Author's Notes: (huffs) Finally! That's all I can say. I've been waiting for something like this to happen, to be honest, and it just did and I'm friggin' glad about it. At last, the time has come for yet another KanZe tale of love. :D Rejoice.

Internal War: ...................I'm in a quandary here. Should I read VK again? After chap40 ("I'm so happy... I thought I was dead inside Zero's heart..."), I lost my appetite. But...... after hearing about dearest Takuma's condition, and precious Zero's actions, I'm uncertain. Should I? :( I would greatly appreciate concrete replies to this, honestly. My hatred for the being that is unfittingly called Kaname’s special one has been keeping me away, and aside from that, Ichiru died. And I love Ichiru. And Zero's hurt. I love the Kiryuu Twins, what can I say?

Disclaimers: I do not own Vampire Knight. I only own the sandbox we play in once in a while :D

Characters: Kaname and Zero. Finally. The rest of the uber hot male cast may appear once or twice, or maybe not at all, not really sure-- but it's a definite that Ichijou will be here!... exactly where and when, I do not know; Yuuki may appear too, but please note: This Yuuki is the version created by ETC Corp. ("Night Class Interview"---the fic, not the drama cd), hence she is also partly owned by Kazuya "Wrong" Arsashi, hence she is not as bitchy and as flame worthy as the original one. Also, I like to call her Ritalin-child. It's a pity it isn't true.

(Edit as of the moment I finished the fic: wow, Yuuki's name appears only... like two times in the fic. Huh.)

Rating: (stares) Wow. I need this? ........Wait, YOU need this? Isn't it already a given that when you go in search of KanZe love, THE LOVE DOESN'T HOLD BACK? XD........fine, fine, since I'm a responsible (almost) member of the community, I say it's T. Like most of the things I do.

(Edit...: erk. I got carried away. But it's still T! I think... I hope... God. This is so... mortifying...)

Randomnity: My real name places me as "An attendant at a sacrifice". :D Haha. The irony.

"Just call me Tsubaki-hime."

--

-

--

S.A.C.R.I.F.I.C.E.

--

S is for Shadow

Shadow, v.t., to follow secretly

--

He'd been following him for several days now, and he could only thank his lucky stars that the boy hadn't noticed him yet. If he'd been caught, he'd most likely irritate the boy with his reasons, all of which seemed to boil down to the simple fact that he wanted to.

Silver hair the exact shade of the winter sky as it rained snow flakes on them all, lilac eyes that glowed with a muted light, as if they had no reason to do so in the first place, skin as pale as a porcelain doll's and lips that looked as soft as the petals of a freshly bloomed rose--- like an angel, though he suspected that this comparison was terribly insufficient.

It was a small wonder that his guardians found his growing obsession with the boy irritable, why, how could they complain when he'd finished all his assignments early just so he could watch the boy go through his own in the library? Almost unconsciously, he'd modified his schedule so that he would have time --give or take an hour or two-- to trail after the boy, to creep after him as he walked through the empty corridors of the palace.

At times, he became daring, walking past the boy and acknowledging his presence with a slight nod. His actions were unnoticed, however, as the boy returned his greetings only half-heartedly and sometimes not at all. He was such a serious child, he thought.

But usually, Kaname was quiet, as he tried his best to not be seen so that he could go on staring at the boy who'd single-handedly entranced him and crippled the entire Council's workings in one blow.

Strange, wasn't it, that the boy's name was Zero. He was anything but that--- well, to him anyway.

S is for Shelter

Shelter, v.t., protect

--

He would protect him from all those who sought to hurt him, from the demons that lay beyond the edges of their home, from the ghosts that would forever haunt him, from the ones who craved his blood and those that craved his very being.

He would be the place he could run to when he was scared, the place where he could let down the shields he'd had since his bloody birth, the place where he could sleep and dream and be free from those who strived to take these comforts away from him.

He would offer his arms, his shoulder, his hand, his blood, his body-- his very soul if the need arose.

Because since Kaname could accomplish all these with a simple smile, it was the least he could do to give himself over to him.

S is for Sedate

Sedate, v., to apply or administer a sedative

--

It would require careful planning and much discretion from the entire Class, Yuuki's full cooperation and of course Ichijou's helping hand-- Kaname didn't care about the price he would soon pay, all that mattered was that the chance had been given to him, and he wasn't about to let go of it.

He'd known that whatever tactical foray he'd come up with before would be useless now--- it was time to implement that oldest but most successful technique in claiming one's lover for one's self.

As Toga Yagari had said, "The only way you'd ever get that boy to go with you is to drug him and haul him over your shoulder."

And that was exactly what he had planned.

First, he'd invite Zero for a stroll during his patrol around the Night Class. The prefect would be irritated, that the pure blood would actually propose to shrug off his duties and go walking in the dead of the night with him...! But he'd give him no choice, and he would assure him that the situation would be taken care of.

They'd walk around for a while, to get the boy to relax somewhat. That would take an hour or so, and much restraint on his part-- he couldn't jeopardize the entire plan by suddenly pinning the boy against a tree and kissing him senseless then and there. He would have to be patient.

And that would soon pay off, as Zero would be comfortable with him afterwards and thus become more amenable to an invitation to a late dinner. They would dine in the moonlight, with the muted glow of the candles and the faint scent of wine in the air.

And then he would strike. To drug the wine itself would be foolish, not to mention the fact that Zero would probably have thought of it before and most likely prepared himself for such an attack--- but no one ever thought about putting the drug in the glass.

Yes, the innocent crystal that was imported especially from Italy for this very occasion, fluted and thin-stemmed, perfect for the white wine that Zero adored so much. The moment his delectable lips touched those of the glass, his fate would be sealed. The effects of the drug would be gradual, but evident, as the prefect would find himself becoming more mellow than usual.

He would feel the warm sensation on his body beginning to spread, and with that, his cheeks would flush the most beautiful shade of red, and his breathing would become slow and shallow, and his eyes would glaze over just so, and his defenses would weaken, leaving him easy prey for the vampire lord.

Yes, Kaname would be prepared for that night. Everything would be set. For now though, he would content himself with simply watching the boy, armed with the knowledge that he would soon be his. Soon.

S is for Sensitive

Sensitive, n., easily disturbed

--

"You'll have to be careful; he's very... volatile at the moment."

The doctor had warned him, and Ichijou had given him a commanding stare that had a hint of worry laced through it, so he could not help but feel more than a little nervous as he stepped through the door into the room he'd been sharing with his beloved for the better part of four years.

He lay peacefully on the bed, covered with the finest Egyptian cotton as his blankets, head cushioned by goose-feather pillows and clothed only in a white shirt and loose black slacks. Based on all outer observations, he seemed to be fine, but Kaname knew better.

News of the fit Zero had thrown earlier that morning when he found out that Kaname had taken it upon himself to relieve him of his Hunter duties for at least a year had reached his ears the moment the meeting was over, and he'd wondered vaguely if there was any way that he could appease him without submitting himself to the Hunter's ire. He'd decided on the least destructive path, calling the Hunter's cell phone as he drove back to their manor.

To say the least, Zero was annoyed at him.

"How could you?!"

Even his chauffer winced at the shriek that emanated from his phone, which was a safe arm's distance away from him at the moment. Sighing, the pure blood mustered his courage and spoke,

"Remember your condition; you shouldn't be so upset..."

"I wouldn't be if you hadn't cut me off from my work for a year!"

"Zero, the doctor said to keep you away from any strenuous activities, as this is the first time, and pray tell me what part of vampire hunting is not strenuous?"

Silence from the other end.

"I just don't want you to be hurt. You can call me selfish, but that's preferable to what I'd call myself if you were ever injured, most specially now..."

"..."

"Zero?"

"..."

...Dear gods, was that a sniffle?

"Zero? Are you alright?"

"...I'm fine..."

There it was again, and his voice sounded muffled---

"Are you crying?"

"No... stupid vampire..."

Feeling almost panicky, Kaname sought to rectify the solution immediately,

"I'll be home soon, why don't you take a nap?"

"...I'm not sleepy..."

"I'll be beside you when you wake up, so won't you please rest? Take it easy for a while?"

An audible sniff this time, and miffed 'Fine', and the line went dead.

And here he was, as promised, sitting beside his slumbering love, softly caressing a porcelain cheek. He forced himself to remain quiet, as the doctor had stressed that sleep would soon begin to elude his Zero, thus any disturbance was banned from his presence from there on in. Ichijou had also mentioned that he'd gone into a short crying jag after their conversation, a fact which greatly worried him until the blonde assured him that it was normal, this was after all, their first child.

Zero had every right to be emotional. Hell, he had every right to do just about anything at the moment. Kaname was sure that he wouldn't be able to say no to anything Zero would ask of him, except for those he deemed to be a threat to his beloved's health.

He smiled slightly to himself. His first child! And with Zero, too, which made it all the more important. An heir, someone to carry on their blood line. A baby, someone they could raise and take care of together. They'd done well with Yuuki, but she was a child and they were little more than her older brothers, and this was profoundly different.

Oh, who would the child look like, he wondered. Would there be a crown of silver hair to contrast wine red eyes? Or would dark chocolate locks partially cover lilac ones? And would it be a girl or a boy? Would he inherit his 'mother's' famous glares, or perhaps the pout that would win him the affections of even his most hated enemy? Or would she smile her 'father's' smile, enigmatic and knowing all the things that made one tick? Would there be more than one? Twins, perhaps? He was curious, so much so that he was in danger of waking Zero up with his absentminded caresses.

"...You're back."

Kaname looked, his hand freezing momentarily against the silver haired man's cheek, until Zero nuzzled against it with a satisfied sound low in his throat. He smiled, deciding to indulge his beloved for a while.

"Mmhmm. Are you well rested?"

"...Somewhat. A bit hungry, though."

The hand that was not being snuggled by the Hunter went to his breast in a symbol of servitude. "Simply say the word, and you shall have it, my dear."

A scoff and the hand was now trapped between a warm neck and a soft pillow. Zero looked at him from the corner of his eyes.

"...I want... melon bread. With Marmaule's honey. And Wonka's Laffy Taffy... banana flavor. And Long Island Iced Tea."

Kaname laughed, pulling the younger man into a sitting position as gently as he could and enveloping him in a tender embrace when he did. "Anything else, dear? Not the Long Island though, why not just orange juice?"

"Hmmm... my job?"

The pure blood sighed. "It seems that you won't be letting that down..."

"Of course not!" Zero replied irritably, even as the other man pulled back slightly to peer into his face. "What?" he snapped after a moment of this silent staring. The pure blood's reply was to push him back down on the bed, pinning his wrists into the mattress and inching his face closer to his, a thoughtful look on his face.

"I've just realized something..." he began, and Zero fidgeted a bit under that heavy gaze, finding himself flushed and already a bit uncomfortable with their positions. "What?" he repeated, though this was more of a whisper than anything else.

A pair of lips descended on the sensitive skin of his neck, and he gasped.

"...The doctor never said anything about our... 'usual' activities, did he?"

Trailing lower, lower, and suddenly the shirt he was wearing was on the floor and the butterfly kisses were going somewhere he didn't want them to go to at the moment---

"...ah...n-no...he...unh...didn't...uhnn..."

"He also said... that you'd be more... sensitive... to things at the moment..."

Fingers splayed on his chest, a tongue near his hips-- what was he trying to do, drive him insane?

"Care to test that out?"

Where on earth did his pants go???

"...Ngghh...Kana---!!"

Oh, god.

....

Needless to say, the doctor was pleased that Zero had calmed down a bit when he visited that afternoon. In fact, he seemed almost relaxed. Sated, even. Though he did twitch several times when he tried to move from the bed. Kaname could only offer a smile.

S is for Selfish

Selfish, adj., acting for or thinking of one's own well-being alone

--

Fingers under his chin, lifting it up so that their eyes would meet, and there it was--- all love and care and possessiveness in that wine colored gaze.

"Who do you belong to?"

He asks in a deceptively gentle voice, a voice that echoed eerily in the dark room.

His reply is simple, and it is the truth. "You."

A hand caressing his cheek, fingers brushing against his lips, his neck. And again, in that voice.

"Who owns you, body and soul, till the end of time?"

And again, the truth. "You."

The tie around his neck is undone, pulled off and discarded on the floor. The buttons on his shirt are next, and only when his chest is exposed to that hungry, tender gaze, only then does he realize that he's holding his breath.

His index finger traces the tattoo that stemmed from his heart --the kanji for 'Kaname' with thorns winding around and through it in a delicate pattern-- and which flowed up to his neck --a vine covered with thorns ending in a small bud, barely visible under a collared shirt-- and then down to his waist, his leg --the vine once again, and under his slacks, winding around his right calf like a permanent garter that ended in another rose bud-- the mark of ownership that was mirrored on the pure blood himself, varying only in the kanji --on Kaname it was 'Zero'-- and position --the last rose bud was around his left calf-- the mark that was proof of his nature.

"Who chose you over the rest, marked you and vowed to keep you by his side?"

A breathless whisper. "You."

He shrugs off his own jacket, his shirt, to show the very same tattoo on his own skin. It's special because it's him. He would endure no such thing if it weren't for Zero's sake.

He reaches out towards him, copying his actions from before. He notices that this time, the pure blood is the one holding his breath.

He asks, quietly, softly, as the tips of his fingers barely brush against the vines and the thorns,

"Who is this for?"

And Kaname answers, before pressing their bodies close together-- in desperation, in want, in sheer necessity.

"You."

A kiss on his lips, a kiss designed to claim him and his soul, as if he didn't have that already.

"You are mine forever, mine and mine alone. Mine and no one else's. Whoever is foolish enough to think that they could separate us is damned. You are mine, Zero..."

Who loves you more than anyone else, cares for you like no other, and vows to be by your side until the end of time?

You.

S is for Scenario

Scenario, n., story outline

--

He was the knight and he was the prince and she was the princess.

At least, in the beginning, it was that simple.

The knight hated the prince because he represented the one that took everything away from him. His family, his brother, even his identity as a knight. He wanted to kill him.

The prince hated the knight because he was free, because he could hate so freely, because he had no one to hold him down. He wanted to be like him.

And she was the princess that bound them together. They loved her, and would have her with no other. They hated each other more for that fact.

But then things began to change.

He was still the knight, but he was not sure what kind of knight he was, that he would seek the help of an enemy prince and in the process realize that perhaps he was not an enemy at all. At the very least, he was not supposed to care about him, especially not in that way.

He was still the prince, but he was quite sure that a prince did not suddenly crave for a knight's attention, as if the mere gaze that made him feel as if he were not being judged was suddenly all that he needed. As if the touch of that hand made him more alive. At the very least, he was quite sure he was not supposed to love him.

And she was still the princess-------- but did it matter anymore?

In the next plot twist, the knight would come to take the prince away--

--the prince would cast a spell upon the world and runaway with the knight

--they would be neither prince nor knight, simply existing as they are, complete with each other and needing nobody but the one beside them

In the next plot twist, the story would go like this:

Once upon a time, there was a knight and a prince, who loved each other deeply...

But for now, we must content ourselves with something else entirely:

Once upon a time, there lived a princess who had the hearts of a noble knight and a noble prince...

Let's wait for time to pass.

It's bound to move on, right?

...the end.

S is for Sacrament

Sacrament, n., ceremony or act regarded as sacred

"The body of Christ..."

--

"Drink."

It's a soft but firm command, echoing slightly in the forest they were in-- the sound of his voice is carried further than is possible by the sirens that wait for a moment's hesitation on either of their parts. Witches, he hated them. But he hated himself more.

His fangs pierce his skin and soon the taste that has become familiar to him touches his tongue, flows down his throat, sates the mad heart beating inside him. They breathe in unison, and this sounds echoes as well. He doesn't want it to.

How many nights had passed since they'd begun this? He has lost count-- no, in the beginning, he didn't even want to acknowledge what he was doing. He wants to blame it on the other part of himself, but ever since he tasted his blood---

"The shadows of insanity will be driven away..."

He wants to claim that they will forever remain, but he knows that that is not the truth. His senses are sharper, he feels stronger, he's quicker and his reflexes are faster than before. And the one he would have loved to thank is the one man he loved to hate.

A hand cradles the back of his head, urging him to have his fill. How can the bastard be so selfless in this act, and yet project such selfishness when they had an audience of a thousand eyes? Perhaps he is simply that way, he thinks, and besides, he has no reason to wonder about the workings of a pure blood's mind.

He can only assume that he knows what he's doing. Or, inversely, that he knows what to do about everything else. Wasn't he the White King that ruled the board? And wasn't he his pawn? He wants the battle to be over and done with, so this wretched communion could stop.

He's had enough.

He pulls away, only to be slammed against the trunk of the oak tree, held in place by a not-so-surprisingly strong grip and pinned by a gaze as murderous as the moon above him. His breath leaves him, but he's used to this by now.

He thinks that Kaname finds it amusing to toy with him.

Some part of him wants to be wrong, but what can you expect when a pure blood's lips suddenly press against your own, tasting like blood and feeling like an angel's touch? No, no, it couldn't be that-- he was a demon, plain and simple, and he was being held against his will.

The Faustus to Kaname's Mephistopheles. Except that he wanted the end instead of whatever it was that Kaname thought he wanted.

Fingers flutter over his tattoo, his heart jumps, but that is nothing compared to the look of anger and desire in those eyes. What was he thinking? Did he even want to know?

He whispers like a lover in his ear,

"Is there any way that you can be mine alone?"

He wants to answer. But he knows that Kaname would never willingly let himself be crucified, never sacrifice himself for another. He knows this, but does his heart dare to hope?

No ring was strong enough to bind them together, always, there would be others come to pull them apart.

No word of promise, no oath witnessed by the world would be enough. They were insatiable-- he could blame that on him though.

So he shakes his head, a negative, a no. There was no way.

Unless he killed him, ripped him apart, drank his blood and consumed his flesh-- unless he was mad enough to bind their souls together.

Unless.

"Amen."

S is for Soul

Soul, n., essence

--

Battered and unforgiven,

he cries for abandonment

He thinks himself

an abomination

a disgrace

When all he can see

is perfection unparalleled

A world of hurt

mirrored in his eyes

He wants to hold him

let him feel his heart

the immortal heart that beats

for him, and him alone

The hand intertwined with his

the gaze unrelenting

the words without a lie

But he never said that

they were the truth

He wants to be chained to him

Bind him

Own him as no other can

His delirium is broken

only by a whisper

a hesitant voice

a name

Never has he been so willing

to be called

The fragments within him

are small and bleeding

They cry for love

for him,

he wants to believe

So many would describe it

so many would attempt

But only he can see the reality

the truth that lurks deep and refuses

to be seen

He has fashioned himself a great iron cage

Forced himself to feel nothing but rage

In the end,

this is why he is so frightened,

so scared to love

It is intangible

but so are the greater things

It is broken

but so is he

It is ephemeral

but he is patient and can wait as long as it takes

It is wary

but he is persistent, he is careful, he is earnest in his desire

It is tired

and he is prepared to be its resting place

It is dying

but he will give it life

Let the world

crumble around them

He shall be here

holding his hand

keeping him close

mending his soul

Always, never, forever, until the day the world ends

Even then, we will never be apart

S is for Stare

Stare, v.i., gaze with fixed, open eyes

--

Irritably, the silver haired prefect asks,

"What the hell are you staring at?"

And the vampire lord answers,

"You."

"Why?"

"I can't seem to stop."

"Get a picture then."

"But that's a poor imitation. And besides, you're here. Why would I need a picture?"

"Argh!"

And he smiles. Zero was so cure when he was mad.

"Don't you have anything better to do?"

He raises an eyebrow. "I thought you said 'not during class hours'---"

"Pervert!"

So cute.

-

--

--

-caesura-

Author's Notes: Whoah there. That was unexpected. OAO Yup, this is my reaction to this. Never in all my days of trying to figure this fic out did I think that it would end up like this... certainly nothing like this. God. This was... wow... never thought about this... The author is shocked at herself. Mostly though, she is shocked at her hands. Strange, strange hands.

Uhm. Right. So, I think I know what's gonna happen next. S.A.C.R.I.F.I.C.E. is obviously going to be a multi-parter, nine chapters actually. For each letter of the word, I give you a chapter. S has nine words, A has eight, C has seven, and so on until E, which was only one word. I can't type them all out at once, I'm not that efficient, and besides, there's still a chance that this won't be as accepted as the other fics out there. This is what happens when I try to write with a smile on my face. It sucks.

The quote above is from Yami no Matsuei, said by Tsubaki-hime. XD Search for it in Wikipedia, it's there. I got shot by it.

Some randomnity from the author with regards to the words...

Shadow: Kid!Kaname stalking Kid!Zero is adorable in my point of view. So, I guess Zero's been taken in by Shizuka Hiou here, and Kaname saw him at a party or something... but yeah. Kids. Stalking. Adorable. Yeah-huh.

Shelter: It's like... I doubt I can give him anything that would equal what he has given me, so I'll just offer myself and hope that he's happy with it-- sort of mentality. God, Zero, your uke-ness astounds me sometimes.

Sedate: The drug-'em-&-haul-'em-over-your-shoulder technique! XD! Courtesy of a certain AirGear fic I read. Spitfire x Nue, but basically a Sano x Kazu. I likey.

Sensitive: Can anyone say mpreg? (readers: mpreg!) ok, deja vu. But yeah. He's in the first few weeks of pregnancy, so he's not showing yet. And yeah, you can still have sex when you're pregnant. Expert knowledge gleaned from a Code Geass fic, gender bender, Suzaku x Luluko, found in ... I'm freaky, I know.

Selfish: Yowza. What a tat. Inspired by 'Gentle Affections'. I can't remember the author's name (god, I'm so sorry!) but it's one of the better KanZe fics I've read. :D Everyone should go check it out if you haven't already. After you check out mine, that is. :D Shameless plugging.

Scenario: I wanted to try a fairy tale style here. Did it work? Or is it too... odd? T^T I wish it was really like the other fairy tale.

Sacrament: The relationship they share here... frightens me. It seems like, Kaname wants Zero but Zero does not believe that Kaname loves him. Ouch. Inspired, I guess, by the fic Kazuya and I are doing. (clutches heart) The drama. The pain. The a-go-ny.

Soul: Yay poetry~ This was a shocker. I never expected this. Isn't obvious that I love Zero as the uke? He's just so... uke-able.

Stare: Laziness. Yep. and what do you expect? It's either look but no touch, or the otherwise. And I think Zero does not want the otherwise while there's class. :D Yay perverted semes. I love 'em.

Shameless plugging time! If you enjoyed S.A.C.R.I.F.I.C.E., do mozy on over to my Stories, have a taste of something you haven't seen before! Latest works include A, Z also KanZe; and Moon Gazing and L.O.V.E.L.U.S.T., under a pair that hopefully won't freak you out. XD so shameless. But that's it for now! Happy Holidays to you all.