When I see your smile, tears run down my face..

Zero looked towards her, gazing at her as if she was meters taller. She was so small, yet she stood so, so tall. She shone so bright, it dazzled his eyes. But it was her smile.. She delicately parted her lips and the warmth of her genuine smile spread through him. This was the girl he knew. It was as if, whenever she smiled, all the troubles.. all HIS troubles melted away.

I can't replace..

Their bond was strong. It was like a piece of thread but it slowly morphed into a strong rope and grew stronger and stronger. Finally, it transformed into an eternally unbreakable chain that never ended.. never stopped.. and kept on going. She couldn't be replaced. What they had was a piece of eternity together. They were old souls and they would meet again... and again... and again... No one else could fulfill their needs. No one else could be everything they wanted. There would always be something missing. Neither one of them could ever be replaced.

And now that I'm strong I have figured out, how this world turns cold and breaks through my soul and I know I'll find, deep inside me, I can be the one.

There had been a time when Zero was a peace loving, shy and kind boy.. But that ''incident'' ..utterly destroyed his soul. It was like accidentally stepping on a rose. Something so precious and beautiful but at an instant, in that single moment, it all breaks down to nothing. Everything that made up anything was gone and replaced with mush. Vile horrible mush. All the fragments of what it was before drifting away like the wind blowing away the autumn leaves, preparing for the iciness of winter. All the pieces of who he was were floating around. And one by one they started disappearing. And were being replaced by hate.

This is where Yuki came in. She saved him. In every possible way, she was there for him. He pushed her away and built up a brick wall between them. But this girl just didn't believe in barriers. She broke each brick gently and comforted his hidden aching heart. And now it was beating each and every beat only for her, until the end of time.

Zero's world of gray and cold slowly became multi-coloured and warm. His heart, protected with an icy armour, opened only to her. She had a no-expiration-date VIP access. And she was the only one who possessed this ticket. She slowly broke through the surface and pulled the boy who was lost under the currents, out from under. She brought back who he was and made more of him. She made him feel whole again.

Zero was strong now. He believed he was capable of protecting her and taking care of her. He wouldn't break and he wouldn't push her way; he would be rock solid for her. He secretly hoped, that there was still an ember in her fire for him. Even just one little dying ember was alright.. So long as it still existed.

Because he didn't want to be her adopted brother. He didn't want to just be her childhood friend. He wanted to be the guy who could kiss her whenever he felt like it. He wanted to be the guy who could stay by her side and love her and she would love him back.

I will never let you fall. I'll stand up with you forever. I'll be there for you through it all, Even if saving you sends me to heaven.

Even so. Even if she didn't love him, he wouldn't leave her.

Their history, Their friendship.. Their bond.. Their never-ending devotion to one another.
These were only a couple of things he remembered each and every time he tried to walk away from her; either for her sake or just to prevent them both from further hurt. His attachment to her.. her attachment to HIM, stopped them from walking away permanently from each other. The string had a length limit. They could only go as far. They could try, but they wouldn't succeed.

He wanted to be there for her. If she wanted a pillow, he'd offer his shoulder and then his arms for extra warmth. If she cooked something, he would gladly eat it. No matter how inedible or vile it was. Even if it was poisonous .He would irritate her about her cooking skills but he wouldn't miss one last grain of rice.

If she wanted to do the stupidest thing; like going up against all the purebloods in a quest for final peace in their chaotic world, he would be on her right side steady. Anyone try to attack her on the left, he'd spin and take the blow. Anyone attack her with a big blow right up front, he'd throw himself over her and protect her as much as he could. He would stand with her, even with an anti-vampire bullet lodged in his leg.

This was how deep their bond.. and their love for each other went.

He would die saving her.

She saved his soul. He wouldn't hesitate to give his life for hers.

He would catch her, help her whenever she needed him. He would always hit the ground first.

These thoughts ran through his head as the beautiful girl with the short bouncy brunette hair headed towards him. The way she looked at him and the way her smile seemed to be just that much sweeter, confirmed it.

She loved him too.

They were out on the balcony, all the music and festivities shut out by the door. It was a peaceful night. The stars glittered in the sky, hundreds and hundreds of them twinkling their magic. The moon was round and yellow and it almost seemed to be shining down right in their direction. It was magical.
But Zero wasn't looking at that. All the beauty and magic he needed was already right in front of him.

Yuki sighed and smiled. "Such a beautiful sight, huh?" She murmured.

"It is. It really is."

She turned her gaze and focused on Zero, who to her surprise, was staring at her with the most revealingly sweet gaze.

"Z-Zero?" She asked. She was almost unnerved by the intensity of his look. She hesitantly looked straight up into his eyes. Silver lilacs. So familiar to her.. So many countless times she had stared at the vulnerable pair, while they were naked with emotion, he so rarely revealed.

And suddenly, just like that, all the awkwardness vanished away. It was just Zero again, looking at her in a somewhat dazed manner.

She shook her head and laughed. "You alright?" She waved her hand in front of his face and pushed her face up close to his. It was probably intended to be an intimidating stare. But instead, it just looked like a little bunny trying to be arrogant to Zero.

He smiled and instead of waving her hand away in annoyance as usual, he held onto it with a gentle yet firm grip. He bent and lightly kissed her gloved hand. His lips lingered for a moment before Yuki said , "Uhm, are you okay Zero? You feeling ok?"

He chuckled and raised his head. He grinned at her.

I'll always be okay. As long as you stay by my side. -Was what he thought.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Was what he said, as he ruffled her hair, expertly messing it up so effectively.

"Hey!" She yelped.

And with that, they went back to their usual comedic antics. But this time, it was different.
Behind all that irritated talk and bravado they had for each other, it was a deep binding love, they possessed for one another.

"..Hey Zero?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you.. stay with me? I-I mean only if.. Well I-"

"I'll only stay.. for however long you'll want me."

"Then.. you'll have to stay forever."

Zero couldn't believe how immensely happy he was to hear those words from her mouth. And for once, he couldn't be happier to oblige.

He kissed her forehead in the sweetest manner, then her eyelids.. and finally, her beautiful lips. A deep sense of contentment and utter happiness and bliss washed through their bodies in a most pleasurable sensation.

From that moment on, Zero swore to himself that..

He would protect her. He would cherish her. He would be everything she needed him to be. And for better or for worse.. Come what may.. He would love her.

He was her destiny. Her blood-bound prince. Her light in the dark. Her real love.

He was her Vampire Knight.

He.. was her Guardian Angel.

I will never let you fall. I'll stand up with you forever. I'll be there for you through it all.. Even if saving you sends me to heaven.