The purity of the rain chases away the pain in your heart

Yuki's POV

The rain, it's so heavy. It's been like this since yesterday. This kind of rain is the type that I can't see two metres in front of me, the type of rain that sings me to sleep at night, the type of rain I love walking in. I jump from puddle to puddle in my yellow gumboots. I feel about ten again, living so carefree.

"Ha, carefree," I mutter to myself.

It is the first week of school holidays, something that I will be cherishing totally. I quite like waking up late to make a hot chocolate, especially in weather like this. I also like how when I don't use an umbrella, you cannot tell I'm crying. Of course, I carry an umbrella, a deep green one, but it's not for me.

I woke up this morning to find a serious headmas- no, sorry, father. I knew why. Zero, he totally freaked out about something and just ran, ran away. I knew he was going to have a bad day. 2:13 a.m., I woke up to hear his screaming. It still echoes around in my head. A heart shattering scream. I ran to his room with my heart in my mouth, not really comprehending anything but his fear, that's all I could feel. I bursted through his door to find him thrashing under his covers. He let out another yell, his face twisted in fear and pain, while he was still asleep. I knelt on his bed and grabbed his face. His eyes were squeezed shut. I had shouted his name, nudging him with my knees. Head - father came in at this moment to help me. Zero was drenched in sweat. He woke up shouting, his hands flying up to protectively cover his face.

"Zero, Zero. It's me, it's okay," I had pleaded, almost in tears.

Whether he's asleep or awake, he can't manage to escape his pain, his suffering. He looked up at me then, his beautiful, purple eyes wide with fear. I had stroked his forehead, and father told him to have a hot shower to calm down. I hugged him tightly, telling him to sleep in my bed with me if he wanted. Zero complied with the both of us. After his shower, he was no longer scared. No, it was worse, he was sad. He just silently curled up on my lap, not even bothering going under the covers. I had patted his damp, silver hair, like I used to when we were younger.

When I woke up, he was gone.

That's why I'm here, walking in this purifying rain with my umbrella shut and tucked away under my arm. Heading roughly towards town I rack my brain at where I could possibly find him. Well no matter what, no matter how much I think and plan, I'll end up finding him if I just wonder around.

The rain gets heavier now; it's very cold as droplets run through my hair and down my neck. It leaves an icy trail that seeps through my whole body. With a start, I realise that I am bone – achingly freezing. A violent shudder runs through me and I shoved my chilled hands in my oversized jacket. I continue to cry silently as I tramp along in the noisy rain.

Why Zero, why him? The amount of suffering he's been subjected to is beyond cruel. And I make it worse, by being friends with the same being that slaughtered his family and destroyed his life. A flicker of anger burns briefly through me. It's not fair, how can he…

I blink away the tears and rain from my eyes. A large iron gate looms in front of me.

The cemetery.

I push through the gate, it creaks its protest as I do so. Searching the graveyard, I can easily identify Mrs Momoyama's grave, but I have no clue as to where Zero's parents would be located. Looking around, I manage to spot a glimpse of silver despite the dense rain. Treading towards him slowly, the ground squelches with each step. Taking the umbrella and shaking free the droplets, I open it up in front of me. I can see Zero more clearly now. He kneels in front of a headstone, his long arms just hanging beside him. The pj's he wore last night are now drenched, and he's bare footed. He must be so cold, freezing. Normally, I'd get angry and scold him for being so reckless, but not now. Zero still hasn't noticed due to the loud rain, and I get closer and closer until I stand beside him. His gaze is distant, not really seeing. I tilt the umbrella so it covers the both of us. The pounding of the rain on the umbrella seems to snap him into focus. He blinks up at me, and all of him is soaked to the bone. I smile sadly at him, fresh tears sliding down my face. I crouch down until I'm at his level, and I cup his sad face. He sighs and closes his eyes, and I detect a bit of fatigue upon his features.

"Zero, you're gonna catch a cold if you don't dress properly," I whisper at him. He looks at me again. His cheek is icy to touch.

"Like you can talk," he hushes back. "It looks like you've walked in the rain without using the umbrella."

I try another weak smile. "You're right. Because I wasn't going to use it until you were out of the storm first." His pale face seems to go weak, and he leans in towards me and rests his head against me. My chin sits on top of his head, and the hand that was touching his cheek now holds the back of his neck.

"Yuki, this isn't a storm, it's just rain."

"No, this is definitely a storm. But don't worry, I am always going to be by your side with an umbrella to shelter you." My fingers thread through his hair.

"Yuki," he breathes, and I feel it on my skin.

Zero is drenched and so cold. He shudders against me as if to prove my point. My arm that holds up the umbrella starts to burn.

"Zero, you're freezing. Let's get you home and dry."

"It's my mother's birthday today." He sighs quietly.

Oh. Oh god no, please no. This must be so hard for him! And it explains so much too.

"How- how old is she now?" I ask awkwardly as I glance at the gravestone for the first time.

"She would've been 39." So young? I try reading the name on the stone.

"Y-your mum's name is Namiya Kiryu?"

He sighs again. "Yeah, that's right." What a lovely name.

"If you don't mind me asking-"

"Callen Kiryu is my dad's name." He answers.

I tilt my head so I rest my left cheek on the top of his head.

"Zero, they would be so proud to have a son like you. Surviving and living on after all you've been through is something not many people could do." I inhale, the cold bites my nose. Zero nuzzles into me more.

"I barely survived." His faint voice is barely audible against the contrasting rain.

"But you did."

I don't know how long we sat there. My umbrella arm became numb, like the rest of my cold body. I could feel Zero's cold body, too. But I won't say anything. He is mourning after his precious loss, it seems like the first he's letting himself go to the feelings in him, and I don't want to be the one to disrupt that. Turning my head again, I press my lips into him. This is how we stay for a long time.

I can feel him calming down – so am I, but as time continues, I get heavy; my soaking, cold clothes seem to be icy weights. I shudder against the feeling.

I'm so cold.

I felt my eyes close, when Zero's hands clasp my shoulders and he drags his head up. His face still has the signature of sadness, but it has receded. His beautiful face, it's even paler. He must be freezing.

"Yuki, we need to get you home." Zero announces as he takes the umbrella and stands. He offers me his hand. I take it, and he pulls me up. Before he can move, I fling my arms around his waist tightly, and now my head is buried in his chest.

"Yuki?! What-"

"Will you stay home?" I bite back tears. Why am I crying? Because I don't want to lose him. Yes, that's right. Don't disappear, not on your own, Zero. I want him with me, so he cannot be sad and fight this by himself.

He releases a sad chuckle. "I will stay, I promise. C'mon, you're gonna get sick." He tugs at me, and I am gently pulled back. I look up at him. He looks down at me.

"Do you pinkie promise?" I ask innocently as I offer him my little finger. He smiles slightly at my childish display. A long, pale finger wraps around mine, and I can't help but smile as well.

Zero slings and arm around my shoulder and we turn away from Namiya and Callen Kiryu. I twist my head around to get another look at their stones.

"Happy birthday, Namiya-sama." I murmur.

Zero says nothing as we make our way home. The umbrella in his right hand and me tucked away in his left arm, we were both mostly silent. The rain was loud enough for the both of us. The silence was sometimes broken when either one of us was seized by coughing or sneezing fits. Then I knew our fate: we were sick. Zero stops before opening the front door of the headmaster's – oops, no sorry, FATHER'S – villa.

"Before we go in," he starts, and there is already evidence of a cold in his voice, "You do know what's going to happen, don't you?"

I bite my lip. Yes. Father isn't going to be happy with our carelessness towards ourselves.

"Well, might as well get it over with." I mutter. We brace ourselves and walk in to a worried headmaster, to a worried father.

A/N: Whooo! Mah first ever fan fic! *does happy dance* I know it's not the best written one sorry, but I plan on getting better! I left this open for another chapter maybe (maybe?), depending on the feedback I get, if I get any at all. So please feel free to review, even criticism is welcome (please don't be mean though, I cry easily). Thank you for reading! Zeki forever =-)