Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of the characters, only the plot is mine.

Author's Note: I think the revision process is going fairly well thus far. Don't forget to tell me what you think at the end of the chapter! Thanks!

…Chapter Three…

"Zero? Are you alright?" Yuki looked at Zero's reflection with concern. Yuki stifled a sigh as she eyed his tense expression.

"You need blood, don't you? Why didn't you tell me?" Yuki asked. Zero did not answer; instead he continued to brush his teeth, a bit more aggressively than strictly necessary. He could sense that Yuki was still watching him though, with that sad and worried look on her face. She made him feel so guilty, like a monster, when she looked at him like that. How could he keep doing this to her? Why should she have to be a victim? He could see the tracery of her veins under her translucent skin and felt guilty for even contemplating taking her blood again.

Yuki shook her head and went to close and lock the bathroom door. Sometimes it was difficult being friends with a vampire.

"Come on, it's late," Yuki said as she pulled her hair into a pony tail and tugged her shirt collar away from her neck. Zero watched her with a sick feeling in his stomach. She looked too innocent to be preparing for such a horrifying experience. Even if he did have better control than he had had that terrible night, he couldn't imagine she enjoyed it.

"You're right, it's late. We should just go to sleep. You fell asleep in class again today," Zero argued. He knew she was tired and needed sleep. He would just try to keep the blood tablets down this time. There really was no need to bite Yuki tonight.

"Zero, do you need blood right now or not?" she asked, waiting almost impatiently for him to spoil her and damn himself.

"I can't Yuki, I shouldn't," he berated himself for the tremble in his voice, that weakness that always showed through when he was around Yuki. But he could feel his fangs elongating and his throat was beginning to ache with a painful burning sensation. He knew what he must look like to her, some kind of monster with blood-red eyes and sharp fangs.

Zero's eyes drank in that smooth, creamy white neck and could feel his fangs pressing against his bottom lip. He could practically hear her heartbeat even across the bathroom, and the sound was drowning out his own protests. She smelled so delicious and he could remember how amazingly soft her skin would be against his lips. Against his will, Zero found himself closing the distance between them.

Closing his eyes, Zero tried so hard to tell himself that he could wait one more day. One more day was not that long and then it would be Friday and she could sleep in the next morning to recover. But he was not expecting Yuki to grab hold of his shirt and pull him closer. Startled, Zero opened his eyes and realized that he was now standing very close to Yuki against the wall. The proximity to her neck was making him dizzy and he wanted so badly to drink from her.

"Zero, do what you need to do," Yuki tilted his head against her neck and his vision went red. He pressed his forehead to her shoulder before admitting that he did need blood, and he needed it badly. He wouldn't take much, he promised himself. Only enough to take the edge off his thirst and then he could wait until the weekend when she could rest more.

Zero could almost taste her already and his lips parted just enough to allow his fangs to brush against Yuki's skin. He felt her shiver at the light touch and she took a breath in anticipation before he put his mouth to her neck.

"Go on Zero," she encouraged him, her breath coming a bit faster than usual. Zero closed his eyes and finally let himself sink his fangs into her neck.

…

Yuki crawled into bed that night and yawned widely as she set her alarm clock for the next day. Feeling warm from her shower and sleepy from Zero taking blood, Yuki lazily recalled the scene from earlier. Zero was always reluctant to drink from her, and she had noticed the guilty look in his eyes every time once he was finished. But he was so careful that she did not understand his concern about the effect it would have on her. Zero never took enough to make her dizzy, only a little sleepy, and he was gentle about biting her. It was a stark contrast to the first time he had bitten her, and she knew that night haunted him every time she offered her neck to him. Tonight he had even pulled her in for a close hug before he disappeared into his room.

Perhaps he was feeling sorry for being short with her today? But Zero was grumpy every day and she was not unused to his indifferent manner. No, Yuki shook her head, Zero was indifferent every day and grumpy on the days when he knew he would need to ask for blood. Yuki cuddled her stuffed animal close and closed her eyes. Some day Zero was going to have to stop feeling so guilty for needing blood. She would find a way to show him that she really did not mind. Yuki liked knowing that she could do something to help her childhood friend.

After all, she had been watching out for him since he had come to be adopted by Headmaster Cross only a few years after herself. She had been there to comfort him when they were younger and now she could help him in this way. Yuki smiled and let sleep wash over her.

…

Zero lay in bed and stared up at his ceiling. At least the burning in his throat was gone and he would be able to help Yuki through her math homework yet again tomorrow night. Zero groaned as he imagined the blatantly obvious bandage Yuki would probably put on her neck tomorrow morning and decided that this year for her Christmas gift he was going to her something that would cover up the marks in a more subtle way. Turning on his side, Zero lay still and waited for sleep to come. Hopefully it would come sooner than later because he knew his thoughts would give him no rest if he let himself dwell on them much longer. A horseback ride would be good, Zero thought. Tomorrow he would take White Lily out for a ride and he could have some peace and quiet, especially since he knew Yuki was still terrified of the mean tempered white mare.

…Chapter End…

Author's Note: So let me know what you thought of this! I know this is a far cry from my original scene but I wanted things to progress more slowly. Don't forget to leave a review!