Vampire Knight: Innocence

Night 8. Guardian

Guardian

Tomorrow school was starting. Zero was going to have to wake up early and face all those high-energy High School kids who thought the highlight of their way would be to return to this Academy and see their friends. For Zero, his highlight would be...nothing. The plan of action was simple, boring: Go to school, play Prefect, do homework, sleep. On the weekend, Zero would probably go hunting with Kaito, work at the Association, and avoid that girl, Kagami – who made it her mission in life to stalk Zero wherever he goes – and the other plan was probably to argue with Kira about something stupid. Again. She was always looking for a fight.

Except lately. Lately meaning since the fight earlier this morning. After Yagari had ordered them to run laps (which killed him, by the way! He was amazed he could still walk), Kira had gone quiet. Didn't say anything at Lunch, or at Dinner. Hell, she didn't even say anything when Zero grabbed the remote from her hands and switched the TV to some lame movie that Zero didn't even want to watch. After that, Kira just vanished up into her room. Never came down. Not that Zero cared––

Zero walked past Kira's bedroom door and saw that the door wasn't shut all the way. Zero glared at the door. His enemy Housemate lived in that room. Zero looked up and down the hallway and saw that he was alone. Zero gripped the water bottle that he held in his hand. He walked towards the door and pushed it open and found Kira sitting on the floor at the foot of her bed, staring at her closet. Strange. She looked up at him and Zero always had to check himself. It was always a shock to him that Kira wasn't the same little girl he had grown up with. She had filled out nicely over the years. Even now, she wore a black tank top and rough cut short-short jeans. And combat boots. She always liked boots.

"Hey," she said in a small voice. Not a demanding voice, a relaxed tone. Zero blinked and she made no move to get up off the floor, "You need something?"

Zero scratched his head, "No. Just...wanted to check up on you, I guess. See if you were still breathing after Master Yagari made us run laps."

Kira smiled slightly, "Yeah. I'm okay."

Zero nodded. He turned to leave, but instead he turned to see Kira was still sitting on the floor, staring at her closet. He moved to switch the bedroom light on and saw what Kira was staring at the Cross Academy Uniform that was hanging neatly on the door on a bright pink hanger. Zero frowned.

"You don't like the Uniform?" Zero asked, turning his gaze back to Kira.

"It's not that," Kira said as she stood up, "I'm just...taking it all in."

"You nervous to start school again?" Zero asked as he moved to sit on Kira's bed. She still stood, staring at the uniform, hands on her hips. Zero just stared at her back, "It's not so bad."

Kira glanced over her shoulder, "How would you know?"

"I didn't go to school for a year, remember? The Chairman wanted me to be the Guardian, protect the Night Class' secret and all, and I was against it...so I refused to go to school. But it really isn't that bad. The students here are nice, you won't have any Newbie problems here," Zero cracked the bottle of water open and took a sip, watching Kira as she considered what he said.

"Being a Newbie wasn't my concern," Kira turned back to look at her uniform. She crossed her arms over her chest and Zero raised his eyebrow.

"Is it because you have to share the same grounds with Vampires?" Zero asked carefully. When he thought about it, Kira really hadn't bragged about being friends with Vampires, maybe she wasn't a Peace Keeper anymore?

"I don't mind the Vampires," Kira replied. Zero frowned. Still a Peace Keeper. Idiot. Kira moved backwards and sat down beside Zero. She brushed some of her hair behind her hair and stared at her hand, "I'm freaking out about going to class with...with you."