood he himself should be akin to a stampede in the library. This total absence of everything acoustic sent shivers down his spine. It was just so wrong and unnatural. It was a small crack in what was an ordinary mirror image of Zero's perfectly crappy life. 

The gate guardian sent him a look but didn't speak up. The old keeper knew him well and was fully aware of his status as prefect and school guardian. It was an added bonus that Zero was a vampire as well. So, as stated before, the gate guardian just sent a look his way and then proceeded to ignore him. Zero found himself not minding that at all. It worked in his favor seeing how his nemesis could hear a flea sneeze across campus if he wanted to. This way Zero could pretend he was just another Night Class student… even if the thought alone still disgusted him for all the wrong reasons. 

From vampire hater to reluctant sympathizer. How far had he fallen?

Thankfully it was serenely quiet and soothingly peaceful. His hunter senses told him exactly how many vampires were near him. His vampire senses filled in the blanks and allowed Zero to pinpoint everyone's precise location as well as what they were doing. Now if that did not come in handy he did not know what would. Especially since he knew he would need everything he had to stand up to Kuran Kaname because the prince was a freaking ancestor reborn. Dream-Zero did not know until it was far too late, but the current Zero knew exactly what to expect. Their ideal worlds were so similar that it was almost too easy for him to consider just rolling with the show and accept his fate. His more stubborn side vetoed this idea almost immediately. He was not Kuran's servant or lapdog. He was Zero Kiryu!

Somewhere to his left, Zero noticed a broken glass bottle. It was a normal bottle used to hold juice. The students seemed fond of it, even though Zero found it too sweet. It did however remind him of another issue he would have to deal with sooner or later. He did not want to be taken down into the basement. As far as he could tell his bloodlust wasn't too hard to manage. Once he figured out how to distract himself and how to keep the symptoms at bay he was fine. He may still be unable to take the tablets but if his dinner was a little more bloody than it needed to be…  who cared about the details? It had worked in his dream, perhaps it would work in the waking world as well. Maybe it was his hybrid nature or just his sheer stubbornness, but animal blood was more than perfect for him. It was a solution both his vampire side and his hunter side could compromise on. Speaking of dinner, there was a sweet scent in the air. 

Crap. 

Zero shot off like a lightning strike and thankfully arrived before any other vampire. There was a Day Class girl with a camera phone in her left hand, and a big cut on her right one. If the footprints on the nearby oak were any hints, detective Zero concluded she slipped and hurt herself on the way down. This would earn her a week of detention for sure. However, Zero was in a relatively compassionate mood that night so he just helped her up and quietly hoped she wouldn't scream. 

"Oh no! Uh…  it's not what it looks like! Zero, please don't expel me! I just wanted some pictures of-" 

"Yeah, yeah. You're hurt. I'll escort you to the nurse's office so you can get that looked at. You don't want to get an infection, believe me." Zero huffed with mild annoyance. 

As a reply he got a very stiff nod from the girl before him. Her black hair flew everywhere as she did so. 

"Now: up. You shouldn't even be here in the first place." there was still some bark behind those words. 

As they made their way to the school building to let the nurse look at the girl's injury, Zero noticed a pair of wine red eyes following him around. Kuran didn't trust him, that much was obvious. If he remembered correctly then the real Kuran Kaname was worried he might snap and fall to E status every second now. Ha. As if. So, in protest and rebellion, Zero ignored the burning stare and focused on his duties as a school prefect and guardian. Mr Disciplinary Committee had a mission, and no fanged leech would get between him and his duty. Nope. Not even a royal leech. 

The reward for his trouble was a shy, grateful and even a little guilty "thank you, Kiryu." from the Day Class girl. It warmed Zero from the inside to know he was appreciated for once. These little moments were what kept him going. 

"Zero." 

And there he was. 

"Kuran. What do you want?" 

Zero was ready to blow steam through his nose. The little smirk on Kuran's face, so full of confidence it bordered on arrogance, it was infuriating him. How dare he assume that he would bend over to his will! The pureblood could not control him, or force him anymore either for that matter. The sooner he accepted this the sooner they could stop ripping each other to shreds every time they met. 

Monotone and yet so elegantly airy Kaname replied with, "you could have hurt this student. It is pure luck you still have some semblance of control, but it will not be long until you slip." 

"You make that sound like my fate is sealed, prick." he shot back. 

"It is. We both know it is only a matter of time." 

"Oh?" Zero saw his opening and made his move, "like it is a matter of time until your insane uncle is going to attack the academy and you will use me to do something you unfortunately aren't capable of doing yourself?" 

Now that hit a nerve. 

Zero decided to go for the kill, he was enjoying this: "I thought an ancestor would be capable of keeping his subjects in line. What? You need me to end Rido for you? My, why didn't you just ask like any normal person out there? You know, if you would stop trying to use me as your pawn I would be open to cooperate with you willingly." 

He did not know how he managed to dodge that strike, but Zero somehow sidestepped a slap coming at him with pureblood speed. The act alone made them both freeze. Kaname, because he was officially lost and unnerved by how quickly everything got out of his control. Zero, because he should not be able to do any of this, yet here he was. 

"I've had enough of you throwing all this shit at me. Talk to me like I'm a person. You might be surprised how much easier things get when you don't try to pull strings behind people's backs." 

Kaname did not ease up. He forced himself to relax, but Zero could easily see the tension in him. It lingered just below the surface and was waiting like a tightly wound spring to unleash hell upon him. Now, Zero had a choice to make. He could either go for it and deal with Kuran head on, or he could diffuse the situation and try diplomacy. 

Just as he was about to do something, Kaname grabbed his wrist. 

"Who told you?"

"Nobody." Zero huffed, he decided to go with what he believed to be the truth this time, "I'm clairvoyant."

Kaname scoffed, "Ah so you asked a crystal ball about my past, present and future? How cute. I need an answer, Kiryu. A real answer."

"I just told you. I can apparently see the future." 

"That's impossible."

"The same way your fancy vampire powers are impossible? Is it that big of a stretch to think I gained something too?" Zero said mostly to himself as realization dawned upon him.

"You are an ex-human level D. You don't have powers." Kaname countered, but with a curious edge in his voice. 

"I'm a Kiryu. We are one of the oldest hunter families in existence. Perhaps that did something?"

As soon as Kaname let go, Zero shrugged and crossed his arms before his chest. This night was turning out to be very interesting so far. 

"Well… who would have known." Kaname mumbled to himself. 

He turned around and left Zero standing there with more questions than answers, but Zero suspected the feeling was mutual. He also didn't cry after him as Kuran returned to his lair. He just let the king in waiting go, thankful to be alone again and rid of the pureblood. Zero still grinned a tiny grin. He had gotten under Kuran's skin. That was a win for him any day. 

If only he could shake off that feeling of wrong that had coiled around his heart and was squeezing it like a whip made of a rose's thorns. Something had stirred deep inside the fog and now moonlight shone through it, blazing away all the lies and half-truths.

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Time was a constant. It was impartial, imperial, uncaring and untouchable. Time did not care for human feelings or perception. It crept by unbothered. Nobody could rule it, and yet Zero had somehow bent it out of shape. He did not know how or when exactly, but he did it. However, he still wasn't sure if he had really moved through time, if his soul had just flown across eternity, or if he had dreamed it all in the depths of clairvoyance. All he knew for certain was that he suffered from the worst case of jet lag in human and vampire history.

It was a Monday. Or no, no. It was a Wednesday. It must have been. He also needed a copy of his schedule because there was no way he remembered which classes he had to go to and when after over a hundred years. With a sigh he fell into his chair. Maybe switching dorms would not be that bad of an idea. At least then he wouldn't have to worry about all of this. He got used to a life in darkness. His idea of good morning was no sooner than sunset. How was he supposed to wake up at the crack of dawn again? Nevermind that hunters were also nocturnal, just like their prey. 

His main reason for not joining the night class in the original timeline had been that he believed it would take his freedom and remaining humanity away from him. By joining them he would have admitted he was one of them. As a night student he would belong to Kuran and became one of his pets. Zero was Yuki's shield already. How much more would he be willing to give? However, he accepted to be her knight because he wanted to be. She needed it. Her innocence was worth the bite of a thousand thorns of bloody red roses.

Now that he was in the past he could make plans. Zero was a tactician deep down. This time he knew what to expect and how Kuran Kaname would act, that left Zero with just enough of an advantage to even the playing field. Zero knew he had a temper, true, but he knew how to plan his enemies' complete obliteration regardless. Thus he wrote down all of the pros and cons of joining the night class versus staying in the day class. One would allow him to move more freely, if he could get Kuran off of his back. As a night student he could fight on the frontline without worrying about human collateral. He could keep an eye on the vampires directly. However, as a day student he was closer to Yuki and he could follow her whenever she attracted trouble again. He knew his body would rebel a little at first, but Zero was well aware of his limits. A little sunlight would not stop him. The large group of annoyed vampires was another thing to consider as well. If he joined the night class he had to deal with all of them. Kuran's inner circle was especially difficult to deal with. These weren't the vampires he had befriended and bonded with on the battlefield. These were young leeches with no idea of how cruel the world could be. Yet, was that really that big of a deal breaker? He befriended them before, he could do so again. He had never before cared about what they thought of him. Why should he care in this new timeline? 

Zero looked at his reflection in the cup of hot lavender tea before him. As long as he mixed his tablets with enough sugar he could somewhat stomach them, at least for a while. Although he needed a lot of sugar to do this. He preferred to just mix real blood into his food and cook it up. He thanked his hunter blood for this small blessing. Rabbit and duck were his favorites, not that he would ever tell a soul. It let him keep a fragment of his humanity, more so than what Yuki's bloody sacrifice had left him with before. He was likely unique in that regard.

Enough distractions. He needed to start changing things if he wanted to fix the future. His main goal was to make Kaname stop hunting other purebloods. Or rather, he needed him to only kill the insane ones. Perhaps they were all a little mad, but there had to be a way to ground them. Instead of killing them, he had to find a way to control them. Rules and laws, placed to prevent purebloods from abusing their powers, but who would be the enforcer? Who would keep these powerful beasts in check? Their king was an obvious choice, but who would keep the king in check then? A knight. Free as the wind, a knight sworn to the people, not the crown. In return the people would keep the knight grounded. It was a shaky idea, but it was a start. It wasn't good enough at all.

Zero cursed. He stared at his spoon as if that thing held the secrets to the universe. He glared at it, made it feel his wrath. He wanted to decimate it because it was the spoon's fault that his life was a mess. It had to perish!

*Crack*

The metal of the spoon turned to glass, turned to shards, turned to dust. What had been stainless steel only moments before had become crystalline powder on his table. It shimmered in silvery white, and had an almost powder purple hue. To Zero it was the most horrific thing that he had ever seen simply because he knew deep down that he caused this. He wanted this to happen. He made it happen. How? He wasn't sure. He knew there were hunter families with extraordinary powers. The Kiryu were an old family, one old enough to have forgotten a few long buried secrets, apparently. Maybe he should go back to bed. 

The laughter coming from Yuki made him reconsider. It was morning, and if she didn't want to end up poisoned by Cross's cooking then he needed to get moving. No matter how hard his hands were shaking or how painful his heart was beating, he had to keep going. For her. For her innocence, because this time she would live her life under the sun. Her parents' wish would come true, he swore it on their graves. Haruka and Juri had been the most decent and dare he say it nice purebloods in recent history, maybe even all of history. Zero believed they deserved their daughter's happy ending. 

This charade of a normal life went on for two days and one night. It was during the second night, which was the third one since he had woken up in the past, that Zero lost control of himself for the first time in his new life. He had been out hunting the foul creeps that roamed the streets at night. Level E vampires were always a pain to deal with but they were nothing compared to him. Zero stood against purebloods, and could beat nobles without much trouble. Even a swarm of Es could not hope to compare to him. So, the bastards found another way to get to him. If brute strength did not reap them their rewards, then they would get their prize by messing with Zero's head. 

He followed them into an abandoned church deep within the woods behind the academy town. It wasn't their nest but they were comfortable there. Zero had a feeling the Es wanted the home field advantage. 

One of them, a young pale blonde girl, looked so much like Yuki's daughter, like their Ren, that he made the mistake of hesitating during battle. He saw his own daughter in that damned E, even though she did not exist yet and would never exist again. It hurt more than he allowed himself to feel but he couldn't stop it. The loss had only just caught up with him as the realization had sunken in. She was gone. Ren was gone. Forever. Erased from existence, and there would never again be a chance for him to rekindle a relationship that he had refused to bloom in the first place.

Distracted as he was, he did not see the group of five move to surround him from all sides. Two men, one woman and two children stared hungrily at him with these soulless red eyes. They demanded blood. They craved it, needed it. Blood was their pitiful excuse of a life, and their sole reason to exist. They wanted blood and they wanted Zero's. Too bad that he kept that guarded very well. Shizuka only got a bite because he had been a scared child back then. He was anything but one then and there. 

One E was shot, the other four burst apart into shards of shimmering dust. It was as if the sound of his shot ripped through the others, even though it had never done that before. Zero was fine with that. He wanted them gone, who was he to complain about an easier job? It was admittedly strange for him to see the Es fall apart like that. The dust almost reminded him of the mess he turned that poor spoon into. 

Then he saw a sixth one jump out of a nearby wishing well. The E raised her arms and screeched like a wet banshee. Except that it had not happened, yet. Zero just needed to blink and rub his eyes and the vision ended. She'd bang on the walls in just a moment… there! He aimed, waited for her to climb up and then–

* Bang*

So, he really was clairvoyant. How useful. 

Zero looked around himself. There was carnage and bloodshed all over the place. Liquid red soaked the floor and stained the wooden planks a deep cherry. Ashes coated every bit of surface area there was. The only thing that wasn't covered in vampiric leftovers was Zero himself. 

He felt it more than he saw it when Rido's aura vanished. He loved to ride those Es, and what was a nicer hobby than spying on his ancestor's little knight? Zero hoped that beating had given him a nice headache. He would definitely deserve it, in the hunter's opinion. If not for Rido and his obsessions, all of this would not have happened. Zero almost wished he had been brought further back in time to stop Rido from going mad. However, he was glad to have survived one trip already. There was no need to tempt fate twice. 

Zero used little known paths back to the academy. These shortcuts were his little secret. He doubted even Cross knew about the hole behind the ivy that grew near the grounds keeper's shed. He knew he had to tell someone about his situation, and soon, but he just didn't know who deserved this level of trust. Yuki? No. He wanted to keep her out of this. Cross? No. Yagari? He'd be as helpful as a candle in the rain. Kuran? He'd rather die. 

This left Zero with a little problem however. Unfortunately he had a secret but no secret keeper. His carefully cultivated paranoia kept throwing sticks and stones into his way. Not that he had a chance to stumble because the object of his ire approached him. 

"Kuran. I'm busy."

"We need to talk."

"I have a mission to finish and a report to write."

Kaname stepped closer and grabbed Zero by the collar of his shirt. To any onlookers this would look like a friendly pat on the shoulder. To Zero it was an ice cold hand holding him in place. He'd more likely break free of silver chains than to get out of this. Leave it to Kuran to disrespect his life, job and dignity once more. Well, Zero had one ace up his sleeve and he was happy to play it. 

"Fine. Let me go and I'll follow, but I'm writing my report while we talk. If I don't, you'll lose your knight to a bunch of hunters."

Zero grinned as Kaname made a barely audible groan. He reigned his joy in soon after that. There was no need to needlessly provoke the ancient pureblood before him. He wouldn't stoop to his level. 

"How was your mission?" Kuran attempted to bait him with smalltalk. 

"The Es are getting more organized. Rido is riding them, I'm sure he misses his darling nephew." Zero replied bluntly.

Kaname… did not expect to get information from Zero without a fight. He flinched and blinked before a smile spread across his face. He wouldn't throw away a golden opportunity like this. 

"What do you suggest we do?" Zero asked, throwing Kaname off-balance once more. 

"What? I told you I'm open to work with you if you treat me like a person. I'm not your pet, but I could be a friend."

"A friend? Are you drunk or have you fallen into madness already?" 

"No, but I've seen what happens if we keep this up. I don't want to suffer, believe it or not." 

Kaname looked into the distance, a pensive frown on his face. He would think about it, but both of them knew he was not one to make decisions on the fly. This asked for careful consideration. Zero didn't mind at all if it kept him off his back for a while longer. Although he was not sure he could imagine what a friendship, or any kind of relationship, with Kaname would be like, he was not completely against the idea. 

They headed into Kuran's room as soon as they made it into the moon dormitory. On the way there, Zero got some funny looks from vampires all over the place. He ignored them. They were young, they didn't know any better. He had been like that too once, before his ethereal trip that was. They would grow up soon enough, and until then Zero had other – bigger – leeches to worry about. 

He swept a blank sheet of paper from Kaname's desk just as his royal highness had sat down. Zero was serious about him finishing that report. He could multitask. It was an added bonus that Kuran looked mildly annoyed as well. 

"What else do you have to report? If you really saw our future, tell me all about it."

That had been an order. The vampire part inside Zero squirmed and hissed while the hunter part of him started an uprising that would lead towards a full blown rebellion. He felt compelled to answer, but he could also stay quiet. There was a thin thread of something in himself that let him slip away. It was like silk in a river, or snowflakes in dense fog. Zero had some trouble to sink his claws into the tendril of freedom that ran through his blood, but he managed to make it just barely. 

Thus, he shook his head. 

"I'm not your servant. You can not order me around like you do with your inner circle." 

Kaname looked livid for a moment, but then started to grin like he had won the lottery twice in one day. His smile was predatory and Zero would have been his prey, normally. Nothing had been normal since that fateful night where the topic of clairvoyance had first come up between them. Everything had changed, and this wind of change did not seem to quiet down any time soon. There was something else going on that let the hairs on Kaname's neck stand up for once, and he seemed to embrace the thrill. 

"I am your king, whether you like this or not. Even if you avoid falling to level E, I will still stand above you in the vampiric hierarchy. What makes you think you are special enough to break the rules of nature?" 

"Do you have to be such an ass or do you secretly get turned on by this?" Zero huffed, half joking, half mortified. 

"Pardon?"

Just to spite him, Zero rolled with it, "You've got a nice face and pretty eyes but you're not really my type. Still, if you insist on the kinky stuff you have to take me out first."

As if. He'd never… 

"My, how bold of you." Kaname knew Zero wanted to mess with him. It was obvious in his eyes that he had accepted the challenge. 

It was payback time. Both of them thought they were in the right. Neither of them wanted to back down. 

"Tomorrow at changeover, and wear what is in this box. That is, unless you are too afraid to do so?"

Zero sighed. He knew there would be a white uniform waiting for him inside there. All he could do was to wait, see and hope this would not spiral out of control. He was very much aware of how this was only a trick on Kuran's part to show him his place. It was to mark him, show his true nature to everyone who would look. Zero smiled, Kuran had no idea who he really was.

"Fine. It's a date."

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It came as it was expected. Zero had switched out of his day uniform after classes were over and had donned the white night uniform for his little "date" with Kaname. He looked ridiculous in his own opinion and avoided mirrors whenever he could. Zero wanted to disappear. He wanted to vanish, hide and never crawl back into daylight again. However, he couldn't do that to Yuki. He also wouldn't back down and show weakness in front of Kaname like that. Zero was no quitter, nor was he a coward. He had lived through enough to make ancient nobles cry, so what? One little wardrobe malfunction wouldn't stop him. He would see this through and find a loophole that could turn this whole stunt against Kuran. He would just have to play his cards right and wait for the best moment to strike back. Until then he kept reminding himself that no matter what, he was no less of a hunter than before. Some fabric in the wrong color would never change who he was.

When Zero left his room dressed in snowy white, he looked every bit the vampire he truly was. However, he did not look or else he would have noticed the hairline cracks that had ripped through his bathroom mirror. He also didn't notice the shimmering fog that followed him like a bridal veil as the last rays of sunlight turned the world into a rose-tinted mirage.

The walk seemed shorter that day. Perhaps he had been too deep in his thoughts, or he was just trying to get this over with. He wasn't late, and that's what mattered. Zero made it just in time to see Yuki wrestle with a few of the more rowdy fangirls. Naturally, she would be fine. She may be sealed but Zero knew Yuki was stronger than she looked, and not in the vampiric kind of way. Her heart was her guide, and the source of her power. Even as human as she was, the hidden princess could draw from this well and surpass her peers. Not that she realized this herself, however. The slumbering Yuki had an innocence that her unsealed self lost. It was precious. Zero could understand why Kaname wanted to keep her this way. Although, deep down he believed it should have been Yuki's decision to make. However, he would not meddle in that. This was between the two siblings.

As silently as he could, Zero made his way behind Yuki and put his hands on her shoulders. He glared at the day class before him halfheartedly before he nodded for the bunch to move back in line. The girls did, although slower than usual and with confusion all over their faces. One after another they looked at him. Then, one of them began to whisper and point until the whole group's murmuring sounded like a busy beehive. Zero sighed. Yuki frowned. 

"Did you lose a bet?" she asked him while she poked one of his white sleeves. 

"Whatever gave you that idea?" 

"You'd sooner die than wear this. Spill, what happened?" Yuki grinned full of mischief. 

Zero rolled his eyes and let her go. He went to his usual post beside the gate and stood like the proud guardian that he was. Yuki giggled at his failed attempt to brush things under the proverbial rug as she moved to mirror his stance. Once both were in place the gates opened and the mysterious and beautiful night class stepped through. 

Or… they would have had Aido not fallen flat on his face as soon as he saw Zero dressed in white. It had been amusing enough of a sight to tickle a laugh out of the ever stoic Kuran Kaname as well. Ruka just stared while Seiren and Kain tried their best to act indifferent about it. 

To rub salt into the wound, Zero gave a court bow and looked at the assembled day class before them. He made sure Aido "the cool idol" Hanabusa was looking. Ice blue, frozen in shock, met velvet lavender that shimmered with mischievous intent. Zero wanted him to watch this, and he wanted the loudmouth vampire to mature into the friend he got to know during his dreams of a tomorrow that would never be again. Humility was a good teacher. Zero hoped it would be the push he needed to speed things up a bit. Their audience gasped. The obvious drama between their beloved ice prince and the scary guardian made the fangirls ooh and aah with excitement. Zero paid them no more attention than was necessary to pull this off. A quick look towards Kuran only proved his theory right. The whole group was freaked out. Zero wanted to grin. Acting on an instinct he never knew he had, he turned to face the crowd and glared at them playfully for once. Coupled with the white uniform this turned the crowd into a riot. 

Then he bent down to whisper into Aido's ear, "that's how you do it. Now, get to class before I look away and let some sneak past me. I promise, they will eat you alive."

Kuran was by his side almost immediately afterwards, and with an exasperated smirk. He looked like he wanted to say something but decided that it wasn't the right time. Instead he just shook his head and started walking again. A quick affectionate pat on Yuki's head later and Kuran was as calm and composed as ever. Nothing could shake him, apparently. Zero knew better what lurked below the surface.

The whole night class moved on after that. With the fans distracted by gossip, the class changeover was over sooner than they had believed it would ever be. It had been one of the calmest switches as well. Aside from the few daredevils that Yuki had caught, nobody else had tried to do anything, much less anything stupidly dangerous. To Zero that was a blessing. Deep down he was glad that he had missed that damned chocolate day. If he had time traveled back to that one… Zero shuddered. 

"Zero! Zero!" Yuki called out to him.

"Hm..?"

"Takuma has invited me to his birthday party. I'm going, and I'll make you come as my plus one!"

Zero raised a brow at dear Yuki and pulled an envelope out of his pocket.

"You can't do that. I'm invited too."

"Whaaat?! Not fair!. And here I thought I could make you tag along. You're still coming, right?"

Yuki had an expression on her face that said it all. She didn't believe Zero would even entertain the thought of going. Thus, her sarcasm was snappy and her hopes were crushed. 

"I suppose if you ask me that nicely…" 

The next moment Zero had both of his hands full of Yuki as she had jumped into him for a hug. She was as light as a feather and her warmth didn't bother him at all. These were the simple times, and he was living a memory of childhood innocence. He wished this would never end. The peace and quiet, that was. Future Yuki and the girls would have loved it as well. The world may not be perfect, but it was still mostly whole.

"Let's go into town then and buy a present. It is rude to arrive without one." 

Zero nodded, ruffled Yuki's hair, and then followed her into town. He already knew what to get the birthday vampire. His newfound power showed him a very special book that would be just the thing.

"Yuki?" Zero called out as he remembered something important.

"Yes?"

"There is something we need to talk about before we go to that party. You see…" Zero started to explain everything he thought Yuki should know about vampires and their hierarchy. From E to pureblood, he left nothing out. This time around, Yuki would know the danger she was in before it bit her. Quite literally, in Zero's case. 

"There is one more thing I need to tell you, but it will have to wait until after this trip. Come to the chairman's office before patrol."

She nodded as a reply but her eyes said it all. She was worried. All this new knowledge was a lot to digest and sort through, and Zero was afraid piling more on that already considerable hill would be too much at once. He wanted to give her time. It was certainly not because he himself was afraid of her reaction.  Maybe this time around he could enjoy the party. He has gotten himself in an iron grip and would control his bloodlust. They would need something more than a silly little cake knife and a few droplets of blood to make him freak out. He swore he would not bite Yuki no matter the temptation. Nor would he nibble on any other vampire that night. They probably tasted like wine and stale crackers anyway. 

In the end, Zero had bought the special book as his present, and a box of truffles as Yuki's after she got distracted by ice cream and forgot why they went to the town's shopping corner anyway. Only his vampiric nature kept him from joining her. The frozen cones looked delicious though, no matter what. However, his fangs? They did not appreciate the cold at all. It had not been the first time he ever wondered if the mighty lord Kuran could get brain freeze as well. Princess Yuki certainly could.

Zero ended up being the pack mule again, not that it bothered him at all. The few bags weighed nothing in his opinion, and Yuki was excitedly chatting about this or that without worry. It was nice. It was so easy to see both of her daughters in her younger self. Some moments it felt like he was looking through a mirror, only to realize one small thing after another before the illusion fell apart. 

He also noticed Kuran's inner circle spying on him again. He knew the original timeline had been bent out of shape, and he was quite sure they didn't know about his condition , but wasn't this just overkill? After everything he had said to Kuran he still sent them after him. There he was, and thought he had earned some little bit of trust, but no. Kuran still did this. It irked Zero to no end.

With annoyance in his voice Zero yelled, "Come out and escort Yuki home. I've got to make a detour and it's not going to be pretty." 

"How did you know we were here?" Takuma asked as he and Shiki approached Zero and Yuki. 

In all honesty, Zero wanted to say it was his natural hunter ability to sense vampires, but that would have been a lie. He had seen these two stand there with his eyes, and didn't need any fancy powers to help him out. Sometimes the truth was much harder to believe than anything he could come up with. It hadn't been his clairvoyance making him look up there either, or at least not entirely. Vampires just sucked at being stealthy. End of the story.

"I have my ways. Kuran sent you, yes? Let him know it's appreciated. I think there's a nest." 

He saw both vampires grimace in disgust. Then they shared a look. Finally, Shiki nodded and held his hand out for the bags that Zero was carrying. Takuma nodded in approval and looked at Zero without fear.

"I'll stay with you, hunter. This will not be a question of whether you are capable or not. I simply wish to assist you and make sure you come back to us in one piece." 

Zero looked at Takuma for a moment too long. He sighed at his predicament. He would have been so much faster without a partner to worry about. But, maybe this wouldn't be so bad. At least he could test his new abilities with another person around. Knowing his limits was essential if he wanted to master his clairvoyance… and whatever the other thing was. 

"No offense taken." he mumbled.

That's when Zero found the perfect way to get back at Kaname for the uniform stunt. If he so very much insisted he look like a vampire, then wouldn't it be fun to just roll with it? A vampire hunter, taken literally of course. It would shake up everything and Kuran would have to deal with all the paperwork from both sides.

"Say, has Kuran ever told you about me?" he asked as casually as he could.

"My apologies, but I doubt so. Why? Is there something you want me to know?"

Zero was about to flash his eyes when a vision hit him. In a moment, an E would jump at them from the bell tower above. Zero saw its intent was to bite Takuma, and the angle he stood at put him at a disadvantage. He would win, yes, but he would also be wounded. That would not do.

"Move back, now!" Zero grabbed a fistful of white jacket and black shirt just in time. 

The E missed and was quickly and gracefully ended by Takuma, who only raised a brow at Zero afterwards. Both of them stood at high alert as the crawling creeps came for them out of the shadows and filth. However, the team-up held strong. Between Takuma's ability and Zero's precision with Bloody Rose, their enemies were dust in the wind in record time. 

What had once been a woman tried one last time to swipe her claws across Zero's chest. With her dying breath she wanted revenge for everything, and the hunter who had put a bullet through her friends was her target. In his defense, Zero just reacted. He had no time to raise his gun, all he could do was tense up every muscle in his body and focus on one single thought: make her stop . It was just like before. Every cell in his body wanted her to perish. She was to disappear completely. Whatever was slumbering in his blood listened and turned the entire E into crystal, shards, dust , just as her claws ripped a few strands of hair off his head. 

The mess fell to the cobblestone below them and covered it like frost. It wasn't cold at all yet Zero was shaking anyway. 

"Kiryu? What was that? Are you alright?" 

From all of them, of course the vice president of the night class would be the most willing to worry. He had always been kind, in his own way. Zero had seen it too late but then and there he saw it on full display. Takuma was worried about him, the hunter . It got a small laugh out of him. 

"I'm okay. She didn't get me." 

"Well… fortunately not, but…"

"That," Zero pointed to the fading shimmer on the ground, "is my own ability. Think of it like a cross between your own and Hanabusa's ice." 

He went out on a whim. Zero knew next to nothing about it but what else could he say? Saying nothing would only lead to more problems later. At least this way he could play it off as a misunderstanding if he were wrong. 

Takuma tilted his head and blinked twice, "but, you're a hunter."

"I am, and I always will be."

"Then, how?"

"Ask Kuran. I'm not in the mood to talk about it." Zero really didn't want to think about Shizuka Hio or his transformation, but he knew that would get Takuma's attention.

Indeed, Takuma was more than curious, "and the short version?"

Well, why not?

"I'm a vampire."

It didn't even hurt to say it anymore. In fact, all Zero felt was emptiness and maybe a tiny amount of amusement when he saw Takuma's face turn pale and his mouth form a thin line of disbelief and shock.

"You?"

"Me."

"This is not just some joke. …right?"

"Afraid not."

"But, Kiryu! Why are you in the day class then? Shouldn't you have joined us long ago? And, and-! Kaname knows about this?!"

Zero nodded. They would have to cut their talk short because they had arrived back at the academy, but there was enough time for one more reply.

"Kuran knows. Ask him if you want details. As for why I'm still a day student? Yuki. I'm her shield."

"That makes sense, I suppose. This also explains some things." Takuma made a pause when he too noticed they had made it back, "Perhaps we can talk more at my party?"

Zero nodded and relaxed his shoulders into something more friendly, "Sure. See you there, leech."

He finally laughed a little when Takuma noticed his insult and sent him a look in return. Then he smiled a very knowing smile. "Leech" had long since stopped being malicious. To Zero it had become something akin to a term of endearment, and sometimes one of exasperation. He was calling things by their names as he saw them. He himself was a leech as well, sometimes, so what? He was Zero Kiryu, no more and no less. It had been that night when he decided to tell Yuki as well. If she knew she could prepare, and this time he would make sure she didn't get any dumb ideas again, like offering her blood to him. Like that had worked out well last time… He had a little bit of time left before patrol would officially start. If nothing went wrong he would tell her all about his condition and call it a night. Zero smiled. Maybe he finally had some sliver of control over his life.

Chapter Text

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Zero was on his way to meet up with Yuki when he felt a wave of cold squeeze his heart. A shard of ice seemed to pierce it every time it tried to beat, and the pain sent bitter frost through his veins. This wasn't like the heat of bloodlust that had him gasping for air. This was something else, and yet it ate through him all the same. He  didn't remember when he had closed his eyes. He only noticed it when he opened them to see an endless field of pure white, as well as both of his girls waving at him. Ai and Ren, both dressed in simple white sundresses and with the brightest smiles he had ever seen on their faces, stood in this endless field of snow white. This was a dream. It had to be a dream. And, yet… the love and warmth in their eyes was tangible. He wanted to know how. He needed to know how. He just couldn't make a sound. 

The girls knew what he wanted anyway. Maybe they just knew him that well.

"This is our gift to you, because you were always there for us." Ai had said, while Ren untied the black bow in her hair. 

"Thank you, for everything." was the last thing Zero heard before he woke up in a chair inside Cross's office. 

He was no stranger to sacrifice, but it was usually him who did the sacrificing. Zero was not used to this, and he certainly did not know how to deal with it. He could give up parts of himself, but he had trouble dealing with loss if it was someone else who gave something up. So much for finally being the one in control. He knew these two lived a few human lifetimes happy and loved, but he wished it had been many more. Wherever that world of white was they seemed happy there. He hoped they found a nice place to spend eternity in whatever rift between time they had fallen into. 

A tear had made its way down Zero's cheek before he could stop it. When he reached up to wipe it away a silky black ribbon fell from his numb fingers. He could only cradle it to his chest like it would vanish if he blinked even once. Anything else had been out of the question. Even just a single sound was too much for him. Thus Zero sat in the chair he had been placed in like he was a porcelain doll, with a bittersweet warmth lingering in the newly made hole in his heart. 

Something that had come from Kaname had given him so much. Granted, she was also Yuki's daughter, but still. Perhaps there was still a chance. If Yuki and Ai could be okay, then Kuran blood was not a lost cause by default. Kaname had seen things, experienced pain too, and that led him down a dark path. Zero knew the feeling of wanting to eradicate the thing that hurt him very well. On some level he could understand Kuran.

Speaking of the devil, he had appeared just as Zero had tied Ren's ribbon around his neck.

"You fell asleep on the floor outside. Please, refrain from doing this again. If Yuki had seen you-"

Zero cut him off, "She would have understood. Yuki's stronger than you give her credit for. I'd have explained to her that I had a long day and just needed a nap."

Kaname bristled at that, but waited until his anger had properly settled down before he answered. Although his eyes shone with acidic intent and thinly veiled annoyance.

"Takuma informed me of what happened." he simply said, "Is there anything you want to tell me?"

Zero considered this, "No."

"No?"

"If I knew what's going on, then maybe, but I'm as clueless as you. Sorry to disappoint, but there's nothing to tell," Zero replied, but he didn't sound sorry at all.

In all honesty, that was his game plan. Being honest . In a world full of lies and manipulation, the bluntness of honesty was a force few could handle. If Kuran were a weapon he would be a long rapier. He was elegance and precision personified, cutting his enemies apart with tiny slices until they bled out without noticing it. Zero used to think of himself as a silver bullet in the night sky. That strategy had not worked. So, he was left with only one thing: brute force! Or in his case, brutal honesty. It was an added bonus that it drove every vampire around him up the walls. No, Zero was far from a bullet flying blindly after it had been shot. He was the gun which sniped its enemies hearts out before they could blink.

Zero had been honest when he said he had no clue what had happened. His blunt admission left Kuran stumped again. It made him unsure, and annoyed him to no end. It left him open and floundering around. Zero was gambling, but what was life without some risks? Kaname huffed into his sleeve and the annoyance was written all over his face. This would not do. 

"I told Yuki about your condition in case you were falling to level E, but somehow the exact opposite seemed to have happened. You feel different."

"You mean I won't become crazy? I could have told you that a long time ago." 

"Amusing, Kiryu. Now, I'm curious about why that is." Kaname came closer and ran his claws over Zero's shoulder while he added, "I wish to know your secret."

Kaname played with the bow tied around Zero's neck. It was as much a keepsake as it was an oath, a silent promise Zero had made. He would create a better world. He would pave the way to a happier future. Humans, hunters, purebloods; they could all get along. Ren and Ai were the perfect example. He himself was another good one as well. Zero's blood was unique, and whatever vile concoction had accumulated inside him came from so many different sources. It was powerful. He knew that much by then. If any of that had survived his trip, then maybe he could turn this around. Maybe… After all, he wasn't sure what his girls had done or if that had just been a dream his guilt tripping mind had conjured up.

"Help me find out, then?" he offered. 

He had to know. Zero needed to know.

Kuran froze. His eyes narrowed in suspicion and something like fear. This was wrong on so many levels and his whole world-view had been shaken by these four little words. Perhaps four was indeed a cursed number. It was likely as cursed as Zero's intentions, whatever those may be. Normally he could easily predict the hunter's next move. Zero enjoyed it immensely to see confusion flash across Kuran's face, and while he would never admit it the tiny spark of fear brought him quite a lot of satisfaction. Good. Now he was taking him seriously.

The unspoken request made both of them shiver. Kaname seemed to be skeptical at first, but then he leaned in much closer. He fully expected this to be a trap, but he could not help it this time around. The pull of temptation was too strong, and he needed to know. When Zero didn't fight him in any way he gave in to his desire and bit down. It was the only way to figure this out. The only option that Zero was even willing to think about. Anything else had been out from the start, so he grit his teeth and did what he could do best: he endured.

Immediately liquid fire froze its way through the reborn ancestor as a bitter icy cold burned his senses as if he had swallowed living lightning. Kuran Kaname had never even heard of blood like Zero's. It was primal, unique in more than one indescribable way, and it was filled with power that might rival his own. Zero could see it all in his expression and body language. He knew how Kurans acted. Know thine enemy. As the saying went. He knew whatever Kuran had found was big news, but even more so this leap of faith had opened him a new door. He gained an opportunity, a chance to befriend Kaname, instead of fighting him at every twist and turn. 

When the startled vampire pulled away his eyes glowed a bright red. He was staring at Zero with wonder and childish awe, like a lonely child who had just been given a precious stuffed toy. 

"What are you?" he breathed through the blood that coated his lips.

"Depends on who's asking, I guess."

"I'm asking."

"And who are you to me?" Zero mumbled back with a small frown. 

There was a tense pause between them. The silence could be cut with a knife, until a few words shattered it into oblivion.

"I'm a friend."

Zero offered Kaname a tiny smile, one which the elder vampire returned. This act had changed everything. 

"Kuran? What do you think I am?" 

"You really don't know, do you?" was his reply. 

Zero just shook his head. He was getting frustrated. 

"I know I'm a hunter and I will be one until the very end, but that's just my mental state. The rest? I have no clue what's in my veins, but I need to figure it out if I want to keep everything together." – the "If I want to save the future" part went unsaid.

A small pensive pause later had both of them stare at each other once more. Every bit of Zero was scrutinized. Not even a single hair could escape. 

"You feel like another pureblood, but there is so much hunter mixed in as well that it is hard to tell where one starts and the other ends. Then there is a trace of something familiar that I can't place, as well as something so alien that I can't help but worry." 

Zero was about to ask something when Kaname held up his hand to stop him.

"However, you feel stable. You are not as volatile as a level D anymore, and definitely not falling." 

The two moved from the poor abused chair to Cross's desk and stood at a comfortable distance apart. Zero was as at ease as he allowed himself to be, while Kaname stood with his usual grace, just without the arrogant air around him. This had quickly become casual and strangely enough it was less weird than they had imagined it would be. They still glared at each other however. Old habits die hard, apparently.

"I can do things no ex-human should be able to." Zero confessed, "It's not just clairvoyance anymore."

Zero demonstrated his earlier outburst by intentionally focusing all of his willpower and frustration into shattering a nearby vase. It was empty anyway, and very ugly to boot. Cross had gotten it from a flea market and dumped it there without a second thought. He would not even notice it was gone if they cleaned the mess up quick enough. Again, just like before, it turned to crystal, to shards, to dust in the wind with only a single thought. 

"What's going on? I need an answer." Zero hissed at no one in particular.

Kaname watched the spectacle with a calculating gaze. Any hint that would get him closer to understanding how Zero's shenanigans worked was most welcome. Indeed, just like in the report, Zero showed an ability right between ice and disintegration. The power that fueled the action came from Zero himself. As far as he knew, there were no magical artifacts or spells involved. It wasn't borrowed power either. No, whatever this was, it came from Kiryu Zero, and it would not hand its secrets over that easily. Oh, how much Kaname loved a good challenge.

"Crystallization." Kaname mumbled, then his eyes focused on the dust on the floor, "and some underdeveloped form of telekinesis. I knew I felt something." 

"So, did you get anything useful from that?" 

Zero saw how Kaname's eyes lit up for a very short moment before he returned to his casual and calm demeanor. 

"No. I'm afraid not, but I can safely say you will not fall to an E."

"Small mercies," Zero grumbled as Kaname cleaned himself up. 

"I'm ranking you to level B for now. We can claim that the Kiryu had dormant vampiric ancestry from before the first official records and that Shizuka woke it up with her bite. It's not perfect but the council will believe anything if you present it in the right way."

"Even if it's complete sh-"

"Yes, Kiryu. Even if it is that."

Zero hummed his approval. Then he made a face.

"Hm?"

"I just had a funny image stuck in my head."

"Perhaps, share it with me? We are friends now, aren't we? Friends tell other friends their secrets." 

"Who told you that junk?"

Kuran hesitated because it would annoy Zero, "Yuki did."

Indeed, Zero huffed and groaned. Kaname smiled innocently in return. 

Their little moment had been interrupted by Cross, who bumbled into the room with a grin on him. The emotions that swirled around the man were as soft as little flowers, and as warm as summer sunshine. Cross was happy. Zero knew why and he dreaded the following conversation with every cell in his body. 

"Well look at you two getting along! If that isn't a surprise then I don't know what is."

Cross smiled brightly. Zero almost felt the annoyance roll off of himself as their headmaster kept the sparkles coming. Kuran took it with as much grace as he could but even the vampire king couldn't withstand the squealing man before them for long. Well, now that they were friends Zero decided to save his new friend the headache, make a quick exit, and earn himself a small favor as well.

"We're just here to let you know Kuran's joining me for patrol tonight. There was an incident and he's the only expert available to deal with the fallout." Zero grumbled.

The happy flowery aura around Cross dimmed a little bit, but it was no less warm. He almost looked like he knew something he should not. To Zero, he was an annoyance. To Kaname, he looked almost mischievous. Both decided it was time to get out of there.

Zero turned around he stopped at the door to call out, "you coming? I want to get this over with."

Kaname caught on easily enough and smirked dramatically, "So demanding… what will the other students say?"

"You don't want to know. Believe me." and Zero was completely serious.

The things he has seen… The images he found during dorm inspections… no, not even Rido deserved those, and that alone meant something. He knew most vampires loved the adoration and attention they got from the human students. The key word there being most.  

It was Kuran who shut the door to ensure their escape plan would be successful. Zero would have thrown it and that would have likely caused some damage. Cross was inside, and thankfully didn't make any moves to follow them. One look at each other and they shared a sigh of relief. However as soon as they were done Yuki came in to drag Zero out because he was late again. She huffed and puffed herself up to make her glare more ferocious. It had the opposite effect on both Zero and Kaname. 

"Apologies, Yuki. We had to wait for headmaster Cross to arrive to tell him I will be joining you tonight."

Yuki looked at Zero for confirmation. When she got a nod, she excitedly jumped before Kaname and sent a blinding smile his way. It was warm enough to thaw the long dead heart of the ancestor-reborn. It was exactly the kind of warmth that could reignite the small amount of humanity inside Kaname. 

She then looked at Zero with kind eyes, "I forgive you. For, well, both being late and keeping secrets." 

When Zero just stared at her like a deer in the headlights, Yuki continued, "Kaname told me about you. If there's anything I can do to help let me know, okay?"

Zero wanted to tell her to stay away and that this was a bad idea. The last time she got the idea into her head to help him, it had ended badly for both of them. Very badly. He was reluctant to even entertain the idea. Then, Kuran came to his rescue.

"Yuki, I have reevaluated Zero's level. He is very much stable now."

A huff of relief came out of the girl, and a honest smile followed. 

"You know, there's one thing you could do to help me. Always carry bandages and mint oil from now on. If you get a cut the scent overlays the smell of blood. That way I can focus."

"Okay."

And with that, the whole thing was over again. Kaname was secretly impressed, and not so secretly showing this by smiling. This was the most relaxed Zero had ever seen his rival turned enemy – turned reluctant ally, turned unexpected friend. What a mouth full…

Zero leaned towards Kuran and whispered, "You're her brother, I'm just adopted, so you keep her occupied while I'm dealing with the more daring day class students."

Both boys nodded, determined to see this through. They never even noticed that Zero had taken the lead and had just told Kaname what to do. A Kiryu ordering a Kuran around? Now, wasn't that a sight to see? Zero could only barely hide his grin. If only the night class could have seen this. 

He already knew this patrol would be a peaceful one despite what they had told the headmaster. It was a feeling in his bones that let him breathe lighter, easier. With the black ribbon tied around his neck as a very physical reminder of his vow to make things better, Zero walked into the night to do his job.

Chapter Text

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Working with Kuran had turned out to be both a blessing and a curse. On one hand it was wonderful to know what was going on. Zero could react much quicker this way, and he even lent his hand a few times when the more mischievous vampires had started to bother the peaceful ones. He has not worn the white uniform since that incident, but a sizable portion of the night dormitory had accepted his presence at least somewhat, and they would get restless if he wasn't around. It was unexpectedly comforting to know there was a pack of leeches who were waiting for him to say hi. 

Unfortunately, among these was a certain Aido Hanabusa. Ever since he had found out Zero the hunter was actually a vampire, he had been throwing a fit. When Kuran had confirmed that Zero was ranked as a level B of all possible things, well… Aido had turned from one extreme to the other. Zero did not like the constant badgering and demanding. He wanted nothing more than to be treated like a normal human being. He was comfortable sleeping in haystacks, and had learned to appreciate and love himself without having to rely on outside validation. The screaming day students were bad enough when they were targeting the night students. Zero did not need anyone fawning over him like that, especially not Aido.

That aside, jumping from D to B was a culture shock. Yes, he had been invited to quite a few events in the original timeline. Queen Yuki loved to see him, and her daughters had always begged Zero to drop by when they had been little. He had seen many balls and festivals, a few he had attended as a guest instead of a guardian. Even after everything said and done, Zero had more than once danced under the moonlight. The hunter had shared stories with other turned vampires who somehow managed to not be afraid of him, and he stood guard during important meetings. In short, he's seen things. Zero believed he had seen enough to understand and deal with everything, but he could not have been prepared for this. Level B was bad. Deep down Zero was glad Kuran had not decided he was some pureblood equivalent or something because having the leeches kiss his feet would have broken him. 

Deeper down something stirred at that thought and it sent a shiver down his spine.

Zero tried his best to deal with the whole situation. It gave him a unique insight into everything. It also made his job easier since the vampires would finally listen to him and not just hiss because oh no, a hunter! It was a huge step forward, and two small steps to the left. 

And then Aido had to drop by to bother him again just as he had delivered some more paperwork to Kuran. The exasperated look of domestic horror on his face had been worth the grunt-work. It had not been worth the nonsense that followed. As soon as he had left Kuran's office Aido was glued to his heels.

Finally, Zero had enough, "What. Do. You. Want?" 

Not even a thinly veiled threat could scare the ice wielder away. It shone in his eyes, bright as day, that Aido wanted to use his ability but did not dare to because of Zero. Contrary to popular belief, Aido was neither suicidal nor was his head stuck in the clouds, and Zero was much more scary than he would ever like to admit. It was written all over his face. Zero dreaded the idea he had in his head. If this was about what he thought it was about, then Aido would be dead by daylight.

"You know that I can't create ice, right?" he prompted, waiting to see how Aido would react. 

It seemed Zero's gut feeling had been right because Aido's eyes lit up in the same way young hunters would brighten on their first day of training. 

"I know, but I was wondering if our abilities were similar enough to allow us to share techniques and strategies!"

Ah. That was what this was about. How delightful. Zero was as excited as a snail in a french kitchen. His aura rippled with annoyance. It bubbled out of him, drifted away with the heat that radiated from his cheeks. He knew his eyes were shimmering a faint reddish hue as his emotions twirled through hoops and loops. All of this because Aido was curious and he had no intention of playing babysitter. This was supposed to be a second chance and there would be no way he would just show his abilities to anyone with Rido still lurking around. The risk of the enemy learning about his skills was too high, Zero decided. However, that meant he had no idea what to say or think. It wasn't like he hated Hanabusa as a person. Zero actually respected him quite a lot and had been impressed by how far he had come in the original timeline. He had hoped the little nudge a while ago would have set him on the right path. He hadn't considered that his new status would ruin everything. 

Training with Aido sounded like a good idea if not for the small fact that Zero had no idea how to do any of this. When Kuran revealed Zero's "true" nature and the reason for his unique status, the whole night dorm had been in an uproar. Naturally he had told them the lie they had both agreed on beforehand, but it was still quite a large mess that Zero had to clean up on his own. While nobles enjoyed more freedom than purebloods there were still many rules and social norms that Zero had never bothered to deal with before. It all came to bite him in the proverbial ass then and there. 

Ah, and Hanabusa was still rambling. 

"Fine." Zero said. 

A moment of silence followed as Aido just stared. If he focused, Zero could almost hear the little click in his head when the word finally sunk in. Once it did, Aido beamed a bright smile at him. It was almost endearing. Younger-Zero would have been annoyed, angry and likely skittish enough to disappear into the sunlight. This time around Zero was almost tempted to slip into the role of an older sibling. Emphasis on the word almost. 

"Let's go then! We have a special room for this. It's like a gym, but also not. You'll be impressed! It's a lot better than anything the HA could ever cobble together." he bragged, a finger rubbing his nose.

Zero just groaned. The regret was already strong in him.

"Say, why didn't you tell anyone you were a vampire? It can't be because of your hunter lineage. You're too proud of that… so why? Why pretend to be human?" 

The question was innocent enough. It still rubbed Zero the wrong way. Hundreds of years later, or not? Had these centuries even been real? He still wrestled with the loss of his family and that night in the snow. He knew his situation was unique and that he had far outlived any other ex-human because of the mixture coursing through his veins. It gave him time. Time was supposed to heal all wounds, and yet his only left scars that would just rip open when he least expected it. 

"Because I wanted to." he replied.

"That's not much of an answer."

Zero huffed a humorless laugh, "I guess. I have a human twin, had a human family and a human life... It's all I've ever known."

And wasn't it strange to talk about his brother again? Ichiru was alive. It had taken Zero some time to wrap his head around that fact but it had been easier to accept than the bomb that had been Yuki's awakening. Ichiru lived. Zero would make sure he would get his happy end as well, even if he had to deal with a curse or two on the way there. 

"I still don't get it." Aido pouted.

They were both awkwardly quiet after that. The walk towards the vampire's private gym stretched out accordingly into an uncomfortable yet calm soup of repressed emotions. 

They were about to open the doors that led into the room they wanted to use when Zero felt that feeling again. Time froze as the ghosts of the future played out a gruesome scene before him. An anti vampire bullet would hit Aido in the shoulder, and another himself in the leg. Then daggers would pin them both to the floor and let them bleed the carpet red. Zero didn't see who would attack them, but the technique was so unique it was unlike any hunter or vampire he knew of. His vision left as soon as it came, but it had been enough. He wouldn't bow to fate any more. He blindly grabbed Hanabusa by the tie and let instinct do the rest.

When the first gunshot echoed through the empty hallway only a swarm of silver fireflies bore witness to it, their wings shimmering like falling shards of glass.

Zero only wanted to escape. He needed to move away, to dodge the attack. He felt every bit of himself ripple like water before his world exploded into fragments. 

When he felt solid ground under his feet again he found himself in Kuran's study. Aido fell to his knees beside him and grabbed a nearby bin to prepare for the worst. He looked a little paler than usual, and perhaps a tiny bit green as well. If Zero hadn't been this shaken himself he might have felt some sympathy for him. However he had other things to worry about. The assassination attempt – because really, what else had that been? – and another hard to explain ability. Zero shuddered. Teleportation was bad. Transformation was even worse. Combined these two meant he had to be very careful in the near future. This went from looking bad to being utterly ridiculous. 

"Kuran!" Zero yelled. 

He hoped he had put enough panic into that screech to let the pureblood know just how seriously fucked they both were. 

Not soon enough, Kaname stood in the doorway before him. He was watching the chaos unfold with wide eyes and some slight amusement. He looked smug again, and the "What did you do? " was just waiting to be said. Then one of Zero's fireflies landed on his cheek. The look he got in return was almost worth the trouble.

"We were attacked. Assassination attempt, with Aido being the target." 

Kuran nodded once and went into business mode, "do you know who?"

"No idea. I couldn't see anything." 

"What about your other senses? Have you felt anything?" 

Zero tried to remember. His memory was a little bit foggy thanks to the rush of fear. He knew he had not seen anything that could identify their attacker. He hadn't smelt anything either, or heard for that matter. His hunter sense was useless in a dorm full of vampires. 

Zero grimaced, "No. Nothing useful."

Kaname looked thoughtful for the moment in which Zero helped Aido up and into a chair. He was doing better already but still looked far too green to be healthy. He wanted to know, that much was obvious. Kuran didn't see what had happened, and Zero was reluctant to talk about his newfound ability. He knew he had to. That didn't make it easier though.

"You had another vision." Kuran held out his hand, "I may be able to see more, if you are willing to let me."

They had made progress. He was actually asking before he bit down like a decent person. Zero felt that little bud of warmth in his chest unravel into a tiny flower. It steeled his resolve and calmed his nerves. He wasn't alone in this. Not anymore. He was not just another pawn ready to be sacrificed, not that he would let anyone do that to him anymore ever again. 

With a quick bite from his own fangs he let Kaname lick enough of his blood to sort through the memory of his last vision. Soon after he closed his eyes to focus, and left Zero to care for Aido. 

"Are you okay?" he asked in a steady tone of voice. 

Aido looked up at him with huge guarded eyes that shimmered with unshed tears. He had been scared, of course. Perhaps asking him if he was okay after that had been a dumb idea. The next thing he knew was that he had an arm full of deathly quiet and shivering vampire. Grumpy he may be, but he knew when he was needed. Zero just held him. Even vampires needed a rock to hold on to sometimes, lest the storm of life could wash them into the abyss. Aido held on tight for a while. Then he leaned up and whispered something into Zero's ear.

"Your secret is safe with me, Lord Zero."

And suddenly it was his turn to freeze as if struck. Zero wanted to correct him and yell out in denial. The only thing that kept him from doing so was the fact that he didn't even know if he had the right to do so. He had no idea what he was anymore. Lost, shaken and confused he just sat there until something provided him with an adequate excuse to let go and run. 

Kaname's eyes snapped open and he hissed out a curse. 

"Your attacker was a woman. She smelled familiar to me as well."

"So you know her?" 

"She has a connection to the late Hanadagi. Otherwise, no. I have not seen her before and your memory is not the clearest, no offense." 

"None taken."

"I'm sure you had other priorities. Now, we need to focus on ensuring the academy is safe. Even in death, pure blood has power, and those who served with devotion won't stop just because their masters are dead. I'll be sending Seiren to investigate. I need you to watch the local E population. If this woman is connected to Hanadagi there might be a shift in their behavior. We can use that."

"Follow the servants to find the master?" Zero grinned.

"Exactly."

"Good. I'm itching to get payback for that scare." Zero made a pause, "but why now? And why target Aido? What changed?"

He was very sure that this had not happened in the original timeline. Things should not have spiraled out of control that fast. Was it because he made sure Rido stayed away? A feeling crept up his spine that made him second guess his decisions. If he had invited an unknown enemy by pushing Rido away, he wouldn't forgive himself. Kuran had apparently seen this line of thought on his face because he put a hand on Zero's shoulder to steady him. 

It was a well meant move. Zed knew that and he appreciated it, but it was the wrong time. There had been too much going on. All Zero wanted to do was run away, hide where nobody could reach him. He felt himself slipping again. At first he felt a buzzing like hundreds of wings under his skin. Then he saw his vision crack, split and blur. Finally his body burst apart into fireflies again, just like before. They carried him away from everything. Together they flew until he felt safe again. Where to, he wasn't sure. He had no control over this. 

Zero regained consciousness again on the roof of the school. Behind him the flapping of bat wings echoed through the night. Ah. Kaname had followed him most likely. Or he had just disturbed a colony of wild bats. The academy towers were full of them. A glance to his right revealed that it really was just Kuran again. He sat down beside Zero and both let their feet dangle over the edge of the building. This time he did not reach out with his hand, but he offered Zero an honest sad smile. He knew. 

Kuran knew. Zero knew, he just didn't want to admit it. He had figured out another piece of the puzzle and he had experience with this kind of thing, because of course Kaname Kuran would. This Kaname was less and less like the psychopath Zero had learned to loathe. Instead, he opened up to Zero, who acted as his equal in a world where he had no equal. Maybe even kings need to be normal people every now and then. 

Or, maybe Kaname had seen so much pain and cruelty that he had forgotten what love really was. There was sympathy and understanding in eyes that had been holding only disdain and anger before. Some small part of Zero finally understood why Yuki was so smitten with her brother . She was right, Kaname had pretty eyes. 

He wasn't sure where that had come from. Perhaps it was the stress.

"Do you know the meaning of fireflies, Kiryu?"

"Zero."

A raised brow, "pardon?"

"When we are alone, call me Zero. It's just us. There's no need to play pretend anymore."

"Only if you call me Kaname, and you haven't answered my question… Zero." 

"Hm. No. I don't know. Enlighten me, Ka-na-me?" 

That got a very undignified snort out of the pureblood prince. In turn, the malicious compliance made Zero crack a grin too. 

"Fireflies are a symbol of passionate love. Some say they also hold the spirits of soldiers who died in battle. I believe it fits you."

Zero leaned back, holding his body upright on his elbows, "Really? I can't see it."

"You love deeply and freely. Love is not just romance, you know?" Kaname teased as if that had been the most obvious thing in the world.

"Duh."

"I'm serious. You have a big heart, Zero. Your powers are a reflection of who you are. You can not deny that."

"You mean like your bats and Yuki's butterflies?"

"Yuki's… what?"

"Clairvoyant, remember." now it was Zero's turn to tease.

"Of course. Yes." Kaname smiled, "that would sound like her. You know, our abilities and how they manifest is a deeply personal thing. The mind, body and soul each influence them, but sometimes our true self may surprise even us."

He continued, albeit a bit more absentmindedly, "Butterflies, hm? Yuki, are you growing up or drifting away  I wonder? Perhaps a life under the sun isn't that bad of an idea if it is change that your soul desires."

Zero didn't see a point in answering. Kaname was rambling and he wasn't interested in that topic. 

He didn't say it out loud, but Zero was curious about what Kaname's bats might mean. It was rather stereotypical for a vampire to burst into a swarm of bats. However, Zero lacked more examples to reach a solid conclusion. It still made him think. Were powers given through blood? Were they a manifestation of heart, mind and soul? Or were they perhaps inherited somehow? Zero wasn't sure anymore. He didn't want to think about anything anymore that night.

They shared a moment of silence before Zero broke it once more, "Kaname? I'm worried." 

"I know. So am I." Kaname sighed. The council, Rido, Zero… it all drained him. 

"Together then?"

"You want us to be worried together?" 

"Idiot, you know what I meant!"

"Forgive me, you are just too easily riled up."

Chapter Text

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"What is this?"

"A costume, Lord Zero! I helped with making it."

Zero stared at the box in Aido's hands as if it would bite him. The last time a vampire had given him a box it had been equal parts fun and annoying.

"Since that assassin might still be around we decided to do a costume party for Takuma's birthday instead. That way nobody will know who's who and we're all a bit safer. I wanted to express my gratitude for you saving me. So… here!"

It seemed Zero had won over the adoration of a certain Aido Hanabusa without even trying to. Now he was in roughly the same spot Kaname was and wasn't that just fun? Then and there, Zero could tolerate Aido, but he preferred Takuma to talk to, or Seiren to partner up with. Still, this didn't solve anything. It wouldn't get him out of this stupid social event. Why had he agreed to go to that ridiculously dumb party again? 

The costume was beautiful. He couldn't imagine anyone wearing it but himself. The white fabric with the slightly lilac shimmer, the gemstones that reflected light just right to make them glow in the dark, and the hidden pocket for Bloody Rose… it was perfect. Hanabusa had put a lot of thought into this.

Aido had wilted a bit when he didn't immediately get a reply, but Zero made his night by saying, "Thank you." with enough honest gratitude to turn the ice prince as red as a beetroot. 

While this couldn't stop his head from worrying, it helped ease the knot that had formed between his shoulders. As far as Zero had been able to find out, Hanadagi and his wife, both purebloods because of course they were, still slept. They were to be awoken in a few hundred years. A bodyguard ensured their safety as they did so, and Zero was quite sure that she was still standing guard there because Kaname was sure she was there. Kuran was diligent when it came to keeping tabs on everyone and Zero appreciated it now that he had access to most of these personal files. If he needed info, he only had to ask where to find it to see the files. In turn, he provided Kaname with his own unique insight. They made quite the team. Still, even the two of them could not figure out just who had broken into the academy and almost successfully attacked Aido, and why. There was a variable in this mess that refused to cooperate. It was hard to enjoy a party when an active threat was running around who-knows-where.

Hanabusa himself seemed to have recovered in record time, much to Zero's chagrin. The idol lived up to his nickname and was already as loud and about as ever. He did keep his promise though, which Zero was grateful for, even if it confused the hell out of the other vampires. Zero had been an unwelcome addition to the night dorms at first. Soon after he found himself as babysitter of a bunch of overgrown leeches. With every bit of fear and disgust they lost they gained confidence and something Zero could not name. Soon enough he had vampires ask him to help them with their homework. That then devolved into Zero teaching a dozen of them math. There were still pictures of him sitting with a few night students that made the day students burn with jealousy. Changeover had suddenly become more and more fun… for Zero that was. 

He had somehow become attached to his leeches. How? He was not sure. It snuck up on him and burrowed into his heart out of nowhere. A tiny red string bound him to the night class and it tugged each time one of them needed him. Both Kurans were right, he was one giant softie deep down.

Maybe it wouldn't be that bad of an idea to transfer to Night Class after all.

"Hey, hey! Look who's ready for the party!" Aido cheered.

Behind them, Akatsuki Kain strolled into the room dressed in a black suit decorated with a golden trim. When the light hit the fabric just right a red shimmer formed an illusion of scales. Adding to that was a pair of horns and what might pass as a tail. 

"A dragon?" Zero asked.

Akatsuki, and he had been very quick to insist Zero address him like that, just shrugged with a lazy grin. 

"Was it Ruka who made it?" Zero asked with a knowing glimmer in his eyes.

"No. Senri is to blame." 

"Really?" it appeared Aido was unconvinced, "this whole illusion of scales thing screams of her involvement."

Zero cracked a grin. They could act so human… If he closed one eye and made an effort to ignore the fangs, he wouldn't be able to tell. Akatsuki eventually raised his hands in surrender. Aido cheered and celebrated his victory as if he had just been crowned as king of the world. He was idly contemplating telling Kaname which vampire had made the footprints on the designer sofa this time. Then again, Zero was always happy to collect more blackmail for later. He could knock Aido off his high pedestal another time.

"Alright, fine. You got me. Ever since Ruka heard about the costume party she has not stopped sewing. It's insane. She's a little bit embarrassed about the whole thing." 

"Well, she does have talent and it seems to make her happy. Why not have a productive hobby instead of whatever that one does in his free time?" Zero threw in casually, pointing at Aido over his shoulder as he did so. 

"Hey!"

"Two words: dorm inspection."

Aido squeaked, "what?! When!?"

"See what I mean? He's hopeless."

"True true. Say, does our silver hunter have other hobbies besides shooting things or riling up Hanabusa here? Just curious."

Zero glared without any heat behind it.

"Maybe."

A knock on the door made all three of them jump. It was getting late and Zero had to get ready. When it was Seiren who poked her head in to remind everyone that they had to pick up Yuki from the sun dormitory as well, the boys quickly went their own ways. 

Given how fast the vampires would be eaten alive by the day students, that honor fell upon Zero's shoulders. He made his way through the noble and posh hallways of the night dormitory dressed like a prince. Many a vampire turned to look at him with a raised brow or two. Some waved at him as well, which he returned with a nod. 

"Hunter! Looking good tonight." one called out. 

"I wouldn't mind being his prey." another mumbled.

Now that was something Zero didn't want to think about. 

"It's a shame you don't party with us more often, Mr Disciplinary Committee."

Zero couldn't believe it. The night class was after him like the day class was after the vampires. What has the world become? What has his meddling done to reality?

The gate guardian knew him already. The old man just waved him through. Zero left him a package of sweet mints that he had  managed to keep out of Yuki's reach long enough for this. With how much trouble his coming and going was causing the old keeper, this was the least he could do to somewhat apologize. 

Then he was off to fetch Yuki. Masquerade aside, Zero hoped that the evening would play out much like it had in the original timeline. Minus the fight that was. If all things went well, he would hopefully have a nice stay this time. It couldn't be much different from the parties and galas queen Yuki had begged him to attend. Zero was used to those. He didn't care if he really came from the future or had just seen everything in a vision. No, all Zero cared about was that he had the knowledge to change things. He could create a better future, and he would be starting with Yuki.

"What are you supposed to be? He asked as he entered his adopted sister's room. 

She squeaked and threw a brush at him, which he didn't even dodge. It just bounced off of his shoulder harmlessly.

"I'm a butterfly!" she huffed. 

The red of her dress didn't seem much like it. If anything, Yuki reminded Zero of a rose just before bloom. She had made her own mask for the event. Still, he could not see the butterfly in her. Something was missing and it hurt to think about that because he has no idea what could make a dress, the dress. It was too normal, too casual. It lacked the spark that followed her brother around like an untamed familiar. Simply said, it wasn't good enough for Yuki.

Zero looked at his own costume and studied his hands. Could he? He had been experimenting with his newfound powers to get them under control. Tied to his emotions as they were he had to, or risk a catastrophic accident. Fortunately Kaname had been a great help in that area. The king in waiting knew how to keep a calm state of mind, and he was happy to give out advice as long as Zero asked politely. 

Zero touched Yuki's shoulder. He steered the girl towards the full-body mirror she kept in her room and ruffled her hair like he had seen Kaname do many times. This was it. His trial by fire. Or rather, his trial by gemstone.

He saw his own reflection in the mirror. His eyes flashed with power, raw and all his own, as he focused on random small imperfections on Yuki's dress. A loose string here, a little wisp of cotton there, and they all turned into crystals like dewdrops on a rose's petals. He hadn't been sure if he could do this. He knew better after this. By the looks of it, Yuki was happy as well.

"It's beautiful! Kaname gifted me the fabric and chairman Cross helped me sew it but now it looks like it could belong to a queen."

Zero shook his head and teased her, "settle for princess first, will you?" 

Yuki, still awestruck, punched him in the ribs before she spun around with a blinding smile. 

"Let's go. I've seen the cake, you don't want to miss this one." 

His arm was offered. He would not be her date, or her brother, or even her knight. That night he was her friend. She needed more of those. 

They arrived fashionably late. It earned the pair knowing snickers from the vampires lounging in the shadows. Countless red eyes looked at them, but with playful warmth instead of harsh judging contempt. Zero let the original memory fade and replaced it with this one. This was much nicer. The whole night was nicer. 

Yuki wore a domino mask that was painted like a monarch butterfly. Her face was framed by red roses and her mouth curved up into an excited smile. Beside her, Zero wore a veil that was held up by an ornate hairpin. Together they looked like the stars had descended from the heavens and laid themselves around the two. His newfound abilities really made things sparkle.

Ruka stood proud in a silver dress that made her look like a mermaid. Silk ran over her like fins and shimmered in warm golden hues as she greeted Yuki and inspected her rose dress. To Zero that meant "girl talk" so he excused himself to look for Kaname and the rest of the inner circle. He was weaving through vampires when a gloved hand stopped him.

"May I have this dance?" 

Found you. Zero looked at the king before him. Kaname looked like a huntsman. He was dressed in black leather and rough linen underneath. His face was hidden by a hat that let only the tips of his hair fall free. On his back was a sword, one which Zero knew was very real and had belonged to his father before him. A bold look; as stylish as it was functional. The irony was also not lost on him.

"Yuki is just over there-" 

But Kaname wasn't looking for Yuki that night, "May I have this dance, my lord."

Zero felt his breath hitch and his heart skip a beat. Once the initial shock had worn off he grinned. If Kaname is into that kind of thing, who was he to deny his majesty?

"You may, hunter. " Zero teased back. 

There, dressed up in fancy costumes they were two of many. They were anonymous in an ocean of others just like them, and that anonymity gave them freedom. They stopped being vampire, hunter, Kaname, Zero. Instead they were just two guests who danced together. Mask and veil served them well that night. 

"I'm surprised you haven't stepped on my foot yet." 

Zero huffed. If that was how he wanted to play then sure. You tease, you lose, and with a grin hidden under a white veil he spun around grabbed Kaname and started to lead instead. 

"Switch-out."

"Hm." Kaname shrugged, "enjoy it while it lasts." 

It lasted for the entire duration of the song. Then the crowd cleared to let the birthday boy cut his monstrosity of a cake. Zero didn't remember the original one from the other timeline but this one was massive. It put any wedding cake to shame, smelled like strawberries and vanilla, and was crafted to perfection. Not a single drop of frosting was out of place. Although, in Zero's private opinion, the honey cake his mother used to make eclipsed this sweet beast. Love can conquer even the most royal stomach. 

Zero let go of Kaname and went to look for a quiet spot to cool down and breathe. He saw his former dance partner talk to Yuki again. The way the girl seemed to glow around him made his own heart swell up with something. He didn't have a word for it, yet. He just appreciated the peace while it lasted. 

Takuma and Senri cut the cake. It was nothing special. The two teased the crowd more than they did each other. Zero shook his head at the sight. Vampires and their weird need to always be pretty. He swallowed the laughter that bubbled out of his chest at that idea. There was a time and place for that. 

During the night Zero would dance with two more vampires, albeit not as intensely as he had with Kaname. One was a night student he has only ever seen lurk in the hallways. She didn't even offer her name to him. She only held out a hand and invited Zero to join for the sake of it. 

The second vampire he found himself dancing with was Seiren. As proud and loyal to Kaname as she was, it was quite a surprise to see her wave him over. Her own dress was fashioned after the mad hatter and sported patterns of gears that entwined with blooming petunias in soft ashy pink. If he didn't know better he would have thought she smirked at him. There was an air of victory around her that Zero just could not place. 

"I'm recruiting you." she piped up, "you will work for me." 

Zero, may his patience be blessed, tilted his head and looked at her like a puppy in the rain. 

"I saw what you did to Yuki's dress. It is acceptable."

With her chin tilted high and her eyes narrowed she couldn't hide the playfulness behind her actions. 

"I didn't think much of you. Honestly? I believed you to be dirt, a danger to contain. Lord Kuran deserved better! But then… then you do things that make no sense." 

Zero leaned backwards to snatch two glasses of very fine wine from a server who passed by. Very fine and deep red wine. He held one out to Seiren.

"Like this. You make no sense. So until I have figured out if you are a diamond or dirt I'll be watching you. Understood?"

Zero nodded seriously, "Crystal clear."

They parted ways. Seiren wandered off to talk to Senri and a dark haired vampire Zero didn't know. Meanwhile he went to look for the birthday boy. There was a certain book he wanted to give him in person. Zero knew Takuma would enjoy a good novel, but this one was especially important to him. The core message of it was veiled in subplots and mysteries. He would have to read between the lines, but Zero was sure that wouldn't be a problem at all. If all went well Ichiru and Shizuka lost their edge of surprise in about a hundred pages. 

There.

"Congratulations." Zero said, and held out his gift. 

Takuma smiled in return and gently brushed his finger over the wrapping paper. He shook his gift, poked and prodded it too. Once he was satisfied he smiled brighter.

"A book?"

Zero nodded, "It's something I'm fond of."

Takuma pulled at one side of his gift to take a peek inside. Once he did his eyes went wide for a moment, before excitement spread through him. 

"A novel about twin brothers based on the myth of Castor and Pollux, but with a vampiric twist? Thank you! I believe I do not have this one in my collection yet. That is quite a thoughtful gift."

Zero offered a small smile back. His mission was a complete success. Now he only had to wait and see which other threads of fate he could rearrange. Forewarned is forearmed, as the saying goes. He only needed to let Kaname know to ensure that nobody would be harmed this time.

He held no love for Shizuka, but he could not possibly hate his brother. He wanted to see Ichiru happy, and if that was with the mad woman then so be it. Perhaps his brother's company was the key to save her, and turn her against Rido as well. He dared to dream. No, Zero vowed to make sure that Ichiru got his happy end, even if he had to seal his fate himself. 

Zero let his tongue run over his fangs. It was time to test their theories.

Chapter Text

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Zero was sitting in Kaname's office again. That alone was nothing out of the ordinary, which was both strange and comforting given their past, as well as the past that would never be. It was still strange how things had turned around so suddenly. Zero grinned as he leaned into the Persian plush cushions. He had claimed the sofa as his a few hours ago out of spite, and was refusing to move ever since. Meanwhile, Kaname himself was sitting at his desk, fighting a massive mountain of paperwork that refused to shrink. With every paper signed two seemed to spawn out of nowhere. Zero almost felt pity tug at his steely heartstrings. 

"Are you sure?" he asked. 

Kaname hissed before he looked up, "Lord and lady Hanadagi are still hibernating in their family crypt. Their guardian has confirmed it and delivered watertight proof. They are as good as dead on paper."

"Which means we have some clown running around who's able to mimic just about anyone?" 

"Don't put it that way."

"Screw that!" now it was Zero's time to yell, "This was a targeted attack. Whoever came after Aido fought like a hunter and felt like a vampire. Who does that? It makes no sense."

The raised brow and deadpan stare stopped Zero right in his tracks. Oh. Yes. Who indeed.

"Besides me, of course." he added hastily and with a frustrated huff.

A light went up above Kaname's head. Zero felt dreaded the next words that would come out of his mouth. He has spent a little over a month as his friend now, and he knew that look. He knew that glimmer in Kuran's eyes.

"What if Aido was not the target, but you?"

"Me? But-"

Kaname held up a hand, "imagine that someone would want to frame you for Aido's death."

"But why? Because I am both a hunter and a vampire? Unlikely. Both the association and the council have quietened down after the stunt you pulled with my rank."

"You are welcome for that by the way, dear friend." Kaname smirked.

Zero huffed and rolled his eyes, which earned him an eraser thrown at his head. 

"Think about it. Now that you are off the elimination list and actually outrank some of the older vampires, they might have taken offense to that. Or, more likely, they are scared."

"Fear is one hell of a motivator sure, but there are other ways to kill my reputation… or me. Why involve Aido?"

Kaname huffed dramatically, "perhaps Aido's presence was just a coincidence? Bad timing?"

Now Zero had to groan in frustration. He was still doubtful, "Okay. Fine. Let's pretend someone wants to frame me to get me into trouble. Who would benefit from me being out of the picture?"

Another raised brow was his answer. Either Kaname wanted to play with him or his majesty had no idea who could be their suspect. Which meant Zero had to use his own head and think about it. Who indeed?

"Rido is an obvious choice but that's not his style, right? You know him better than I do."

"Unfortunately…"

"Right. Shizuka?"

Kaname shook his head, "Unlikely. She seems to prefer the direct approach over this, as you might remember."

"A hunter then? It's not like there aren't any renegade hunters out there who'd see me as a mistake to slay and wipe from history."

"It was a vampire you encountered, not a hunter. I can tell with absolute certainty." 

Both boys shared a look of pure despair before they groaned in sync. Zero let his head roll back onto the headrest of the sofa he was on. At the same time Kaname leaned back in his chair and covered his eyes with his arm to ward off the incoming headache. 

"Maybe I should just buy you that crystal ball..." he lamented. 

Zero mumbled something that could half-heartedly count as: "shut up."

A knock at the door made Kaname sit up straight and composed in his chair. He saw Zero flinch and nodded towards the bathroom to give his new friend a easy out, but Zero declined. If it was a student they could deal with it. If it was someone else, an outsider, they would stand as one united front. He wasn't sure what the emotion deep inside Kaname's eyes was, but it made him feel like he had done the right thing. 

"Enter."

Heavy boots hit the wooden floor. The scent of tobacco and ash followed soon after. Zero perked up. Could it be?

"I had to see it for myself to believe it."

Kaname looked from the newcomer to Zero and back. 

"Teacher."

"Student."

In a heartbeat, Toga Yagari had pulled a shotgun out and was aiming directly at Zero's head. The action caused Kaname to tense up with something that was borderline possessiveness, and maybe somehow related to worry. It was hard to tell sometimes.

"Got nothing to say, hm? Maybe you want to bare your fangs at me, Zero." 

The words rattled something loose inside Zero's head. A memory of one of his biggest mistakes. The fear he felt still haunted him, but it had dulled over time. He was no scared child anymore. He knew any D could fall to an E and become a nightmare to deal with, no matter how nice these people had been before. The face of the kind doctor and her painful fall still appeared as nightmares every now and then. It was the best reminder to stay as human as he could, for he would lose himself if he gave into the lust for blood. Vampires were beasts in human form. He was one, but he was also still a hunter above all else.

"The day I'll bare my fangs at you is the day Zero Kiryu is dead." he replied with such finality that Yagari frowned. 

"Then explain. What the hell happened to you?"

"Hell's freezing over if I knew! Not even his majesty over there has even the foggiest idea of what's happening to me. All I know for sure is that I am a Kiryu and I'll be living and dying like one."

The shotgun was lowered and eventually vanished into the same secret pocket it had been hidden in before. How Yagari managed to do that, nobody knew. The teacher sent one more hard look towards his student before he sighed in relief. 

"I'm glad you're feeling better."

Before he could fully comprehend what had happened, Zero felt Yagari's hand on his shoulder. A thumb oh so gently rubbed the spot where Shizuka had bitten him so long ago. It was about as much open affection as he would get from his tough-love teacher, but to Zero it meant the world. In Yagari-speak the weight of his hand meant more than ten I-love-yous, and they both knew that. 

"I'm not going to fall." he reassured.

Yagari saw his opening and went for the kill, "not even for him?"

Both Kaname and Zero needed a moment to figure this one out. Once they did they made sure to avoid eye contact with the other. Zero glared at the man who had practically raised him. He would prefer a bullet in his shoulder over this nonsense. This was Cross-level of stupidity in his humble opinion and they had no time for that. 

"My private life aside, I still remember my promise to you. I will keep it." he replied sourly, giving off the aura of a scorned cat. 

Yagari just hummed casually to himself. He moved to light a cigarette when it suddenly turned to dust in his hand. The usual suspect, the pureblood, smiled politely at the gruff hunter and shrugged. Zero did the same, although much more casually. They really had become partners in crime. Yagari looked like he could use a break. 

"I know you will, Zero." then he turned towards Kaname, "Kuran, I'll be joining the school staff as a teacher. Cross thinks having an added layer of security is necessary."

"Of course. I have no doubt Zero will appreciate your presence."

"First name basis? Wow. I missed a lot." a pause, then he continued, "since Zero is going to transfer soon, someone has to keep an eye on Cross's daughter. I trust my protégé to keep you leeches in check while I'm stalking a teenage girl like it's a normal thing that normal people do."

With that said it was obvious that Yagari was done there. He flicked his hat up, stood up and made his way out of the office without saying goodbye. Now that he didn't have to worry about Zero falling and then killing him, Yagari seemed less jaded. It was as if a weight had never been out on his shoulders. The door fell shut with a click. Kaname grumbled something about bad manners while Zero tried his best to keep the fondness from spilling out of his heart. He refused to cry. No matter how happy he was to see his mentor, teacher, family again, he had an image to uphold. 

The warm fuzzy feelings were quickly turning into static as the realization had sunken in that Yagari had spilled the proverbial beans about Zero joining the night class officially. The day students would kill him before he could move dorms. The vampires wouldn't let him leave at all. Either way, if this information leaked out he would be in a lose-lose situation.

"I will not say a thing, if you do something for me, Zero."

A deal with the devil. How could he resist?

"Depends on the thing in question."

Kaname leaned forward and folded both of his hands together. He looked every bit the business man he could be, as well as the prince and king Zero knew him as. He sighed. This was serious.

"I'll swear that I will not reveal your transfer only if you promise to sit beside me during class."

He twitched. The angry aura appeared around him again and it rolled off in waves of shivering dark miasma. There was a high chance that the only reason Kaname was okay was because of his pureblood status.

"I won't bite." he said with playful sweetness, "unless you ask me to, that is."

"If you think I'm-"

"No. Nothing like that. I just want someone to talk to who isn't kissing my feet for once. Your company is, dare I say it, surprisingly refreshing."

It was the first time Zero had heard Kaname laugh this openly and almost unrestrained. He could even hear the echo of that laugh through the door he had just thrown shut behind him. He knew he should feel privileged to have been the one to draw such a reaction out of the stoic royal, but at that moment it didn't matter much. Zero's pride held priority in his mind. 

Something else was also a rather pressing concern. He had almost forgotten…

Cross found Zero stress baking in his kitchen an hour later. He didn't mind at all. Normally having Zero in there meant some very tasty treats would soon be waiting for him. However, by the looks of it even a cemetery would have been happier than his adopted son. The glare on his face said it all. It was a trademark, a piece of himself that he refused to let go. Zero was grumpy because something had annoyed or worried him, maybe even both. Cross's money was on a certain vampire. 

With a sigh Zero looked up and nodded towards his bowl, "chocolate chip or vanilla?"

Startled, he replied with, "Vanilla."

But before Zero could return to his work he kept going. He had to ask one more question at least. 

"Zero… who's upset you? I haven't seen the angry eyes in weeks now. What is going on?"

This time the grumpy huff was absent. 

"Ichiru." 

If he had not been deadly serious then Zero might have laughed at the look on Cross's face. Gone was the happy warm aura that always seemed to surround the man, and in its place crept dreadful horror.

Meanwhile, Zero could only feel nothing. At one point in time he had been caught up between the love and betrayal of his twin, but after centuries he had mellowed out quite a bit. He lost his twin because Ichiru did not feel loved. He found the love he had been denied with Shizuka instead, and when Zero – who had in his mind already taken everything from him – also cut that bond, of course his twin would hate him. Deep down Zero had already made up his mind that he wanted this reunion to be private.

He turned towards Cross with his trademark glare. The silver eyes promised no surrender to anyone who faced them. Cross knew he would not be able to stop Zero once he had made up his mind. 

"You aren't asking for my permission to go." he sighed, "you are asking for my blessing."

Zero nodded, "I also thought it would be polite to let you know I'm gone for a weekend."

Defeated, Kaien Cross let out a rather hollow chuckle before an earnest grin spread over his face. He shook his head, then turned towards the baking cake in the oven. 

"Kaname has rubbed off on you." he teased with a grin.

The sound of a slamming door behind him let that grin grow into a full blown smile. Not that Zero knew that bit. He had already been out of the house again.

This was necessary. 

He tried to tell himself that over and over again, but it hardly stuck. This was necessary and it would solve so much. It was a purely tactical decision to prevent pain and sorrow in the future. Yet, why did it hurt so much? He was doing this to make sure Ichiru was getting his happy end this time around. Zero wanted to be happy. He wanted nothing more than to be excited to reconcile with his brother, but his heart felt like someone had run it through with a razor blade. 

Finding the lair of the mad princess had been the easy part. Getting there had been... interesting to say the least. He had alternated between running and flying as a swarm of glowing bugs just because he could, and it had been every bit of the strange experience he had expected it to be. Whatever had happened to Zero had also cut all ties with that mad woman, but somehow a trace lingered. It was a tendril that felt old, much older than he was, and even then much older than his dreams of a future that would not come to be. He followed it. 

Zero pulled the hood of his coat up. There was no turning back now.

His frown contrasted with the softness in his voice, "Ichiru. I know you can hear me." 

From the trees in front of him, a shadow stepped into the moonlight. The sound of a playful little bell followed soon after. 

"You."

"You."

Both twins looked at each other. Almost mirror images, the two that were also one took in the other. They stood as still as statues as they appraised and contemplated. It was Zero who made the first move.

"I'm not here to fight."

Soft laughter echoed through the clearing they were in. 

"Ichiru, be honest with me." Zero looked his twin directly into his eyes, "Are you happy?"

That question hadn't been expected. The wide eyes and sudden quietness made that obvious.

"If I told you I am, would you even believe me?"

"I never listened before. Maybe it's time I try to do that now." 

Ichiru narrowed his eyes.

Behind him, Shizuka joined them with a tilted head, her form a ghostly halo that framed Ichiru. It gave Zero an idea.

"Do I remind you of him?" Zero asked her directly. 

Who he was didn't need to be said. Shizuka could see what he meant in his eyes, he made sure of it. 

Pale pink met lavender. The cherry blossoms that seemed to accompany her wherever she went seemed to double in numbers as her temper rose. Zero had struck a nerve. Good. He had aimed for that one. 

"Your parents took him from me. It is only fair I took something back from them, don't you think?" 

Ichiru looked from Zero to Shizuka and back. This meeting had not gone like he had expected it to go. 

"Now, come here. Zero, I command you." she cooed with a far too sweet smile. 

The blossoms around them froze in the air. They shimmered once, hardened and shattered, becoming dust in the wind. Shizuka's confused face was reflected in all of the millions of shards that fell to the ground around them, as was Zero's mischievous and determined grin. She had no control over him and it was euphoric to see the realization hit her.

"I'm not your pet." Zero growled out, "but I'm willing to tolerate you if it makes my brother happy." 

For the first time in what felt like eternity to one brother, and a decade to the other, Ichiru looked at Zero without jealousy in his eyes. He had been so certain that his parents loved Zero more, and that Zero himself had ignored him on purpose because he wanted all the love for himself. It had always been him. Ichiru was just chopped liver, but... apparently not to Zero. 

"I love you. You wanted to hear that? All you had to do was ask. I love you, and always will love you no matter where you go because you are my brother, and you always will be." 

He used the moment of pure shock to wrap his twin into his arms. With his chin on his brother's shoulder and his hands crossed over Ichiru's back there was no way his twin could worm his way out of there even if he wanted to. 

"I know what you want. I hate it that this is what you want, but this is your life. I just want you to be happy. So, Ichiru, are you happy with the murderer of our parents, despite everything she has done?"

A shudder and a gasp that came far too close to a sob were all he got for a moment or two. It seemed Ichiru needed time, but what were a few minutes to someone who had lived through centuries? 

Eventually his twin settled for just nodding his reply. He reached up to put his own arms around Zero just in time. When his brother bit down and unleashed whatever vile concoction was in his veins, Ichiru clawed his nails into Zero's coat. 

This was the moment he had been so afraid of. Once he let go he would know for sure and he would have to live with the knowledge that he had been the one who did it. 

Ichiru fell to his knees soon after. Zero went down with him. As his brother laid there, pale and gasping for air, Zero couldn't see how anyone would think him weak or frail. He was quiet, sure, but he was a fighter just as much as his grouchy twin, and wasn't that just something? He would be fine. Ichiru was going to be just fine, and that lifted a weight off of Zero that he didn't even know he carried with him. 

A quick nibble later, and his own blood was dripping on his brother's face. It fell on cold lips and into a gasping mouth. Soon enough he wanted more, and then he needed more. Well, Zero was willing to share. They were twins after all. 

When Ichiru had his fill, he fell limply into his Zero's waiting arms, one embrace one last time before he would wake up and start his new life. He hugged him tight, knowing that it might be a while before they could see each other again, and then looked up to see Shizuka standing there, watching him. 

"Take care of him." he told her, "and I will take care of Rido for you. You'll both be free. But… one mistake, one small misstep, and I will come for you." 

Despite everything, Shizuka joined Zero on the ground and gave him a soft kiss on his forehead as thanks. For just a short moment the hope to be released from her prison and pain had cleared the tempest in her heart and mind, and she was thankful. Oh so very thankful. Her eyes, guilty and haunted, told him she understood what this meant. She knew she didn't deserve forgiveness, and yet Zero had somehow found his heart big enough to offer her even a tiny morsel of compassion. She would remember that. 

"He will ask for nothing."

With a soft smile and another playful tilt of her head, Shizuka used the opportunity to braid a strand of Zero's hair while he was busy placing his comatose brother into her lap. The touch earned her a glare cold enough to freeze hell. She seemed unaffected though. Maybe living under Rido's cruel claws would do that to anyone. 

Zero was gone before Shizuka could even blink. This didn't give him his parents back, but maybe it would save his brother. 

All she could see that night were the silver fireflies that danced through her cherry petals. All she could do was smile.

Chapter Text

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The deed had been done on the first night he left. The rest of the weekend that he got to himself was spent dealing with the emotional aftermath of his decision. Zero knew that it would be bad. He had known from the very moment the idea had popped into his head that this would haunt him, and yet it felt so much worse. It was official, he was indeed a dreaded pureblood vampire. How? Zero had no idea. He knew his parents were humans through and through, and nothing else. Until recently his twin brother had been one as well. Nobody in his direct family had been born with fangs for as long as the records dated back. He couldn't understand what was so special or different about him to cause this. Pureblood vampires were born as such, not made. Vampire genetics weren't Zero's favorite subject, closely followed by vampire politics, but this was ridiculous. 

Zero was a Kiryu. The Kiryu were one of the oldest hunter families in existence. Legends said their silver hair came from the pure vampire blood their ancestors were given so long ago by the hooded lady in white. The venomous gift had washed away a part of their humanity and made their very bodies poisonous to vampires. Allegedly, that was. Zero never really paid much attention to the muttering of the eldest hunters or historians and scribes. Before he got stuck in this mess he had believed them to be old tales told to children for the fun of it. This so-called poison hadn't protected him against Shizuka, now had it? Then again, he had thought time travel to be impossible and yet somehow that had happened, kind of. He still wasn't sure about that thing either. Who's to say even stranger things couldn't also become his new truth? Their world was all kinds of messed up anyway. 

But was that it? Were old legends his absolution?

The next thing on his list was that he was a twin. Cursed , they said. Zero never felt cursed, at least not like that. If Ichiru had not been a complete dumbass they could have made a wonderful hunter team, actually. With Zero doing the heavy lifting and Ichiru planning things out they would have been unstoppable. Yet they were cursed just because they were twins. He never fully understood what this curse actually was. Yes, Ichiru had a weaker body but so what? People had their strengths and weaknesses. No two people were the same, not even twins. To them that should have been an advantage, a strength. However, asking Cross didn't help much since the man never really gave proper answers to that kind of question.

So was he,

A, a long lost relative of some ancient pureblood, one who just happened to awaken that one gene that would make him one too? Or even worse, was he just a one in a billion case and had mutated the gene himself out of nowhere?

B, the twin curse was actually a real thing and he was just the most unlucky cursed guy to have ever been cursed?

C, this whole clairvoyance thing was utter nonsense and he had actually somehow messed with space-time. Was his pureblood status a side effect of him being basically a vampiric hot potato in the original timeline?

Given his rotten luck it was some strange combination of all of the above.

Kaname had once told him that purebloods born from humans were called ancestors but that made him feel old. He was no founder either. He was Zero. Just, Zero. He stared at his reflection in every mirror he could find. Not out of vanity, but to see himself and be sure he wasn't suddenly turning into a red-eyed beast. He would sooner die than become such a monster. Even with his body betraying him at every turn his soul and metaphorical heart fought against the dark. 

Even two days after that encounter, the bond that had formed between Ichiru and himself was still a worm crawling around in his soul. This was his brother not his fledgling vampire, and Zero was nobody's master! He had no intention or interest in taking advantage of it, but it was there and he hated it. He hated it so much, and he hated that it was quite useful as well. With just a small nudge of a thought he knew if Ichiru was doing okay. That was the only reason he had not yet ripped his own head open to claw the unnatural feeling out. If this was how all purebloods felt then he could see why they spiraled into madness so easily all the time. 

Maybe he needed a break, a cup of tea and a friend who understood this kind of problem…?

Zero pulled out his cellphone and hit the first number he had saved on speed-dial. It had been a gift from headmaster Cross and so far Zero could count the numbers saved in it on one hand. Three rings, then he ended the call. That was the signal they had agreed on if either of them needed to talk about Zero's condition in private. It was a thing of utmost importance and both knew it was a last resort left for emergencies. With that done and one more hissed out sigh of resignation, Zero let the fireflies carry him once more. 

He would find Kaname on the same roof they always met on. With a relieved sigh and a small smile he approached his friend and sat down beside him on the cold granite stone. For a little bit the two just sat there and enjoyed each other's company. 

"I think I have done something stupid."

Kaname nudged him with his elbow, "when are you not?"

"I'm serious."

"And I'm not because you are tense enough for both of us. I can not stand to see you like this." then Kaname added, "nor do I want to deal with your pouting."

"I don't pout!"

"Yes you do."

"I– you know what? Forget it. Thank you for nothing."

Kaname only nodded his head politely. In return, Zero kicked a tiny twig off the roof. He was no Yuki, Zero knew that, but it felt nice to have someone watch out for him. The girl had been right, Kaname could be a comforting shadow if he wanted to be. He would wait patiently for Zero to crack like an egg and spill. It was only a matter of time. Both of them knew that.

Might as well…

"My twin, Ichiru, is a vampire now." Zero told him matter of factly. 

It got a confused and worried frown out of Kaname, "was it Shizuka?" 

"No." 

"Then who?"

"Me. I did it." 

For a moment Kaname was speechless. When Zero risked a glance towards him, he could see a mixture of surprise, awe and horror. The trinity of emotion swirled around, letting one of its components be stronger for a moment before another took over again. Eventually, Kaname's face settled on something gentle. It was one of the looks that were reserved for Yuki alone because she was family. Well, it appeared Zero had joined her in Kaname's blackened heart. Dare he think it.

"You never fail to surprise me." Kaname huffed fondly, "I may not know your brother, but I believe you did the right thing."

Confused Zero asked, "how do you know?"

"Just like Yuki, I too believe in you, Zero. If you deemed it for the best, then it is. You are the only vampire I know of who would never touch a neck unless it was absolutely necessary. I have seen you fight your inner beast." 

"Yeah, as a level D vampire. But now? How do I know I won't just end up like… like Shizuka? Or like Rido? Huh?!"

"You will not." 

Kaname sounded sure, Zero not so much, "but how do you know that?"

"I will stop you, should it come to that. Myself, swiftly and painlessly. You will never fall. I will not allow you to."

Ha was speechless at first, so finding his voice took a moment, but when he finally did Zero sounded more than grateful. 

"Thank you."

How that conversation had ended with both of them hugging on the roof was a mystery. Furthermore, Zero was definitely not bawling his eyes out, nor was he enjoying how Kaname brushed comforting patterns on his back. If asked he would say none of this had ever happened. Denial was his way to deal with things. Fact was: that all of that was a lie. In truth there was no place he would rather have been. Kaname's hugs were nice, but he would sooner die than admit that out loud.

"I will send Hanabusa to fetch you the same books my parents had me read as a child." Kaname decided suddenly, "there is much to know about the creation of them, and how to keep ex-human vampires."

Something rubbed Zero wrong there. It was likely the casual way Kaname referred to his brother, like he was some pet that Zero had just adopted. It wasn't intentional. Zero knew that much because he remembered how Kaname had treated a newly awakened Yuki, but still… there was a distance and distinction he refused to get used to. He hated the level and class system of vampires with a burning passion. Kuran's next words only fanned the flames.

"I know I will end up with a bullet in my head if I call you a pureblood, but we do need to talk about this."

"Do we really have to?" Zero grumbled into Kaname's shoulder. 

"Unfortunately, yes. I have been meaning to speak to you about this anyway. The council has been a pain in my neck for a while now. Takuma's grandfather will be visiting us far too soon to check up on you. He's been interested in your sudden change of status."

Zero swore in at least four languages. It got a surprised laugh out of Kaname.

"Asato. Ichio right? Head of the leech senate and absolute pain in the–"

Kaname held up his hand, "Yes. That one."

"Can't we just throw him off a cliff?" 

Kaname seemed to consider it. However, in the end his logical reasoning won, "No. Takuma would be sad, and besides do you see any cliffs around us?"

"I see a roof..?" Zero replied with a nod and innocently wide eyes.

"Not high enough for casual murder, I'm afraid."

"Damn it."

The two shared a look and burst out laughing. 

Suddenly both heard the rustling of a leather coat below them. Zero knew it wasn't Yagari. The older hunter's signature blended scent of smoke and gunpowder was missing. With that disappointment settling in, Zero looked at Kaname and both raised a brow each. They nodded once before they ducked down and leaned over the edge of the roof to peek at the noise-maker. Fortunately for them, students stalking others were a common enough sight on academy grounds. If anyone saw them, they doubted anyone would really care.

Their guest was blonde, and the leather coat that they had heard was a stereotypical vampire cape. Zero grinned hard enough that his chin hurt against the cold stone. Beside him Kaname struck his flat hand against Zero's back in mild annoyance. He was irritated alright. 

"You don't like him, huh?"

"He offered to become my guardian once. I declined."

"Good choice." Zero mumbled back softly. He was halfway in his own memories, trying to dig up anything he could remember regarding Ichio.

He tried to get a closer look. This vampire had eyes like ice and a face just as cold. There was strength in this aristocrat, and if Zero hadn't been a Kiryu then he would have likely thought twice about confronting him. 

"He…"

Kaname glanced at Zero with curiosity, "are you seeing another vision?" 

That wasn't quite true, but close enough. It was an old memory of the original timeline, but maybe it was still useful enough in this one. Kaname had become rather dear to him, and deep down Zero knew he wanted to protect him. For the first time in his two lifetimes he wanted to be the knight without anyone forcing him to do it. 

"Yes...?" Zero said, "he's an enemy." 

Kaname guessed, "could he be the one behind the attack on you and Hanabusa? Did you see anything useful?"

"No, he's after you. He's scared shitless of you. Or, well, of purebloods in general. He's as jealous as they come."

This time Kaname swore in three dead languages. 

"Our greatest taboo… hmm? I shall greet him then. Stay here, Zero. Wait for my signal."

"Hold on! I'm not going to let you go down there and deal with him on your own!"

Kaname had already stood up as Zero scrambled to his knees to stop him from running into trouble. Suddenly Zero came face-to-face with a hand and a gentle smile that promised a swift end to whoever dared to threaten anyone close to him. Them. Same thing . Kaname meant business. This was the face of the monster that could snuff out lives with only a blink and wouldn't shed a tear afterwards. This was the vampire, not the prince. 

And Zero didn't even flinch when he looked him in the eyes.

"I need you to stay in the shadows. Be my ace."

Zero hated the idea. The job of "ace" was usually reserved for Seiren and it meant he was supposed to be a secret weapon, a trump card. He strongly disliked waiting and letting others do the fighting for him, or without him. If Kaname hadn't looked at him like that he would have been able to stay stubborn and demand to join him, but he was begging him. The high and mighty king of the night was begging him to listen and play along. No, he was almost throwing a tantrum just to get his way.

"Fine." Zero growled out, "We'll do it your way. Just be careful and–" 

Whatever Zero had wanted to say was cut off by a high pitched shriek that could only come from one very special butterfly in distress. Yuki was in danger. Asato was gone by then, likely inside the Moon dormitory already. The boys shared a look. How big were the odds that these two events were connected?

It was surprisingly enough Zero who rushed in before Kaname. To the human eye they had both just appeared before the breeze caught up with them, but to the vampires in the room that had obviously been pureblood speed. It startled Asato enough to buy Zero and Kaname a moment to analyze the situation.

The atrium of the Moon dormitory was almost empty. Asato had Yuki in his arms and was looking at her with a strangely intense gaze. It was the look of an old man who recognized his high-school crush after years of separation. Without any love in it though. No, there was no love in these eyes at all. Only contempt and confusion. A lot of confusion.

Behind him was Takuma, who was frozen between helping Yuki and retreating back upstairs, where the rest of the vampires were likely hiding. He was fiercely loyal to Kaname and the Kuran family, but Zero was sure he didn't know about Yuki's little secret yet, so he was treating her as the human prefect she appeared to be. If Kaname's tensing up and little aura flare were any hints to the severity of the situation and his worry, then everything was just a moment from escalating. This hadn't been in the original timeline. Zero faintly remembered how the original Yuki had mumbled something about donations and peace and then went her way. This was anything but peace. 

Kaname pushed him aside with no effort at all. Zero could put up a fight all he wanted to, but Kaname was still stronger. He was also pissed. Pureblooded equals or not, a pissed Kuran was Death incarnate. The severity of the transgression only determined how quickly the end would come.

"You are endangering a student of this school. Stand down and surrender. Cross Academy is under my protection, and so is this girl."

Asato made no indication that he had heard anything. He just kept staring at Yuki. It almost broke Kaname's perfect mask of calm and control. Almost. 

But Zero lacked the self control to pull that off. He saw his adopted sister in trouble and knew he needed to do something. He was a hunter, a Kiryu hunter, and this was what he did. He hunted the monsters who would hurt others and killed them before they could do harm. So he made a mad dash at the two to tackle Asato away from Yuki. 

Unfortunately for him he had no experience with his newfound powers. Zero was afraid to accidentally harm Yuki and unconsciously held back too much. That allowed Asato to get a lucky strike in, right in between his ribs. Not even Rido had managed to cause that much damage and the crazed bastard had no inhibitions at all. 

"How droll. Your pet can do tricks now, or was that just a fluke?" he taunted. 

It ripped him apart, Zero knew, but Kaname had to uphold his image, "A hunter's recklessness is none of my concern." 

Oh he wasn't just pissed anymore. 

"Right. Because nothing ever is. Not to you. Never to you." 

Yuki made a squeak as claws pressed harder against her throat. 

"You are flawless. Perfect…" he finally looked from Yuki to Kaname, "What do you say? Her life, for a taste of your own?" 

Zero felt his heartbeat slow. It burned. The blaze in his heart burned hot enough to melt him down. It felt like he was silver ore in a forge, being ripped apart by fire instead of the claws that had dug into his chest. Zero, once again, was glad the floor was cold enough to cool him down as this fever wrecked him from the inside.

Asato. That damn bastard son of a snake was using Yuki as a shield to get Kaname's blood. If they killed him, Yuki would be dead too. That crazy leech would leave no witnesses. If they did nothing he would bleed Kaname dry and enjoy every minute of it. Zero had just been the distraction, the convenient excuse. Asato had discarded him for his lineage and level. Kaname was the prize. The main course.

The image he saw was vivid. He was not sure if it was a vision, but he hoped with all his might it was. He could not lose Kaname now that he had actually gotten him to crack up and be nice. This Kaname was his friend, one unlike any other he has ever had. And there he was, dying on the floor, bleeding out and watching how this madman was going to drink his dear Kaname until he was nothing but a shriveled husk. Zero would not allow it. He couldn't lose him.

His fingers brushed Bloody Rose. The weapon had always responded to him in a way he could not explain. There was a resonance, maybe? The slowing beating of his heart made his fingers tremble over her smooth metal. It felt like the weapon echoed it. Ba-dum and Ba-dum, the gun shivered as one with her wielder as a wave of anger and a torrent of hatred crashed into him. The audacity of that one. How dare that so-called aristocrat threaten his friend? How dare he hurt someone? Zero fought to protect, and at that moment he was a royal guard, drenched in blood, ready to give his heart for the ones it still bled for. 

When the dust settled, Zero stood before his prince. Both Asato and Kaname watched how the fatal wound knit itself back together and healed as if it had never been there in the first place. In his right hand was his beloved Bloody Rose. In his left hand was a near identical gun, still dripping with blood as if it had been forged from the red liquid.

Both were ready, locked and loaded. 

"Not one step further." 

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"Zero. Let me handle this."

While he kept his twin guns pointed at Asato's head and heart respectively, Zero relented. His original mission was to get Yuki out of the way and with the absolute look of terror on that madman's face the task was done before anyone could blink.

Whatever feelings he may have on his condition were compartmentalized and shelved for later. He needed the power so easily available to save the day and no matter how tempting it was to cut loose, he knew he would use it to do good. If he had to become a monster then he might as well make the best of the situation. Life, lemons, lemonade. 

As soon as Yuki was safe in Zero's arms Kaname had no reason to hold back. The boys didn't need to say a thing to each other to understand what needed to be done. One had an entire lifetime of experience to fall back to, the other a supernatural affinity for strategy and manipulation. Zero was to whisk Yuki away and Kaname was to punish the idiot who dared to threaten their family, friends, and the peace between human and vampire. It really had become just that easy.  

"Hold on." Zero whispered to his shivering adopted sister as he pulled her closer to his chest. 

Kaname could be terrifying, and some things were better left unseen. 

He brought her to the stables where White Lily was nibbling on some hay. The horse flicked an ear but decided the two-legged pair was not worth any attention. Zero still smiled at that. Even after everything, after what he had become, he was still human enough to for the horse. 

Yuki landed on the hay with her knees first as she slipped from Zero's hold and cried. She had been strong enough to hold herself together back there. She hadn't begged for her life or panicked too much, but everyone had a breaking point somewhere and this was her own. Now that the danger was over and the pressure could escape she was like a kettle, ready to burst apart. Her eyes closed and tears fell freely no matter how much she wanted to keep them in and be strong. Zero could only sit beside her and mumble whatever words of comfort he could come up with. This wasn't his area of expertise, if he were honest to himself. He had always been the tough-love silent comfort kind of guy. The rock to hold on to, maybe? He didn't mind to be one if it was her, but he'd rather switch with Kaname and nip this in the bud before the situation could get out of hand instead of being used as a cuddle toy and tissue paper. 

"Kaname is dealing with it. Everything's going to be fine."

"I'm still worried." she sniffled out. 

"That means you've still got a heart to care in there. That's more than he can claim." 

Big brown eyes met pale lavender ones. Zero had almost forgotten how innocent she had been once. Trusting, loving and warm; that was how human Yuki was, and it made his blood boil to think of how Asato had almost taken her from them.

Speaking of… "Yuki, has Asato done anything to you? Has he said anything?" 

Anything to make sense of this. This wasn't in the original timeline. 

She leaned forward to hug her own knees. Her eyes avoided Zero, and suddenly the straw below was the most interesting thing in the world. 

"He called me Juri. At first I thought he just misspoke my name but then he got this really creepy look on his face. I don't know how to describe it." 

As much as Zero wanted to scream in frustration he forced himself to cool down. Yagari's "hunting for dummies: how to deal with scared civilians" lessons stuck with him. 

"It's okay. Think of his words. Did he say anything else? How did he say it?" 

Zero was worried. If, by chance, Asato wasn't fully himself and that Rido was involved then Kaname was in deep trouble. 

"No. Or yes? Maybe… It was weird. First he was really polite if not a bit cold to me, but then it was like… like a switch? Like poof! And he was completely different. He didn't snap out of it until you two stormed in." 

Rido is possessing people again. Damn it all.  

"Zero? Are you okay? You look really pale! Ehhrrm, more pale than normal? You know what I mean."

He wasn't okay. He was far from okay, but he had no time to lose himself. 

"Yuki, I need you to be a hero tonight. Can you do that for me?"

She winced but put a brave face on for him. A nod followed. He trusted her to be more than a damsel in distress, so she would be just that. She'd make him proud. 

"Go to Cross. Tell him everything you just told me. I'm going to make sure Kaname is okay. Stay indoors, do not under any circumstances stop running until you reach Cross's office. Okay?" 

"What's going on? Zero please what–"

"No time. You go to Cross as fast as you can, am I clear? Lives depend on it."

"Yes, sir…!" 

Zero ruffled her hair just like Kaname would do. It seemed to give Yuki a much needed boost of comfort before she dashed off. Good. He'd follow from behind to make sure she reached the main building safe and sound, then return to the Moon dormitory to help clean up. Even if he was possessed, Ichio stood no chance against Kaname's inner circle as he was. With Kaname and Zero putting their heads together their strategy was foolproof. 

Their enemies were good, but they were better. 

He hoped.

Hope dies last, and it was quite the tenacious little spark of an emotion. With Yuki on her way all safe and sound, Zero could make his way back to the vampires he somehow got attached to. The idea of losing even one made him uneasy at best. It wasn't like he had suddenly found himself with a bunch of beloved childhood pets or something, but with a bundle of almost children to look after. His mind was old despite was his body showed. Zero in his dreams of a never-coming tomorrow had aged like fine wine, allegedly. These were his vampires and nobody was allowed to touch them. 

The irony that Kaname likely felt the same was not lost on Zero.

Arriving back, the first thing that worried him was the silence. Vampires were apex predators, sure, but even they made some noise under normal circumstances. Hanabusa for example could be quite loud if he was relaxed. This suffocating quiet made every single hair raise on the back of his head and it didn't get better once he stepped into the building. His hunter senses screamed bloody murder at him while his vampiric half coiled together ready to kill. 

He held out Bloody Rose out of habit. Then her darker twin followed suit. Maybe it was nerves or something but focusing on his new gun helped him calm down a bit. She was a beauty of a weapon, dark metal framed by pale wood made her a reverse of Bloody Rose. They certainly looked like mirror images. If only he knew where that one had come from…,? Not that he would complain. He would need everything he could get his hands on soon enough. 

Around the corner to one of the parlors was where the action happened. Zero hid behind a vase and watched how the barely conscious and now clearly possessed Asato lost his mind to Rido. The elder vampire went down screeching as the mad pureblood took over completely. 

It's the eyes. It's always the eyes. Those damned mismatched eyes.

On the other side of the room was Kaname, standing before his inner circle and leading with the king for once, not knowing the knight was just around the corner. He was protecting a hurt Senri Shiki, who in turn was holding back a distraught Takuma. Hanabusa and Ruka stood closest to Kaname and looked ready to join their leader in battle. Zero was almost proud of the two if they weren't so outmatched. However the formation held strong on the defensive and would continue to do so. In his borrowed body Rido could not break through, thus creating a stalemate. 

Kaname raised his hand to strike the head of his possessed foe. 

"You are not welcome here." he said, mostly to keep face and borrow himself time to plan.

But that was all a show and they were too old for make-believe games.

"You can't do it, can you, my dear nephew… ?"

Kaname stayed quiet. The fact he didn't immediately deny the accusation made the vampires uneasy. 

"You can not kill me." now that's a statement.

From his place behind the vase Zero could almost hear Kaname's blood pressure rising. He knew the look in his friend's eyes. He knew the devastating crushing weight of being bound by invisible forces out of his control. He, the king of the night, was nothing more than a toy and he hated it in the exact same way Zero hated his own shackles. He'd seen enough. 

Without Yuki in anyone's way, Zero could move freely. He didn't have to hold back as he crashed into Rido fast enough to return the broken ribs and send him stumbling. In hindsight he should have recognized the bastard's tactic the moment he got his insides clawed out, but in his defense Zero had been a bit busy at that time. Two of his enemies bundled in one? This was, dare he say it, fun . 

The tackle allowed Kaname to get closer once more. He still couldn't force himself to actually hit his "uncle" even in his borrowed body but the sheer willpower behind the action got him close enough to make it look like a successful attack. All he needed was a little push. 

Zero put his hand over Kaname's and pushed until they heard a dull wet crack.

"He's not alone anymore." 

Rido's mind fled the beaten body with a hiss of anger. When his eyes landed on Zero they seemed intrigued, and hungry. Oh, so very hungry… always so hungry.  

Somewhere in the depths of his heart Zero felt a weight drop off his back as soon as Asato closed his eyes and fell. His mind had taken a hit and his body was beyond repair. Whatever was left of him had a tiny chance to recover of course, but Zero was as much of a realist as Kaname was and they only needed one look at each other to agree on that. Asato was gone, one way or another. 

Zero's hand was still over Kaname's. He only noticed when Kaname laced their fingers together to give him a soft squeeze that was as much a "thank you" as it was a "I'm here for you too". It confused Zero for a moment. The battle was over and they had no losses. Why would Kaname…? Oh. 

Oh. 

That wasn't how he had wanted to make his official debut as a pureblood vampire, but in hindsight there were worse ways this could have gone. 

His jacket was torn where claws had ripped into him. Underneath the fabric nothing but smooth skin remained. He'd need a new shirt. Black or white? Day or night? For a moment that was the biggest problem he wanted to deal with. Everything else could wait for once. Life needed to take a hint and just stop. He didn't even complain when he got tugged around like some fashionable accessory. He was just too tired to care this time.

"Is everyone alright?" Kaname asked.

He tugged at Zero to follow him when he made his way closer to his inner circle. Since they were still holding hands he had no choice but to be dragged along. 

"Fine." came from several of them while Zero just grumbled something. 

It was Takuma who was shaken the most by this night's events. Not that anyone could blame him. 

"Go." Zero huffed, "he's your family. Nobody's going to hold it against you if you want to see the body." 

With Kaname's permission as well, Takuma rushed off. 

Which left the rest of them to sort out this mess. Speaking of family…

"Yuki's gone to get headmaster Cross. He should be here soon, likely with Yagari in tow." 

"Good. Zero? Can you convince either of them to patrol tonight? Just in case."

"That teacher of mine is more likely to offer it himself first, but sure." 

With that out of the way Kaname finally let go by throwing Zero onto the sofa right in the middle of the other vampires. Then he joined them himself by sitting on the armrest. This wasn't how any of them had expected this night to go. It cracked the happy sense of normalcy that had built up over the past few weeks and brought Zero back to his original mission. Well, the adapted version of it anyway. 

Monsters like Rido and Asato were why he kept fighting. Those were who he needed to eliminate to protect humanity, and even the vampires. Those beasts deserved his bullets. It was his purpose and reason to keep living. 

The room was quiet and cold. Nobody wanted to break the fragile layer of security that the silence provided. If it shattered the little bubble of warmth the huddled group kept to themselves may escape and leave them exposed. They did not dare even twitch until footsteps echoed through the hallway and came closer. Only then with each step-step that drew nearer would they tense again. They shuffled behind Zero instinctively and then looked at Kaname for guidance. Their sword and shield respectively sent them equally dry looks. 

Then Cross burst into the room, followed by a much less frantic Yagari. 

"What happened here and oh my-!"

Yagari pushed him aside to face the group of fangs directly.

"Well?" he crossed his arms, "who broke some academy rules tonight?"

Zero and Kaname shared a look and raised their hands at the same time. Yagari huffed out a pained sigh and shook his head.

"Did he deserve it?" he asked, looking at Zero with a tired frown.

"Yes."

"And what's your opinion on it, Kuran?"

Kaname nodded, "he deserved it."

With a sigh Yagari turned to Cross and shrugged. Then he went to inspect the leftover mess and console the grieving vampire beside it as much as a hunter like him could.

Cross had turned a shade more pale before he gained a tint of green at the grizzly sight, but he regained his composure just in time. Zero knew it wasn't all just an act. He was keenly aware of the true depth of what the vampire without fangs could be. He also knew the man's heart was made of gold and really just wanted this peace thing to work. 

"Please, what happened here?" he asked once more.

Zero let his head drop backwards, "Rido decided to possess someone. We acted in self-defense. As prefect, I gave the group temporary permission to ignore your sacred academy rules as per emergency protocol. Yes, I've read that stupid booklet. No, I won't admit that ever again." 

The sass brought a smile back to Cross's face just as Zero had hoped it would. 

"Yuki made it to me safe and sound. Nobody was killed tonight, thanks to you two working together so well." 

Had he imagined the shimmer in his guardian's eyes? Cross has always been overly emotional but for that small moment the sight, and the feeling he got from him, had been different. It felt like the ghost of a hug full of pride and joy. Despite everything there was light in the darkness. There was hope in the abyss. 

The warmth flooded back into the room soon after that. Zero was happy to let Kaname handle the debriefing. His body was heavy and the sofa he was on was too soft to get up. In fact: it was so soft that he could easily ignore the group of vampires that had surrounded him up until the point when one of them had poked his cheek. 

He opened a lazy eye to see Hanabusa smile at him. The rest of them were caught between confused, mortified and awestruck. The sight got a small huffed laugh out of him. 

"Can I help you?" he grumbled.

"How did you do that?" Ruka asked with no fear. His change in status hadn't sunk in yet, apparently.

"What?"

And after that it was a symphony of discord as everyone started talking at the same time. The entire group had surrounded him and they were all too used to plain old Zero to treat him like any other pureblood. It was comforting. Or it would have been if he hadn't been caught in the middle of the chatter. The only thing Kaname offered him was a small grin and nonchalant shrug that told him just how amusing he found Zero's predicament. The asshole even had the audacity to wink at him. Zero would get his revenge soon enough. 

He focused on that spark in him one more time. This feeling of something moving through his veins had become familiar enough to grasp. It was like salt in the ocean, unreachable unless he knew how to get to it. He had learned how to dig for the power in himself, and the glass vase right next to Kaname was his target. 

There was a sharp and almost melodic plink that heralded the splatter of a shattering vase. It cracked until nothing but dust was left and the water in it had soaked Kaname's pants in just the right place. One of the poor roses Zero had just evicted from their glassy home had landed on his head. Thorns tangled into brown hair and wine red eyes flashed a playfully pissed red right back at him. No hard feelings, huh? That meant that this was the beginning of a war Zero couldn't wait to win. 

The mildly scandalized vampires, sputtering Cross and done-with-this-shit Yagari were a small price to pay. Zero just grinned as innocently as he could. Kaname soon joined him because they both knew they would never accept outside interference in their game. This was their dance and nobody else's. Rido had seen them work together, how easily they fell into symmetry, and if not even he could part them, who would? 

For the first time since he had been given his second chance Zero felt like he truly belonged. He was home. 

"Aido, could you do me a favor?" Zero asked, knowing the blonde was lurking somewhere close to his left shoulder.

"My lord?"

"I need a new shirt. This one's done. Can I borrow one from you?"

Ruka blinked, as did Takuma and Senri.

"You are joining the Night class, then?"

Zero turned to face his mentor and father figure, as well as Cross and Kaname. 

"Yes. If it's not too much trouble, I would like to move in today."

Cross grinned and clapped his hands together, "right away! I'll get your paperwork done as soon as we deal with this."

Everybody pretended to not hear the "my adorable vampires all getting along, I'm so happy" that followed that declaration. 

As the sun rose, Zero felt Yagari's hand on his shoulder, giving him a soft squeeze just before his hair was ruffled. 

Yep. He was home alright. 

Chapter Text

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Memories came unbidden. It was only natural that his mind would wander in a new room, and a new bed, that were both everything he never asked for. The luxuries around him were a bother. Zero had to keep himself from popping the glass drops that made the gigantic chandelier above him shine like the starry sky. To anyone else the room Kaname had put him in would have been paradise. He was just glad this was only temporary and for one day. 

His actual room would be the one right next to Kaname's own. To avoid suspicion and questions from outsiders the suite was declared as the new prefects' quarters. Meanwhile, the vampires have lovingly dubbed it the hunter's lair . As one of the school guardians, night student Zero would be working very closely with Kaname, thus the closeness of their rooms made that job easier. That was what they told others. Not that Zero was complaining… That much.

In truth, Kaname and his inner circle had insisted that Zero was treated as a pureblood should be treated. Of course he fought them on that up until the point where he threw a pillow at Aido and threatened to sleep on the roof. The group was obsessed with the idea of giving him only the best of the best now that whatever was running through his veins was vampire enough for them. Zero tried to get over that bit. At least they were able to hash out a deal that said Zero would stay in the suite, but that he was decorating it however he wanted to. They were surprisingly agreeable to that. Then again his list of demands was fairly short and had more "do not" than "do this" written on it. 

He sighed. He had no idea how to navigate this new life. It had been confusing enough to wake up in the past. Now he wished he could fall asleep and just stay in blissful darkness for a few thousand years or so. Zero was afraid. He was afraid of what was to come just as much as he feared what would never be again. This wasn't his world but home didn't exist anymore. Home had burned to ashes two lifetimes ago on that cold winter night.

Sleep eluded him for the entire day. When the sun set and the first hazy pink of the evening shone right into the mirror – and then reflected into his eyes – Zero stood up with a growl. That cheeky jerk had planned this. He swore Kaname had placed that there at just the right angle to mess with him. Revenge for the vase, he assumed. How childish. Zero knew he could top that somehow later.

The white uniform looked just as good on him as before. With his newfound ability running just below his skin he could almost feel the white fabric shimmer when he let his aura cover it. There was one small key difference about it however, and it brought a honest smile to his face. The buttons. Each of them had the same symbol engraved that was on his gun. Where Kaname wore roses, Zero was allowed to wear lilies. A deviation from the school dresscode was no small thing and it must have taken many people many signatures to let him have this. It was just some tiny, silly, inconsequential detail that nobody would ever pick up on, but it made his day. It was his and it was a piece of home in a sea of unknowns. 

He wondered what his parents would think of him. Their legacy lived on in Ichiru and himself, but he wasn't sure if they were proud of him like this. As hunters they had actively fought the very monster he had become. His mama and papa had fought for humanity, and he had none left in his blood. He only had his human heart with him now. It had to be enough. He hoped it was.

Zero closed his eyes and put on a brave face. It was what it was. He had to keep going. No matter what would come he had to stay strong because if he broke there was nobody who could put him back together. Their sacrifice would be in vain and for nothing, and that was a bigger shame than to have a leech as a son. The poison could crawl under his skin all it wanted, he refused to let that take him down. Zero Kiryu would not allow his blood to decide his fate. He couldn't lose himself. 

His head was a mess, but what else was new?

When Zero opened his eyes he saw the ghosts of his parents behind him. The mirror wouldn't lie to him about this. It could not. His mother was smiling and giving him her signature thumbs up on his left. Meanwhile, his father stood on his right, with his hand just above Zero's shoulder, and was nodding his approval solemnly. Their bodies devoid of color yet full of light were like solid fog. Zero saw his mother's hair drift in a nonexistent breeze. He saw his father's coat flare out behind him too. The two shimmered in pale milky pearl, yet he still saw them crystal clear. The thing that made him believe was their eyes. Those weren't simple dolls or memories behind him. Those eyes watched and implored, burned and melted when Zero looked into them. Their eyes were alive. It really was them.

For just a moment he had them back. Clairvoyance or mastery over time, something had made it work. It was a similar feeling as the warmth he had felt when his girls had visited him in that dream of a future from nevermore. It filled his heart all the same and drove away the hate and anger. 

Whatever wretched creature he was, nature showed mercy that evening. His parents were really there for a small visit from beyond the veil, and then they turned into shards, with matching smiles as a goodbye. Death reclaimed them as their borrowed forms shattered. Then they were dust, fizzling into the netherworld once more, but still hugging him one last time just because they could. Anyone cheating death like that would have done the same. 

Zero had his answer. Words weren't needed when their eyes told him everything he needed to know. They still loved him. They were proud of him. They came back from the grave when he needed them the most. They came  even when he used his monstrous, unnatural, and vile powers to call them for something as silly as a visit. When vampire hunters could still accept a pureblood as their son, then maybe the world had more of a chance than he had thought before. 

Maybe he really had a place there. 

His place was with them. All of them. 

With his heart just a bit lighter it was time to join the others for "breakfast". He wasn't sure if he should call it dinner or not. From what the vampires have told him the food was exquisite and Zero was allowed to ask for anything he wanted. Private chefs were something he would have to get used to. He missed his own kitchen already. 

"I wonder…"

Just for the sake of routine and familiarity, would anyone mind if he went to join the kitchen staff? It was his hobby after all. 

Zero shrugged. If anyone had a problem with that, then that wasn't his problem. Those pampered leeches could write a letter to the headmaster if his decisions bothered them that much. If they did, Cross would likely come for a visit just to confiscate Zero's cooking for himself. He grinned, and then headed towards the moon kitchen. Just knowing his family wasn't rolling in their graves gave him a spark of something he had not felt in far too long. With Ichiru safe and happy, and Yagari doing okay too, Zero felt a burden drop from his shoulders. After that breathing became easier than ever before.

Gourmet food just couldn't match his mother's recipes and they lived on in him.  Zero knew if he made his home style dumplings even Ruka would kiss his hands. He was used to making extras for Yuki. With how big the moon dormitory kitchen was, he was sure he could feed them all, but that day he would only make enough for Kaname's inner circle. Baby steps. 

And thus, he got to work. Pureblood vampire he may have been becoming, but after everything is said and done he still had a human heart capable of love in all of its forms. The best food was made with lots of that, and a good helping of motivation. The image of Hanabusa's face later would be priceless. Finally, Zero thought, someone would appreciate his hard work for once.

The rest of the evening went by rather uneventfully. Changeover was unusually quiet, but Zero knew Cross had orchestrated it somehow so he didn't worry. Yagari might have dropped him that morsel of information when nobody had been looking, but if anyone asked he would deny that ever happened. Actual school classes were even more boring than the day curriculum, but that suited him just right. Kaname was just as bored as Zero was, and his new bench-mate knew how to pass the time without being lazy. 

Instead of joining the discussion of how angry a red door was, the two tried to figure out what Rido was up to, and who else was compromised on both sides. Using the red door as a code word they had quite a discussion that night, and without their teacher noticing a thing too. Yagari was the only one to catch them. He was also the only teacher who didn't care.

When the bell announced their lunch break, Zero tugged on Kaname's sleeve. 

"I need to ask you something in private."

"Another vision?"

"Not quite. More like another power."

Intrigued was too mild of a word to describe Kaname's expression. Zero's developing condition and budding powers made him light up like only few other things could do. The curiosity was genuine though, and Zero appreciated the answers he could get that way. 

"What happened this time?" he asked casually, as if they were merely discussing the weather.

"I spoke with the dead."

Zero had expected some level of surprise, maybe even a raised eyebrow or dubious remark, but Kaname just shrugged. 

"This ability is quite common among European vampires. It's not unheard of here as well, although it does appear more often in women than men."

"Okay… then how about this; I created bodies out of crystallized fog for the ghosts of my parents to possess."

All that got him was a sigh. Kaname really wasn't impressed, or even surprised.

"You are clairvoyant. It is not that far of a stretch to assume you are in some ways sensitive or a medium as well. Couple that with the fact that you are a twin born from hunters' blood – who may I remind you can manipulate matter – where does that lead us?" 

Before Zero could reply Kaname had poked his nose with his index finger.

"You have done far stranger things, but if you really wish to explore this ability you may want to speak to our European exchange students. They have formed a group and specialize in the art of contacting the dead. You… can not mistake them."

Kaname had sounded strangely tight at the end there before he cleared his throat and resumed his normal regality. His eyes were focused on the double holster that Zero had on his back. The leather was normally covered by his blazer, but with Zero leaning back just a little bit he could see it. Bloody Rose and Bloody Mary were safely tucked away from sight, but that didn't mean they weren't there. Zero had an idea what Kaname wanted to talk about. 

"You're really interested in my new gun."

"Should I not be?" 

"Should you? Yeah. You know I could just shoot you for old time's sake." Zero joked.

In response, Kaname just leaned in closer to get a better look. 

"Hey, watch it."

"Cooperate then and I won't be forced to humiliate both of us."

"What?! Kaname!? Oi!" Zero huffed, "Hands off, that's not my gun!"

Dry as ever with no shame at all, Kaname replied, "oh? Here I thought my hand had struck gold." 

"What the hell are you trying to accomplish here? And just for the record; I'm the silver bullet straight into your head." 

Zero didn't like the grin on Kaname's face.

"Which one do you mean, pray tell?"

One small glance down from Kaname's face to his crotch had Zero turn a dusty shade of pink, then blue when he forgot that he still needed air. No amount of praying for the ground to swallow him whole did anything, so he resigned himself to his fate and accepted this loss. That didn't mean the war was over. Oh, it had just started.

"At least I carry guns. Where's your sword? You don't have performance issues, hm? Or is it just shy?" 

"Euphemisms aren't going to get you anything, hunter."

"You started it, vampire." Zero teased right back.

The two locked eyes and glared. Fire clashed with ice for all of two minutes. Then both of them let their laughter bubble up freely. Zero huffed and chuckled, while Kaname hummed more gently. For old time's sake, oh that really never got old. 

Zero pulled out Bloody Mary for Kaname to hold. The weapon was a perfect twin of Bloody Rose, if not for the color of the metal and the engraved name. Kaname had some trouble focusing on it at first. Zero was still the star of his dark little world, but eventually curiosity won even him over. 

"This is an anti-vampire weapon." 

"No shit, Sherlock."

Kaname didn't grace that foul language with even an ounce of his attention. 

"It feels like you in the same way every other anti-vampire weapon feels like her. " 

Zero tilted his head, "Her? Who?"

"The woman who gave her heart away to give your kind a fighting chance."

Zero had so many questions, but at that moment Kaname looked utterly lost and broken. He knew that particular look. He recognized it as one of his own. The look of longing, and loss was one he was intimately familiar with. In his old life he would have never expected to see it on Kaname's face. The Kaname from that timeline seemed so cold to anyone except Yuki, it was hard to imagine that one being affected by loss. This one? Zero wanted to hug him. 

"You knew the lady in the white hood?" he asked as he put an arm around his friend.

"Yes."

Zero had fully expected Kaname to drop the topic and move on to something lighter, but the reborn ancestor seemed to be in a nostalgic mood that night. He leaned into the one-armed hug fully at ease. 

"I was intended to be the original sacrifice, you know."

"No. I didn't know. What made you reconsider?"

"She made the choice for me. She told me to keep going. Why? I have no idea. My memories are still fragmented at best, but I remember she was clairvoyant just like you, Zero. Although her clairvoyance manifested in dreams, and not active visions."

"There's a difference?"

"A big one, I have been told. She insisted I should continue to live, and that I would know why she took my place one day. Unlike you she has been very cryptic. You would have needed to pull the information from her claws. I appreciate your more straightforward attitude."

"That's a compliment I'll gladly take. But, I'm glad she did what she did."

Kaname grumbled in displeasure and shook his head. Zero wouldn't have it.

"If she hadn't taken your place we wouldn't have met. I'm glad we did, even if you were a colossal jerk in the beginning."

"Pot, this is kettle speaking." Kaname shot back with no mercy or hesitation. 

Then he turned fully towards Zero and brushed the braid that Shizuka had made behind Zero's ear. Bloody Mary joined her sister again when Kaname placed the gun in its holster once more. Most of his attention was on Zero then. It was as if he had seen him for the first time all over again. Then he relaxed, which made Zero himself sigh out his stress. Like this it was so easy to forget what they were. 

The night campus was quiet, but not nearly as somber as he had expected. It was alive just as much as the day campus could be. The vampires were just so much more resigned and calm. Their noble upbringing contrasted with the commoners like a king outshines a peasant. Zero had his work cut out for him. This would be one hell of a job but he would damn himself twice before he gave up. If he could domesticate Kaname, then the rest would follow like falling dominoes.

As if he had read his mind Kaname asked, "Your new room should be ready for you by now. Takuma and Ruka have put their hearts and souls into it."

"So not all of your fanclub helped? I thought this was a group project."

"It is." Kaname held up his index finger, "the others were busy keeping Hanabusa in check. You know how he can be…"

Zero groaned into his hands.

Kaname kept going regardless  "It is a very nice room, if I may say so." 

A crooked grin made Zero look half mad, "How much bling did you put in there?"

The look he got in return was a mixture between offense, dry humor, and the arrogance he was so familiar with. Kaname was very proud of something and he was dangling it above Zero's head like a carrot on a stick. 

Tough luck. Zero was into a different kind of snack now, like something red and sweetly metallic. 

"You look at me like I am your dinner. Is this the reward I get for the nice things I am doing for you, Kiryu Zero? Hm?"

"Shut up, food doesn't talk. Besides, I can't help it and you know that."

"Ah. I am merely your "food" now? How sad."

"Hm. What a tragedy."

They enjoyed the moment for what it was. Both hoped it could last forever. 

The rest of the night went without anything notable happening. Even Hanabusa behaved, as surprising as that was. He struggled a little during music class and Zero offered to help him with his homework. Kain let him know that a similar arrangement was in place with Kaname regarding history. The poor thing. He was stuck between his dorm president and the scary vampire hunter.

Then it was time to go home. His new room was waiting for him behind a set of double doors just like the pair that led towards Kaname's living space. He didn't know why a room was making him that nervous, but he was about to kick that feeling to the curb. This would be his place from then on forwards, and if he had his way it would be his home for many years to come. Be it as a student or as staff.

He stepped into his new domain and felt like he had fallen into another world. The posh was gone and had made space for something more rustic, but no less elegant. It was far above the simplicity of the minimalist day dorm rooms, and even further from the suffocating luxe of the night.

The French countryside met traditional Japanese efficiency and blended into walnut flooring with a dash of granite. The hunter's lair was homely and strategically planned out to offer him the home field advantage, if it ever came to a fight in there. He had a private bathroom, a study, a sitting room with a fireplace, and a small kitchen nook for his unique needs. His walls were painted in powder white, sometimes pearl, and worked well with the oiled walnut wood. Instead of golden accents, silver dotted the place. With the scent of lavender in his nose, Zero dropped into the cloud of cotton that was his bed. The absence of silk made him actually snuggle into the blankets. 

They had outdone themselves. He'd pay them back in his special red velvet mochi later. The whole group deserved a treat after this stunt. 

Another vision caught him and showed him that one day, Kaname would be sitting on his bed with a fond look on his face. Beside him, Yuki was pointing at something in a magazine that had Zero shake his head. He threw pillows at both of them, and the siblings went down with matching squeaks. 

If that was his future, then Zero couldn't wait to embrace it.

Chapter Text

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Yuki's love and respect for Kaname were no secret. Ever since he had saved her on that cold winter night, the girl had been smitten with her dark hero. No matter what monster he was deep down, she would forever be loving him. 

Zero had never before understood why that was. From his point of view vampires were abominations that needed to die. They were leeches who thought themselves to be above their food. With humans seen as mere livestock, how could a love like this one work? Then she had turned into the Kuran princess and everything had fallen apart. The original timeline had never once shown him mercy. With the spell broken, Yuki had lost her human heart to the darkness that plagued every last vampire in existence. Zero knew the beast inside and how it howled for blood. The power, so raw and cold, was reassuring him that, yes, he was capable of slaughtering whoever stood in his way.  It was addicting and required an unholy amount of self control to hold in. It was no surprise the girl had been consumed by it after her awakening. She had been dropped into an ocean of blood without anyone to catch her. This time around he wouldn't let her fall. Neither would Kaname, now that Zero had warned him of what was to come. 

He didn't want to understand how anyone actually could fall like that. He prayed he would never go through it himself. Back then he hadn't bothered to ask, and now as a pureblood himself he had no intention of following the princess's trail of thought. Both Yuki and Shizuka had fallen madly into love and it had destroyed them in ways no weapon could hope to compare to. It was a rotting mold that ate them from the inside. Their love, sweet and rich, withered away everything they were until only a hollow shell of them was left behind.

This timeline was different. 

Somehow, Zero could tell that there had been an ever so slight shift in the air. Yuki still loved Kaname to bits and pieces, but without Zero biting her – and subsequently being chained to her side by guilt and debt – she was still fluttering freely. Kaname wasn't hovering over her at all times either. Oh no. He spent half of his usual stalking time chasing Zero around, much to his amusement and annoyance. 

Then there was the incident from the day prior. Zero could not explain the rush he had felt when Kaname got up-close and personal with him. The following banter could only be described as flirty, but Kuran Kaname would never just flirt with him of all possible people. Right? Zero could not make any sense of it all. They were friends. Just guys being dudes and fooling around like… he didn't know what to compare this to. Zero hated to admit he never had a friend quite like Kaname. Kaito had never… uh, at least he hoped he had not. 

Some small part of him wished it were true. The old Kuran, he hated with every cursed drop of blood he had in himself. The original Kuran king was the true definition of what he would have called a monster and Zero was glad the leech lord was gone. Meanwhile, this Kaname was turning more and more human with each day that passed. He could see it in the other and how he held himself. The wall he had put between himself and others was getting thinner. He spoke more casually and started to just hang out with his inner circle for the fun of it. Zero could have sworn this was a textbook example of an abuse victim learning to trust again. 

It allegedly took one to know one, not that anyone but Yagari dared to tell him that to his face.

Screaming and the sound of broken glass woke him up from his daydreaming. Zero still wasn't fully used to sleeping during daylight hours. Unlike him, the vampires were, and hearing all the noise in the one place where every good vampire should have been asleep in was making him worry. This was either an intruder or someone really stupid. He hoped it would be an intruder. It was far too early to deal with any stupidity. 

Zero only managed to stand up and brush his bed hair when he heard a knock on his door. Then a very familiar face grinned at him through a half opened door. 

"Zero! Dorm inspection!" 

He sent a deadpan glare towards Yuki, who smiled at him with a sweeter than sunshine smile. 

"Headmaster Cross planned a surprise dormitory inspection a while ago, but somehow it got lost in a stack of paperwork. Get dressed and come help me!" 

"What…? Is that what this ruckus is about?"

"Uh huh. Hanabusa had some trouble letting go of his… uh… collection."

"You mean the trash he keeps in his room? Kaname is going to be pissed once he finds out."

"He wasn't happy at all, no. Poor Hanabusa…"

Zero huffed out a laugh that earned him a glare from Yuki.

"Show some compassion, will you?" 

He just waved her off and sighed, "we've been hounding him to get rid of that for weeks. It's his own fault. Senri owes me money now."

"You bet on Hanabusa getting yelled at?!"

Zero shook his head, "Nah. We bet on Kaname's reaction. Kain and I said he'd be annoyed. Senri believed he would be alright with it."

Yuki looked horrified by the amount of casual boyish nonsense. It was obvious what her thoughts about all of this were. Then her sour face turned mischievous and a small photograph slipped out of her blazer's pocket. She grinned like a little devil and held it out for Zero to take. 

It was a secretly snapped picture of himself in his day uniform talking to Takuma. He remembered that day. He'd been called to help organize the night library and stock it with hunter literature in an effort to mend some old rifts. Those day class lunatics had somehow climbed that twice damned wall again. He wanted to scream at someone. 

"I can't really blame them, you know. The entire night class is beautiful."

He couldn't resist, "Thanks for the compliment. I'll pass it on to Kaname later too."

"What!? No!" and there she went. Yuki turned beet red, "Zero, no, please don't tell him!" 

"Why not? He'd be happy."

"This is so embarrassing!"

He only laughed without any mercy at all and all but shoved his adopted sister out of his new room. 

"Give me ten minutes and I'll be with you."

Six minutes later he found himself in the main sitting room. Kaname's inner circle was there assembled and looking terribly sleepy. His majesty himself had claimed a spot near the staircase. To the untrained eye he looked bored. To Zero, who knew what to look for, he had claimed a spot where he could keep an eye on his vampires. Kaname had the tactical advantage there. Zero decided to make his life easier and went to the opposite end of the room, taking half of Kaname's burden should it come to a fight of some kind. 

Together they were stronger. As one they had to carry only half of the weight. They had learned that a while ago. With both of them standing strong, Yuki's light would never dim. Her heart would remain whole, and maybe that was just the thing they needed, wasn't it? Them being a trinity, not a triangle. He faintly remembered Cross had gone on a long tirade about "make love not war" a while ago. The memory of the entire rant came without his permission, but it only strengthened the feeling of this is right in him.  

A sudden pair of begging, sparkling, vampire eyes snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Zero~ our merciful and mighty hunter guardian, may I make this request of thee, milord?" Hanabusa had the balls to enter Zero's personal space. 

With the sparkly eyed blonde proving the stereotype right, Zero wanted to take a step back. He couldn't. This begging heap of vampiric puppy dog eyes was still up close and personal with him and he was following him as well. So all he could do was ask what he wanted this time.

"Hm?"

Aido clapped his hands together as if he were praying, "When you enter the Day dormitory, can you save some pictures of me?" 

"What? Why?" he was completely lost. 

"The day students take pictures of us all the time. I just want some of myself for the fun of it! But, Yuki always confiscates them before I can even see a single one! Please, Zero, may I keep a few?" 

That required a sigh. A deep, desperate sigh. Abandon all hope, ye who deal with that one.

"You know it is against school rules to take pictures of other students." as an afterthought he added, "you do, right?"

"Those were taken with permission!"

And the waterworks started as the begging intensified. Zero missed the times when the blonde wasn't a walking stereotype and had been afraid of him. It had made so many things so much easier to deal with. 

"Hanabusa Aido, why can't you be normal for one day?!"

Several vampires laughed at Zero's predicament. He himself didn't think it was that funny. Yelling didn't get Hanabusa to stop begging either. Then, to make matters worse, Kaname joined in and hammered the final nail into this coffin.

"I don't see why not. While technically not entirely compliant with the academy's rules, I believe the headmaster might make an exception for us this one time. Please, Zero, if you can find a few pictures of all of us together, we would like to start a scrapbook. Memories are precious, are they not? So let us keep them somewhere."

With that, Zero had no other choice but to relent and agree to save some of those accursed pictures. Essentially bullied into it by his classmates and a good amount of peer pressure, he let his head drop back against the wall and cursed in at least four languages. 

Duty called, and it didn't care that his day had started with him rolling out of the wrong side of his bed. The noise though, that he could very much do without.

With Zero wearing white, the entire day dormitory was distracted enough for Yuki to just take whatever she had to. Confiscating those "not allowed, sorry!" pictures had never before been that easy. She almost felt pity for Zero too, with the key word being almost . He knew that it was a tactical decision to save her own skin and social standing from her classmates. He wouldn't hold it against her, but her smile oozed smugness at his predicament. This was his punishment for sleeping in, or something like that. Perhaps it was karma for a deed done in his past life? As if he would know. His luck had always been somewhat rotten, but his heart never lost its luster. 

If only they would stop screaming…! 

None dared to touch him, for now, and his glare kept the more vocal ones in check too. They all just ignored his barks in favor of asking him about his new life as a night student. Most wanted to hear gossip about his new classmates. Oh well… 

"You don't have this from me, but…"

They all leaned closer with wide open eyes to listen to him, "allegedly Senri Shiki and Rima Toya are going to model as a pair for some… what was it?" Zero pretended to think, "Ah, right. This one fashion magazine with the lotus logo hired them." 

He closed his eyes and crossed his arms, "If you really want pictures I suggest you get them legally. Yuki, how's it going?"

From the other end of the hallway, Yuki gave him a thumbs up and rolled her cart full of confiscated nonsense out of the building. The screams followed her on her way out, and then came the tears. Zero made sure he was gone before any of them could sink their claws into him in some last ditch effort to at least get something from him as compensation. Given the day class's emotional state he fully expected to get mauled. 

Yuki was slightly suspicious when he offered to help her carry the bag full of contraband, and rightly so. Zero would have never done this before. If this had been the old Zero he would have left her to do it all by herself. Even now she suspected he had ulterior motives and her narrowed eyes let him know that. However, he was much faster than she was. Pureblood speed came in handy when one had to steal illegally taken pictures. Before the girl could blink, Zero had his pockets full of very nice memories. He even managed to swipe a group picture. 

He remembered that evening well. Weeks before his transfer, he had decided to drop by during patrol when the vampires offered him a slice of watermelon to-go. At first he had been suspicious, but then he saw they had dissolved some blood tablets in its juice. A sweet snack for the vampire in need of refreshment. The picture showed all of them with a slice each. It was a memory he was fond of. 

"Zero?" Yuki waved a hand in front of his face, "are you alright?"

He nodded, "Yeah. I think so. I'm just thinking about everything that has happened lately."

Yuki smiled "Whatever happened, you're much happier now. I'm glad it did."

"So am I. You know, I never told you that I love you, Yuki. You're the sister I never had, but got anyway." 

"Zero…" her eyes went wide. 

"After I lost my family I didn't want to let anyone get close to me again, yet no matter how hard I pushed you kept coming back. You just didn't take no. You and master Yagari were the only ones who came back. How could I not start to love you? I just couldn't say it, I guess."

"You love me? Hmm. I'm so happy to hear that." and she meant every word, "but you aren't in love with me?" 

Zero shook his head and crossed his arms.

"Someone actually managed to steal your heart! Who is it? Do I know her?"

"I'm not in a relationship. Calm down."

"But, I would be a bad little sister if I didn't pester you about your love life, right? That's what sisters do!" she teased, "now tell me! Who is it?"

Her eyes went even wider and Yuki almost seemed to glow from the inside out, "Is it one of the vampires? Ruka, maybe?" 

Zero, with as much patience as he had, grimaced and shook his head again. Definitely not.

Yuki felt her cheeks puff out as her face flushed a dusty rose red. Then a light went on above her head and that sparkle in her eyes became malicious. 

"It's not a her at all, isn't it? You're after a boy!"

"What makes you think that?"

"Is it Aido?"

Now, Zero actually lost it for the first time in… yes . He couldn't remember when he had ever laughed like this.

"Zerooo! Who is it! I can't help you get together if you won't tell me who it is."

He wouldn't tell her. It was far too early to tell anyway, and her help surely would end up doing more harm than good. As generous as that girl was she rarely thought about consequences or lasting effects. Headstrong and with the best of intentions, Yuki tended to run down the road to hell without even a glance back. Still, he liked to think that one day, maybe, he would have a chance to touch his prince freely. Then, and only then, having Yuki's help would come in handy. Kaname seemed interested. He would just have to ask, and there laid his problem. 

Daydreaming of all the ways he could ask him out left him with little hope. Almost all of his plans were immediate failures. His pride refused to beg, and his heart was quite the skittish thing nowadays. This was a delicate matter, one which required the utmost level of careful planning. He tried to use his hunter training to strategize which approach would yield the best results, but a date just wasn't the same as a mission. He wanted to kiss that vampire, not kill him. 

And suddenly his dreams felt so much more real. In a heartbeat he was pulled away from reality again. It was a familiar feeling by now. 

He felt his hands meet his own for a brief moment. They held each other, entwined their fingers and became one, just to let go again as his hands roamed freely over his chest. Hair was pulled, nails turned into claws, and suddenly they were horizontal. It was so much easier to deal with everything that way. 

Lips met lips and left a tingling feeling behind. Hot breath drew out sweat that made their flushed faces shine in the dim light; so pale, yet so alive. A fang met another fang. Then their powers clashed into each other as a wave of something warm and wild took them. Entropy had met eternity and both curled around each other in an endless dance. From chaos came order just long enough for everything to fall into place.

It was enough to make the present Zero gasp for air even before the vision had ended. He stumbled, and fell, into the haystack beside the stables. His heart was beating hard enough that he feared it would jump out of his chest, and hop straight to Kaname without the rest of him. 

"What the hell was that..?"

From his knees, he let himself fall backwards. With eyes wide open the vision left him with a little problem he had to deal with later on his own. Then and there he had to ride it out. That wave of pure chaos he had felt was like nothing he had ever even heard of. 

If that was what a future with Kaname felt like, then Zero was ready to fight for it. 

"Zero!" Yuki was by his side immediately. 

"I'm fine." he took a few deep breaths and smiled at her, "See? I'm okay. Just a small vampire thing."

"It's not small if you almost pass out! Did you drink enough? Have you slept alright? Ah, I did wake you too early, didn't I? It's all my fault."

"Yuki, easy. It is not your fault. It's a vampire ability I have. Sometimes it surprises me and I'll be disoriented for a bit, that's all." 

She hugged herself and then held her right hand out, pinky first.

"You promise that you are okay?" 

He wrapped his finger around her own and gave her his word, "I am." 

And surprisingly enough he really was okay. Something was growing in the hole he called his heart. It was tiny, soft and thumped every now and then against his ribcage. Zero was by far not ticklish but the feeling he nursed in his chest was a fluttering little thing that coaxed smiles out of him. Him of all people! The world was surely ending soon.

With that tiny spark near his heart he grabbed the girl by the wrist and pulled her along. 

"Where are we going?" 

Zero offered her a gift she would treasure for years to come. He smiled a true smile just for her and, with a playful wink, turned around to lead her wherever he wanted them to go. This was the first time in his new life, and even his old one, that he had ever looked at her like that. It was a look only reserved for his family. 

She hadn't been crying. The drops he wiped away with his sleeve surely must have been from the nonexistent rain – or better yet the fountain, and her own smile was proof of that. 

Then the two came to a stop at the gate. The sky let them know it would soon be time for change over, but not quite yet. They had a moment more to spare, and Zero had an idea what he wanted to do with it. He had sent a firefly to fetch Kaname before they had started walking. Since they had the longer journey to the gate the vampire should be right… there!

"Good evening, Yuki." he greeted, "Zero?"

"Yuki thinks all vampires are beautiful. I promised her I would pass this important message along to you." he answered as if this was a mission report. 

"Oh? Did she?" Kaname turned to her, "my thanks, but none of us could hope to compare to your beauty, Yuki."

Embarrassed twice-over and completely taken aback she did the only thing any girl in her situation could do.

"You know we can still see you behind that tree, right?" 

Kaname was much nicer to her and refrained from saying anything else. However, his own eyes sparkled in a way only an older brother's eyes could. Adopted or not, Zero was doing a marvelous job acting like one as well. Whatever their patchwork family was, it was becoming a rather cosy quilt around them. 

Silly girl. Didn't she know that siblings tease each other equally? If she thought she was the only one allowed to mess with either of them, then she had another thing coming. This time she had two big brothers looking out for her, and in turn the two of them were allowed to tease her until she turned red as a rosebud.

Afterwards, Zero and Kaname exchanged knowing grins and flinty looks. Partners in crime, and they were quite satisfied with it. He never knew how much he had needed this, and how much he had missed out on during his first chance at life. If only things could stay like this forever. If only... but he knew trouble would come knocking on their front door far too soon again. 

Chapter Text

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Snow. White, pure, and cold. Snow is said to be soft as it falls gently to cover the world in a bridal veil. Snow wants to protect even the smallest flower from the bitterness of the frost. This blanket of innocence can be a source of joy as well as grief, as it both shelters and blinds. Snow is an empty canvas, a new beginning to be molded by anyone daring enough to reach into this endless white. 

Glass may be mistaken for frost, but only at first glance. Contrary to it's deceptive beauty it is sturdy and may live to see eternity if it's well kept and cared for. It can be a shield as much as it can be a piece of art. The way glass is crafted decides it's purpose, and eventually how it will meet its end. However, even after it has shattered into a thousand pieces, glass will still cut. It is harsher than snow, sparkles just as bright in the light, but is anything but innocent. Glass does not bend as it shoulders the burden of the truth. 

Both glass and snow, one born from heat and the other from cold, can still coexist. One may argue that their union brings forth little wonders. 

As it was, a group of very bored vampires would all too willingly attest to that on a rather snowy November night. The way the little flakes danced outside made even their eyes sparkle with delight. Even thousands of years later a little bit of snow could brighten a vampire's night, and even coax out the child inside an elderly noble. 

Needless to say, the night class was utterly fascinated by the spectacle outside. 

Zero only shook his head. Kaname had made sure he was allowed to live a peaceful life for just a little longer. Under the king's watchful eye both the senate and the association were forced to lay low. It still confused the vampires and infuriated the hunters how Kuran Kaname could out-maneuver them every time, but the king refused to give them even a hint. Of course no one who knew of Zero's clairvoyance would ever tell a soul without his permission. It was far too big of an ace up their collective sleeves to reveal to their enemies. 

Somehow, someway, Zero had made it to the end of November without losing anyone or his sanity. In only a few short days Cross would bring out the glass ornaments for the festive season again. He knew he was the one cooking their feast again. It would be just like old times, except it would not be, because Zero's family had grown by quite a few members. Celebrating the Winter's tide without them felt just wrong. 

With how things were developing he wouldn't mind dragging Kaname underneath a mistletoe that year. 

Looking outside, the snow fell quietly and completely unbothered by his secret wishes. 

The day class would be in for a surprise once they woke up the next morning. The snowfall had started only a few short hours ago, but was not letting up at all, which meant they would have a winter wonderland soon enough. Zero sighed and grinned; the first thing Aido had thought of had been hot cocoa. Even before the first few flakes had settled down, the vampires had all but begged Zero to make them hot cocoa. He should have never started to feed them in the first place. In hindsight, he had spoiled the leeches. 

It was a strange feeling. With all the years of his first life he felt older than he was supposed to be. The feeling was familiar enough to Kaname for both of them to bond over and compare notes with each other, but he doubted he would ever get used to it. Zero wasn't old by the traditional definition of it. He was just a little more ripe compared to the vampires he had taken to shepherd around. 

Yuki had jokingly called him their mother once, an idea that Zero had quickly shot down with much indignation and annoyance. To his horror the nickname stuck, and was often said in hushed whispers behind his back. Now, why couldn't he be their "father" one might ask? That title was Kaname's. Uncontested, of course. No matter how much Zero grumbled about it, once the vampires had decided to do something they were doing it. They liked him, but Kaname was still the Kuran heir. He was still going to be their one true king, and Zero their shining knight. No queen needed, apparently. 

If mom was happy then so was dad, which meant the entire night dormitory would be happy as well. Their prince and hunter were their guide and guard respectively. Zero knew it. He also knew how to use that against them. It was one of the first things he had learned to perfect after he had moved into the moon dormitory as a permanent addition. 

Their teacher droned on about some old poems that Zero had no interest in. He didn't see the point in listening to something that wouldn't have a proper use later on. His good grades came from his quick thinking and ability to improvise, not from this nonsense. 

Beside him, Kaname looked just as bored. Without the glare and constant worry shadowing his face, he looked just like any other young man out there. Zero knew if he poked him with his pen, that aloof facade would crack as well. This little trick usually worked both ways. 

"One of us has to fish Yuki out of a pile of snow tomorrow, won't we?" Kaname mumbled into his hand, catching Zero off guard.

"Yeah, but she's gotten good at digging herself out by now."

"You should dedicate your first cup of cocoa to her. The cold has no mercy after all." 

Zero considered it, "she does deserve a treat for braving this weather. You are aware this will end in tears, right?" 

"Aido will behave himself." Kaname smiled politely, far too sharp and with an edge only Zero could see. "Yuki deserves her just reward. If he wants one as well he should make himself useful and help the groundskeeper a little." 

"You just want to taste-test before anyone else gets a chance." 

"Guilty as charged." 

"What a royal pain you are." Zero sighed.

"I know a quick remedy for that, my dear hunter." 

Zero raised a brow and shot his friend a look that hovered between a kicked puppy and a lost stuffed toy. 

Before he knew what was happening, Kaname had sprung up and grabbed his hand. He excused the both of them as they passed their startled teacher and left with an air of purpose. To any onlookers he had just sensed something and was ready for battle. To Zero he just looked in need of some fun. 

"So… where's the fire?" he asked.

"This way. Just this once I believe we can be selfishly greedy."

"And we aren't normally?" 

"No. Not like this. I want to…" it was never a good thing when Kaname hesitated mid-sentence. 

"It's a family tradition of the Kuran household to share a special blend of tea during the first snow of the season. I started it out of convenience, and my descendants kept it up." 

Zero understood then, "and with Yuki human you had nobody to celebrate this with."

"I often considered to ask my inner circle but decided against it. I am their lord. I can not mingle with them without causing a social scandal."

"Inviting another pureblood, even if he was born into a hunter family, doesn't cross that line." Zero finished with a huff. 

"Yes. I have not done this in years. Forgive me if I seem out of practice."

"You seem more desperate than anything else." Zero shot back with a grin that earned him a flinty look back. 

"I knew you would not let me down, Zero." 

There in the snow, Zero looked like an ethereal being, a ghost returned from the grave to haunt the night. Yuki had been right that the vampires were beautiful, but Kaname knew true beauty when he saw it. Zero's heart was one of a kind. Wedged between his kindness and Yuki's warmth, he could imagine living an actual life again. The relief spread over his face as that realization hit him full force, and Zero watched it all happen with a small grin. 

"Juri taught me to prepare the tea. I ask you to take Haruka's place and serve it for the both of us once I'm done." 

"I can do that. Is there a certain way you want me to do it?" 

"No. Just be there with me."

"I can do that too." 

The tea turned out to be a very hot mix of apple juice and cranberries, with a hint of cherries as well. They mixed real blood wine into this, and swore a silent oath to never tell a soul of their little rule breaking. Zero's room smelled of it, and would continue to do so for a few more days as well. If one were to ask him why and where the scent came from he would call it contraband and be done with it. Nobody ever questioned Mr disciplinary committee. He didn't seem to mind it all, however. The scent was strangely comforting. It was spicy and warmed even a vampire up. 

The taste wasn't bad either, he had to admit that much. 

"The original recipe is European." 

"Hm." Zero huffed, "What do we do now?" 

Kaname nodded towards the snowflakes that danced outside, "we join those, and count as many as we can. If one of us finds one with more than eight points we make a wish."

"I bet a younger Yuki loved this game." Zero chuckled.

Bittersweet, Kaname replied, "I suppose so, if she had been allowed outside that is. To protect her we had to make sacrifices, she ended up losing more than she should have." 

Zero looked into his cup, "She should be out on patrol. Let me make that hot cocoa and we bribe her into joining us. She doesn't have to know it's a family tradition." 

The way Kaname's eyes shone made it all worthwhile. 

Finding Yuki was easy. Getting yelled at for skipping classes was not. Her dormant memories of Kaname as well as the years she spent growing up alongside Zero gave the girl an edge on this verbal battlefield. The boys however didn't just give up without a good fight back. In the end they admitted to sneaking out just this once because they wanted to give her that hot cocoa. Yuki and sweets were a match made in heaven. 

"I'll let this slide this one time, alright? But tomorrow you are back where you belong!" 

Zero grumbled something into his hand, while Kaname just nodded politely. Yuki ended her lecture with a satisfied smile. 

"Hey, Yuki, while you drink that cocoa, let's play a game."

She sent Zero an odd look, "since when do you play games?"

"Since Kaname started it all." he replied back, pointing at the vampire lord.

"Since when does Kaname play games?" 

The boys had the exact same perplexed looks on their faces. Yuki found their expressions soul warmingly hilarious. 

"I'm glad you two warmed up to each other like this, because that means you finally understand how to have fun!" she cheered, then turned an embarrassed shade of red.

"No-not that you don't know what to do Kaname! It's Zero I was talking to, not you! I… I-!" 

"Yuki." 

"It's fine." Zero finished. 

She deflated in relief and put her face into her cup of hot cocoa.

"So, this game… we both have a little competition going on where we try to spot a snowflake with more than eight points. The winner gets to make a wish." 

Her eyes sparkled from behind her mug and a grin spread over her face until the girl blew bubbles into her drink.

"That sounds like fun."

"Hmm. So, would you like to join us?" 

"Join you?" Yuki asked with big eyes, "No. I want to beat both of you. I love snow! Nobody can catch snowflakes like I do." 

Kaname shook his head with a gentle smile, "Of course not." 

"The game finally got interesting, huh? Let the hunt begin then." 

Before zero could do anything the two siblings were already gone. Kaname cheated by using his powers, and Yuki was far too fast for a normal human girl. Perhaps some of her true nature had shone through in her joy? He just sighed and ambled after them at a much more leisurely speed. A snowflake wasn't more likely to be special if he ran around like a lunatic on sugar. 

He could hear them both laugh. Yuki's was loud and ringing like a bell. Kaname's was a whisper of an echo, but it was there anyway. 

Zero made sure this would remain their secret. He kept a watchful eye open for any wayward day class members who might stumble upon this unusual sight, but found none. Looking up, all he saw was the silently falling snow, and… oh. 

A nine pointed snowflake. Maybe he was just a little lucky after all.

The poor thing melted as it landed on his nose, but by then Zero had already made his wish and was moving on once more. He eventually managed to catch up with Kaname and both went to reign Yuki back in together. Somehow, someway, she had indeed fallen head-first into a pile of snow and had just wormed her way out of it when the boys reached her. 

"Told you she knows how to get out of trouble all on her own." Zero teased his friend while he offered his dry jacket to a shivering Yuki.

"Indeed you did." Kaname replied as he brushed snow out of Yuki's hair. 

"I got one! I saw one with eight points." 

"Did you remember to make a wish?" 

"Yes, Kaname, I did!" 

"Good girl. Now let's go back and warm you up. You'll catch your death out here like this. Zero?" 

"Nobody is going to question Mr disciplinary committee. We'll be fine if we stick to our cover story." 

Yuki looked from one boy to the next, "cover story?" 

"There was a presence we both needed to check out. You got involved because you are a school guardian." 

"As if our hunter and myself would waste our time away playing in the snow, now would we, dear Yuki? Surely you of all people must know us better than that." 

Zero nodded in agreement and crossed his arms. 

Yuki giggled during the entire walk to Zero's room and would only stop when they pushed her into his bathroom to take a hot shower and dress in something dry.

"Did I ever thank you for the room?" 

"Not verbally, I'm afraid no." 

Zero let himself drop onto his bed as Kaname claimed a spot close to the window to watch the snow fall for just a little longer. 

"Then now is it. Thank you. It is everything you said it would be. It's nice to have somewhere to call home again." 

He almost missed the look of longing in Kaname's eyes. Then it was replaced by confusion, until something else entirely flushed the other emotions out. 

"It certainly is. Yes." 

It seemed Zero wasn't the only one who had struggled to find his sanctuary in their world. Before he had never really given Kaname's past much thought. He knew about Haruka and Juri, but he never managed to understand what they must have been to Kaname before their death. With him being an ancestor he had always assumed there to be some distance, some rift between them. He knew the pain of losing his parents. Kaname, now that he had opened himself to Zero, held the exact same shade of grief in his heart. 

They knew what home was meant to be, and had both lost theirs, only to find it again in the most unlikely of places. 

On a whim, Zero decided to share something of his own with his friend. 

"Hey, my family has something like a tradition too. Ichiru and I used to sing carols together for our parents."

"The melody helped them through the darkest months, I presume?" 

"Kind of, I guess? To us it was just how we showed that we care. I may have heard from the grapevine that you used to enjoy operas when you were younger." 

"Takuma, you traitor." Kaname lamented with no real heat behind his words.

"Will you join me and sing one for Yuki? I'm sure we can blame it on too much wine tomorrow and never speak of it again."

"Very well. Let us enjoy one more tradition tonight. What shall we be caroling?"

When Yuki stepped out of the bathroom she found them both sitting on the floor singing completely out of sync and out of tune. It was horrible, and a terrible night to have ears in her opinion. 

However, she kept quiet. 

She couldn't remember the last time either of those two had been so carefree. Not too long ago she hadn't even considered a possibility for them to ever get along, so maybe miracles do happen. Maybe her wish had already come true. 

From the corner of his eyes Zero saw Yuki watch them with a serene expression on her face. She seemed oddly pensive, but nonetheless happy. He was much aware that he didn't even hit one note all night – fangs were a bother sometimes  – yet she didn't stop him. Them. Kaname for all his many talents was no pop star either. Dare he even think it, they were caroling in discord and that made it all the more fun. 

Perfection was overrated anyway. 

"Yuki, come  join in." 

"Eh?!" she squeaked, "you know I can't sing!" 

Kaname shook his head, "are we doing any better here?" 

"Well…" 

"What happens tonight stays in this room." 

Zero looked her into the eyes to make that abundantly clear. She had nothing to fear or to lose that night. 

"Oh, uh, O-okay! Yes, okay. I can do this." 

"You certainly can, dear Yuki. Now, which one is your favorite?" 

"Jingle Bells. She loves it, so let's ruin it."

"Splendiferous. May the muses smile upon us. Now, together on three. One… two…"

With Yuki missing all the high notes, and Kaname and Zero making a mess of the rest of the song, they were sure some of the bats above had just fallen from the attic and were nursing a headache like no other. The terrible trio didn't mind that, however, because all they were concerned about was their little world in that single room. 

Winter's tide was a holiday born from ancient traditions. They gave gifts on the first day after, but the actual night of the tide – where the night was the longest and coldest – that was when they shared their warmth with others. Family was of course most people's first choice when it came to company. Then came friends, and acquaintances. Some even chose to spend the holiday with strangers who had nobody and deserved more than loneliness on the day of sharing and caring. 

Family comes in many different shapes. It was like this, on the floor and leaning on each other like dominos, how Cross found them the next morning. Zero leaned on his bed, and Kaname on his shoulder, with Yuki's back against his own. It was such a sight to behold that the man quietly made a picture of the serene scene and left them there to rest in peace. Now that he knew they were safe he could breathe easier and rest a little himself. 

He was going to frame that picture. This was Cross after all. 

As he slept, Zero dreamt of a world in white. He was in a forest illuminated by the glow of torchlight and a campfire. Humans made noise that drew him in, yet he couldn't understand a single word. 

He saw Kaname in a simple coat. 

Then he saw her. 

And she looked right back at him with a playful smile on dusty lilac eyes. 

"So we meet at last. Our paths were destined to cross in this unlikely way. By the time you see this, my embers are surely dying."

"Who are you?" 

"Your predecessor."

"You…" Zero reaches out to brush away a few strands of platinum blonde, nearly white hair. 

With the motion a white hood fell to reveal a face so much like his mother's own that he recoiled as if the vampiress had bitten him. This wasn't his mother. That much he knew, but the resemblance was uncanny. 

"I know what you are thinking. No, I can not be your ancestor. I do not have children… and never will. A vow I made to myself."

She leaned forward to brush his cheek, "my blood is what gives hunters power. My fire forges your weapons. I am the original shield of humanity, and I need your help." 

"You are the hooded woman. The white knight. The Parent."

"Correct. We share this gift, and through it I can send this prayer for your help. My heart is dying, and soon the forges will snuff out. I need you to relight them with your blood." 

Zero frowned "we aren't related. You just said so, so why me? Why my blood?" 

The dream was fading. Snow fell harsher and soon enough became a blizzard. Zero had trouble to even see the echo of this dead woman. 

"You ascended as I did, but my legacy is still in you. One candle lights another. We may not be true family, but it would be an honor to meet you in the waking world… my brother of blood." 

"There's no way I could silently keep watching" she whispered her last encore, "but neither can you." 

Zero's eyes snapped open as a sense of purpose spread through his body. This was the season to share, and if Kaname deemed it safe, then he would do just that. It was the least he could do for the woman who gave her everything to people who would never even knew her name.