A/N: Hello! Another little project to stew over for another while XD Dear me, I'm so fickle :D

Warning: KanaZeroKana for now, but if anything pops up, I'll make sure to add it on here :)

Disclaimer: No own vampire knight.

Joy Ephemera

"I apologize, Yuuki," Kaname sighed, unable to quite keep the wariness out of it, but hoping she wouldn't pick up on it nonetheless. "I've a meeting I cannot miss that evening, and rescheduling is impossible."

There was an answering sigh on the other end, soft and resigned, "I…no, it's okay, Kaname. I understand."

This line of conversation was an old one, one that'd been ongoing since their marriage had been decided and given approval. It was all that they seemed to be able to say to one another. A constant repetition of awkward, 'Sorry, can't make it.' 'No, it's fine. I understand.'

They were turning into nothing more than a broken record, and although Kaname hated to see it happening, he hated himself more for not caring enough to change it.

Another day. Another disappointment.

He was being an awful fiancé, he knew this, and their up and coming marriage along with their lives afterward seemed less than stellar. He didn't know how he'd be able to stand having one line conversations with his own wife every. Single. Damn day of his life. It'd drive them both insane.

But pretending to enjoy her presence and smiling along like an idiot seemed even worse. She'd most likely be able to see right through it (women's intuition when it came to their less than enthusiastic partners) and deal him that less than happy stern look he'd become well accustomed to, and also disliked, if only because his mother would then catch on, and she would be absolutely relentless with her probing questions. And that, of course, was something he disliked even more.

Couldn't she just simply accept not all arranged marriages turned out like hers? He wasn't jumping for joy, he wasn't excited, and he sure as hell wasn't looking forward to the thrice-be-damned honeymoon.

He nearly gave into the urge to glare his phone down into submission when it rang, before he actually saw who'd called, and, with another sigh, flipped it open. "What is it now, Takuma? He hasn't demanded for anything else, has he?"

Their business partner was much too fond of pulling the unreasonable bastard card on a daily basis.

"No," his vice president sounded cheery, as always, "it's the other one. That evening meeting you guys planned? Well, he's decided he wants to hold it at Red Lily."

Red Lily? His mind momentarily pulled a blank until—

"That Red Lily?" He just barely managed to reign in his incredulity. He was vaguely aware (everyone was) of Yagari's favorite resting place, his self-proclaimed 'sanctuary', but never would Kaname have thought the man would have chosen such a place for their meeting. Their very important meeting. Their very important professional meeting.

"I know, isn't it awesome?" Was that a squeal?

"…"

Takuma coughed. "Uh, how dare he choose the Red Lily!"

The blond sounded hardly convincing.

"Well, look at it this way Kaname, at least it's different." He was obviously trying for a different tactic. "He said you needed relaxing. He just wants you to have fun while you're still able to, you know?"

"That's none of his business." What was it with everyone and their fathers trying to butt into his soon-to-be-gone bachelorhood?

"Maybe. But it's not like I can say anything about it. He never listens."

Yagari was extremely my-pace if nothing else.

"Fine. Tell him I'll be there. He hasn't rearranged the time and date, has he?"

"Still the same!" Takuma chimed.

Lovely. He'd get to spend his Friday evening at (however renowned or refined) what was technically, a whorehouse.

He wondered which was worse, the meeting or the wedding plans he'd just bailed out on.

He then groaned, imagining what his fiancée was going to say upon finding out where he'd gone on the day she'd planned for them to organize their wedding.

He was still in a similar mindset as he and Takuma stood outside the ornate Red Lily on the dreaded Friday evening.

A dainty fine-boned woman invited them inside and up to the large room Yagari had chosen for the night, her small red lips in a perpetual coy smile. Takuma seemed more than happy to start up a friendly conversation with her, whispering god-knew-what and sharing laughs and high-pitched giggles.

He just couldn't wait to get this over with and leave as soon as possible. Maybe if he didn't stay for long the damage wouldn't be as bad…

Mm, was he being too hopeful about having seen something that might just have been a flying pig?

"Hey Kuran, about time you got here."

Unable to hold in a sliver of irritation, he ground out, "Really Yagari-san—"

"Ah, shut up and sit down." He gestured. "You're always such a frickin' tight-ass."

Before he could give a proper reply, Takuma pulled him inside and dragged him down next to him. "Relax and fun, remember?" The blond murmured, and turned to Yagari with a wide smile, pouring him a glass of what could be nothing less than pure alcohol.

"Yagari-san, if we could get to the point of this—"

"Not right now, they're almost here."

Kaname was getting tired of having to be interrupted. "They?" He almost demanded.

"Just wait."

The next second, a young boy came crashing through the sliding doors. A tiny slender thing he was. All lanky and thin with the skin on his small face a sickly pale shade, stuttering incoherently.

Just wait? For this?

Kaname raised a brow. Yagari laughed. The boy looked mortified.

"I'm, I'm sorry sirs, for my rude—"

"Sakuya."

The nervous rambling immediately stopped, wide anxious eyes turning to the open doors he'd shot through like an uncontrollable football not a few seconds before.

Kaname couldn't help sitting up a bit straighter despite himself, hearing what had to be the most attractive voice to grace his ears. Smooth, husky, and strong; it pulled something in him he couldn't begin to recognize. Whoever this was, he most likely held some authority in Red Lily, the soft commanding tone unmistakable for anything else.

"Ze-Zero-san!" The boy's face was graced with a flush of relief, the hint of color giving a healthier glow to his cheeks. "I'm sorry, I did it again—!"

"Sakuya." A slender hand reached past the doorway and into their room, sliding neatly under the kneeling boy's chin, all gentleness and grace. "You've done well for the day. Take the rest of the night off and rest in my rooms."

"Y-yes, thank you!" Previously so uncoordinated, he got up with a surprising amount of fluidity this time, bouncing out with unrepressed enthusiasm.

"Ah, Zero, ever the softy," another man, older, stepped through, "but they do give him too much to do." His laugh light and carefree, he gave a sweet smile. "Touga, sorry to keep you waiting."

His eyes, clear and honest (and wasn't that ironic, considering where they were), slid to caress Yagari's form with an old familiarity. "Mm, and it looks like we've more company tonight." His gaze, curious, but not probing, focused on Kaname and Takuma for no longer than a second before turning back to the door, his right hand (fine and delicate) cupped by his mouth and, in mockery of a ridiculous stage whisper,

"One's a real looker, but doesn't seem like much of a talker!"

"That's our job, Kaien," that same smooth voice, Zero's, Kaname reminded himself, was tinged with something like fond indulgence, "and you know I could care less for what they look like."

The indirectly introduced Kaien let out something that sounded suspiciously like a giggle before nodding. "Of course, of course. But at least the other one looks real sweet." He turned to Yagari again. "You've brought treats with you tonight. What's the occasion?" He moved to sit beside the smoker, making himself comfortable as he poured the man another cup.

"Wanted to get that one a special lady for the eve," Yagari answered, jabbing his cigarette towards a frowning Kaname. "Little rich boy's going to get hitched in two months."

"My," and surprisingly, Kaien's smile was purely genuine. "Congratulations!" His expression then did a complete one-eighty as he lightly slapped Yagari's chest. The man nearly choked on his drink, giving Kaien a wary glare.

"What?"

"Why would you want to bring him here for one of our girls if he's obviously happy with his own? It's a terrible insult!" He sent Kaname an apologetic glance. "He means well. Probably. Maybe. A little. But he can be horribly insensitive. Forgive him?"

"Uh, yes." Because what else was he supposed to say to that? 'No. Go to hell'?

"Kaien," and finally, Kaname was getting a chance to place a face with that voice as he heard it draw nearer, "lay off of Touga a little. He's just showing he cares."

A pale foot, slender and perfect, followed by another, nearly silent against the tatami mats, glided into the room. Eyes slowly wandering up, Kaname actually paused in bringing the cup of alcohol to his lips as he was forced to lift his other hand to loosen his tie. He suddenly found his throat too tight for any beverage, and was glad he hadn't taken that sip.

He might have made a complete idiot out of himself by choking on it.

"Like what you see?"

He sent Yagari a subtle glare, not appreciating his smug smirk in the slightest.

"But it's true, Zero," Kaien was still arguing his case when Kaname could care less for it, too busy trying to keep his mouth closed, "happily engaged men shouldn't be here, making their lovely partners jealous."

To that, Zero didn't offer a verbal answer for, merely giving a sardonic raise of his brow in a silent question no one but Kaien understood.

"Oh," and the man sighed a little forlornly, tipping over until his head rested against Yagari's shoulder, "Yes, that could be just as well. We all have our stories."

He was too busy playing with Yagari's shirt to notice the knowing look exchanged over his head.

"Zero, you hate Friday evenings here," Yagari spoke up in an abrupt change of topic, "How did Kaien manage to convince you tonight?"

"Ruka."

A spark of recognition flitted through the smoker for a moment before he asked another question. "So when can I expect that special lady I've requested?"

Instead of giving him an immediate answer, Zero simply approached a frozen Kaname, sent him a slight smile and slowly pulled him up by his tie, keeping eye contact with dark eyes. "Sorry Touga, but your little bachelor friend will have to settle for me this time." He sent a smirk over his shoulder as he led said bachelor out of the room.

Once they walked to the end of the long hall, Kaname barely able to breathe right, his heart ready to burst, Zero suddenly turned around and let go of his tie, heading to the elevators. Puzzled, but still dazed, Kaname followed after him, not knowing what else to do.

When they reached the ground floor, he actually turned to Zero with a frown, wondering what the other was up to. He'd thought—

"Oh! Zero-san, didn't he just arrive? Leaving already?" The same dainty woman who'd led them upstairs chirped curiously.

Not knowing what to say, Kaname was content to see how Zero would respond.

"Yes, you know how it is with these stuffy businessmen," he brought up a slender hand to pat Kaname's arm, which he couldn't help but feel had more to do with mockery than any sign of affection, "they always have somewhere to go. He'll have to take a rain check."

What?

"A rain check on you?" The tiny woman sent Kaname a playfully reproachful look. "You have some nerve, casting aside someone like Zero-san for business." She smirked. "Well, you're free to come back any time. Just don't expect to be lucky enough to have Zero-san the next time you come."

"That's enough, Mai, he's a busy man," Zero gently intercepted, fixing one of her hairpieces with practiced ease.

Filled with questions, but unable to ask them aloud, Kaname let Zero walk him to the entrance.

"Well, nice meeting you," a hand was placed at his back, "but whatever Touga says, I've no business with someone who doesn't even want to be here, so, out you go," Zero lightly pushed him through, either not seeing Kaname's alarmed reaction or ignoring it, "not to mention, it's obvious, what you think of Red Lily," he continued, tone still casual, eyes sharp, "and wasting my night on a close-minded rich boy who can't tell his face from his ass doesn't even make it onto my list of things I'd rather not do, it's that idiotic."

Giving one last push, he smiled gently, his expression a complete contrast to his biting words, "come back when you've grown up a bit, huh, little one?" Turning to the amused drivers on their cigarette break, he gifted them with a softer, sympathetic smile, "Sorry to shove someone like this onto your shoulders, gentlemen, I know you'd prefer to finish your meals, but he does need a ride back to wherever he crawled out of, so if you could consider this a favor…?"

They all laughed loudly, paying not a whit of attention to Kaname's embarrassed glare, and one of them stood up, tipping his cap, "You don't owe us nothin' Zero-san, we be glad to get this fella off ya." He headed to his designated cab. "Well? Where you headed for, sonny?"

Kaname grumbled out the address to his office building.

"Thank you for this, Take-san," Zero waved from the entrance, "I promise to have your favorite cigars the next time you stop by."

Feeling immensely better, Zero went back upstairs to his rooms. A tired sigh escaped his lips. Maybe he shouldn't have been so hard on that man? He did feel a little guilty for pulling that on him when it was obvious he hadn't a clue what was going on. He seemed innocent enough, just toting along with Touga without really considering for anything else but the reasons Touga might have given him to drag him here.

But as Zero looked at him, he could immediately tell what sort of mold Kuran Kaname fit into, and it wasn't any he liked. Young, inexperienced, arrogant, and with all of that, a condescending judgmental mindset? It had rubbed Zero in all the wrong ways.

Kaname had obviously never lived or known anything else but his own way of life, and Zero could also tell he wasn't the type to genuinely care for very many people. The man was a hardened businessman and little else. But whatever his problems, Zero hadn't appreciated the way he regarded Kaien or Sakuya in the slightest.

Coming to see the residents of Red Lily as his second family, Zero did his utmost to care and protect them, one of the biggest threats being the clients themselves. Those who worked here were people, just the same as anyone else, with thoughts and feelings of their own. He wouldn't stand for seeing them trampled over by cold insensitive assholes who had it in their mind to use others for nothing more than a way to pass boredom.

They cared for and respected their clients' needs, and in return, they expected the same of those they served. It wasn't a hard thing to achieve, and everyone more or less abided by those rules.

For those who didn't, Zero was more than glad to show them to the door along with his foot in their face. Just in case the door wasn't enough.

Thinking back to Kaname, he had to admit he'd acted the way he did on purpose, wanting to see how the brunet would respond. He seemed a little too out of it tonight for anything interesting, but Zero could at least bet on the man returning a second time.

If he cares for his pride, and I know he does, he will come back, if only to leave with the last word.