Yeah, a weekly update again! Though I cannot promise the same for the next one, still working on it. I am pretty flattered for an obscure story (OC characters, M-rated) it has plenty favorites and followers (23 favs, 19 follows). Thank you very much! I hope you would drop by and say hi. As a writer, I am curious why you like this story of mine (I am too biased of course). You might help me with writer's block (urgh). So thank you to Komakipureblood, DragonGirl135 and zerom1v for helping me with tight spots with your reviews.

Warning ahead! This chapter earns its M-rating (at least an attempt at one). ~Audriel

Chapter 19

Misaki hadn't intended to dance, but her former classmates had managed to push her and Akiyama onto the dance-floor. She was not oblivious, she knew that Akiyama liked her and somehow the others knew that. He had been their year's go-to guy when it came to sports, and the main reason why their class had rarely lost in sports events. He was not particularly good looking in comparison to other idols of their school, with him being all active he was often looked shabby and sun-burnt, but he had an easy charm and a sense of humor that made people like him. He was the kind that was nice and friendly to everyone, it never occurred to her that he could have possibly liked her then. But then again, she hadn't really tried hard to get close to anyone.

"Sorry," the man in front of her had apologized abashedly, his posture was stiff and awkward as they danced slowly. "It's okay if you don't want to dance." Misaki tilted her head in amusement. Akiyama had matured, but there was still that boyish charm that was difficult to resist. It was easy just to relax in his presence.

"It's fine. It looks like they are going to tease you mercilessly if you don't." Akiyama smiled slightly at that.

"Don't worry, really, I am used to it. It is rather nostalgic, admittedly."

"Some things just don't change, do they?" Misaki's mouth twitched slightly.

"Nah," he shrugged, "that is too much to hope for." She chuckled at that, earning small soft smile from the tall man.

"You're still nice… and pretty." Misaki blinked at that, looking up at his blushing face. "Um. Sorry. I should not have said that. I don't want this to be awkward, after all you're married. But well, Ikindalikedyoubacktheninschool?" The confession came out more like a mumbled question most likely due to nerves that Misaki needed some time to decipher his words. When she finally did, she couldn't find a response, and it seemed Akiyama just wanted to get some things out of his chest that he didn't give her a chance to and soldiered on.

"You often keep your distance, but you never turn away others who really need help, even when they don't know it." That last statement surprised her. Akiyama scratched his head sheepishly.

"I saw the little things you do to help people, how you let Chika rant whenever she needed to let off steam, how you keep Hotaru from brooding whenever she was in her moments… how you always keep water and compress ready whenever our class participate in sports events, just to name a few."

"Oh." Misaki responded eloquently. It never occurred to her that anyone had noticed.

"I admired you, and along the way, I came to like you. I really regret that I didn't have the guts to say anything back then. So, yeah, I've come here to hope that you'd be here." And that I still have a chance, went unsaid but heard nonetheless.

"…I'm sorry" was all she could say, but Akiyama took it in good grace.

"Um… Kiryuu won't kill me, will he?" The worried and fearful look on his face couldn't help making Misaki laugh lightly. She recalled her former classmates' reaction when she told them she was married to Zero. Their reaction was definitely entertaining, ranging from muted shock to fervent denial of her getting married to the Kiryuu, or of Kiryuu getting married at all. She was aware that her husband was quite well-known. It was inevitable with his striking figure and imposing presence among the Day Class students, though it still surprised her how they still vividly remembered him despite being a year above them. While the girls rather admired him, the boys seemed more intimidated of him.

"You made him sound so bad." She failed to hide her mirth.

"He's just well, so unapproachable. And his glare, I mean, if looks can kill." His words were refreshingly blunt without ill intention. He ended his statement with a comical shudder.

"What have you done that could possibly make him glare at you?" She raised an eyebrow at that.

"…A baseball went through the window?" Misaki simply gave him a deadpan look, which made him duck his head shamefully.

"He was the guardian of the school. He didn't take law-breaking or window-breaking well." They both laughed at that.

"He could be rather intense, but I imagine he's that way for things that matter most." It was a kind and astute observation from an outsider. "Unlike others, I am glad it's Kiryuu."

"…Thank you." Misaki felt rather happy that there was someone else saw the good in Zero. "You're nice too, Akiyama-kun." She smiled at him, the praise made him grin. She had to admit, Akiyama had grown quite nicely, any girl would be lucky to have him.

"Excuse me." The unexpected voice made her turn sharply. Her eyes widened when she saw it was none other than Zero. Both she and Akiyama could only stare at him in surprise (or in her case, trepidation) at his sudden appearance, neither of them noticed his presence before.

"May I have the dance with my wife?" His tone was calm and polite, but there was an edge at her address. She didn't expect for him to approach her so publicly, her eyes immediately darted to seek out the Kurans and caught a glimpse of Yuuki from the path Zero made through.

"Certainly." Akiyama retreated gracefully, parting away with an amicable smile. Misaki felt a little pang of loss at the easy companionship, returning the smile the best she could despite the unpleasant churning of her stomach at the closed off expression on her husband. She could not read him at all. This was against their mutually agreed decision to keep their distance from each other.

"Shall we?" Zero offered his hand, but Misaki didn't take it, trying to tell Zero that this was such a bad idea with the Kurans' attention on them. She had a feeling that Zero had been dancing with Yuuki when he decided to approach her. However, Zero didn't seem to bother, taking her hand and placing his hand on her back in the starting position before smoothly leading them to move with the music. From the starting position, she could already tell what they were about to dance before she matched the beat of the music for the salsa. In the beginning, they kept to the basic, but eventually they started to include more combinations.

Against her will, Misaki found herself losing herself in the dance. It had been easy for her to stop thinking and focusing on her moves, more so with a good partner, and Zero was more than good. She could easily read his next moves from the subtle pressure from his hand and the motion of his body. It was smooth and easy, dancing with Zero. It had been a while since she danced with such a competent partner. They twisted and turned, pushed and pulled, moving across the dance-floor to the steady beat, unaware how others made way for them that eventually only better dancers remained.

Salsa was not particularly complicated for beginners, that was why it was one of the chosen dances for social events but its rapid pace and quick movements would be stifled in a crowded dance-floor, limiting the execution of more elaborate moves. It was with this awareness the amateur dancers gave the floor to the experts, moving to the edges to watch. While the remaining dancers were pretty evenly skilled, the Kiryuu couple stood out. In the beginning it was mainly because it was the Kiryuu whom everyone never thought or considered willing or capable of dancing, but then it was because of how in sync they were. They were not showing off, they were not attempting particularly difficult moves, but they danced so gracefully and effortlessly that the onlookers found themselves enraptured.

It was to loud applause and whistles that Misaki snapped into awareness by the end of the dance. It was only then that she also realized that there were only few of them on the dance-floor compared to the start of the dance. It was a certainty that they were noticed, so much for being inconspicuous.

Her instinctive reaction was to conduct damage control by stepping away from Zero and keeping their distance, but he didn't budge, not loosening his grip on her.

"Zero," she hissed under her breath, knowing that his sharp hearing could catch it. However, Zero said nothing, pulling her to his side instead with his hand on her hip. Misaki had no choice but to let him accompany her as she returned to her friends who looked pretty impressed. Chika gestured meaningfully towards her husband, her interest was mirrored by their female friends who somewhat gathered around them.

"Zero, these are my former classmates," Misaki waved her hand towards the women. "This is Kobayashi Chika and Imai Hotaru," she introduced the closest friends she had mentioned to him in turns.

"Kiryuu Zero. Misaki has told me about you." It seemed that Zero had not bothered to employ the same eloquence he usually used in formal events, Misaki wasn't surprised. She inwardly sighed in exasperation. He still made an attempt though, not keeping to monosyllabic answers.

"Good things I hope," Hotaru's tone was deceptively neutral while giving them appraising look. Hotaru appeared to be reconsidering her previous opinion of Kiryuu being a bad husband since Misaki shared things with him, which he remembered. Men were notoriously forgetful, something that was considered as a fact among the girls, which Misaki privately found hilarious, she did get lucky in that respect, only because Zero had near-to-photographic memory.

"So… how long are you married?" The moment that question came out from one of her fellow classmates, she knew they were in a long night. Her classmates had lots of question to them, especially being the few Academy alumni couple in their year. More of Academy alumni seemed to gather around them out of curiosity. It was as though knowing that Kiryuu Zero had married an underclassman made him more approachable. Of course he wasn't, but the crowd did help to conceal them from the particular Night Class alumni. She thought she felt the Kuran's princess' gaze on her. She peeked a glance on her husband, still no closer in figuring out his actions.

She was aware that he still performed his duty, noticing his sharp eyes sweeping over the hall periodically, only without leaving her side. It was as though he wanted to deter anyone from approaching her, as though there was danger in the hunter-approved-and-supervised event, aside from drunk and belligerent men that she had experience in evading. Although admittedly, having Zero near her pretty much removed that need. When the guests were dwindling, she decided that it was best they didn't linger.

"Let's go home."

"I'll need to talk with Jinmu." Before she could suggest meeting him at the front entrance, his hand on the small of her back propel her to follow to the balcony where a large man was standing guard above the hall. While Zero was talking with Jinmu, most likely getting reports and giving orders, Misaki stood aside and made herself invisible. The man was the first hunter she knew outside of Kaien and Toga, in that she knew his name and face and spent more than passing glance, as such she took advantage to observe him. Jinmu was a large, bear-like man with slicked blond hair and scarred face. His bulk gave the impression that he could crush you with his bare hands and that he was more brawn than brain. It wasn't wrong, but it wasn't fully true either, she thought. He simply found brawn more effective and provided better results. That was not to say that he was not sharp or observant, she noticed that he was aware of her presence despite not giving himself away.

The older man spoke with gruff manner, but she could hear the underlying respect in his tone. It always made her smile to see how far Zero went from the lone wolf he had been. He had told her that Jinmu had been among the loudest to speak out against him as the president. Now, he won the older man's respect and loyalty.

"Misaki." Zero had finished his discussion and realized that his wife and subordinate hadn't been properly introduced to each other. Wordlessly Misaki stepped closer to make it easier. "This is Jinmu Gen. Jinmu, this is my wife, Kiryuu Misaki." Jinmu stared right at her the moment the introduction was made, but Misaki didn't blink or fidget, not intimidated in the slightest. She caught a flicker of approval in his eyes.

"Kiryuu-sama." Jinmu nodded politely.

"Misaki is fine, Jinmu-san." She was aware that Zero was also called Kiryuu-sama other than his title. It would help to avoid the confusion.

"Misaki-sama." Misaki conceded to the honorary, knowing that was the best she could get from him. He was quite a gentleman beneath the rough exterior.

"We'll take our leave," Zero once again placed his hand on her back.

"We'll take care the rest," Jinmu reassured his leader. Zero nodded in return. Before he led her away, Misaki gave a respectful nod and warm smile to Jinmu. She caught a softening in his features in the corner of her eyes, telling her that her judgment was right.

I

I

I

The drive back home was silent. Zero had his gaze fixed to the road, making it difficult for Misaki to catch his gaze to talk or to guess his thoughts from his side profile. She had wanted to question his actions back there, to understand why he chose to lose their distance right in front of the pureblood and nobility when they agreed that it was best for them to keep their relationship low-key. She had thought that Zero would have spent most of his time sitting somewhere in the corner, away from the crowd unless Yuuki made sure he would not, which she did by pulling him to a dance. She didn't expect for him to cut her dance and insisted her to dance with him instead. She had caught a glimpse of Kuran Yuuki standing in the dance floor on her own, frowning at the possibility that Zero might have snubbed her to dance with her, but the look for Kuran Kaname confirmed that it was exactly what her husband had done. Her heart had sunk and filled with dread at the Kuran's expression. He was certainly not pleased with both of them. However, Zero refused to see that, ignoring the Kurans' and her own disapproval, and kept her close to him the rest of the night until she finally decided for them to take their leave to salvage whatever was left of the Kurans' goodwill. It was unlike Zero to make such careless decision.

She was pondering various reasons Zero might have when they arrived in the driveway. It was in silence they left the car, giving no time for Misaki to raise her questions as she followed him into their home. He had longer strides than her, making her need to quicken her pace to keep up. She was behind him by few steps when he reached their bedroom, leaving her to close the door behind her. Pursing her lips, she watched him unbuttoning his sleeves, his jacket already discarded, by his side of the bed from her vantage point by the door. It appeared he was resolutely avoiding her, not even acknowledging her.

"Zero…" she threw his name cautiously, testing the waters, but there was no visible reaction. She barged on, nonetheless. "What happened?"

He faltered in removing his watch, finally a reaction she was waiting for, but he remained stubbornly silent. Misaki thought again, decided to choose a different approach. "The Kurans didn't look pleased."

"Let them." Zero punctuated his words by carelessly dropping his watch on the bedside table with a loud clunk.

Of all reactions, it was the last and least expected that she couldn't help gaping in surprise. Misaki was rarely caught off guard, but this time she found herself floundering to find the words to his indifference.

"Yuuki looked upset." Misaki tried again, this time removing Kaname from the equation.

"She had her dance." Zero went on to removing his vest, still refusing to look at her.

"Wait… Did you-" Misaki was quick in putting things together, but she couldn't believe the conclusion she came to. "Did you just leave Yuuki when she still wanted to dance with you?" She couldn't help the disapproval and disbelief in her tone.

"Yes," he replied curtly.

"Why?" Misaki didn't understand. Zero might not like dancing much, but he always made an exception for Yuuki. She had thought that Zero would have more than one dance with Yuuki, considering the less than formal situation in comparison to the times he had his dance with the pureblood princess before.

"You were dancing."

"It didn't mean you had to dance with me." She thought they had made that clear long time ago.

"It did."

Misaki gave up, knowing from the monosyllabic answers she wouldn't get an answer from him. It had been a long time she felt such an exasperation towards her husband. She thought they had passed that stage where talking to him was like pulling teeth. She stalked irately towards the vanity table while wondering what she had missed that she was unable to understand his reasoning because they needed to redeem the situation between them and the Kurans. She wasn't sure they were ready for having both of the Kurans displeased with them. If it was only Kaname, she thought Zero was ready to deal with him on equal grounds, but if Yuuki was included…

Before she could follow that train of thought, she felt a gentle touch on her elbow. Instinctively she turned around, only to be caught by intense gaze of her husband. The look made her irrationally nervous that she unconsciously wet her dry lips. Her heart skipped a beat when she noticed how his eyes moved down to her mouth.

"…Zero?" Her only warning was the hands on the back of head and on her waist pulling her to him, his lips crashing against hers. He was firm and relentless, his tongue sweeping over her lips and delving into her mouth. He was testing, teasing, tasting her with his lips and tongue, stealing her breath away and making her toes curl. She could not help the instinctive closing of her eyes and pressing of her body to his. It didn't take him long to start the heat slowly in the pit of her belly. She was faintly aware of him pushing her until her back hit the wall. His larger frame pressing her, his hands caging her against vertical surface brought back unpleasant memory, jolting her out from the blissful haze. Before she could push him back, he released her lips and traced her jaw.

"Misaki." His voice was low and husky, filled with lust and desire for her, awakening her own for him. She reached out to tangle her fingers in his hair, pulling him closer to her as his mouth did sinful things on the sensitive skin beneath her earlobe, suckling and nibbling downward to the junction of her neck while his hands roamed over and under her clothes that made her moan and shudder in want. In response, she slipped her other hand under his shirt, fingers caressing the soft skin of his abdomen. This earned her a hiss and a groan that sent a thrill through her before he bit down hard enough on the juncture of her neck to make her cry out and arch up against him. As though he had been waiting for her response, his movements grew less calm and controlled, more rushed and impatient.

Zero managed to unbutton the top of her shirt dress enough to yank down her bra and took her breast into his mouth. Misaki's breath stuttered, clutching Zero closer to her. It was unlike Zero to be so rough and impatient that he didn't bother to remove their clothes and move them to bed. In their previous times, he was gentle and careful with her, not wanting—fearing—a repeat of their first time. She trusted him, but he didn't trust himself. Somehow, she doubted this was because he started to trust himself.

She gasped out loud when he drove himself into her hard, throwing her head back sharply. He hitched her up, hooking her legs around his waist. The angle took him deeper inside her, sending her shocks of pleasure throughout her body. He quickly picked up his pace, pounding into her with such reckless abandon and holding her against the wall with such bruising grip that all she could do was to hold onto him with white-knuckled grip and surrender completely to his ministrations as his mouth latched onto her exposed throat.

It didn't take long for them to reach their release. Misaki would have fallen down if it wasn't for Zero holding her up. Regardless of his harsh breathing, his hold remained steady and would likely still do even with one hand. For a moment there were only sounds of their breath in the silence of the room, Zero rested his forehead against her collarbone and Misaki let herself fall back against the wall with her eyes closed. She wearily opened her eyes when she felt them shift.

She opened her eyes more fully when her back touched the familiar softness of their bed, only to find him hovering over her, their bodies still pressed against each other. His silver eyes looked violet in the darkness. They were so dark, pupils blown wide, yet they were so vivid at the same time. It didn't occur to her immediately why until his eyes traveled over her disheveled form in a slow, measuring glance, his fingers followed the path of his gaze with such soft, careful touch.

When his silver-violet eyes caught her blue ones, she could hardly breathe. They were filled with such lust and desire, with such want and longing.

For her.

She was hardly a vision, if not utterly wrecked: her braid loose, wisps of hair stuck to her face, her lips red and swollen, her skin slick with sweat, her top buttons partially undone, bra skewed to the side, her dress bunched at her waist, her skin littered with bruises and bite marks.

Yet…

She could no more but gasp in surprise into his mouth as he once again captured her lips, plundering her mouth that she was hardly able to breathe. His fingers made a quick work on her clothes, discarding them. She thought she heard something rip and tear but she couldn't find it in her to care, so consumed with the fire he ignited in her. Blindly and clumsily she helped him remove his shirt while he removed the rest of his own clothing while his tongue explored the crevices of her mouth and his mouth swallowed their moans. Now that nothing was left between them, his hands moved feverishly all over her naked body.

When he released her mouth, it was to continue his explorations of her body with his mouth and he was relentless to the point almost merciless. All she was aware of was the moist heat of his mouth, the sharp bite of his teeth, the rough wetness of his tongue, the calloused tips of his fingers and the searing brand of his hand on her body. She could only surrender at the fierce onslaught, her breath stuttering and heartbeat quickening as he left trail of fire across her body.

His mouth and hands were everywhere on her body, laying claim on her, drawing patterns on her skin. She could do nothing but to endure his relentless ministrations that sent her heart beating madly against her rib-cage, her chest heaving desperately for breath, her body writhing ceaselessly beneath him, her lips letting a soft stream of gasps endlessly. She could barely think, completely overwhelmed by the sheer pleasure he brought forth.

It felt like she was drowning. Her fingers ran along the strong arm, the broad shoulders, the silky strands of his hair, the taut back, marveling at the feel of those silvery strands, the feel of the muscles rippling beneath her fingertips, the feel of the strength within those lean and built limbs even as she was holding onto him for dear life. Watching through half-lidded eyes, he seemed surreal to her. His silver eyes were darkened with desire, giving a feral, almost inhuman look on his face. His silvery bangs were glinting in the darkness, falling over his eyes. His body was lean and toned. His pale skin was smooth, glistening with sweat. His throat gave away his growls of pleasure.

He was flawless.

She couldn't help but wonder how this Adonis desired her so. She was a mere human, regardless of the blood flowing in her veins. She was comparably pale to him, to other vampires. She was nothing compared to the pureblood princess he held so dear to his heart. She still couldn't grasp the reason he had chosen her as his wife whom he would spend the rest of his life with. She couldn't see what he saw in her. But as their bodies moved against each other, eliciting delicious friction to stoke their burning desire, she could not mistake her name in his voice any more than his name in hers. Her mind was reeling as much as due to the fire coursing through her veins as the discovery that he saw her, truly saw her.

There were times she wondered whether he truly wanted her, or he simply succumbed to the temptation of flesh when it was so close and freely given. Neither had partners before each other, neither had others to entrust their bodies to. There were times she wondered whether it was out of convenience that he sought her out for release, though his care and gentleness belied otherwise. However, it could also be because he saw someone else in her when he took her, someone precious to him whom he held reverence for. It didn't help that he oft avoided looking at her, fearing that he would incite flashback to their first time. Her mind accepted his reasoning as truth, but her heart did not.

Misaki cried out sharply when he buried himself inside her; her head thrown back, her hips bucking, her legs locking around him. She gasped and shuddered, nails digging into his back. The sensation was more intense than before. It was as though he stretched and filled her to the limits. It might be because she was still sensitive from earlier. The sensation didn't lessen, and instead it intensified as he quickly gained speed. She couldn't muffle her cries as he kept hitting that spot inside her that sent her wild with pleasure. She found herself pressing their bodies close, wrapping her arms around him, and pulling him closer to her.

Every thrust brought her closer to the edge, leaving her gasping for breath, raking her nails against his back. His mouth had latched onto her neck, teeth scraping the sensitive skin. She could sense he was getting closer, the muscles in his back beneath her hands were tense. However, she didn't expect the piercing pain on her neck that made her jerk in pain and surprise, but it also brought him deeper inside her that sent both of them hurtling over the edge and down the abyss together. Warmth filling her insides and trickling down her neck drew out her pleasure that she was falling… falling… and then… she shattered, broken into pieces.

Before darkness claimed her, she faintly heard in the distance a low, rough murmur.

"Mine."

I

I

I

The first thing he noticed when he slowly woke up was the feel of something warm and soft pressed against him and the feel of something smooth grazing his fingertips. When he opened his eyes, he felt his breath catch in his throat and his heart skip a beat at the sight that greeted him.

Lying partially underneath him was the most beautiful sight he had laid his eyes on. Curls of golden hair cascaded over bare shoulders, spilling over the white sheet, staining it gold. Long, thick lashes framed closed eyelids. Lush rosy lips parted slightly as she breathed softly.

She was lying slightly on her side, her forehead on the crook of his shoulder, her hands laid lightly on his chest, her body leaning forward, her legs tangled with his, most likely seeking for warmth as the covers barely covered their bare bodies.

His heart ached at the subconscious display of trust when he recalled everything that led to this.

The entire drive home he couldn't get rid of the images of her with that man. The images of her smiling and laughing warmly at the things he said. The images of her standing close to each other comfortably. The images of her dancing jovially with him. And the feelings that came over him by mere thought of another man being so close, so intimate with his wife even for a short moment.

Seeing how her former classmate managed to make her laugh and blush all the while they were dancing was the final straw to him. He had thrown all caution to the wind and dropped all pretenses, not caring of the presence of vampires nearby, the presence of the Kuran who wouldn't fail to notice what was happening and the presence of Yuuki who had been dancing with him.

He barely remembered excusing himself from the dark-haired beauty who obviously wanted another dance with him. He barely even remembered the look of disappointment that crossed her features. But he remembered how he strode across the dance floor to get to her, and he remembered how he had asked for a dance with her, pointedly ignoring her dance partner.

She looked completely taken aback back then and tried to remind him that it was not a good idea by stalling. Inwardly he had known that what he did was completely irrational, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He recalled how she gave in as he gave no sign of budging. He could recall clearly how satisfied he felt when he finally got her to dance with him and how he managed it clear to others that she was off limits, especially to that man.

However, that satisfaction didn't last long when he remembered how the younger man managed to do what he couldn't, how he managed to make her ease up, how he managed make her brighten up in such a short time. He recalled her reluctance before they danced and her relief after; as though she couldn't enjoy the dance the way she enjoyed the dance with her former classmate. In hindsight, it might be because this was nothing they had agreed upon, this open display of closeness between them and she was worried of the others' reaction towards it as he was supposed to be.

He was supposed to be worried, he should have, but he only had his eyes and thoughts on his wife. From the very beginning he stepped into the hall to the drive back to their home.

He had been jealous.

He had been jealous of the man. He had tried to suppress the feeling, but the more he tried, the stronger the feelings grew. He was her husband; he—or anyone else in the matter—had no right to act that way around his wife. He couldn't accept that another man managed to do what he couldn't. He was supposed to be the one to make her smile and laugh that way. He was supposed to be the one that made her happy.

The thought made him angry… and sad, because he had hurt her more than he had made her happy all the time they were together, and it made him feel such a failure compared to the other man. It also made him wonder whether she would be happier if she was married to a normal guy like one of her classmates, instead of some freak like him, who was neither human nor vampire, who was neither good nor evil, who was everything but normal.

She might have chosen him, but that didn't mean that there weren't times when she had her doubts.

He was worried that the time spent with her former classmate was one of those times. He was afraid that she might have not only doubted, but also regretted her choice. He had tried to convince himself that this was not the case and such thing wouldn't happen, but he was still worried. She was his, but she might not be his.

Those were his last, coherent thought when he pulled her to him out of impulse. When those blue, blue eyes peered up at him with such innocence and openness, showing her bewilderment then confusion; he couldn't not to touch her, to feel her smooth skin under his fingertips, to let his eyes roam over her face and to kiss her senseless, which he did.

All rational thought completely left him and all he could think of was getting more of her, claiming her completely. Before he could realize it, he already loosened the tight reins on his control that he tried so hard to maintain every time he lay with her. He found himself letting go, not caring to be gentle or careful, overcome by the desire to claim her, and claimed her he did.

He had taken her not once, but twice. Against the wall, not bothering to remove their clothes. On the bed, tearing through their clothes. He had been rough and relentless, she would not have been able to resist him. He hadn't stopped there too, he recalled the taste of her blood on his tongue, the aftertaste lingering in his mouth. He found himself drunk on her blood as the lust and desire, the want and longing thick in the precious nectar. He could not know that it could taste so rich and heavenly any more than it already was, as exquisite as it was to watch her shatter beneath him with his name on her lips.

He could not deny the satisfaction, but it was marred with guilt. He should have given her a chance to refuse him if she wasn't ready. He remembered how she had tensed when he pushed her against the wall. He had taken her blood forcefully that way that time. Regardless, she had reached out to him last night. It had been consent, hadn't it?

Zero was broken out of his musings when he heard a soft sigh and felt gentle flutters against his bare skin as she slowly wakened. He kept himself still, even all he wanted to do was to watch her awakening: the way her eyelashes fluttered, the way her sleepy blue eyes revealed, the way her face so soft and unguarded and the way stray curls of framed her face. It was a rare sight with her such an early riser. His breath hitched though as she stretched out languidly, brushing their bodies together.

"…Zero?" The quiet sound of her voice was overlaid with the sounds she made last night. His hand on her waist tightened, keeping her against his shoulder so he wouldn't look at her as he tried futilely to suppress her sighs, moans and cries in his mind. She spread her fingers on his chest, over his heart in response. The touch was surprisingly grounding.

"…'re you alright?" He finally found his voice. It sounded rough even to his ears. There was a thoughtful pause at his question, assuring him that she understood the importance of the question and the need for truth as she made an honest assessment of her own body, though the movements she made against him was admittedly maddening as she checked.

"'Bit sore." As though as she knew it was not clear enough for him, she elaborated. "It usually doesn't feel much after." Zero didn't know how to feel or think about that. Should he be relieved that she was okay, or that she might not be okay if she didn't inherit her ancestor's healing abilities?

"I'm sorry." He mumbled against her temple, still not daring to meet her eyes. There was no immediate response.

"I won't say I was not surprised," she started slowly, carefully, as though measuring her words. Zero tensed slightly of what might be coming. "But I won't say I mind."

It certainly wasn't that.

So surprised that he forgot his resolution not to look at her and found Misaki looking down, cheeks burning, bottom lip pursed in uncharacteristic shyness –or in embarrassment? His mind skidded to a halt, not quite registering the words and the look on his wife's face.

"Oh" was all he could stupidly say. Then to emphasize his stupidity, "But you were tense."

"I trust you." Clear, earnest blue eyes peered beneath gold eyelashes. What could he say to that? This time it was him who ducked his head.

"While I don't mind… what brings it on though?" Zero couldn't help the twitch of his mouth, even as he flinched. His wife would not believe if he said that he didn't think. He had always been careful when it came to her, not wanting to ask more than she could give. For him to be so careless and selfish for once, however much she didn't mind...

Misaki said nothing, letting him hide his face away from her while combing her fingers through his hair. Zero knew she would wait however long it took to get an answer.

"…you were laughing." Those words were pulled out involuntarily from his mouth. Her fingers stopped their ministration, indicating her surprise. He didn't realize how comforting it was until she stopped. He took another breath, "fully, carelessly …with him." He gritted his teeth at the end.

Rarely he caught his wife off guard and left her at loss of words. It seemed he managed to do so as nothing came forth.

"You didn't… with me." Not as much as he would like. Zero didn't know why he insisted in explaining himself, as though the dam had broken. He wasn't trying to blame her, he just wanted to make sense of it, of his inability of making her so at ease and playful.

"You think… I am not happy with you?" Her voice was tight, choked.

His chuckle was low and bitter. "Why would you be?" Before he could list all the reasons, light fingers touched his lips, stopping him. He waited in baited breath, not daring to move, to breathe. The atmosphere was heavy, poignant; it was as though they were at a precipice.

"Sometimes…" she stopped, lowering her fingers to rest on his jaw instead.

"I let myself pretend that I am normal. That I am just another girl, going out and having fun, having no worry in life. That I have a family to come home to, parents to scold and worry, siblings to bicker and argue." His heart ached at the hitch in her breathing. "Sometimes to fit in… sometimes to forget."

"But it is not me. I am not and can never be normal. It is something I have come to accept." Zero understood that feeling well. He had stopped considering himself as anything but ordinary since he lost his family to Shizuka, but then life made certain he was anything but normal. He was nothing like humans, nothing like hunters, and nothing like vampires. He didn't belong anywhere. He could pretend, no, he was always pretending. Pretending to be the president of Hunter Association, the leader of hunters, a son, a friend, a husband, and a father.

"When they look at me, they only see this quiet girl who studies diligently and keeps to herself, who looks so normal and ordinary to everyone, who cannot know pain and suffering. They don't know what I've been through and what I've done, that I am nothing but nice and helpful, naïve and ignorant. They don't know me." She lowered her gaze to meet his, her voice soft and quiet.

"Like you know me." The honest admission stole his breath away and made him tingle with warmth. People like them didn't trust easily, didn't give away themselves carelessly.

"It's never easy for us. We… do not have easy life." His fingers found their way to hers, tangling them together. "We know it is not going to be easy."

"No, it is not." He pressed his forehead against hers. How could he forget? He had known this. He had known it wouldn't be easy. They had known. There would be times when they would hurt each other and keep each other in a distance. But they kept trying, fighting for whatever happiness they could have.

"I chose you, Zero." Her eyes were so blue and clear, her voice was so strong and firm, leaving no room for doubts and regrets. He could do no less, not removing his gaze away from her.

"And I you." It was the closest confession to his feelings. Zero raised his hand to cup her cheek gently, and he couldn't help his heart from stuttering when he saw her leaning into it unconsciously. He didn't know whether it was for her or his comfort. It didn't really matter.

She was here and she had chosen him.

Never had he felt such warmth filling him, choking him, drowning him. He wanted her to feel the same. He wanted to chase away all the pain and sadness, the cold and loneliness, the fear and doubt. He wanted to make her see and understand how much she meant to him, but words often failed him and action seemed never be enough.

He leaned forward to tangle their mouth together, fingers sliding through silken curls to rest at the back of her head, hand trailing down her soft curves, bodies brushing and pressing against each other… and he proceeded to show her in the only way he knew how.

So… yeah. I kept blushing while I was writing this chapter, coming up with several versions too. Smut is really not my strong suit. But I cannot NOT include it, as it is an important milestone in their relationship, for better or worse. Make your guess. Now, let me go and hide in embarrassment (omgIwrotesmutsceneomgOMG).