=^_^= Wow, my third fic in this fandom. I must really love the books. -_-;; **rolls eyes** Just a little plotbunny bouncing around. Set right after Sarah (bitch!) was mean to poor Kris in Shattered Mirror. What happened next? And how horribly wrong is this from what really happened? =^_^=

This is related to my other fic, immortal. Go read it for OOC Nik!!

Disclaimer: I don't own Nikolas or Kristopher. But I'll take good care of them maybe.

juxtapose

by ryo0oki

"Gods, Kris," Nikolas muttered. He closed his eyes as his brother fed on him, allowing the fresh blood to revitalize him. "What has she done to you?"

Kristopher pulled away, panting slightly. His eyes were glazed and crimson was streaking a trail down his chin. He licked it away.

"I don't know" Kristopher said, eyes roaming over Nikolas's neck. He was using an extreme amount of self restraint to keep from taking more. Nikolas swept his fingers over the bit mark. It was gone by now, healed easily, but the digits came away slightly sticky.

"You can have some more," Nikolas offered solemnly. He felt the pain that his brother was in, could feel the occasional spasms in his aura where that bitch had twisted

Kristopher gave him a veiled look. He slowly moved forward to lick the traces of blood off of Nikolas's fingers and placed a slight amount of pressure on the skin. Nikolas waited for the fangs to pierce, but they didn't. His brother pulled away again.

"No," he whispered, fighting the bloodlust that had come so strongly. Having gone so long only on animal blood was taking its toll on Kristopher. There was no other way a Vida could have overpowered him so easily. A painful spasm ran through him, though physical or mental, he couldn't tell. His vision wouldn't focus. He felt blind. And helpless.

Kristopher felt sword-calloused hands cup his face. He whimpered without meaning to and all of a sudden, he was staring into the black eyes of his brother, eyes that held nothing but concern for him and hatred for Sarah.

"You'll die," Nikolas breathed, drawing his brother against his shoulder. Kristopher didn't protest at being treated so delicately, even if he'd cared, he doubted he had the energy. Instead, he buried his face into Nikolas's shirt and tried to ride out the uncontrollable convulsions his body and mind were going through.

"You need blood," Nikolas said. " if not mine, then at least human blood."

Kristopher shook his head vehemently as the tension in his body built. It was like a dam had been destroyed and all of his precious control was slipping away. A particularily sharp pain ran through him and he unwillingly saw red then black and then nothing.

***

When he awoke, he was outside, propped up against a tree. He blinked slowly and realized he felt energized. He hadn't felt so alive since

And that's when Kristopher realized he was holding a dead body in his arms.

He started. Briefly, before his calm nature took over. Kristopher let the body fall to floor as he stood shakily. He was in a park and by the rays of pink and orange peeking out over the horizon, he figured it was almost sunrise.

"Awake, Kris?"

Nikolas stepped out of the shadows behind a swingset. He strode over to his brother, nudging the dead body aside with a leather boot, and smiled.

A brief flash of something that could be mistaken for fear ran through Kristopher's eyes, but it was gone like waves crashing over an empty shore. Then they were filled with coldness, an ice that coated his black orbs and chilled the air around them.

"You," he hissed frostily, trying not to show emotion but failing miserably. "I killed because of you."

"No, brother," Nikolas whispered, stepping closer until their noses were almost touching. He firmly placed a hand onto his brother's shoulder. Kristopher flinched at the touch, reacting as if he were burned. Then he relaxed visibly and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Nikolas."

"Don't!" he spit out. "Don't be sorry. It shows weakness, Kris. I don't like to see you weak." Nikolas's eyes glowed furiously. "I don't like to see you human."

"You were beautiful," Nikolas breathed, letting go of Kristopher's arm and stepping away. "Deadly, elegant. Like a snake. Like you were before."

"I can't do this," Kristopher muttered. "I'm not that person anymore."

"Are you?" Nikolas asked, smiling sadly. "Think about it."

He turned away and then the sun burst into the sky like a golden waterfall, spreading its ripples of brilliance from a sea of light. Kristopher blinked, momentarily blinded and when his eyes refocused, Nikolas was gone.

The vampire rubbed his left shoulder which had been gripped tightly by Nikolas and sighed mournfully. A smattering of scars lay there, bold against the pale skin, reminder of a time long before, a time he didn't want to go back to.

Or did he?

~END~

See, like I said, short. Please review!!! =^_^= Beg for a sequel, if you like. Flame me if you like. Actually comment on the story if you like. PLEASE!!!!

-ryo0oki

"WE WANT MORE IP, RHYSENN!!!"