"But why should we kill them?" Ichiru asked, and in the sudden silence his question seemed to echo.
Father looked down at him, frowning. "Vampires kill people, Ichiru. It is in their nature. Therefore, they must be eliminated before they cause more harm than what they'd already done."
"Vampires must be killed because they're bad, and they're bad because they want to kill," Ichiru said, in an odd tone.
"Yes," Father said with conviction.
Later that night, Zero sneaked into Ichiru's room. Ichiru was wide awake and smiled when he saw Zero.
"I didn't even hear you," Ichiru said mildly, but somehow loaded with meaning.
"Why do you sound like that?" Zero asked bluntly, sliding underneath the sheets.
"Father said those who want to kill must be killed," Ichiru whispered. Zero drew nearer, their foreheads touching. "Then, when I overheard Father say he should kill me, should I kill him before he does?"
Zero gripped Ichiru's arm tightly. Ichiru closed his eyes, wishing he could take the words back, wishing he had never heard his parents casually discuss ways to put him down without causing much suspicion.
But Zero said, quietly, firmly, "If that's what you want."
