'C'mon, c'mon... Pick up already...!'
Frustration perked through the soldier sitting in front of the small laptop screen, watching the Skype call attempting to reach his lover on the other end. Kaname wasn't expecting a call, after all... He may not even have his computer open at all. Trying not to groan as he tapped his finger on the small table he was sitting at, he realized that just for a moment he could forget about the war going on around him... This was his time for some peace, to recollect himself. To see the husband he needed to get back home to... Now if only he would pick the fuck up.
Glancing out the slit of his tent, he could still see that it was deep into the night. He had been trying to call Kaname for the past hour, with connections being dropped or Kaname simply not responding. He hoped that he was at least awake... It had been a few months since he had been able to come home. He had forgotten already about the time differences... It could be an hour or half a day, he didn't even know. But all he was hoping for right now was a bit of good news, maybe something Kaname had found out... They were still trying, after all, even after three years.
"Zero?"
The familiar voice burst the hunter out of his thoughts and nearly made him jump out of his seat, but his head spun to look back at the computer, seeing a rather confused pixilated Kaname at the other sides. Immediately it was as if all of his worries had been forgotten as the soft smirk soon crossed his face, letting himself at ease for the first time in weeks. "Our communications came back up tonight. I can finally call you again." His heart swelled as he saw Kaname's expression lighting up. It was hard to get the pair of them excited for anything... They both knew the dangers of what was going on around them.
Zero was in the war. Kaname was by himself. The vampires were agitated that their kind was trying to be controlled, though it seemed as if none of the vampires knew what was really going on... To them, the vampires were being attacked by the hunters, not that the Level Es were quickly taking over in rates that exceeded imagination. But none of that mattered to them right now, not when they could see each other, face to face, or at least as close as they can at the moment.
He tried to see past the pixels of just how Kaname was. He looked tired... Then again, it was nearly time for the sun to come up, at least where Zero was. It may even be morning there... But he was sure Kaname wouldn't mind staying up a few minutes later to talk to him.
"How have things been over there? The news hasn't said very much, just that it's a stalemate."
Of course Kaname had been watching the news... The vampires of course would not report on such a thing, but the hunters were constantly buzzing with new stories, about how the war was continuing, what was currently happening... He almost expected Kaname to be watching it at this moment. "We're being pushed back, but we can gain ground again once we get new troops. They'll be in any day. We might be able to turn this around quickly and I can be home again."
Kaien always wanted Zero to be home before the rest of the troops. With only three original hunters left, it was needed to protect them more than ever. The last thing they needed was for their entire species to be wiped out because they were careless... It had been the reason that the first few months of this war had the most casualties. Hunters running in, unprepared for the severity because they thought this was just another mission... Zero had been exactly the same way.
"The sooner the better... You have been away for far too long," Kaname sighed over on the other end, pulling up a chair so he could talk with Zero properly. Now he was beginning to see Kaname a bit clearer, seeing how his always neat clothing was perfect, though the tiredness on him wasn't disappearing for a moment. Then again, it couldn't exactly be a walk in the park, knowing that Zero was in danger every single day...
Trying to change the subject to keep his mate from soon becoming upset, he forced a light smirk on his face as he leaned closer to the screen, his eyes locking with Kaname's though he knew the camera would not allow such a connection. "...Enough about what's going on over here. I want to know if there's anything happening over there. How have you been feeling? Do you think we might have a chance this time?"
"Well..."
-Three years ago-
Finally Kaname had gone back to bed. It had taken a romantic dinner, a couple rounds of sex and even a few extra things to tire the pureblood enough to make him rest. But now it was his chance yo look again, to see if he could piece together an answer for them. His other attempts of trying to find the book had been fruitless when Kaname would interrupt him and he couldn't help but think that he was suspecting something. But Zero wanted to find the possibilities for himself, to see if there may be hope. It wasn't like if they couldn't possibly get pregnant that it would be the end of the world...
With arms crossed, his narrowed eyes stared at the lines of books, trying to remember where that damn book was. It was old and faded, but so was every other book in this damn library. Heaving a dark sigh as he pushed another book into the shelf back to its spot, he tried the next shelf. It took nearly an hour of looking through the shelves before Zero forced himself to think that it may not be here at all... Frowning as he looked away from the shelves, he tried to think of where it may be...
Until he looked down to Kaname's desk. And there it was. Right there in front of him, positioned perfectly in front of the chair. He could have sworn that he had put the book back last time he had been looking through it... With a little dread in his chest, he thought for a moment that Kaname maybe had been looking through it at some point... But that would be ridiculous. Kaname barely read any of these books except for a select few.
Swallowing a little hard, the young hunter soon sat himself into Kaname's chair, reaching forward and opening up the little book. He flicked through the pages, already knowing what page to go on. 285... Pushing back delicate page after delicate page, he soon found himself staring at page 280, 281, 282... 283, 284...
And then the remains of multiple pages ripped out of the book.
"Looking for something, Zero?"
Kaname's voice made Zero nearly jump out of his skin, once again slamming the book closed. God damn it, did Kaname never get tired?!
Rising up from his seat, he whipped his head around only to see Kaname leaning just slightly against the doorframe, with a hand full of ancient pages in his hand as he looked through each of them with interest. God damn it, he was caught. Again. And he would not have the chance to simply look again, not as Kaname held the pages he had been searching weeks for.
"I-i can explain," Zero feebily tried to get himself out of the situation, trying to give himself hope that Kaname had not yet looked through the pages. But as he was speaking, he could already see that Kaname was reading through every Latin word on the page. Any chance of him being able to keep this secret was slipping away by the second... And as an awkward silence began as Kaname read and Zero feared the worst reaction possible, Kaname finally spoke.
"So you wish for us to conceive? Unless of course you were doing research for Takuma and Shiki."
The hint of the smirk on Kaname's lips made Zero's heart drop to the pit of his stomach. There goes all the planning, all the ideas that he had to maybe convincing Kaname that they could try... They were all gone in that moment as he looked at that teasing smirk, watching as Kaname looked through each of the papers. Though as Kaname flipped through the last one and moved the pages to his side. Standing himself up straight and turning himself to look back to Kaname, he couldn't help but let out a chuckle.
Zero was stiff as his husband walked towards him, ready for Kaname to scold him for his foolishness. It was ridiculous to even consider after all... Adopting in the future, maybe. He should have just settled with that... But why even bring it up now. They had been married for only a few months, there was no need to look so far ahead.
But what nearly made the hunter flinch was the gentle lips that pressed to his own, holding them captive before parting away to just say a few words.
"...Why didn't you just ask instead of going to all of this trouble. Do you really not believe I thought of this for our future? That I do not plan ahead?"
It left Zero speechless, confused even as he looked into the gentle ruby eyes before he had been given another kiss on the cheek. He was numb to the point that he couldn't comprehend just what Kaname was saying... Was he saying that he wanted this too? As if knowing that his mate was confused beyond belief, Kaname gave a soft sigh. Zero just didn't understand.
"In plain English, yes I wish to have a baby. And I know a way how. And if you wish, we can start tonight."
-Now-
"...Nothing yet, I'm afraid. But you know as well as I do that it will take time. I may even be pregnant but will not feel its affects."
Disappointment was fresh over Zero's face before he could stop it, letting out a sad sigh. Damn it, of course no luck. Kaname even seemed to see it on his face as he frowned, leaning in closer to the camera.
"Wouldn't it be best if we wait for you to be home first before we try more? Even if you get a couple weeks home between deployment, it... Doesn't feel right."Zero already knew what was on Kaname's mind... And frankly, it was always with Zero as well. What if he didn't come home to his pregnant mate. What if he left Kaname and his child...alone. This war had taken so many lives already, what was to say that it wasn't him that was going to be next. But the hunter soon shook his head, intending on passing off the topic. "If we try now, and you do get pregnant, it will take up to three years before the baby is born anyway... Besides, the war can't last forever. I will come home to both of you."
He was already talking as if Kaname was pregnant, because they both knew that it was a possibility. Though as Kaname frowned at him, obviously unconvinced, Zero decided that it wouldn't be wise using this time to argue something they couldn't control. Taking in a deep breath, he moved his fold out chair a little closer to the computer and leaned in. "Do you think there is something we're missing? We're doing everything that the book said... Right?" Already thinking through the short checklist in his head, he soon spoke up again.
"We both have the mark... Right?" Kaname couldn't help but roll his eyes and was already reaching up to his shirt, pulling the neck down to reveal the scratch that had remained permanently marked into his skin, stretching across his heart, the mark they had exchanged years ago in exchanging their blood.
"It hasn't moved, Zero."Rolling his eyes back at his mate, he soon reached up into his own uniform and pulled the bullet proof jacket down just enough to reveal his own twin mark. Check... So what else. "You've had my blood multiple times and I've had yours..." "Check..."
"Really, Zero?""Well that's kinda a crucial part." Trying to hide the smirk that was growing on his face as he watched the crimson hint on his husband's cheeks, he soon let out a chuckle. "And we've tried with both of us. Did the book say anything about which of us it had to be? I'd assume it would be you since you are the pureblood and you are the natural vampire..."
"You just don't want to be fat for two years.""That would be because of you and your damn pureblood sperm." After all, pureblood blood lengthened the pregnancy considerably because of their pure vampire blood... If it was pureblood and pureblood, the pregnancy would take a horrible five years. Through their own calculations, they guessed it would take about three years with Zero's Level D status thinning the vampire blood, though Zero couldn't help but hope that it would be less. Being pregnant for three years would be horrible, but caring for a pregnant husband for three years through hormones would be worse.
"...Do you know when you can come home next? It's been... quiet here."Kaname's words soon pulled the hunter out of his thoughts and he soon found himself looking at slightly saddened ruby eyes. Damn it, he hated this part... Always giving bad news to his lover. Though hopefully things were going to be changing, and he would be unnecessary for the war. He was just one guy... He couldn't exactly be that crucial to the war if he was just one man, even if he was a true vampire hunter.
"...I'll be home sooner than you know it. You won't have time to miss me. And when I get home, we'll figure out why this isn't working or keep trying until we get lucky." Zero murmured softly, allowing the soft smirk to find his face again. And just as he saw doubt cross the pureblood's face again, he couldn't help but add a few words. "And we will get lucky."
They had been lucky enough as it was... Zero wasn't injured from the war, not for the past year. Of course there was that one time in the first year where he had been bitten... That damn venom had been murder on his body. But that would not happen again...
Just as he was about to say something else, though, a shrill noise made the hunter jump out of his chair, his eyes widening as he whipped his head to the side, staring to the entrance of the small tent. Men were already scrambling, and he could almost smell the panic that was in the air. His hair stood on end on the back of his neck as dread pooled in his stomach... That was the emergency whistle. There was something horribly wrong.
"Zero?! What's going on out there? Are you in trouble?!"Zero almost didn't hear his mate's words as he looked back to the computer, already grabbing onto the lid to slam it in a moment. He could see how distressed Kaname was already becoming... But there would be no time to explain. "I'm sorry, Kaname, I gotta go. I'll talk to you tomorrow. I love you," were the final words that he rushed out of his lips.
"But Zero, I-"There was no time for Kaname's final words as he slammed the computer shut, already shoving it away into his bag and slinging it over his shoulder. Whatever was happening, he knew that there was no time to hear what Kaname had to say... Swallowing down his fear, he soon built up the wall over his emotions and his eyes hardened to ice crystals.
Zero threw back the tent lips, already seeing his soldiers beginning to pack up the equipment. He hadn't given any order for that! Growling softly, he soon saw one of his older comrades running past him, as if he wasn't even there. It was with a quick movement that Zero harshly grabbed onto his shoulder, stopping him in seconds and yanking him back to face the hunter. "What the fuck is going on out there?" Zero hissed, keeping his voice low to not alert any of the other soldiers more than they already were. They were panicking, and he needed to know the reason why. The solider stuttered a few time, his face white, before Zero finally snapped again.
"For God's sake, what is it?!"
"...T-the Level E's. They're on the move, they're heading straight for the town!"