The day had arrived, or at least the day before. You know how they have those rehearsal dinners where basically you just go through the motions of getting married and then eat with the people that are closest to you? Yeah, that's what we were planning to do, but Kaname and I were basically just fucking around on the couch in my room.

"Why are we doing this again?" I asked as I read over my vows.

"To save my throne. That's why." He replied simply without looking. I sighed heavily. I could feel him constantly glance at me from the corner of my eye, waiting until he said something.

"You know, if you take a fucking picture it'll last longer than looking at me." I said after a bit. He snorted.

"See! That's what I've been missing. You, your sarcasm, your blatant disrespect for those who try to give you orders. You've been different lately, and I don't like it. I mean, I just don't want all this to change who you really are. You can be all high and mighty to the press but with me you can be whoever you want. As long as its you." He told me after sitting up. I simply stared at him for a few minutes.

"Didn't take you for one to like my sarcasm." Was all I said before looking back down at my paper, but I wasn't reading anything.

"Honestly, it used to piss me off but I got used to it. And then you kinda changed a bit and I was worried about you."

"Don't ever worry about me. You have too much going on in your life right now to worry about me." I told him with a wave of my hand. He furrowed his brows.

"Look, I don't care how much we hate each other, if something is bothering you then I'm going to try my damnedest to fix it. Hell I might even make it worse but at least I'm trying, yeah?" He said. I tried to hide my wide eyes with the paper in my hands.

Truth was, I knew that I had changed a bit. I could tell that I was no longer my snarky, couldn't-care-less self that I had been my whole life. I wasn't going to lie, everything that had happened up until that one certain point in my life had left me a bitter and salty old man. Wasn't particularly old, but the point still stands.

"Tell me, your highness, would you like to know why I've been acting strangely lately?" I asked simply, all seriousness put into my question. He seemed so intrigued it almost made me wonder just how much did he hate me, or rather, how much did he not?

"Absolutely. I've been mulling over it for weeks now." he told me.

"Well, it is because I've been stuck in this damn palace with blood sucking mongrels that piss me off with every word they say to me." I deadpanned and his eyes narrowed at me. "Awe, were you expecting some mushy answer like, 'oh Lord Kaname, I'm so in love with you I think I'm going crazy.... I just don't know how to deal with it!'?" I smirked.

"I'm going to make some tea you heathen." I basically cackled at his displeasure. "You find this funny, I see."

"How long did it take you to figure it out? No, what gave it away? Was it my outburst of laughter? It couldn't have been that, it was far too subtle." I could feel his glare burning into me as he poured hot tea into a cup. I lazily looked at him from my seat on the couch.

"I swear, I am this close," he made a small margin in between his thumb and index finger. "to kicking you out."  I snorted once more.

"Say, if the thumb wasn't in fact called the thumb and was named a finger, what would its name be?" I asked distractedly. I was inspecting my nails, my tongue in between my teeth as I looked back over to him.

"I think it would be something along the lines of my foot in your ass if you don't shut the fuck up, Kiryu." Kaname said flatly.

"Actually I would prefer your dick, thanks." I stated causally and he froze on the spot. I wasn't going to lie, that was near crossing the line for even myself, so what was I thinking? And speaking of that subject, neither of us had even mentioned how that would play out, if it even did. Honestly I would be lying if I said I was against the idea of him and I fucking. Who would top? Who would carry the children? Would we even do that, or would we get someone else to do it that Kaname was secretly in love with?

"Why are you like this?" he groaned, and attempted to cover his face with his hands but he couldn't hide the fact that his cheeks were basically flaming. I chuckled and got up, stretching in the process of getting some tea as well. He started making it for me, a way to distract himself.

"Okay, even I admit that it was a bit out there." I informed and he shook his head. I watched him drop some blood substitute into the cup before pouring the tea and I grimaced.

"You won't even taste it, it's the only way I'll get you to drink any of it." He informed me and I sighed, knowing he was right. He handed me the cup. "You know, despite what you may think, I don't really have a problem with you."

"Now, Mr. Tightass, that didn't happen to be a confession of your love for me was it?" I joked, but as soon as his eyes widened at my question, my heart skipped a beat. "Oh my god... It was, wasn't it?" I asked quietly seeing as how I was more shocked then than I was when I found out that I was going to have to marry the son of a bitch. He fumbled around with his cup of tea before finally slamming it down with an exasperated sigh.

"Look, I don't think I love you, okay?" he said finally.

"But...?" I asked, knowing that he had something else to say. He exhaled deeply.

"But, I think there is a possibility that I could- and don't you dare hold my to this you dirty bastard -I could possibly like you a little more than I initially planned." I was astounded at what I was hearing. We sat there in silence for a few minutes, neither one of us quite knowing how to say anything. "Alright then, we should probably get this rehearsal over with." he said before walking to the door and leaving me to my own thoughts for a few minutes.

"So that's how Kaname Kuran expresses his love for me?" I said to no one in particular, a smirk on my face as I quickly downed my tea and headed for the grand ball room as well.

To be continued.......