A/N: if you read my A/N for The World's latest chapter you'd know I fucked up, so this is coming several hours early, but it is uh, a little short, I will admit. Also, I took a long break from this story because I completely lost my way with it- but I'm back to outlining it in advance, and I WILL work on outlining some more tonight, so you can keep getting chapters every Saturday for this story. I have also created a playlist for this story, but am too lazy to go back and edit the chapter titles of 12 chapters to match the song titles on anything but fanfiction, so I'm sorry to those who read on Wattpad and A03. The playlist is linked in the story bios on Wattpad and A03, but on Fanfic is linked on my author profile. Check it out when you get the chance. Imma end this A/N here because if I don't it might turn out longer than the actual fucking chapter (nice going, Erin. Smdh for the second time tonight.) Anyway, enjoy :)
Zero dreamt of many things as the weeks passed- visions of war torn battefields, whether they be of the Academy torn asunder or a field he was completely unfamiliar with, the flat, unseeing stares of the dead haunted him in his waking hours as well and he was helpless to do anything about it, opting to paste a mask haphazardly over his features whenever his mind turned back to the horrific scenes that followed him even in the safety of the Dorm's walls.
But tonight he was not going to focus on what awaited him- or at least he was going to try not to anyway.
No, tonight was a night of triumph, of failure, of utterly disgusting productions- yes, tonight was the night they marathoned Worst Chefs in the World.
They being Aido and he while Kain kept watch over his cousin- it was a weekend night after all, and it was a rare weekend when the students were allowed to wander into town, so Kaname had made sure the wiser cousin was keeping a close eye on the younger, but it was rendered moot as Zero had already lured the blond into the trappings of reality television.
His head was aching hollowly- gradually worsening as the night progressed, and every clatter of pans and smacking of fish against cutting boards via the blaring TV made his ears near ring in agitation.
Of course, he was calming himself with what Aido had referred to as an 'ungodly combination of separately delicious foods, unified unnecessarily and therefore rendered disgusting'- Zero just snickered at the blond's antics while shoving it into his mouth to attempt to abate his annoyingly strong cravings.
But still, whenever a commercial would flash on screen he found himself searching the future- Yuki's future.
But it wasn't her future he was finding, it was her past.
Warmth, comforting warmth- she was wrapped in her Okaa-san's arms, her mother humming the soft lullaby she had always sung to soothe Yuki's restless nerves. Juri's fingers tangled in and out of her daughter's long auburn waves as she held her against her chest, Yuki's face tucked into her bosom as she slowly stopped crying, the fear she had acquired during her nightmare degrading the longer she remained in Juri's warm arms.
A flash, and she's sitting in her Otouto's lap as he reads a book with big, unfamiliar words to her while her Nii-san practices on the piano's keys- a pointless activity as everything he did always seemed to come flawlessly to him. But still- the soft, lilting melody lured her into a hazy sort of contentment- she was safe and she was happy in her father's arms.
Another flash and Juri cries out as she rushes Yuki past the second story windows that face out onto the front lawn. Yuki's brows are furrowed in confusion as her mother sobs quietly. She longs to comfort her mother- Okaa-san was the sun of her life, a wildfire of emotions- she should never cry or be sad in Yuki's young mind.
"Haruka, oh Kami..." Juri cries, picking Yuki up once they're out of sight of the windows, hiding them away in an isolated room on the third floor landing.
"Okaa-san?" Yuki breathes, concerned, and Juri forces a smile- but they both know it's pointless- her mate is dead and her family is in danger.
A blink and suddenly she's wrapped in her mother's arms, her mother humming the familiar lullaby as if to comfort her, but Yuki cannot help but cry as her mother's blood floods the floor of the room, her mother's magic soothing her when her song fails. Yuki blinks slowly, exhaustion flooding her and making it hard to think.
"I love you." Her mother says softly, and Yuki knows no more.
When she comes to she can't recall anything- who is she? Where did she come from? What is it that paints the ivory pillow-no, snow- crimson?
Zero blinked heavy eyes and was overwhelmed with a... feeling. A part of his intuition demanded he act now- something was wrong, something needed to be seen, and Kaname needed to see it too.
He stood and dressed in jeans and a loose shirt and heavy coat to hide his belly away, telling the pair of cousins that he would be back- that he had to speak to his mate.
Aido's brows furrowed in concern, but Zero waved it off.
"I'll be fine, Hana."
He left his room and quickly knocked on the door to his mate's office, peeking in and telling him to throw on a jacket and shoes, garnering a cocked brow.
"Just trust me, I've got a feeling that you need to see something."
Kaname nodded and they soon left the Dorms, heading off the path and cutting through the forested grounds to the main gates where a few stragling day class students bolted in to avoid a detention for missing curfew.
The two purebloods kept to the treeline, and Zero could sense Kaname's restlessness as if he sensed the silverette's unease.
A few minutes passed, and then suddenly Yuki came running through the gates, her eyes crazed with fear, and she turned to run down a lesser travelled path.
"She can't see what's going on around her." He whispered, before his eyes caught movement on Kaname's part.
Zero held Kaname back on instinct, "Keep watching- no- I don't think anyone's after her."
"Yuki!" Ichiru called, running after her as he spotted her bolt for the side path.
His twin was concerned, that was abundantly clear, and he was confused.
The two purebloods cast out their senses, not able to sense any threats approaching- just a few drunk day class students.
They glanced at one another and ghosted after the pair.
They found Yuki with her back to Ichiru, neither of them noticing the purebloods.
"Yuki?" Ichiru breathed.
Her eyes were glazed when she turned around in a whirl of skirt, withdrawing Artemis Rod in one smooth move and lashing out at Ichiru in an act of fight or flight.
Why was she scared? What was she seeing that they weren't?
She knocked him to the ground and he rolled to escape blunt force trauma to the head, making her moves more urgent and less skilled and she lashed out for whatever she could- his legs, his stomach- Zero suddenly appeared in a pureblood show of speed at his twins side, catching Artemis as she went for a glancing blow against his ribs.
Ichiru coughed once, groaning in pain, but making no move to protect himself.
Zero sighed, "Yuki..."
His voice was soft, gentle even.
She was his sister- she needed his help, she needed their help. Her seal was breaking, dangerously so, and she was in distress as she stilled, his voice penetrating her unruly mind through the haze of agitated hallucinations.
"You're safe. No one's here to hurt you. I won't let anyone hurt you, Yuki."
She stilled further, her eyes glassy with unshed tears, "Zero?"
"I'm here, Yuki."
She fell to her knees and clawed at her temples, crying out in pain.
Zero sighed and with a simple tap, knocked her unconscious.
Kaname appeared at her side and picked her up off the ground, his brows furrowed oh-so-slightly in concern.
He was agitated, but accepted what he had been shown.
"I'd wanted her to stay human for longer- to remain happy and unaware for longer."
Zero nodded and knelt at his twins side, who was silent and confused.
"What's going on, Nii-san?"
Zero sighed once more, healing his brother and in the process making his head ache with a pulsing desperation. He had to keep this to a minimum- the pregnancy was beginning to take it out of him more and more. And he still had five more months as unfortunately vampire gestational periods were slightly longer.
"I'll tell you about it back at the dorm. Now help me up."
Ichiru nodded and frowned when he felt Zero's weight lean on him for more support than he had realized would be needed.
Zero sent a firm stare at Kaname, "Everything will be alright, but only if you tell her the truth."
His mate nodded, and they headed home, the younger twins brows drawn in worry at his sorry state.
Just walk it off, he told himself as his eyes narrowed in pain as his head pulsed stronger than before.
A/N: Surprise, another A/N (except I am well aware only half of you will ever bother to actually read either of them, and those that did for the one at the top will be even less inclined to read the second lmao). Questions for ya'll this chapter- How do you feel about the limitations Zero is beginning to have from the pregnancy in this chapter? What is your prediction to how Yuki will react in the next chapter when her seal is broken? How do you think the relationship dynamics will change between Yuki and Ichiru when she's a pureblood and he's still a human? Do you think Ichiru should somehow become a pureblood as well? Let me know below! Thanks for reading! :)
ALSO, I am BEGGING ya'll to read my story Velleity (it's a captain america fanfic- but it's still gay af and has mpreg and the oc is a weretiger/kitsune hybrid and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read it because its been up for months and on fanfic it has literally only gotten a follow and no reviews and no faves and I am DESPERATE. (it's Bucky Barnes/Male OC) If you review it seriously I will read and review a story of yours as long as I'm somewhat familiar with the fandom and/or source content. (Also, I am kinda mean when I review, I don't mean to be, I just can't sugarcoat to save my life. Blame it on the autism.) (Other payment options include me declaring you my one true God(dess) and devoting myself to becoming your own personal virgin priestess.) JUST PLEASE.