The Mirror and the Mask
Chapter 1: Come Undone
I remembered the pains of bloodlust; the lull it has on you till the very moment when you taste the crimson drink. It haunts you, teasing you like a child as the taunts run around your head moment after moment. It never leaves you alone, the desire, the suffocation.
I remember that it was the suffocation which I felt when he entered the room. He was not glaring at me but warning me with his eyes as he watched me loom over sleeping Yuuki, like some monster from a fairytale book. Since that is what I am…and the same with him.
"You could never betray her because you are under her obligation."
Beautiful, strong, graceful…all these things embodied in one person and that one person was him. I hated him for being that. I envied him and for some reason…
"You're being let to live because of that Zero…"
I wanted him.
"…by me."
BAM!
Zero relished the pain which coursed through his fist as he stared at the crack he made in the wall under his palm. Ever since last night, Kaname's words ran around Zero's head like some song.
"I live because I want to live!" He spat almost as if he were speaking to the pureblood. Rage filled within Zero and not even the cooling water from the shower helped sustain his anger. "Fuck it!" He cursed before turning off the water.
He stepped out quickly, ignoring the towel which Yuuki placed on the counter but shuffled into his clothes. The feeling of damp clothing cling to his skin was an uncomfortable feeling but Zero's only focus was scowling at Kaname for his arrogance.
The young boy took a second look in the mirror, noticing how cold he was from his now bluish lips and porcelain skin. Yet Zero just continued shivering and stormed out of the bathroom quickly and quietly. Last thing he wanted was to wake Yuuki who only seemed to slow him down in everything.
With each stride Zero felt another shiver crawl over himself but nothing was compared to the winter's chill which waited for him when he emerged outside of the Day Class Dormitories.
"Shit." He whispered harshly to himself as he wrapped his arms around his shoulders. Zero thought of going back inside and saving his argument for another night until his eyes caught the lights of the Night Class Dormitories. From the mere thought of Kaname standing in one of those rooms enraged him. And with that anger driving his body to continue on, Zero walked into the winter air and towards the Night Class Dorms.
"Just a bath?" Ichijou turned around after hearing Kaname's request.
"A bath will help me feel better, calm my mind." The dark beauty reclined into the lowly set sofa, draping his arm across the frame of the couch as he stared languidly at the floor.
"But you are feeling ill, Kaname!" Ichijou rounded behind the sofa. "Shouldn't I get you some medicine? Soup? Blood—''
"No thank you, Ichijou. Just…" Kaname soon thought his train of thought. "Just go to class along with the others. I'll be alright here for the night." Ichijou stared down at his friend whom seemed to be staring at a world far away from here. Worry consumed the noble vampire.
"I'll do as you wish." He last said before slowly walking out of the room, giving Kaname any second chances of calling back to him. But the pureblood remained silent as he continued staring at the carpet, unaware of the closing double doors.
Ichijou leaned against the oak wooden doors, allowing for them to bear the weight of his concern instead of him. He leaned his forehead against the cool polished surface, closing his eyes and breathing out a mere breathe of stress which was clutching at his heart.
"Why won't he talk to me?" He whispered out loud but not to himself. Two hands slide from behind, encompassing his waist before he was tugged slightly to be held next to the warmth of another.
"Maybe he's feeling sad." A voice tickled his ear, as the hands began to hold him tighter, pressing him against the front of the other's body.
"He's always feeling sad." Ichijou hissed, baring his teeth and ripping away from the embrace. He turned around and saw a boy of his own age looking at him without any signs of care. Shiki was always one of little expression even though he was a professional model. The brunette merely just slide his hands in his pockets, continuing to stare at Ichijou.
"So what does he want us to do?" He asked simply.
"He said he wants us to go to class." Ichijou answered.
"Then," Shiki held out his hand. "Let's do as he says." Ichijou looked at him and then realized how right Shiki was. His calm aura always seemed to balance Ichijou's own bouncy one.
When Zero knocked on the door, no one answered. He would have waited longer but the cold consuming him was nearing to the point of being unbearable. So the white haired boy slipped into the mansion, quickly to shut out the winter from the interior of the house. He looked around and was surprised no one was there.
"Hello?" He called but no one answered. The lights were on and lit candles encircled the gigantic foyer but not a face was seen. Dammit! Zero thought. I probably just missed them on their way to class.
Zero turned to leave but something stopped him. An unknown force called him to stop as if something in the air churned, echoing like the sound of water. Zero knew his senses were becoming stronger. Now that he had officially tasted the nutrients of blood, it seemed that he could hear the mice scratch holes in the wall up in the attic. There were times when Zero felt like dropping to his knees, praying to go deaf but now he grew use to the overwhelming noise of the world. But it wasn't a noise that he heard; it was a feeling, an attraction pulling him up the stairs.
Cautiously, his allowed his feet to wander taking him through lighted hallways and ignoring open doors. There was a pair of double doors at the end of the long hallway which seemed to call to him. It was there that he opened them to find a large bedroom but an empty one.
"I can smell that Kaname was here." Zero said to himself. He stepped back but then stopped. It was there again, that echo of water. Only this time it was from a small room, within the large bedroom. Zero noticed the light creeping under the closed door and decided to follow it. His feet brushed against the plush carpet and his once icy skin was now somewhat warm. This sensation of giddiness overcame him as he pressed his ear against the door, hearing the sound of splashing.
Curiosity overtook Zero, and the youth quickly opened the door only to be standing there with mouth gaped and eyes wide.
Kaname was stepping out of the bath, dripping wet with the scented water of the sunken bath. His dark hair stuck to his skin, and Zero's violet eyes followed stray droplets as they rolled down his long legs. The warm water dripped off of his pale body as the steam rolled around him in waves of fine translucent silk. A look of surprise had come over Kaname and he had nearly slipped as he put his foot onto the wet hard tiled floor while yelling "Zero!"
Seeing Kaname fall back into the bath woke Zero up from his daze, scaring him. He quickly backed away and bolted out of the room and soon out of the house.
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