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Description
Warnings: This is yaoi (m/m).

Pairings: Kaname x Aido, and Aido x ?...well, I think you'll figure it out once you read this chapter

Preview Line: He gulped and knew he didn't have a chance in hell of ever winning against Kaname.

The Stained Marble

Chapter Four
Lovers

Kaname's cold words continued to ring in Aido's ears, traveling straight down to his heart, and brutally piercing it like a dull knife. He bowed his head, avoided Kaname's gaze, and fell silent.

He only wanted to escape. The pureblood had confirmed his worst fears. He was nothing more than an escape, a way to ease Kaname's suffering. Actually, perhaps, he was something less than that since Kaname insisted he keep their new relationship a secret from the others.

The older vampire cleared his throat, purposefully drawing Aido's attention, and continued further explaining. "I chose you a long time ago to fulfill this role, Hanabusa. I wanted you to one day become my lover," Kaname said and paused briefly, letting that one word hang in the air as if he could taste the very texture of it on his lips.

The noble's bright blue eyes widened and a quiver surged down his body at the mere possibility of being Kaname's lover. Was he being serious, or was he just teasing him again? But when Aido's eyes met Kaname's darkened gaze, he noticed those thin yet thoughtful lips and those slightly furrowed brows and realized the pureblood was dead serious.

Kaname's eyes drifted from his, and he began speaking again as if he had never even paused. "Even though you were stubborn as a child, I saw the fire and passion in your eyes. I knew you'd always be by my side and that you'd never betray me. I'm sorry if I did some things that made you uncomfortable, but it is necessary. In order for me to continue here at Cross Academy, I will continue to rely on you, Hanabusa."

Damn it. That bastard wasn't playing fair and he knew it. Aido wanted to hate him for saying the words that would ultimately bind him to Kaname forever, but of course, he didn't really hate him for it. Instead, his heart thumped loudly from pure excitement as his happiness was about to burst straight out of chest.

Kaname said he'd chosen him. Since arriving at Cross Academy, Kaname had been suffering because of Yuuki, but Aido never would have guessed the older vampire had planned this out since their childhoods and had already chosen him as his future lover. It made the young noble feel somewhat dizzy just thinking Kaname had thought of him all those years ago.

Then a depressing thought crept through his mind and all his blissful feelings vanished. Even if he were Kaname's lover now, it didn't mean he'd continue to be his lover forever. He was just a way to ease Kaname's suffering until the real person, Yuuki Cross, could take his place, right? But why didn't Kaname just take Yuuki now and make her his? Why did the elite vampire even need him? It wasn't like she wouldn't go with Kaname willingly. He didn't understand why Kaname still hesitated.

But the noble realized he was a hypocrite since he couldn't even ask the pureblood such questions. For now, he was content that Kaname had thought of him at all, and as his lover no less. The thought of it caused his cheeks to grow warm, and he suddenly realized he was blushing.

Kaname was watching him with growing suspicion, but when he saw his brightened cheeks, a mischievous smile crossed his beautiful face.

"You promise to keep this a secret?" the pureblood asked and arched one eyebrow questioningly.

"Yes," Aido answered immediately, feeling the warmth slowly fade from his cheeks as he tried desperately to gain Kaname's trust.

"Good. Now here are your slippers. Head back to your room. Night Classes are about to start, and I have something I must attend to," Kaname said, handing over Aido's slippers, and coldly turning back to his desk without a second glance at Aido.

The blond squeezed his bunny slippers to his chest and frantically tried to hold back the tears, which welled up in his eyes. He was an idiot. What had he been hoping for? Was he really hoping Kaname would sweep him up in his arms, kiss him, and tell him he loved him after having sex?

He was being delusional and he knew it. Still, why did his heart have to hurt so much? It wasn't like he'd come to Kaname's study hoping for a romantic relationship with him. He had only ever loved the elite vampire as a friend and respected him as a pureblood, but now, his heart was in turmoil.

He clutched even harder at the slippers near his chest as if he could relinquish the pain that welled there. Had he already fallen so totally in love with Kaname that it hurt this much? But perhaps, he had fallen so deeply for Kaname simply because the pureblood had been his first. He didn't really think that was the only reason, but a part of him thought that was why he felt so betrayed at that particular moment.

As his mind continued to swirl, he realized in the heat of the moment he'd promised Kaname that he belonged to him, and only him, while Kaname had no such obligations. Now that the fog had cleared from his head, he began to question his logic.

Foolishly, he swiped at his eyes with the backside of his sleeve, wiping away any lingering tears. He grit his teeth together, focusing on the anger at his own stupidity, and bent down to slip on his bunny slippers. Like a shamed college girl, he tried to bolt from Kaname's study, but as he reached for the door handle, the older vampire grabbed him from behind and leaned in next to his ear.

"You can't leave if you are going to look like you hate me," Kaname said, his voice low and sultry.

"Ah, no, I—" Aido began, but he couldn't manage to form a coherent sentence.

How could he fight against Kaname's seduction? How could he continue to stay angry with him if he was constantly turned on by the pureblood? Aido turned his head slightly and peaked out of the corner of his eye and up into Kaname's dangerous, dark eyes. He gulped and knew he didn't have a chance in hell of ever winning against Kaname.

The older vampire chuckled in his ear and gently turned Aido to face him. "It's my fault," he said and leaned in to kiss Aido on the forehead. "I didn't give you a goodbye kiss."

The young noble's blood pumped at full speed and color returned to flush his face. Was he that transparent? This was bad, and it was only the beginning of their relationship, if you could call it that.

He didn't want to become so attached to Kaname that it hurt. Akatsuki had commented to him several times how he thought his "obsession" over Kaname was unnatural and unhealthy for a noble. He didn't want to become any more attached to this pureblood than he already was, but he felt as if he were being consumed by Kaname's mere presence.

The older vampire opened the door for him, but at the last second, Aido gripped his sleeves nervously at the realization that he might not get to see Kaname as his lover again. He quickly turned on his heels, almost crashing into Kaname, but the words already tumbled out of his mouth.

"When can I see you again?" he asked and tried to hide the hopefulness in his voice.

A knowing smile fell across Kaname's lips, indicating that he knew exactly why he'd asked such a question.

"I'll call for you when I want to see you again. Don't worry. It won't be long," he said and gently pushed Aido through his office door, out into the cold hallway.

The noble's heart plummeted, feeling the weight of Kaname's iciness at his back. A heavy weight squeezed around his heart, threatening to crush it. His vision began to blur as stupid tears welled up yet again. He wanted to turn back, scream and yell at Kaname, and call him a damn idiot. But suddenly, he felt wary and depressed, not to mention tired from all their earlier "activities."

Grudgingly, he managed to shuffle his feet down the long corridor towards his room. He wanted nothing more than to take a warm shower before he had to go to class. A warm shower would wash away all of his foolish thoughts towards Kaname. He could forget all about the pureblood and how he'd probably used him for sex. How Kaname had only selfishly wanted to end his own suffering by touching Aido, licking him, and sinking his fangs into his flesh. Ah, yes, his fangs!

"Hey, watch it," a loud, male voice said. It sounded vaguely and annoyingly familiar.

Aido looked up into Zero Kiryu's violet eyes. His body was inches from Aido's face, yet he stood an entire head's length taller than him. How annoying. Zero and that girl, Yuuki, were the main reasons behind Kaname's pain. If it weren't for those two, then he would have Kaname all to himself.

As if reading Aido's mind, Zero's eyes narrowed and asked, "Hey, where is Kaname? I need to speak with him."

"What? Why?" Aido blurted out.

He realized all too late that he sounded like a jealous lover. Zero looked down with a puzzled expression but was unfazed by his questions.

"Personal reasons," the hunter said and smirked.

Before Aido could retort anything, he heard the click of a door open behind him, and from Zero's hardened expression, he knew it was Kaname. The noble turned to face him again and saw his eyes were only on Aido, not Zero.

Kaname's lips did not move as he stared straight into Aido's soul. The air surrounding the pureblood's entire body vibrated menacingly. Kaname was furious, and he could only guess as to why. He figured it was because he'd been questioning Zero when he was supposed to be back in his room.

He trembled underneath that threatening gaze and tried to keep his legs from shaking.

"Hanabusa," Kaname said, using a strict tone with a raw, rough edge. "I thought I told you to return to your room."

"Yes, Lord Kaname," Aido said and bowed.

He turned and began to move past Zero, but as he did, the hunter stuck out his arm, blocking his path.

"Why do you let him treat you like that?" Zero asked, completely ignoring Kaname's presence.

Aido looked up into those swirling purple eyes, and for the first time, he was captivated by the man's beauty; his shinny silver locks, his pouty bottom lip, and his perfectly sculptured collarbone. He quickly squeezed his eyes shut, and thought, no, I was just caught in the moment.

"I don't let Kaname treat me like anything. I only live to serve Lord Kaname," Aido told Zero, glaring back up at him.

"You truly are pathetic," the hunter spat, his words hitting Aido like daggers.

Aido felt the heat rise in his cheeks from embarrassment and at the knowledge that Zero had hit his weakness spot on. He had often thought of himself as pathetic simply because he could never say no to Kaname. When it came down to it, he would do whatever Kaname asked of him. He had no will of his own to break free from the chains that wrapped around him. And even if Kaname did one day release him from those chains, he feared he'd still continue to follow the pureblood like a sad puppy with no where else to go.

He was Kaname's kept pet, but the horrifying and pathetic truth was that he didn't mind at all. Nothing would break him free of Kaname's chains.

Still, Aido never thought he'd hear those words spoken out loud. He'd only ever heard them in his own head, and even then, he was ashamed. He was not only rendered speechless, but again, he wanted to run away. However, Zero's tall build and arm still blocked his path.

"Zero," Kaname's voice rang out from behind Aido. "Let Hanabusa go. You've teased him enough, don't you think?"

Aido brought both of his hands to cover his bright red face, but this only embarrassed him further, making him want to cry. Stupid Zero! His eyes began to water at the corners, but vaguely, he heard Zero mumble, "Oh, ah, yeah. Sorry."

He peaked in between his fingers to see if Zero had moved. He saw the path was now clear, but as he made a hasty retreat, he made the mistake of looking up into Zero's face as he passed. Perhaps he looked up at the hunter because of the unusual way Zero had mumbled, but it seemed the vampire hunter's tone had changed from demeaning to bewildered.

Aido almost stumbled as he noticed Zero's expression. His violet eyes seemed wider with what appeared to be shock and his cheeks were flushed like Aido's. Why in the world would Zero's cheeks be flushed? What did he have to be embarrassed about?

Irritated, the noble thought about it all the way down the long corridor to his room. Did Zero regret what he had said to him? Had Aido's reaction made him embarrassed?

"Ah! I just don't get it!" he cried out in frustration as he plopped onto his bed.

Aido glanced at the clock on his nightstand and realized it was almost 5 o'clock. The sun would set soon and the first Night Class would start immediately afterwards. He didn't have time to take another shower and wipe away the stickiness of what he and Kaname had done earlier, but a part of him didn't mind. He wanted to keep the pureblood's scent on him a little longer.

He sighed and rolled his eyes at his own pitifulness. He was only confirming Zero's words.

Somehow, he managed to shove thoughts of Kaname to the side and open his closet to find his Night Class uniform. However, no matter how fast he tried to hurry and change, his mind was still preoccupied with thoughts of Zero and his words.

Ever since he'd come to the Academy, Aido and Zero hadn't gotten along. The noble viewed the hunter as a rival, or at least, as someone who could potentially take Kaname away from him. But more than that, he didn't like Zero because he was jealous of him.

He was jealous of the way Zero could approach Kaname with absolute confidence. The young hunter had an air of superiority about him just like Kaname. Zero stood on equal ground with Kaname, and Aido had to respect and admire him for that. Still, he wanted to be the one on equal ground with Kaname, not Zero.

He wondered if Kaname would ever respect him like he respected Zero. If he gained more confidence in himself, would Kaname respect him more? And when the time came for the older vampire to leave him as his lover, if Kaname respected him and saw him as his equal, then would it be more difficult for Kaname to leave him?

Aido's mind kept wandering around in circles, and even though his thoughts had started out centered around Zero, they always, always came back to Kaname. And yet, that only made Zero's words ring more true in his ears. Pathetic, pathetic, pathetic.

On that day, the day Kaname's parents died, Aido had sworn his undying loyalty to Kaname Kuran and told him he loved him. He'd sworn to always be his faithful servant, but it wasn't until today when Kaname had declared Aido his lover that he'd realized his love for the elite pureblood was deeper than friendship and the bonds of servitude. From that moment on, the chains that bound him to Kaname were forever sealed. Even if he was just Kaname's lapdog until he got tired of him, Aido didn't mind and would continue to follow him.

A familiar yet painful twinge shot through his heart as he finished straightening his tie. This time he ignored it, put on his shoes, and opened his door.

Like an evil yet irritating presence hanging over Aido's head, Zero's words continuously echoed in his ears as he walked down the hallway and out of the Night dorms.

Pathetic, pathetic, pathetic.

Description
Warnings: This is yaoi (m/m).

Pairings: Kaname x Aido, and Aido x ?...well, I think you'll figure it out once you read this chapter

Preview Line: He gulped and knew he didn't have a chance in hell of ever winning against Kaname.

The Stained Marble

Chapter Four
Lovers

Kaname's cold words continued to ring in Aido's ears, traveling straight down to his heart, and brutally piercing it like a dull knife. He bowed his head, avoided Kaname's gaze, and fell silent.

He only wanted to escape. The pureblood had confirmed his worst fears. He was nothing more than an escape, a way to ease Kaname's suffering. Actually, perhaps, he was something less than that since Kaname insisted he keep their new relationship a secret from the others.

The older vampire cleared his throat, purposefully drawing Aido's attention, and continued further explaining. "I chose you a long time ago to fulfill this role, Hanabusa. I wanted you to one day become my lover," Kaname said and paused briefly, letting that one word hang in the air as if he could taste the very texture of it on his lips.

The noble's bright blue eyes widened and a quiver surged down his body at the mere possibility of being Kaname's lover. Was he being serious, or was he just teasing him again? But when Aido's eyes met Kaname's darkened gaze, he noticed those thin yet thoughtful lips and those slightly furrowed brows and realized the pureblood was dead serious.

Kaname's eyes drifted from his, and he began speaking again as if he had never even paused. "Even though you were stubborn as a child, I saw the fire and passion in your eyes. I knew you'd always be by my side and that you'd never betray me. I'm sorry if I did some things that made you uncomfortable, but it is necessary. In order for me to continue here at Cross Academy, I will continue to rely on you, Hanabusa."

Damn it. That bastard wasn't playing fair and he knew it. Aido wanted to hate him for saying the words that would ultimately bind him to Kaname forever, but of course, he didn't really hate him for it. Instead, his heart thumped loudly from pure excitement as his happiness was about to burst straight out of chest.

Kaname said he'd chosen him. Since arriving at Cross Academy, Kaname had been suffering because of Yuuki, but Aido never would have guessed the older vampire had planned this out since their childhoods and had already chosen him as his future lover. It made the young noble feel somewhat dizzy just thinking Kaname had thought of him all those years ago.

Then a depressing thought crept through his mind and all his blissful feelings vanished. Even if he were Kaname's lover now, it didn't mean he'd continue to be his lover forever. He was just a way to ease Kaname's suffering until the real person, Yuuki Cross, could take his place, right? But why didn't Kaname just take Yuuki now and make her his? Why did the elite vampire even need him? It wasn't like she wouldn't go with Kaname willingly. He didn't understand why Kaname still hesitated.

But the noble realized he was a hypocrite since he couldn't even ask the pureblood such questions. For now, he was content that Kaname had thought of him at all, and as his lover no less. The thought of it caused his cheeks to grow warm, and he suddenly realized he was blushing.

Kaname was watching him with growing suspicion, but when he saw his brightened cheeks, a mischievous smile crossed his beautiful face.

"You promise to keep this a secret?" the pureblood asked and arched one eyebrow questioningly.

"Yes," Aido answered immediately, feeling the warmth slowly fade from his cheeks as he tried desperately to gain Kaname's trust.

"Good. Now here are your slippers. Head back to your room. Night Classes are about to start, and I have something I must attend to," Kaname said, handing over Aido's slippers, and coldly turning back to his desk without a second glance at Aido.

The blond squeezed his bunny slippers to his chest and frantically tried to hold back the tears, which welled up in his eyes. He was an idiot. What had he been hoping for? Was he really hoping Kaname would sweep him up in his arms, kiss him, and tell him he loved him after having sex?

He was being delusional and he knew it. Still, why did his heart have to hurt so much? It wasn't like he'd come to Kaname's study hoping for a romantic relationship with him. He had only ever loved the elite vampire as a friend and respected him as a pureblood, but now, his heart was in turmoil.

He clutched even harder at the slippers near his chest as if he could relinquish the pain that welled there. Had he already fallen so totally in love with Kaname that it hurt this much? But perhaps, he had fallen so deeply for Kaname simply because the pureblood had been his first. He didn't really think that was the only reason, but a part of him thought that was why he felt so betrayed at that particular moment.

As his mind continued to swirl, he realized in the heat of the moment he'd promised Kaname that he belonged to him, and only him, while Kaname had no such obligations. Now that the fog had cleared from his head, he began to question his logic.

Foolishly, he swiped at his eyes with the backside of his sleeve, wiping away any lingering tears. He grit his teeth together, focusing on the anger at his own stupidity, and bent down to slip on his bunny slippers. Like a shamed college girl, he tried to bolt from Kaname's study, but as he reached for the door handle, the older vampire grabbed him from behind and leaned in next to his ear.

"You can't leave if you are going to look like you hate me," Kaname said, his voice low and sultry.

"Ah, no, I—" Aido began, but he couldn't manage to form a coherent sentence.

How could he fight against Kaname's seduction? How could he continue to stay angry with him if he was constantly turned on by the pureblood? Aido turned his head slightly and peaked out of the corner of his eye and up into Kaname's dangerous, dark eyes. He gulped and knew he didn't have a chance in hell of ever winning against Kaname.

The older vampire chuckled in his ear and gently turned Aido to face him. "It's my fault," he said and leaned in to kiss Aido on the forehead. "I didn't give you a goodbye kiss."

The young noble's blood pumped at full speed and color returned to flush his face. Was he that transparent? This was bad, and it was only the beginning of their relationship, if you could call it that.

He didn't want to become so attached to Kaname that it hurt. Akatsuki had commented to him several times how he thought his "obsession" over Kaname was unnatural and unhealthy for a noble. He didn't want to become any more attached to this pureblood than he already was, but he felt as if he were being consumed by Kaname's mere presence.

The older vampire opened the door for him, but at the last second, Aido gripped his sleeves nervously at the realization that he might not get to see Kaname as his lover again. He quickly turned on his heels, almost crashing into Kaname, but the words already tumbled out of his mouth.

"When can I see you again?" he asked and tried to hide the hopefulness in his voice.

A knowing smile fell across Kaname's lips, indicating that he knew exactly why he'd asked such a question.

"I'll call for you when I want to see you again. Don't worry. It won't be long," he said and gently pushed Aido through his office door, out into the cold hallway.

The noble's heart plummeted, feeling the weight of Kaname's iciness at his back. A heavy weight squeezed around his heart, threatening to crush it. His vision began to blur as stupid tears welled up yet again. He wanted to turn back, scream and yell at Kaname, and call him a damn idiot. But suddenly, he felt wary and depressed, not to mention tired from all their earlier "activities."

Grudgingly, he managed to shuffle his feet down the long corridor towards his room. He wanted nothing more than to take a warm shower before he had to go to class. A warm shower would wash away all of his foolish thoughts towards Kaname. He could forget all about the pureblood and how he'd probably used him for sex. How Kaname had only selfishly wanted to end his own suffering by touching Aido, licking him, and sinking his fangs into his flesh. Ah, yes, his fangs!

"Hey, watch it," a loud, male voice said. It sounded vaguely and annoyingly familiar.

Aido looked up into Zero Kiryu's violet eyes. His body was inches from Aido's face, yet he stood an entire head's length taller than him. How annoying. Zero and that girl, Yuuki, were the main reasons behind Kaname's pain. If it weren't for those two, then he would have Kaname all to himself.

As if reading Aido's mind, Zero's eyes narrowed and asked, "Hey, where is Kaname? I need to speak with him."

"What? Why?" Aido blurted out.

He realized all too late that he sounded like a jealous lover. Zero looked down with a puzzled expression but was unfazed by his questions.

"Personal reasons," the hunter said and smirked.

Before Aido could retort anything, he heard the click of a door open behind him, and from Zero's hardened expression, he knew it was Kaname. The noble turned to face him again and saw his eyes were only on Aido, not Zero.

Kaname's lips did not move as he stared straight into Aido's soul. The air surrounding the pureblood's entire body vibrated menacingly. Kaname was furious, and he could only guess as to why. He figured it was because he'd been questioning Zero when he was supposed to be back in his room.

He trembled underneath that threatening gaze and tried to keep his legs from shaking.

"Hanabusa," Kaname said, using a strict tone with a raw, rough edge. "I thought I told you to return to your room."

"Yes, Lord Kaname," Aido said and bowed.

He turned and began to move past Zero, but as he did, the hunter stuck out his arm, blocking his path.

"Why do you let him treat you like that?" Zero asked, completely ignoring Kaname's presence.

Aido looked up into those swirling purple eyes, and for the first time, he was captivated by the man's beauty; his shinny silver locks, his pouty bottom lip, and his perfectly sculptured collarbone. He quickly squeezed his eyes shut, and thought, no, I was just caught in the moment.

"I don't let Kaname treat me like anything. I only live to serve Lord Kaname," Aido told Zero, glaring back up at him.

"You truly are pathetic," the hunter spat, his words hitting Aido like daggers.

Aido felt the heat rise in his cheeks from embarrassment and at the knowledge that Zero had hit his weakness spot on. He had often thought of himself as pathetic simply because he could never say no to Kaname. When it came down to it, he would do whatever Kaname asked of him. He had no will of his own to break free from the chains that wrapped around him. And even if Kaname did one day release him from those chains, he feared he'd still continue to follow the pureblood like a sad puppy with no where else to go.

He was Kaname's kept pet, but the horrifying and pathetic truth was that he didn't mind at all. Nothing would break him free of Kaname's chains.

Still, Aido never thought he'd hear those words spoken out loud. He'd only ever heard them in his own head, and even then, he was ashamed. He was not only rendered speechless, but again, he wanted to run away. However, Zero's tall build and arm still blocked his path.

"Zero," Kaname's voice rang out from behind Aido. "Let Hanabusa go. You've teased him enough, don't you think?"

Aido brought both of his hands to cover his bright red face, but this only embarrassed him further, making him want to cry. Stupid Zero! His eyes began to water at the corners, but vaguely, he heard Zero mumble, "Oh, ah, yeah. Sorry."

He peaked in between his fingers to see if Zero had moved. He saw the path was now clear, but as he made a hasty retreat, he made the mistake of looking up into Zero's face as he passed. Perhaps he looked up at the hunter because of the unusual way Zero had mumbled, but it seemed the vampire hunter's tone had changed from demeaning to bewildered.

Aido almost stumbled as he noticed Zero's expression. His violet eyes seemed wider with what appeared to be shock and his cheeks were flushed like Aido's. Why in the world would Zero's cheeks be flushed? What did he have to be embarrassed about?

Irritated, the noble thought about it all the way down the long corridor to his room. Did Zero regret what he had said to him? Had Aido's reaction made him embarrassed?

"Ah! I just don't get it!" he cried out in frustration as he plopped onto his bed.

Aido glanced at the clock on his nightstand and realized it was almost 5 o'clock. The sun would set soon and the first Night Class would start immediately afterwards. He didn't have time to take another shower and wipe away the stickiness of what he and Kaname had done earlier, but a part of him didn't mind. He wanted to keep the pureblood's scent on him a little longer.

He sighed and rolled his eyes at his own pitifulness. He was only confirming Zero's words.

Somehow, he managed to shove thoughts of Kaname to the side and open his closet to find his Night Class uniform. However, no matter how fast he tried to hurry and change, his mind was still preoccupied with thoughts of Zero and his words.

Ever since he'd come to the Academy, Aido and Zero hadn't gotten along. The noble viewed the hunter as a rival, or at least, as someone who could potentially take Kaname away from him. But more than that, he didn't like Zero because he was jealous of him.

He was jealous of the way Zero could approach Kaname with absolute confidence. The young hunter had an air of superiority about him just like Kaname. Zero stood on equal ground with Kaname, and Aido had to respect and admire him for that. Still, he wanted to be the one on equal ground with Kaname, not Zero.

He wondered if Kaname would ever respect him like he respected Zero. If he gained more confidence in himself, would Kaname respect him more? And when the time came for the older vampire to leave him as his lover, if Kaname respected him and saw him as his equal, then would it be more difficult for Kaname to leave him?

Aido's mind kept wandering around in circles, and even though his thoughts had started out centered around Zero, they always, always came back to Kaname. And yet, that only made Zero's words ring more true in his ears. Pathetic, pathetic, pathetic.

On that day, the day Kaname's parents died, Aido had sworn his undying loyalty to Kaname Kuran and told him he loved him. He'd sworn to always be his faithful servant, but it wasn't until today when Kaname had declared Aido his lover that he'd realized his love for the elite pureblood was deeper than friendship and the bonds of servitude. From that moment on, the chains that bound him to Kaname were forever sealed. Even if he was just Kaname's lapdog until he got tired of him, Aido didn't mind and would continue to follow him.

A familiar yet painful twinge shot through his heart as he finished straightening his tie. This time he ignored it, put on his shoes, and opened his door.

Like an evil yet irritating presence hanging over Aido's head, Zero's words continuously echoed in his ears as he walked down the hallway and out of the Night dorms.

Pathetic, pathetic, pathetic.