- Chapter 3 Your room or mine - part 4 --

When she skipped into the study room that evening, Yuuki was a little taken aback to find the Chairman sitting at the table, together with Zero.

“Ah, Yuuki…!” he beamed, putting down his newspaper. “Homework?” he asked, noticing the book and pencil case clasped in her hand.

“Uh… yes” she muttered, shooting a sideways glance at Zero. He’d glanced up as soon as she had stepped in, keen eyes taking in the blue jeans jacket she was wearing over her black sleeveless top. He raised an eyebrow at her, causing Yuuki to blush and scowl at him. What the heck was that for - she was only making it more convenient for him, right?

Quietly, she settled in the chair next to Zero, opening her book and getting a pencil from her pencil case. She shot an uneasy glance at the Chairman as she did so. That was strange, he didn’t usually join them here at this time of day… perhaps he wouldn’t stay long…

The Chairman started perusing his newspaper again. Yuuki looked at Zero a little more pointedly this time. He didn’t return her look but one broad shoulder lifted slightly in response. She shrugged in turn, forcing herself to focus on her detested homework as he drew her book closer to him and ran through the first question and what she needed to do.

Even though Yuuki tried her best to concentrate, her gaze shifted occasionally to Zero’s pale features. She also noted uncomfortably that his moodiness increased each time he had to explain the same question more than once, frowning heavily at her at the same time. Just great… she thought unhappily.

One agonisingly long hour later, Yuuki finally penciled in the answer to her last question, tongue caught between small white teeth. “Finished!” she exclaimed, exhaling loudly in relief. She let the pencil drop onto the page and stretched her cramped fingers, belatedly realising she had clenched the pencil too hard in her attempt to solve the questions. She glanced at Zero again. He was watching her movement with a tiny smile on his lips at the same time.

“Good” he said, apparently lounging at ease in his chair but she saw the tension in his face, how he seemed to be… holding himself tightly in check… Only… how could they do anything with the Chairman in the same room?

Zero saw Yuuki was still looking at him. He gave an almost imperceptible jerk of his head towards the door. Yuuki caught his hint, closing her book and keeping her pencil in her case. “I’ll just go keep my stuff…” she began, standing up.

“I’ll go with you…” offered Zero in his usual expressionless voice. Yuuki looked down, feeling a mad urge to giggle. She bit her lip.

“Oh Yuuki, since you’re finished with homework, can you help me prepare dinner?” said the Chairman, folding his newspaper. He stood up and stretched, yawning. “I have a sudden craving for my darling daughter’s special prawn salad…”

Out of the corner of her eye, Yuuki saw Zero’s body freeze. She glanced at him again, seeing the sheer frustration mirrored in his eyes.

“Uh, let me first…” she began, trying to think of an excuse that would give her at least half an hour alone with Zero.

“I’ll take your stuff to your room” Zero said shortly, reaching for the book and pencil case in her hand.

“Oh, but…” she protested, tightening her grip. Zero ignored her, almost wrenching the things from her hand before stalking from the room without a backward glance.

“Great, thanks, Zero!” smiled the Chairman. “Let’s go, Yuuki…”

Yuuki sighed… looks like Zero is going to have to wait… again, she thought unhappily.

Dinner that night was in Yuuki’s opinion, a rather awkward affair, with the Chairman conversing most of the time, Yuuki enough to keep things going, and a sullen and moody Zero eating hardly anything and speaking not at all.

After dinner, Yuuki cleared up while the Chairman and Zero patrolled the school grounds. She lingered in the kitchen, washing each cup and plate with unwarranted attention, even wiping down every counter in sight just in case Zero decided to seek her out in the kitchen.

He didn’t.

Finally, she sighed, wiped her hands on the dish towel and left for her room. After her bath, she sat at her desk for over an hour, the first twenty minutes rubbing absently at her wet hair and staring out of the window, and the remainder of the time half heartedly sketching, only to discover a picture of Zero had formed without her realising it. Windswept silvery hair half hiding narrowed eyes glared up at her from the paper, silently accusing her of not helping him… Sighing, she crumpled it up and tossed it into her wastepaper basket.

Glancing at her watch, she saw it was already eleven o’clock. Knowing Zero, which she did, it looked like she would have to seek him out instead…

Zero had continued patrolling even after the Chairman retired to his study. The night wind was cold and he zipped up his windbreaker, shoving his hands deep in its pockets, silver hair disarrayed by the wind. He wondered if Yuuki was waiting for him but was somehow most reluctant to find out.

After all, he was nobody important, just a vampire hunter and human turned tortured vampire and ex-human… and someone who couldn’t even keep from biting her whenever his bloodlust grew too strong, never mind the fact she was the one who usually cornered him...

I mean, what the hell am I supposed to do – knock on her door like a beggar begging for scraps? he thought angrily, viciously kicking aside a small stone in his path, nursing the flame of anger burning in his chest, even though he knew it wasn’t Yuuki’s fault he was still very hungry for both her blood as well as for food… and still somewhat… quite… embarrassed over the whole mortifying incident especially when she had actually giggled at his discomfort… He scowled to himself.

Finally, he went back to the main building to take his shower. There was hot water available but perversely, he didn’t take advantage of it, showering instead with icy cold water that left him shivering faintly with cold, goose bumps erupting all over his body and an even fouler disposition than before. Clad only in his pajama pants, he strode barefoot back to his room, toweling his wet hair almost angrily.

He wrenched open his bedroom door. Even before he’d taken a step inside, he sensed her presence… her sweet soft scent…

“Yuuki?” he said, startled.

The light from the corridor fell on her. She was sitting at his desk by the wall, watching him. Hardly daring to believe his eyes or his keen sense of smell, he reached out a hand, found the light switch and flicked it on. Light flooded the room.

Yuuki was sitting cross legged on his desk chair facing him, her lower arms folded across the back of the chair and her chin resting on them. She was dressed in the pale yellow satin pajama set the Chairman has given her for her last birthday, the silky material bringing out reddish highlights in her hair and making her skin look almost… translucent.

Zero’s heartbeat accelerated. She was here… in his room… waiting for him…! He kept his tone expressionless. “It’s late, Yuuki. You should be in bed…”

She kept silent, just continued looking at him with her large brown eyes… eyes that seemed to see right past his cold facade straight into his tortured soul…

“What are you doing here?” he continued, raising his voice a notch, trying hard to sound irritated… and almost succeeding.

Yuuki regarded him solemnly. “What do you think?” she countered.

Amethyst eyes narrowed dangerously.

“Zero, you promised…” she said softly.

“I promised to help you with your Algebra homework and I have…” he returned shortly. He dragged the towel from his shoulders, turning to hang it on one of the hooks behind the door. Then he shoved both hands through his still damp hair before leaning against the door, folding his arms and glaring daggers at her.

Oh… he was… embarrassed… Yuuki realised. After what happened that morning in her room, later in the study room and even in the kitchen where the Chairman volunteered himself and Zero to patrol the grounds, it was no wonder. She was surprised the Chairman hadn’t noticed the tension during dinner, singing praises of her prawn salad and updating them on the day’s news, blissfully ignorant of Zero’s increasingly sullen mood and Yuuki’s nervousness.

“Well, I promised something else…” she added softly, her eyes warm and understanding.

Zero’s eyes widened a little at her words, his breath quickening. He stared at her for a long moment before his shoulders relaxed. He gave a brief nod, then turned to the door to lock it. The click of the lock was ominously loud in the silent room. Yuuki kept still, watching him as he moved closer, still staring at her as if she were an apparition that might disappear at any second.

Suddenly, his gaze dropped to her pajama shirt’s lacy collar and he frowned. “You planning to soil that too?” he asked, jerking his head at her shirt.

Yuuki smiled, used to his brusque tone. “Oh no, I came prepared!” she said happily, hands moving up to unbutton the top two buttons. “I’ve got on my top underneath…” she broke off suddenly, hands stilling on the third button.

Seeing her blithely unbuttoning her shirt right in front of him, Zero found it difficult to breathe. But seeing her pause like that made him stop breathing completely. Somehow, he knew what she was going to say before she even said it.

“Oh dear, my top… it’s still… on my… bed…” Yuuki said, eyes large and apologetic.

Which meant she wasn’t wearing anything underneath… which meant she couldn’t take off her shirt… which meant he was just going to end up frustrated again tonight. Zero closed his eyes and exhaled loudly, causing Yuuki to regard him with worried eyes. “Just give me half a minute, I’ll be right back…” she said, uncrossing her legs and placing both feet on the floor on either side of the chair, preparing to stand up.

“No… Forget it!” he ground out.

Yuuki opened her mouth to argue but shut it again upon seeing the frustrated and stubborn look on his face. She thought for a moment then tossed her head slightly. “All right” she said softly. Zero didn’t notice that small movement. His eyes were on her hands and he clenched his own into tight fists as he saw her fingers moving again, knowing she was buttoning up her shirt but still unable to stop watching with a kind of fatalistic resignation on his face.

Only to be completely astounded at her next words:

“Promise… not to… peek?”

Her hands moved to the third button, then paused as she waited nervously for his response. Frozen, he just stared at her disbelievingly. “What…?” he whispered finally.

Almost defiantly, Yuuki held his gaze, warm color flooding her cheeks, fingers trembling slightly as she slipped the third button free, then moved to the last button. She paused for a heartbeat before slipping it free as well.

Zero swallowed hard.

Yuuki’s suddenly nerveless hands dropped to her lap. The front of her loose pajama shirt hung agape and the two inch gap revealed only one thing to Zero – she really wasn’t wearing anything underneath…

Zero dragged his gaze back up to her face. She held his gaze fearlessly. His own was uncertain… hesitant… He moved closer to the desk. Yuuki started to get up from the chair again but a hand on her shoulder stayed her and she looked up at him in surprise, silky auburn hair brushing the back of his hand, cheeks still warm with color.

“No… don’t get up…” he said huskily.

Yuuki settled down again, eyes widening even further as he carefully lifted a leg across and lowered himself onto the little space remaining on the seat of the chair behind her. She opened her mouth to protest… and instead found herself sliding forward to give him more room, hands gripping the top of the chair’s back. He sat down with his back against the edge of his desk, straddling the chair, long legs on either side of hers, then slid forward until his hips touched hers lightly.

With Zero’s breathing loud in her ear, she felt his long fingers threading through her hair, tilting her head to the right, exposing the left side of her neck this time.

Yuuki willed herself to relax, staring straight at the door, color still high in her cheeks as a lean finger hooked her shirt collar, drawing it very slowly away from the left side of her neck, exposing inch after inch of creamy smooth neck and shoulder. Warmed satin whispered as it slid over her skin and his uneven breaths of warm air following it made her breath hitch in her throat.

Finally, the collar and left side of her shirt slid down her shoulder and upper arm to pool softly at her elbow. Yuuki closed her eyes for a moment - her left breast was completely exposed and she was still facing the door, never mind the fact that it was locked! Ooohhh… Her cheeks flamed anew and she let out a very soft sound, somewhere between a gasp and a moan.

“Hush…” Zero whispered soothingly, eyes roving slowly, almost longingly up her naked arm, traversing the softly rounded triangle of exposed shoulder and back, over one slender shoulder blade, feeling his heartbeat accelerate into overtime.

“I promise…” he whispered into her ear.

Closing his eyes, he lowered his head to her shoulder, breathing in her sweet scent, tongue darting out to taste her neck, feeling her shiver in response. His own body trembling almost violently with need, he snaked his left arm tightly around her waist, holding her against him as he drew back his lips. Unable to wait any longer, he sank gleaming fangs into the tender flesh at the base of her neck, feeling her muscles tense for an instant.

Aaahhh… he could slake his thirst at last… and feed on her sweet, sweet blood. Sucking hard and gulping down the precious liquid, he shuddered with pleasure and relief, oblivious to everything else.

Yuuki closed her eyes as well, gripping the back of the chair with her right hand. She leant back against him, left hand reaching up to twine slender fingers through his hair, caressing the back of his neck. Zero’s left arm tightened around her waist, his bare arm moving dangerously close to the lower curve of her left breast as he drank, angling her head even more to allow him better access to her neck.

Yuuki opened dazed eyes when Zero stopped gulping down her blood, quickly and ravenously at first, then more slowly as he came to his senses and realised he was taking too much from her. He stopped, a part of him deeply thankful that instead of pulling away, she was leaning against him trustingly.

In truth, Yuuki was feeling very sleepy and more than a little dizzy as well. She stifled a yawn and leant further back against Zero’s warm chest, feeling his body bend slightly, then brace itself to take her weight.

Zero licked the remaining blood from her neck and pressed his tongue to the puncture wounds to stop the flow. Reluctantly, she let go of the back of the chair, reaching over with her right hand to pull up the left side of her shirt. Zero released her waist to stay her hand but his palm brushed over her left breast accidentally, making them both freeze for a moment. “Uh…” stammered Yuuki, her body tensing against his.

“Sorry…” he muttered, snatching his hand away. He saw her about to get up and placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her. “Wait, Yuuki…”

He slid out from behind her and went over to the sink at the corner of his room. Running a washcloth under the tap, he wrung it out then walked back, forcing his eyes to focus only on her face, seeing how her eyes stared fixedly in front of her, cheeks still flooded with color. Wordlessly, he sat down on the chair behind her as before and gently wiped off the remaining faint smears of blood at her neck and shoulder. Yuuki dipped her head, shivering a little as the cold washcloth glided over her skin, raising goose bumps.

She almost always knew what to say after he drank from her but this time, she didn’t…

Zero shot a slightly worried glance at her bowed head, wondering if she was all right, if he’d taken too much from her or if she was just embarrassed over her rash action of undressing in front of him. He bent closer to her neck, noticing the slight discoloration blossoming around the twin wounds and sighed, sliding gentle fingers over the broken skin. Yuuki drew in a shaky breath at his feather-light touch on the sensitised area.

“You’re going to end up with some bruises… sorry…” he murmured. Yuuki swung around to face him, silky auburn strands brushing his face. The regret and guilt in his voice was also reflected in his eyes. He held her look for a moment before looking again at her neck, checking to make sure there were no more bloodstains on her skin, then tossing the stained washcloth on the desk.

Words came to her then. “It’s OK, Zero” she said gently. “I know you were really… starving…”

He stared unseeingly at the washcloth for a long moment before surveying her grimly. “That’s no excuse and you know it…”

“I’m sorry you had to wait so long…” she continued, hesitated then continued “… and I shouldn’t have laughed, really I shouldn’t have…”

As if unable to face the compassion in her eyes, he looked at her neck again, then bent suddenly, licking the wounded area with infinite gentleness. Yuuki closed her eyes, shivering once more at his touch, wanting him to wrap his arms around her like he inevitably did…

The Chairman’s voice outside Zero’s door took them completely by surprise. “Zero…! Your light’s on, are you still awake? It’s midnight, you know…”

They both froze, Yuuki inhaling sharply, feeling Zero’s lips on her neck, his hands tightening painfully on her waist. He raised his head to look into her alarmed brown eyes, feeling a sense of déjà vu coming on…

“It’s your room…” whispered Yuuki. Zero grimaced, remembering their conversation in her room that morning. He opened his mouth to speak but came up with blank. What the hell was he supposed to say? He was shirtless and holding a Yuuki in dishabille, with half her shirt off, licking her neck, for goodness sake…

“Zero…!” whispered Yuuki, her tone almost pleading. He took a steadying breath then spoke up. “I’m reading a little first”. Good – he even managed to sound mildly irritated. “Goodnight, Chairman” he added dismissively, for good measure.

“Is that any way for my son to address me? Whatever happened to ‘Father’?” the Chairman said plaintively, sounding aggrieved. Zero rolled his eyes at the door. Yuuki caught his look out of the corner of her eye. Pressed close to her back as he was, he felt a ripple shiver through her and instinctively knew she was about to giggle.

“Hush!” he warned, clamping his right hand over her mouth. Just in time - Yuuki’s body started shaking with suppressed mirth. He couldn’t for the life of him see the funny side of things the way she did, but his lips tilted up despite himself. “Yuuki…” he whispered warningly into her ear, only to have her shaking harder in response.

Hearing no reply, the Chairman sighed loudly. “Well, don’t read too long, then. Yuuki must be sleeping already, no reply from her… Goodnight, Zero…” His footsteps faded down the corridor.

Yuuki sobered up after a while and Zero cautiously removed his hand from her mouth. “Thank goodness I remembered to lock my room door…” she murmured, patting the key in her pocket.

Zero raised his head from her shoulder. Automatically, her right hand moved again to pull up the left side of her shirt. He placed his left hand over hers, trapping it against her stomach, being extra careful not to touch anything else this time. “Let me do it…” he murmured in her ear.

Zero placed her hand back in her lap then slid the shirt back up in place. He quickly redid up the buttons from the back without looking, fully aware of a stunned Yuuki looking down at his hands on her shirt. Then, he half stood up and reached over to snag his pajama shirt from the end of the bed. Shrugging quickly into it, he buttoned it halfway up his chest.

Unable to resist, he sat down again and hugged Yuuki’s slender body close to his, one arm going around her shoulders above her breasts, the other around her waist. He rested his chin on her head, rocking her very slightly in his arms. Yuuki sighed and leaned back against him again, letting him take her weight fully. He let out a breath he wasn’t aware he was holding and tightened his arms around her in response.

Five minutes later, Yuuki’s gentle snore told Zero she was asleep. Reluctantly, he lifted his head, shaking her shoulder slightly. “Yuuki?” No response. Another shake on her shoulder failed to wake her as well. Sighing soundlessly, he retrieved the key from her pocket, stood up and carefully slid out from behind her, then lifted her effortlessly into his arms.

This is getting to be a habit… he thought wryly. Cradling her sleeping form carefully against his chest, he carried her to her room, shifting her slightly in his arms to open first his door before striding down the corridor to her room. Somewhat awkwardly, he thrust the key into her doorknob, unlocked it then entered her room, nudging it shut with his foot.

Zero walked over to her bed and placed Yuuki gently down with her head on her pillow, the light from the streetlamp outside her window illuminating her sweetly sleeping face. This time, she didn’t resist when he slid his arms out from under her. Reaching for her blanket, he carefully pulled it up over her, wanting nothing more than to slide into bed beside her, and sleep with her in his arms.

Unable to stop himself, Zero sat down silently beside her and bent forward slowly. He smoothed aside the shiny hair from her forehead before placing a gentle kiss on her temple. “Goodnight, Yuuki…” he whispered.

Straightening up, he froze when her eyes blinked open to regard him sleepily.

“Yuuki – you’re awake?”

She smiled a little. “When you opened my door…” she confessed softly.

“Uh – sorry. Well, you should sleep…” he started to stand up but paused when Yuuki lifted herself onto her elbow. “C’mere…” she said softly. Zero bent closer, looking somewhat puzzled. He was stunned when she reached up to cup a hand around his neck, pulling him even closer. Soft lips pressed a kiss on his cheek as she whispered “Goodnight, Zero…”

He lifted his head, looking adorably uncertain and paused for a moment, irresolute. Large brown eyes regarded him silently, reading his thoughts.

“Zero, do you want to sleep here?” she asked softly. He started – how did she always seem to know what he was thinking? He stared at her mutely, even thought all he had to do was nod… but he didn’t have to do even that - Yuuki smiled and shifted closer to the wall. “Come on…” she invited.

Heart thumping for no reason, Zero turned and lowered himself onto her pillow, sliding his legs under her blanket. She hesitated a moment before turning her back towards him and shifting until her head rested on his shoulder. Zero placed his right arm over her waist and drew her close to him, releasing a sigh of satisfaction, hearing her echoing sigh. He smiled when he felt her lace her fingers through his, then buried his face in her hair.

When Zero awoke next, it was almost dawn. Yuuki was facing him, her face tucked into his shoulder, her small hand lying trustingly on his chest. He sighed and buried his face in her hair, inhaling deeply before sliding reluctantly from her bed and her soft sweet scent, knowing it was just too risky for him to remain there.

At the door, he turned to glance back at her once more before he left, shutting it quietly behind him.

-- Chapter End --