[Part III]

Buried in the sands of time

He imagined himself inside a bubble and that bubble is the perfect place to hide. Zero hugged his legs close to his chest and pretended there was nobody else there to invade this quiet space. It worked wonderfully and the young vampire was happy to dissolve all his painful reminisces into thin air while listening to a soothing sound of a girl calling him. He was being cared for by gentle hands massaging his scalp and he could wrap his senses on that flowery scent of her. He murmured her name and tried to seek her face as he reached out a weak arm, searching in the midst of darkness.

"Yuuki?" he called out.

"Kiriyuu-kun, you are dreaming."

Zero immediately snapped his eyes open and let out a hoarse gasp. That bastard! He turned his head to look at Kaname and he glared vehemently.

"What the fuck are you looking at?" he demanded. "Get the hell away from me!"

Kaname's face darkened with anxiety. "I was only here to see if you want something to eat. Perhaps a drink to freshen you up?"

"I'm not sucking your dirty blood."

"I wasn't implying that." the older vampire chuckled. "Your paranoia is unhealthy."

"Don't you fucking inquire about my health!" Zero turned his back towards Kaname and scoffed inwardly. He blinked several times, adjusting his line of vision. "Why are you still here? I don't want you around me."

"That isn't a choice you can make. I am capable of exercising my free will and I choose to stay and accompany you until your full recovery."

"You're the reason I was here again!" Zero sat up, ignoring the pain shooting through his spine. He glared at Kaname with all his strength. "I was doing fine before you have the impropriety to cause me anguish! Fuck you!"

"That sort language can be very inexcusable inside my quarters, Kiriyuu-kun. Fortunately for you, you would not, as you delicately say, 'fuck' me since we can safely established that it is I who had—"

"Finish that sentence and you're dead!"

"Pray tell how? You do not have the Bloody Rose in your possession."

"Goddamn!" Zero threw the pillows away, searching through the bed feverously. "You took my shit! Give it back, Kaname!"

"Unless you learn to control yourself and the cursing," Kaname spoke softly. "I will not return it to you. Now be a dear—"

"Stop asking stuff like that from me!"

"Kiriyuu-kun," Kaname sighed impatiently. "Zero—"

"Call me that again and—"

"Do not make me hurt you." Kaname cut him off sadly and he placed his hands on his lap, still maintaining a polite tone of voice. Something about his stance made Zero stop talking. The younger boy watched, wary of the sudden change of mood.

"Zero, I only wish that you hear me just this once." Kaname moved closer and before Zero could pull away or hit him, he continued. "I will come close to emphasize my point, that is all. You must take my word for it."

"And what is your point?"

Kaname exhaled and with a slow gesture, he placed his hand on Zero's cheek. The contact was so slight that it didn't merit any violent reaction from the other boy. So the older vampire went on and said. "It is my insufficient knowledge that I've grown very fond of you."

Zero's eyes widened and he raised his eyebrow. "What the fuck was that?"

"I think you're very adorable."

Zero clenched his jaw but he kept still. He muttered under his breath. "...die, you monster."

Kaname tried not to smile or Zero might take that as an invitation to sucker-punch him once more. He decided to press his lips on the youth's forehead instead. He heard Zero squeal and he pulled away as expected, his eyes tainted with confusion.

This doesn't make sense, Zero thought, his expression frozen in horror. What does he want now? He couldn't comprehend whatever sick intentions this asshole has under his sleeve but the youth doesn't like it. He wiped his mouth and stared at Kaname without blinking and then he asked. "And what are you going to do about it?"

"I plan to be warm and generous towards you from now on."

"Under the false pretense of?"

Kaname chuckled. "I'm serious about this, Zero. Admittedly when I took you as my possession that night, I wasn't entirely convinced that it was a product of sincere affection and not just lust. But the morning came and I have time to think about it and I arrived at the conclusion that I am very, very fond of you."

This...isn't supposed to make him feel flustered but it did, much to his dismay. Zero looked off, afraid his face would melt because he can feel himself burning up if he kept looking into Kaname's eyes. He struggled for the words to say but his throat was closing up, barricading the response. Kaname waited.

When Zero has internalized the situation, he relaxed a little. He gazed back at Kaname, keeping his cool. He answered. "I think you're shitting with me."

"Come," Kaname extended his arms. "Let me prove it to you."

For a while Zero just looked at him as if he peed on the floor. And then he snapped back. "Are you kidding me? What? You want me to jump into your arms so you could cuddle me?"

"If you wish it so—"

"No chance in hell!" Zero tried to get out of bed but Kaname's arms dragged him back. He gasped as he could feel the position was very awkward and irritating. He was now on Kaname's lap as both strong arms were wrapped around his torso, holding him in place.

"Let me go." Zero murmured silently. He doesn't know if he's angry or just tired of this game. He still doesn't want to be around him and yet he didn't bother struggling either. Kaname nuzzled his shoulder and simply exhaled. Zero clenched his fists tighter. "I said let me go!"

"Make me." Kaname challenged.

Zero flipped them over. He pinned Kaname's wrists on the mattress and glared down at him. But he soon realized that their position, although reversed, is still awkward. Zero faintly blushed and cussed himself for doing so. He was beginning to feel Kaname's crotch against his and it's difficult to say which of them is getting turned on. Oh shit, gods, don't let it be me, Zero pleaded because frankly, he didn't know if this excites him or not. He didn't know himself anymore. The more Kaname keeps flaunting their recent activity, the more Zero wanted to rip him apart. But the more Kaname looks at him the way he looks at Yuuki, the more Zero felt compelled to look away because of the fear that he might just surrender and that would be unforgivable. His body, the vampiric blood running in his veins, certainly wanted Kaname but Zero is still aware that he hates this creature and no matter how his body rebelled against logic, he would not—would not...bite Kaname's exposed neck right now. He WOULD NOT...ah hell—

Zero disengaged himself from Kaname when he could feel the impulse trying to control him. He banged his head on the wall and gripped the curtains on his side. He tried concentrating on the human part of his brain screaming to fight the disease. He tried not to think about how Kaname just looked at him while he was pinning him down earlier. The expression on the older vampire's face was amusement and the very same expression he has when he's around Yuuki. That was creepy. He didn't like seeing such kindness in those eyes because Zero believes that Kaname Kuran is still a monster and anything that contradicts that should be ignored. So dammit, dammit, dammit!

"I'm going." Zero turned towards the direction of the door.

"I'm afraid I have to stop you."

Zero chose not to respond and simply focused on hurrying to his escape route. Kaname, of course, was gifted with speed and he slammed himself on the door and took Zero into his arms once more. When Kaname brought his mouth to claim Zero's, the youth accepted not because he wanted to but because he thought that if he behaved and pretend that he's now surrendering, he might surprise Kaname and catch him off guard once he attacks.

The kiss was exhausting. Zero's chest felt heavy as he tried to keep up with the rhythm of Kaname's sucking and biting; one moment his tongue was inside Zero's mouth, happily frolicking with his and then the next instant, the wet ligament circles around his gums and then on his lower lip. Zero still tried not to find this disgusting which isn't really, now that he thinks about it. He cursed himself for feeling some kind of enjoyment for this. It's wrong and sick. This is the monster he loathed since he was a boy! When he was about to pull away again, Kaname grabbed his crotch and Zero's world started spinning again. God, those fingers—! Try as he might, Zero felt himself melting into the heat of the older boy's body; dissolving into complete nothingness as the fingers grabbed firmer.

Kaname caressed Zero's aching manhood and looked deeply into his eyes. There were many hungers inside this boy now exposed in broad daylight; hungers that not even their beloved maiden Yuuki would satiate. But he himself understood more than anybody else. Kaname knew how those hungers can darken your moods and make you lose your appetite. He experienced few laconic days of hibernating on the sofa, his tired eyes staring at the shafts of light bursting into the windows. His body, although strong and nimble, still feels ancient. His beautiful features, the wisdom in his eyes; they're all decaying matter. He was not a man after all. He had simply put on the mask and the costume and played charades with everybody. He thought that with Yuuki it would be different but his expectations fell short. But this boy, Zero Kiriyuu, he understands. He knew because Shizuka, that mad blooming pureblood vamp whose heart he eviscerated, made him undergo the torment of the flesh; taught him the wonders of the blood that are scrumptious as well as the horrors of the hunger that leave you null. This hunger unfulfilled!

"Zero, listen to me." He whispered into the boy's ear as he kept him in place, limiting the space around them so he could fully surround the trembling youth. With his arms secured tenderly, he kept Zero standing still, obedient.

"You are bound to me now. You feel your knees weak when I hum you my lullabies. You feel your heart rate increasing when I approach you and look at you the way you've never been look before. It was a shame to Shizuka that she wasn't able to relish this experience with you but the opportunity is not wasted on me." Kaname licked Zero's tattoo in a slow rhythm. "I can assure you to the utmost degree that you will be my most-prized possession and you will spend the end of your mortal days with me until you become something of a beast if I yield it so."

Zero's whimpers pathetically and he chokes his saliva. He looked into Kaname's eyes and his heart started ricocheting on his chest and might have fallen somewhere in the close vicinity of his knee. This is outrageous! Teach him to be angry! Teach him to resist the temptation! Zero wanted his muscles to move to his accord so he could push away the creature of darkness enticing him to give in. He can't make his hands save him from the insanity and his self-possession was mutilated into something sinister. Zero started breathing into the older vampire's mouth, tasting the air the other one willingly exhales. His soul goes numb and his lust diversifies; he grabs Kaname by the hair and bites savagely into his neck. He was ravenous and relentless, spilling blood on his chin and on Kaname's collar. He pressed his other hand on the door and sucked him forcefully, wishing he could tear the veins and gulp his dirty blood in one sip. Kaname groaned, pained but tolerant with this unsophisticated treatment. Zero hated him so much that he dug his fingernails deep into his scalp, wanting them to leave impressionable dents on his skull. He managed to rip some strands of chocolate brown hair from the older vampire and withdrawing his fangs from the flesh, he gazed into Kaname's eyes once more.

His words rang in his ears and into the depths of his consciousness:

I can assure you to the utmost degree that you will be my most-prized possession and you will spend the end of your mortal days with me until you become something of a beast if I yield it so...

Zero softened his expression and pressed his lips into Kaname's.

...until you become something of a beast if I yield it so.

Zero pricks the sanctified bubble. What awaits him as he fell was a ground covered in crimson roses with thorns large and thin enough to sink into his skin without him noticing. And if they hurt, he did not know and care, because the silky texture of Kaname's lips and then his mouth drenched in a sadness he can relate to made Zero forget about the pain. As his insides crumbled, Kaname begins to nourish his profound vulnerability with promises of trust and an immeasurable passionate camaraderie.

You, Zero Kiriyuu, is something of a beast...

…if I yield it so.