Zero Kiryu hated three things in life.
One, was his own life in general, since it has always been tragic. It was unfortunate for a young boy his age to endure so much hardships and painful memories. After all, he wasn't completely human himself. And being one of the best skilled vampire hunters didn't categorize him as different.
Two, were the creatures that made him who he was now: vampires. Purebloods. They were the beasts that practically took everything away from him. Zero proudly loathed those maggots that took the form of human beings. He oversaw their unnatural beauty and perfectionism as pure disgust, unlike the ignorant mortals that viewed them as gods or goddesses. Thanks to life being so cruel to him, he lost his parents, his brother, his childhood, and his humanity by the hands of a pureblood. Every day, he struggled with the uncontrollable bloodlust in which those vampires share. This was the curse of being a Level D…and very slowly, his sanity would soon fall into something more monstrous in time.
But this was nothing compared to all the turmoil he faced throughout his life. No, this made him grit his teeth even harder, glaring at himself in the mirror while adjusting his new 'outfit' for tonight's event. No matter how many times he asked himself, he still wondered how the hell he got himself in this situation in the first place. What made this humiliating moment worse…was his annoying partner banging from the other side of the door, eagerly waiting to see him. "Oi, Zero! Come on! Let me see how you look!", she cried. "I'm all done with my costume. We don't want to be late for the Halloween party!". Zero sighed again, mentally cursing at himself one last time before heading out to the door.
Three, dressing up for Halloween. With Yuuki.
In fact, Zero thought of Halloween as another despicable holiday, just another excuse for those vampires to roam in the night and cause havoc. But dressing up? Not his style at all. This was a young man that was all about despair and business, nothing more or less. So why was he in such a situation regardless? Well, tonight he had a reason for wanting to brutally beat the Chairman. It was his idea for a Halloween masquerade party in Cross Academy this year. And by him and Yuuki being his loyal prefect guardians, the costume code was no exception for the two while on duty. Of course, Zero was smart enough to know all of this was also Kaien Cross's way of getting him to have some fun. That made him wanted to punch him even more.
Yuuki continued knocking on the door. "Zero! Come out! We got to get going before the party starts and—" The door finally swung open, revealing Zero glaring down at her in annoyance. But his hard expression then softened a little once his eyes examined Yuuki from head to toe. The short and petite young girl wore a pure white short strapless dress that revealed her slender legs, and her delicate arms and shoulders. A white ribbon was tied around her waistband, having a small bow at the center. Yuuki's short bub hair was neatly combed, and she wore a glittery halo around her head as a crown. Small dangling earrings swung loosely on her ears, and she wore white pump heels. Lastly, a pair of glistening white wings attached on the back of her costume, both expanding gracefully behind her back.
Whether or not Zero was aware how bashful he looked, he couldn't stop gazing at his longtime friend. Yuuki's entire outfit matched her innocence and serenity perfectly. She was truly a fairy, no, an angel. Something that was completely opposite of him. The very thought reminded him what he was and why he hated himself. It also made him wonder how he had a friend like Yuuki come into his life. Yuuki shifted her head to the side, staring back at Zero confusedly. "Um, Zero? Are you alright? Helloooo, Zero…", she asked, waving her hand in front of his face. Thankfully, she helped Zero snapped out of his train of thought and remembered what was going on. He shook his head.
"Nothing. Let's go and get this party over with", he replied flatly, passing through Yuuki. Yuuki stopped him by the shoulder.
"Wait a minute Zero, aren't ya forgetting to put on one last thing?", she asked. Zero glared at her annoyed.
"What now? It's bad enough I'm wearing this damn thing. I look ridiculous as it is".
"No you don't, and you know it. Besides, who else can pull off playing a sexy phantom? And as the phantom, it's only customary to wear the mask". Yuuki pointed back at his room, knowing he hasn't worn his half-cracked mask yet. Zero sighed again and grumbled, walking back to his room and snatch the mask off his dresser. Yuuki found herself staring at him the whole time, admiring his appearance. His costume did suit him, as well as his demeanor; dark, solemn, and mysterious. The flowing cape that he wore brought the mood of his attire even more. But it was his silver locks and piercing violet orbs that always awed Yuuki. Every time she stared at his features, a strange yet warm feeling slowly erupted inside her chest, making her blush unexpectedly.
She finally snapped out of it when Zero came back from his room and closed the door, putting on the cracked mask on the right side of his face. His other side still showed irritability about going to the party. "Let's go", he said, leading the way. Yuuki turned around and followed him.
"R-right!", she stated.
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All the students in Cross Academy attended the Halloween ball with high spirits, human and vampire alike. Although most of the Night Class didn't wear any costumes but their school uniforms, the rest arrived in all kinds of outrageous outfits. Yori decided to attend the party and dress up as geisha. Other Day Class girls dressed up as Easter Bunnies, witches, Dracula's brides, and even sexy nurses and police women. Most of the Day Class boys dressed up as pirates, desperadoes, zombies, and there was someone dressed up as Michael Myers. Everyone was on the dance floor, mingling and having a good time. The music was loud and lively, and the snacks and refreshments were delicious. Very few were by the wall and socializing from the crowd.
Once Yuuki and Zero arrived at the entrance of the school, they were stopped by humped-back man cloaked in brown wool and a hood that hid his face. He held a long sickle staff, limping towards Yuuki and Zero. "Oh my, what brings two young strangers into my castle of dooooommm?", the cloaked man asked in a raspy, eerie voice. Yuuki giggled while Zero rolled his eyes and pushed him out of the way.
"Please. That ain't even near as close to being scary", he said. Kaien then stood up straight, taking off his hood and showed his goofish smile.
"Aww, Zero-kun! My poor son don't know how to play along!", he whined childishly and shook his head.
A nerve popped on Zero's forehead as he raised his fist. "For the last time, I ain't your son, damn it! It's bad enough you dragged us into this stupid party in the first place. Why did I listen to you?"
"Oh Zero-kun, surely you can't hate Halloween! The fun, the mischief, the fright of the night! The night of dressing up, haunted houses, ghouls, screams, and—"
"Yuuki, mind shutting your dad up before I make his back even more humped?", Zero asked irritably. Grinning at the tension between the two, Yuuki placed a hand on the Chairman's shoulder.
"We'll be on duty now Chair—I mean, Daddy. See ya later".
"Okay, dear loving daughter! I'm just glad someone's here in the Halloween spirit! That's how I raised her! And don't just think about work, have fun while y'all here!". Yuuki waved at the Chairman while tugging Zero's arm to prevent more headaches. When Yuuki and Zero joined the crowd, they took a good look at the atmosphere. Things seemed smoothly so far, and the Night Class got along with the Day Class properly. They knew not to break the school taboo of drinking their blood. Yuuki looked around and saw Yori waving at her.
"I'm gonna hang out with Yori for a little while. You'll be alright?", she asked Zero. Zero shrugged and gestured his head for her to go.
"Go on. I'll keep watch of things from here".
Yuuki studied him for a moment, then walked over to her best friend. Zero left the crowd and walked to the wall. He leaned against it and crossed his arms, watching everyone in the party.
He caught some familiar Night Class students dressed up. Rima and Shiki dressed up as a gothic duo. Rima wore a short black leather skirt, black stockings, knee-high boots, and a black see-through shirt with a black halter underneath. Her hair was tied in two ponytails by black ribbons, and she wore some gothic jewelry. Shiki wore some ripped black jeans, black sneakers, a skull T-shirt, and a black beanie hat to cover his messy raspberry hair. Aidou dressed up as James Bond for the ladies, Takuma dressed up as Peter Pan, and Ruka dressed up as Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Akatsuki chose to wear his regular clothes, though his 'bad boy image' could blend in with the crowd anyway. Also, he saw his own mentor, Yagari, wearing a pirate outfit with his usual half helmet covering his right eye.
Surprisingly, Zero spotted Kaname at the far end of the party room, wearing his school uniform too. A part of him thought he would dress up for this main event, since he was the beacon of his race. Suddenly, he saw Yuuki approaching Kaname and talking. He felt his aggravation grow more, though he didn't know why exactly. He always knew Yuuki had some kind of fascination for the vampire, since the two had a past together before he came along. He never could have enough hating the Pureblood Prince. So how come each time he saw the two together, it affected him on a different level? Zero walked away from the wall and went to the refreshments, focusing on everything else at the party. Whatever that kept his attention away from those two, again.
Three hours later, everyone started settling down after a long night of fun. Many people started returning to their dorms to get some sleep. Zero was just as eager to leave the party and end the night, but had to stay since some people were still there. He sat down sluggishly, looking at his watch. 11:45pm. Halloween was almost over. He sighed and took another sip of his punch. Someone placed a hand on his shoulder, making him look up and glaring. He was surprised to see Yuuki behind him, smiling.
"It's been one hell of a long night, huh Zero?", she said. "Come on, let's get some fresh air". Zero nodded and stood up, following her. They reached outside on the large balcony. Yuuki looked up at the sky, viewing the crimson crescent moon shining down at them. "I had a lot of fun tonight. How about you, Zero? Did you bother to talk to some people and dance?".
Zero only gave her an oblivious look. "Do I look like the kind of guy that'll dance? Let's just say I'm glad this night is almost over and I can get out of this costume". Yuuki glanced back at him, somewhat sadly. She knew he was a boy of few words with an isolated personality after the past four years she'd spent with him. It never crossed her mind about not hoping for his happiness, specifically with her. If only she could find a way that would both of them seem closer besides partnership….but then again, maybe she was asking for too much.
Zero shifted his eyes at her. "I take it you enjoyed seeing your precious Kaname here", he stated sarcastically. "Is that why you had a lot of fun tonight?".
Yuuki looked down at the ground with a small smile. "Well, yeah, in a way. We only chatted for a while and shared one dance. He decided to leave early though, since he's never been a big fan of parties himself".
"Hmph", Zero grumbled. He looked back at the sky. Yuuki looked back at him and continued.
"But it's cool, ya know? Because it's not like I'm left all alone when he's gone. I still had Yori and my other friends to hang out. Plus….there's always you with me, Zero", she said slowly. Zero kept his gaze at the sky, but his eyes softened at the sound of her saying his name. In a way, it was full of some kind of affection. Suddenly, a large announcement from the party room interrupted the two. They heard Kaien from the microphone.
"Alright ladies and gentlemen, as you know, tonight is finally coming to a close. But before we go back to our normal lives in school, let's play one last song for the fun of it. Again, thank you all for coming, and have a Happy Halloweeeeennnnn!", Kaien trailed. As soon as he got off the mic, he played 'The Monster Bash' song. The remaining people gathered their partners and slow danced, even though it wasn't a slow song.
Yuuki sighed sadly and smiled. "Well, looks like your wish finally came true. Guess it's time to call it a night and turn in". Before she went back in the room, she felt Zero's hand placed on top of hers, stopping her. She raised a brow. "Zero?". The next thing she knew, he gently pulled her closer, lifting her left arm with his while placing his right arm around her small waist. Yuuki's bubbly brown eyes grew wide, feeling a new blush on her cheeks. "Zero, what are you?—".
He then smirked at her, leading her in a slow rhythmic motion to the music. "Hey, like everyone keeps telling me, I need to have some kind of fun. Besides, this is the last song, so it wouldn't hurt dancing for the hell of it". Yuuki continued blushing as she stared in his eyes, not believing that he was actually dancing, yet alone with her! She had no idea what made her deepest wish come true, but she immediately found herself grateful. Yuuki looked down, relaxing a little in his arms and smiled. She was enjoying this small intimate moment together, no matter how short it would be. They could return as partners the next morning, as long as she had this moment to cherish forever.
"I'm just glad…that I was able to save the last dance with you", Zero spoke up suddenly. Yuuki looked back up and smiled genuinely. Her brown eyes sparkled more.
"Yeah, me too. Happy Halloween, Zero".
Zero smirked again. "Yeah. Right back at ya".
The two continued dancing under the crimson moon, the night of All Hollow's Eve. He was his beloved phantom of the night. And she was his lovely guardian angel, in more ways than one. And as always, Yuuki invited Zero into her soft, diving skin as his fangs craved for her delicious blood. For him, it was an act of satisfaction and relief. For her, it was an act of unconditional love. Perhaps it was possible for a white angel to love a black demon.
