Sleeping Prince
AU When Yuuki stumbles upon a sleeping amnesiac hidden inside the Kuran manor she is left with more questions than answers. Tasked with taking care of this stranger, she may just find that some fairytales do, in fact, work in reverse. Kaname/Yuuki

Genre: Romance, Comedy, Supernatural, Angst

Chapter 1- Narcoleptic Bats and Telepathic Wolves

A/N: To all of those who follow my other YuuME story 'The Lonely King' I just want to say that I have not forgotten about it! I've had a lot of VK plot bunnies running around and this just so happens to be one I needed to type down. As for this AU all you really need to know is that Kaname and Yuuki are not related and that the Kurans (I.e., Yuuki, Juuri, Haruka, and Rido) are not vampires. That's about it :3

Please leave a review and tell me what you think of the prologue if you get the chance, thanks!

Warning: mentions of Ancestor!Kaname and the anti-vampire weapon sword thingy that I don't think ever got a name :P so if that sounds completely unfamiliar to you, beware slight(?) spoilers (although, this story is completely AU and is really only borrowing some themes during Ancestor!Kaname's awakening).

-Isis

From a tender age Yuuki had been allowed to explore all the rooms of the sprawling Kuran mansion, minus one. Her parents had insisted it to be too dangerous, but promised to make sense of the rule when she was older. Years had gone by and the family relocated to be closer to the city, leaving the mansion to fade with time as all thoughts of the forbidden room disappeared from her parents' minds. They hoped it would disappear from their daughter's as well.

Unfortunately, it did not.

Yuuki pulled her long hair up into a ponytail, allowing the chocolate locks to cascade down her back as she thought back to her earlier years.

She could still remember the brass doorknob, rusted with age at the end of the west wing. It beckoned to her child-like naivety with the secrets it held. The brunette had spent a substantial amount of her younger years dreaming of what was on the other side of the forbidden door.

Standing now, seventeen years later, she still felt the same tug of excitement in her stomach. Dropping her suitcase in the foyer, the echoing sound that followed reminded her of the emptiness of the mansion. Nestled in the forests far from any neighboring town, she had only come back for the summer to relive those cheerful, childhood memories in the home she loved. It was a tranquil dwelling, far removed from the hustle and bustle of city life. Or, in other words, very secluded.

Climbing the wrought-iron stairs, she traced her hand against the intricate designs on the railing, bringing flashes of memories. Coming to the final door on the left she felt the spindles of fear press against her thoughts. There had to be a reason that the room had been forbidden, but...

The youth shook her head, gaze focused. It was time to learn the truth. There was no other reason why a key with a note written simply as 'find the secret' would appear on her doorstep.

She pulled the necklace over her head, fingers grasping for the silver key. It weighed heavy in her hands, the ornamental carvings pressing into her skin. The silver key jingled lightly as she pushed it into the lock and turned it. A dull click followed, allowing her to push open the door. Immediately, she was met with a sudden blast of cold air, as if the room had been cut off from any form of heat for years.

Shivering, the cinnamon-eyed girl stepped into the room, straining to see in the nearly suffocating darkness. There were no windows in the room, leaving only the sliver of light from the gap in the doorway. She hesitantly took another step only to stub her toe against a square object. The sudden pain and surprise caused the brunette to fall face-forward, hands finding purchase against some sort of wooden box.

Yuuki sighed in relief, fishing out her cellphone from her pocket before she really face-planted into the floor. The light illuminated a small patch of said box, showing that there was, in fact, a large chain looped around it. The girl tugged at the metal to no avail; despite looking worn with age, the chains would not budge.

Still undeterred, she searched the object for some hint as to what was hidden inside.

...And came to the frightening conclusion that she was sitting on top of a coffin.

Scurrying away like a frightened mouse, Yuuki almost backed out of the room, intent on forgetting all about the mansion and returning to her modest apartment, but stilled her steps. She shook her head, determination clear in her hazel orbs. It was too late to turn back, not with the answer to the mystery mere fingertips away.

With shaky hands she took the key from her pocket, returning her gaze to the mahogany coffin. Using her phone as a flashlight, she found that the key slid into the lock easily, allowing for the chains to be easily pulled away from the coffin.

Taking a deep breath and squeezing her eyes shut, Yuuki used all her strength to pry the coffin open. Peering hesitantly through her fingers, she looked at the contents of the coffin. The cinnamon-eyed girl had expected a rotting corpse or perhaps even a skeleton. Not someone who, in all honestly, looked like they were only asleep and could wake at any moment.

From the dim light of her phone she could see that the man had brown hair that reached the small of his back, fanning out around his body. The chocolate locks curled inwardly, framing his androgynous face and highlighting the man's long, dark eyelashes. For a moment she could almost believe that the corpse (there was no way he could be alive, right?) was actually a porcelain doll and that the coffin was like a marble mold, suspending the man in a state of ethereal beauty.

Her eyes trailed down to his folded hands, a rapier resting under his alabaster fingers. Its handle gleamed gold, an intricate pattern of thorns molded into the metal. Every few moments a spark would trail up the blade, fading to a cobalt blue beneath the cuff of his coat.

Naively, she was reminded of Sleeping Beauty (although she was sure it was the prince who woke the princess and there was nothing about a weird glowing sword) and felt the sudden and inexplicable urge to press her lips against his. A faint pink dusted her cheeks at the thought. Fairytales did not happen spontaneously. The prince did not just happen to come across Sleeping Beauty; there was a goal, a journey, a reward. All she had done was open a door.

A sudden intake of breath startled her as she realized that the man was, in fact, breathing. His chest moved upwards in a steady, slow rhythm, like that of a dull drum. Studying his face in more detail she saw that every time a flash of electricity traversed his skin his eyes would flutter slightly, as if in pain. Immediately, an idea popped up in her head. Maybe if she pulled away the sword…

The brunette pried the rapier from the sleeping man's grip, stumbling back at the force she exerted. Surprisingly, the sword did not send shocks up her arm, but seemed to almost still in her grip. Dropping it to the side, she returned to the coffin.

The man's eyes fluttered open to reveal a pair of melancholy orbs the color of aged wine. His gaze drifted to the stunned girl, a hint of confusion in his furrowed brows. He parted his lips, revealing a pair of threatening fangs.

"Who… are you?" He murmured, eyes glowing crimson in the dark. His voice was dark, solemn, but not menacing.

"I-I'm Yuuki Kuran. Uh, are you—" She trailed off, fear gripping her heart. Great. So much for Sleeping Beauty. I'm pretty sure the Prince was never eaten.

He brought a hand to his hair, running his fingers through his locks absentmindedly. "I… am a vampire, I think. My memories are hazy. Do you know me? Is that why I was awakened?"

She shook her head frantically. "No, I don't know who you are. I found you, sort of. I mean you were behind this locked door and… sorry, this is confusing for me as well."

He held up a hand. "I understand. I am afraid, however, that my thirst—at least I think that is why my chest aches—is becoming harder to control. And… I don't think I attacked people. It seems wrong, somehow."

The man's breathing had grown labored, eyes shifting from mahogany to crimson against his own will. He fought to keep his mouth clamped shut, fangs aching painfully. His lungs felt constricted, as if they were being compressed in his very chest. He shakily rose to his feet, a slight shudder wracking his frame. It wouldn't be long before his bloodlust clouded his mind completely.

Frantically, and without an afterthought, the girl looped an arm around the man's shoulder, allowing the vampire to lean against her lithe frame. "It's alright. The mansion's surrounded by woodlands, so you should be fine with finding something there, right?"

He nodded slowly. "Your…" he paused, looking for the right word, "hospitality is unexpected, but much obliged. I will… cease this pain and come back shortly."

The vampire was led to the front door of the mansion. Despite the pain that gripped his chest, he seemed in awe of the architecture of the mansion, eyes scanning every hallway and open door with sincere interest. Yuuki noticed this and furrowed her brows. Just how much does this guy remember?

He immediately disappeared into the forest after giving the brunette a curt nod. The cinnamon-eyed girl watched his departing figure with slight worry. I hope he doesn't get lost…

Hours passed by as the girl tried to focus on the book in front of her, to little avail. Her thoughts always shifted to the vampire (she still had trouble wrapping her mind around the notion of such creatures even existing). Had she done the right thing, allowing him to wander freely in the outside world? What if he had found a nearby village or town? Before her mind could conjure up even more frightening scenarios, a series of heavy taps broke the silence of the room.

She shut the book abruptly, turning to the only window in the large study. The sun was setting just below the tree line, giving off barely enough light to reveal the creature that was tapping against the window. A lone bat was tapping frantically against the glass, its beady red eyes staring at the girl almost imploringly so. It squeaked loudly as she approached, opening the window.

It immediately landed on her outstretched hand, nipping at her fingertips lightly.

"Oww..." she mumbled, glaring slightly at the bat. "What is it? Are you from that vampire?"

Its squeaks increased in volume and intensity, flapping its little wings with fervor.

"Alright, alright, I get it. So, where is he?"

The bat flew out of her palm, flying towards the forest before returning to the girl.

"What? Don't tell me he got lost and sent you to find me." A series of squeaks followed.

Figures.

She sighed, reluctantly jumping out of the open window to follow the bat into the forest. "I was worried that would happen. He owes me so much for this."

The bat yelped in agreement, swirling around the brunette's head as she walked further into the brush.

"Heh, you're pretty cute, actually. I thought bats were creepy, but you seem kind of nice. Just don't bite my fingers again, alright?"

The little creature had paused near a large oak tree, its wings beginning to flap slower and slower until it fell from the sky. Reacting quickly, Yuuki caught the bat before it hit the forest floor.

"Are you alright?" She glided her fingers against the bat's fur, voice heavy with concern.

The animal had simply fallen asleep, its little chest rising and falling in a regular rhythm. She breathed in a sigh of relief. "Wow, you're just like your master. Maybe you guys are narcoleptics or something…"

The brunette continued her walk through the woods without the helpful guidance of the bat. She kept it in her palms as she walked, however, leaves crunching heavily under her boots. A sudden snap was heard which caused the petite youth to turn around quickly.

Standing mere feet from her was a large wolf. It had a dark, shiny coat and piercing topaz eyes. Almost immediately the girl stumbled backwards until her back hit the trunk of a tree. Fear was evident in her cinnamon orbs.

A voice boomed inside her mind. Do not be afraid. It is me.

"Mr. Vampire?" She asked incredulously.

Yes… I do not know why, but after I finished feeding my body turned into that of a wolf. I haven't the slightest notion on how to return to my regular form.

"Wait, what about the bat? That was from you, wasn't it?" She motioned to the sleeping creature in her hands.

I found that I can control some creatures in the forest. I sent that bat on purpose to find you, as I myself had no real idea on how to return to your abode. My deepest apologies.

"It's fine, but what are we going to do? I can't just leave you out here."

Perhaps we could return to your home. Hopefully, I will regain some of my memories as time passes.

She nodded. "Alright. But, you're not allowed inside until you return to your regular form. I don't know how I'd explain why there was a massive amount of wolf hair scattered inside the mansion to my parents."

I understand. Let us depart from this place. The wolf pawed at the earth, slowly ambling towards the brunette. Whining slightly, he lowered his head, looking at the girl expectantly. I can take us through the woods in a shorter amount of time, if you wish. All you need to do is guide me in the right direction.

"O-okay, if that's alright with you." She clambered on top of the beast, brushing his soft fur.

Hold on tight. The wolf took off, darting around the trees as the human held on, fingers twisting into the beast's fur. With her directions the pair made it to out of the forest before the sun disappeared below the horizon. The mansion was soon in sight.

"Good job, Mr. Vampire!" She praised, petting his fur as she stepped away from the wolf.

I would prefer if you called me something else, please.

"Like what?"

I think my name is… Kaname.

She grinned widely, "Okay, Kaname! So, do you think you can return to your regular form yet?"

I shall try again. The wolf closed his eyes, ears bent back in concentration. A few minutes passed until there was a noticeable change in his appearance. Yuuki shut her eyes as the sound of limbs breaking and shifting filled the air. Eventually, the sounds stopped, signaling for the girl to open her eyes.

The vampire had returned to his humanoid form, a gentle smile on his face. At the same time the bat in her hands awoke, chattering lightly.

Kaname gazed at the beast, nodding. It flew away happily, disappearing into the forest.

The girl handed him a cup of hot chocolate which he took thankfully, allowing the heat to warm his chilled fingers.

"What is this?" He questioned, staring at the contents of the cup quizzically.

"It's hot chocolate. Don't tell me you've never had any before."

He shook his head. "I cannot recall ever having such a drink. But, there is much of my past that I cannot remember."

Kaname brought the cup to his lips, giving a hesitant sip of the liquid. His eyes lighted up immediately.

"This… hot chocolate is good. Thank you, Yuuki."

She giggled, bringing her own cup to her lips. "No problem!"

He continued to drink the liquid eagerly, a hint of a smile upon his lips. "It's like blood… but less messy. I like it."

She couldn't help but smile at his antics. He seemed so child-like and innocent. Nothing really revealed his vampiric nature except for his fangs and mahogany eyes.

"So, Kaname, what do you remember of your past? Why were you locked inside that coffin?"

His countenance immediately changed, a dark, foreign emotion passing across his eyes. He placed the now empty cup onto the coffee table with a sigh. "I do not know. My past is fragmented in bits and pieces that, as of right now, make no sense. I can see a desert, a town, and a man covered in blood. But, these scenes quickly disappear and I cannot pinpoint what happened first. Whenever I try to dig deeper I can feel a wall blocking more of my memories."

"That's horrible…" She mumbled, looking at her own cup. It must be difficult, not knowing who you are and what you've done.

"Ah, don't be sad, Kaname! I'm sure you'll get your memories back eventually. In the meantime, why don't you try having some fun? Do you want to watch a movie?"

He turned to the brunette in confusion. "A movie? I'm afraid I am unfamiliar with that term."

"R-really? Well, it's kind of mindless entertainment. Here, I'll show you." She quickly darted from the sofa, picking up some sort of cheesy romantic comedy and placing the DVD into the T.V.

Yuuki returned to sit beside the man, fishing out the remote from in between the couch cushions. "Good thing my parents kept the electricity and cable running in this place."

He nodded in agreement, turning his gaze to the television screen. They watched in silence, both engrossed in the film. As the movie played the vampire watched with a deep interest, utterly spellbound by the T.V. He hung to every word, even reading the ending credits as the movie ended. Kaname realized that there was a weight against his shoulder once the movie had returned to its title screen.

The girl had fallen asleep on his shoulder, locks of her hair tickling his cheek when he turned to look at her. He remained still, not wanting to wake her. He was however, unable to stop himself from smiling at Yuuki, bringing his hand to pat her head affectionately. She stirred slightly, but otherwise remained asleep, burrowing further into his frame. For some reason, she seemed to be the only familiar thing in his new world.

Despite not having a past, he knew what he wanted in his future. Even if his memories did not return, he believed he had found himself a purpose: to keep this warm, trusting girl safe.

A/N: Cue all the fluff XD I hope you guys enjoyed the chap :3 I certainly enjoyed writing it; I want something fluffy and cute for the pair, since most of my stories for them are really angsty. Oh, and clueless, innocent Kaname is so much fun to write. I just imagine him being surprised and happy about everything around him (especially electronic stuff, lol; I can imagine him becoming addicted to daytime television for some reason). And I have a strange headcannon that he's bad with directions for some reason, I don't really know why :P

Anyway, I'll see you guys in Chapter 2!

-Isis