Disclaimer: I have not nor have I ever owned Vampire Knight. Sad isn’t it?

An: Timeline wise this story is set pretty early… hmm.. pre Zero gained his vampire teeth. Oh! And don’t anyone think that I dislike Zero, I think he’s adorable but Kaname doesn’t like Zero and this story is mostly told surrounding him soo…

Ten Seconds to Hell

Stars.

A perfect cloudless night stared down at him, the stars glittering warmly as their greeting. Most would have dubbed it brilliant but with his superior pureblood eyes he could see all the little imperfections: uneven brushstrokes, predictable star patterns and small spots of glue.

Draping his arm across his forehead Kaname listened to the rhythmic beeping of the medical monitors at his bedside. Exhaling he closed his eyes and allowed his face to tilt onto the pillow. ‘This is what hell must feel like,’ He thought absently a tight frown tainting his beautiful features.

Bandages for faux injuries littered his upper arm and while the real wound had healed itself only moments after being inflicted Kaname still found himself confined to a small hospital room. This great production all for the sake of appearing human, ‘No.’ His inner voice suddenly protested. ‘It was all merely for her sake.’

Yes, her, Yuuki Cross.

From an outside perspective one could infer that this situation was indeed Yuuki’s fault but being unable to fault his most precious girl for any misdeed Kaname simply relied on his patients to get him through the situation. Although as he reopened his eyes to stare at the closed blinds he couldn’t help but wonder how his plan had gone so horridly wrong.

According to it Kaname should have come out the big hero but instead ended up being figuratively handcuffed to a bed with stiff, uncomfortable sheets meanwhile he had escaped with his beloved. Kaname thought often, especially in the past ten years that this earthly plane thrives on injustice and this situation proved his theory correct. Humans were naturally frail creatures and considering this he was forced to reopen his perfectly healed wounds every time an incompetent nurse or doctor came to check on him. Have to run a couple of tests, they continued to tell him each time they entered the room.

“How bothersome,” Kaname declared a frown continuing to haunt his perfectly symmetrical face.

It was a rare thing indeed for Yuuki or any of the other day class students, when permitted, to be allowed in town unaccompanied. Behind the safety of a tinted glass window he’d spotted her as the car crept along one of the main streets. Without consent his undead heart fluttered inside his chest and before he realized his own movements he was already reaching for the door handle.

“Ah, Kaname maybe you should allow us to park before you jump out of a moving car and onto a busy street.” Ichijou suggested his smile touching his eyes before he signaled to the driver. Merely nodding in response Kaname kept his long slender fingers at the handle while he turned his head to keep Yuuki in his sight. In the back of his head he wished for once that the blonde boy sitting next to him hadn’t accompanied him today. After unintentionally frightening the young girl when Cross Academy had first opened its doors it was a rarity to be able to spend a single moment alone with her.

She was always in his company.

Viewing the multiple bags in her possession and the sweat building up on her brow Kaname knew without a shadow of doubt that Yuuki wouldn’t oppose a ride back to the academy. The car, having pulled to the side a short distance away from the shop she was standing in front of, began to reverse making way to parallel park against the curb.

Yuuki’s mouth opened and closed in muted speech before a look of utter irritation crossed her features, for a brief moment Kaname thought that she was simply speaking to herself. However, that thought floated away when he caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye of his, Zero’s reflection from the shop’s window. Unconsciously his jaw tightened but his face remained impassive though somewhere inside of him a muffled snarky voiced that one annoying phrase even a vampire hated to hear, too good to be true.

But something happened in the next spilt second that cause the normally porcelain man to turn from pale to ghost status. Most likely cause by her current state of irritation, Yuuki called out something unintelligible over her shoulder as she ignored all the rules of traffic safety and stepped onto the still busy street road.

Kaname’s eyes widened to the size of globes upon seeing the truck coming towards her at full speed, one which his precious girl had yet to take notice of. Utilizing his superior vampire speed he ripped open the door and jumped out into the street running towards her.

Kaname could see the results of his heroic efforts already playing out in his mind’s eye.

Step One: Rescue damsel in distress

Sweeping Yuuki off of her feet with bags still in hand Kaname leapt onto the sidewalk merely missing the truck by inches.

Step Two: Reap the Reward

Starry-eyed Yuuki stared up at Kaname in utter awe; absently she allowed her bags to fall onto the ground. “Kaname-sempai?” She shook her head, the ends of her short hair hitting the sides of her face. “No, I’m sorry, Kaname,” She said finally being able to say his name without the honorific. “Thank you so much for rescuing me, is there anything I can do to thank you?” And before he could respond she was already wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his face closer to hers.

For a moment Kaname’s heart throbbed almost painfully inside his chest. In all of time it took for Yuuki to blink he had appeared in front of her just as she turned, straightening her neck. When their eyes met she gasped in shock, surprised she almost dropped her things. Mouth ajar she tried to form a single word but there was no time for it. Kaname reached down to take her in his arms however right when his hands were inches away from making contact with her body a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around her waist.

Darting his eyes back up he was met with the sight of liquid violet staring back at him angrily, violet eyes that knew could only belong to Zero. Frozen in place he could only watch as Zero pulled his beloved onto the sidewalk.

“Kaname-sempai?!?” Finally realizing the danger Yuuki cried out his name at the top of her lungs, futilely she struggled against Zero steel-like grip while reaching out for him. At the car’s door Ichijou also cried out his name, not so much because of the same reason Yuuki was but because of the chance of exposure.

Tires screeched against asphalt and a loud horn ripped through the air before Kaname broke out of his reverie. He took a step forward onto the concrete sidewalk but the truck swerved and clipped his arm. His face remaining the picture perfect definition of the word stoic as his arm ripped through the truck’s metal like a sledgehammer going through jello. With a flick of his wrist he sent the vehicle sailing away from himself into the middle of the road swiftly followed by a choir of screeches as oncoming traffic tried to avoid a collision.

“Well,” Kaname said absently while assessing the damage. ‘That didn’t go the way I’d plan.’ His inner voice thought and he was faintly aware that in the matter of seconds Ichijou had glided to his side. “We should go,” He insisted, searching the crowd for any suspicious faces.

“Kaname-sempai?!” Yuuki’s frantic voice penetrated his eardrum, ripping herself away from Zero she ran over to him. She only paused when she was standing a few inches away from him and she appeared as though she desired nothing more than to jump into his arms but was restraining herself. “Are you alright?!” She questioned her eyes fixed on his arm.

“I’m perfectly well Yuuki,” Kaname replied calmly, speaking as though he’d been hit by a feather pillow not a truck. Right as he made a move to open his mouth a loud siren ripped through the chaotic air and before any of them could make a move a woman suddenly appeared next to Kaname.

“I’m a nurse,” The red-head woman explained, reaching out to touch Kaname’s arm which he moved away. She appeared perplexed before her eyes hardened, “I saw that car hit you, you don’t need to put on a brave face in front of your girlfriend and friends.” At the statement Yuuki’s face flushed.

“I’m-“ Kaname started to speak but was interrupted when the nurse suddenly cried out.

“-hey! Over here I have an injured pedestrian!” She signaled one of the paramedics who rushed over.

Ichijou took a hold of Kaname’s upper arm, “Sorry about this.” He whispered his apology before squeezing his arm tightly until an audible snap was heard. After speaking with the nurse the paramedic gently took a hold of Kaname’s arm inspecting it gently for possibly injury while asking him a few routine questions.

“Sir, your arm is broken,” He explained calmly. “Come on we’ll take you to the E.R.” He stated while Yuuki gasped at their side completely unaware of Ichijou’s and Kaname’s exchange.

Ichijou smiled kindly, “I can take him there myself.”

The paramedic shook his head, “I’m going to have to insist, with this kind of accident-“

“-I’ll go,” Kaname interrupted while walking past them towards the ambulance. The nurse’s jaw almost dropped, “I really don’t know how he’s standing right now. I could have sworn that truck nailed him.”

Behind her Yuuki’s face twisted into an expression full of guilt and pain looking over his shoulder Kaname caught sight of it. Inside his chest his heart shattered completely, the sound echoing as a deafening roar inside of his body. Mechanically he continued to push himself forward fighting off the temptation to turn around and pull his beloved girl into his embrace. Picking her bags off the ground with one arm Zero stepped forward and wordlessly gripped Yuuki by the wrist and pulled her down the sidewalk.

It had been nearly three hours now since he’d been admitted into the hospital and he could only wait patiently to be released or for Ichijou to come spring him, whichever came first. Unfortunately the bone had already healed itself before they arrived at the hospital and so using his nails he had to create deep wounds on his upper arm baffling the paramedics which only caused his stay to be extended.

Faintly he was aware of the door opening and a figure moving into the room he stiffened when a familiar fragrance assaulted his nose. Jerking his head towards the figure he found Yuuki standing at the side of his bed.

Her presences was unexpected to say the least but what had cause Kaname’s eyes to widen was her attire more so than her being there. Instead of wearing her usual school uniform she was dressed in a tight fitting nurse’s uniform.

A pink one.

But not just any shade of pink this was bubble gum pink.

A set of pristine loafers adorned her small feet while a small white hat with a red cross on it was pinned to her hair.

“Yuuki,” He breathed out her name, staring at her in complete awe.

“Kaname-sempai, are you in a lot of pain?” She asked with tears brimming at the corner of her eyes.

Shaking his head Kaname pushed himself into a seated position; he reached over and cupped her cheek. “Yuuki, I was never in danger,” He stated simply, her tears overflowed and streamed down towards his hand. “You should know that better than anyone.”

Yuuki’s eyes widened at the statement, ‘Kaname-sempai is a vampire.’ A tiny voice inside her head reminded her while she reached up and whipped her tears away. “I’m glad.”

Kaname’s eyebrows shot up, “Yuuki,” He breathed out her name gaining her undivided attention. “What are you wearing?”

Turning seventeen shades of red Yuuki’s reaction brought a slight smile to his face. “Ah, this, the workers told me that this was a required uniform for all of the candy strippers.” She looked away embarrassed, fidgeting she tried to turn away but Kaname took a hold of her arm and pulled her forward. “Kan-“ She began before she looked up and caught sight of the painting that took up the entire ceiling. “Wow,” He watched happily as he eyes twinkled. ‘Now if she’d only look like that when she looked at me,’ His heart cried out.

“Yuuki,” Kaname said, jerking her arm roughly he pulled her onto his lap. Yuuki made a noise of protest, which went ignored, as he flipped her over and onto the bed beside him. “It’s better viewed from here,” He insisted afterward switching the lights to a lighter setting.

“Kaname-sempai?” Yuuki questioned, stiffening at his side she watched him prop himself onto his elbow.

Staring down at her he tried to commit to memory her ever feature, “Why did you come here?” He inquired watching the blood rush to her face.

“I-I wanted to nurse you,” Yuuki began, nervously fidgeting at his side. “It was my fault-“ She paused in her guilt-filled rant when Kaname placed his index finger over her lips.

“The best way for me to heal is to be by your side,” Kaname stated, wrapping his arms around her torso and pressing her into his side. An eternity seemed to pass before his beloved finally relaxed at his side afterward placing her hands on his broad chest.

‘I take it back, this is heaven,’ Kaname thought placing several kisses at her temples and along her face before dipping down and placing a solitary one at the corner of her mouth.

Ok, so things hadn’t gone totally according to plan but Kaname still ended up with his beloved girl in his arms and that was enough to bring a genuine smile to his usually stoic face.

The End.

AN: I’m a little under the weather so I’m not sure if this came out exactly how I wanted it but I hope you guys enjoy it. (Sorry for any tiny mistakes.) Oh! If you guys like my Kaname x Yuuki one shots I have good news I have ideas for a couple more (3) along with some more Rima x Shiki drabbles.. and I want to try a Haruka x Juuri one, so be on the lookout!

And, before anyone says anything I know that paramedics if you refuse service don’t force you to go the hospital but that’s why they call it fiction. Oh! And Yuuki’s uniform think old style nurse, the sexy kind. (Since this was set so early in the timeline I thought it would be too early for them to kiss too, sowy!)

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