Author's Note: It amazes me that, after all this time, this is a story I still get favorites, follows, and reviews on. So, here is the revised version! I hope you all enjoy.

"What do you mean Yuki has to go to the hospital?"

Kaname listened as Kaiten rambled, somehow able to piece together a timeline. It sounded like Yuki had contracted double pneumonia—which, supposedly, wasn't as bad as it sounded—and was put on antibiotics by the doctor. Thirteen days later, however, she still wasn't better, and new symptoms were popping up.

"She started coughing blood about ten minutes ago, and I would just make an appointment with the doctor, but it's one o' clock in the morning, so they're all closed, so I'm taking her to the emergency room, so—"

Kaname was already grabbing his coat and gloves. "I'll meet you there."

"Actually…" Kaien was using his nervous tone, his half-pleading tone, his you-aren't-going-to-like-this-but-I-need-you-to-do-it-for-me-anyway tone.

Kaname hated that tone.

"I need someone to stay with Zero." There was a slight crackle on the line. "I don't want him to be alone, but he can't come along for obvious reasons."

"What?" Kaname knew Kaien was right, of course. Hospitals were filled with blood. Kiryuu could have no part in any trips to the emergency room, but the last thing Kaname wanted to do while his dear girl was sick was watch the temperamental, half-transitioned teen.

"Kaname, he can't be alone. I don't know what will happen." Kaien paused for a moment, and when he spoke again, it was in a whisper. "Yuki doesn't want him to be alone, either. I barely managed to convince her she had to go to the hospital."

Kaname sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. How will my babysitting him be any better than throwing him in the middle of a bloodbath? He'll be just as difficult and uncontrollable.

"Please, Kaname-sama." It was a raspy voice that came through the speaker, clearly belonging to his very, very sick Yuki. "I don't want Zero to be al—" She broke off into a coughing fit.

"Shh, it's alright. It's alright, Yuki. I'll watch him for you." If she had seen Kaname's eyes, she would have known how angry he was, but she couldn't, so she remained blissfully oblivious.

"She's smiling and nodding, but she can't talk much. Come as quickly as you can. She won't let me take her until you're here to watch Zero, and I would really like to get her seen as soon as possible." Kaien paused. "I'm sure you feel the same."

Kaname glared at the empty space in front of him, hands going through the movements of donning a jacket and gloves. "Get her to the hospital, Kaien. I am leaving now, and I will be there in a matter of minutes."

Kaname half-threw, half-dropped the phone and all but ran out the door. His voice may have been calm, but that was his attempt at concealing his distaste for the situation. Inside, he was torn between panic and frustration.

Is it that difficult to take care of her?

If he could do it himself, he would in a heartbeat, but he couldn't risk that. He couldn't risk slipping up, using his pureblood powers… making her scared again.

No, she is safest with Kaien. She has to stay there.

Kaname ran faster, the grass and stone walkways blurring as he left a humanly attainable pace behind. He sniffed from time to time, pulling the scent of stew and blood from beneath the pouring rain. Lovely combination, he thought, sardonic even in his thoughts.

"No, we have to wait! I don't want—" cough, cough, cough, "—I don't want to leave him. Zero!"

Kaname heard her cries before saw the house, his footsteps slowing to a stop once the small cottage was in his line of sight. The first thing he saw was Zero dragging Yuki, kicking and screaming, out of the house. Kaname's instinct was to run faster and start a fight, but he reined himself in and listened closer.

"Get out of here, dummy. I'll be fine on my own."

"I have to make sure Kaname-sama—"

"Geeze, you're annoying." Zero shoved her into the car and crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't need him. I don't need anyone. I'm fine. Go to the hospital."

Kaname slowed to a walk, and then he stopped altogether.

Good… good job, Kiryuu.

Kaname knew he couldn't see her—teary-eyed with a bloody napkin pressed to her mouth—and he was begrudgingly grateful for Zero's insistence that she leave. He knew, if given the chance, he would make Kaien stay with Zero and take care of Yuki himself, but if he wanted her safe, she had to form bonds with those who could stay close and protect her.

Kaname was not one of those people.

Zero covered his mouth and turned away, coughs racking his body as he ambled back toward the house. "Drive her to the hospital, you moron!" He screamed the words over his shoulder, making more noise in that one moment than Kaname had ever heard him make before, and then the front door slammed.

Kaname glanced back toward the vehicle and waited, footsteps crunching the gravel around the same time the tires stopped. He stared at the taillights for a moment, entertaining his anxiety with a nauseating twist in his gut.

Sighing, he turned to face the house and reached for the door, dreading the fight that would ensue. He took the knob and slowly turned it, mentally preparing for a butter knife attack or something similar.

"Now, Kiryuu, before you—"

Kaname stopped. Zero was nowhere to be found.

Hmm…

Kaname slowly made his way through the house, poking his head into every room and sniffing from time to time. Zero wasn't in the library, kitchen, or living room, but his presence was still in the building.

At the very least, he hadn't entertained any juvenile ideas of running away.

Most likely in his bedroom, then. Kaname shrugged it off before the thought had fully formed. Zero was twelve years old and capable of taking care of himself.

Slipping his coat from his shoulders, Kaname made his way into the kitchen and hung it on the rack just inside the arch. He started to hunt through the cupboards, trying to find a glass he could fill with water.

Wait. Kaname glanced to his left, his attention caught by an obnoxiously pink piece of paper taped to the counter. He gently pulled the note free and squinted at the haphazard handwriting. What have we here?

Kaname,

Thanks for watching Zero! I'll take good care of Yuki and keep you updated. I put important phone numbers on the fridge, and there's dinner in the fridge you can reheat.

Love, Kaien

P.S. Please, try and get Zero to eat something. Thanks again!

Kaname raised a brow and frowned. Was Zero really going to be that difficult? No, there had to be special circumstances, otherwise Zero would have eaten on his own.

It doesn't matter. I am here to prevent catastrophe, not to be a wet nurse. Besides, even if he did try to help, he would probably wind up with an earful of profanity and a bullet in his skull.

Kaname set the note aside with a sigh and returned to the cabinets, grabbing a glass. He got some water from the tap and shuffled through the foyer into the library. Hoping he could distract himself from Yuki's condition with a good book, he seated himself in a large recliner and laid back. He grabbed a book from the shelf on his right, recognizing the title, and began to lose himself to the pages.

If push came to shove, he could reheat something and make Zero eat, but he was content to put that task off as long as possible. And, if Zero refused, well… Kaname tried. Kaien hadn't asked him to do any more than that.

Kaname sighed, sipping his glass and easing himself even further into the cushions, almost instantly enthralled in his book.

Kaname startled awake, his sleep interrupted by the loud chiming of a grandfather clock. Realizing he fell asleep while reading, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and slid a bookmark in between the printed pages.

I'll have to find something else to do. Kaname stood and stretched, yawning. I don't want to be asleep if Kaien calls with news about Yuki. Still half asleep, he ambled into the foyer and looked at the stairs. Right. Zero. I should also do something about that.

Kaname heaved a sigh and started up the steps, calling out with as little irritation in his tone as he could manage. "Kiryuu, where are you?"

Silence was all he got in response.

"Kiryuu, I know you're up here. Just tell me what room you're in."

Several seconds passed just as quietly as their predecessors, and then a loud crash came from Zero's bedroom. Kaname inwardly cringed, hoping the damage—whether it be to the boy or the bedroom—wasn't severe.

Kaname followed the sound, wondering why he thought Zero would be anywhere else, and knocked on the door.

"Go away!" It was definitely Zero who spoke, but his voice was hoarse and followed closely by haggard panting.

"What's going on in there?" Kaname reached for the handle as he spoke. "Kiryuu?"

"I said, 'go away!'"

Kaname sighed and gave the knob a twist and let himself in.

One look at the room and Kaname knew hunger fits had something to do with the state Zero was in. It was evident from the shredded curtains and sheets, broken glass, overturned furniture, and bloody streaks on the walls, that Zero had suffered multiple severe fits within the past twenty-four hours.

"Kiryuu, I know you're in here."

"I told you… to go away…" Zero's voice slid from a growl to a whine, his frustration with Kaname dissolving into a frustration with his situation.

Kaname looked around the room again and approached the bathroom, figuring it was the only other place Zero could be hiding. "If I haven't gone away yet, what do you think are the chances of me doing it the next time you tell me to?"

He got no response, but it didn't really matter. He opened the door to the bathroom and found the boy he had been looking for, though Zero wasn't exactly how Kaname thought he would be.

Hunger fits may have been plaguing Zero Kiryuu on a regular basis, but that was not the problem of the evening. Zero was lying on the floor at the base of the toilet, both arms wrapped around his stomach with flushed cheeks and watery eyes.

Kaname cautiously approached, glancing at the toilet bowl but finding clear water inside. I haven't heard the toilet flush since I woke. He must be dry heaving. He crouched down, still trying to determine what exactly was wrong with Zero and what he was supposed to do. It's been too long since I studied human ailments. I haven't the faintest idea what the trouble might be.

Kaname slowly reached out his hand, intending to test for a fever.

Zero jolted, tensing for mere seconds before his muscles gave. "Don't touch me."

"Kiryuu, you're sick. I just want to feel your forehead."

"I know I have a fever," Zero grumbled, pulling his knees a little closer to his chest and pushing back against the wall. "You don't need to t—" He broke off into a coughing fit, the spasms resonating deep in his chest before dissolving into fruitless heaving.

Kaname frowned slightly. He didn't like Zero, but he hardly wanted to watch the boy lie on the floor, sick as a dog and all by himself.

"Come here, Kiryuu." Kaname spoke softly, taking Zero by the shoulders and pulling him into a sitting position. "Let's go downstairs."

Zero stared at him, dazed, with half-lidded eyes and a flat expression. He didn't seem to understand what was being asked of him, but instead of asking for further information, he let his chin drop to his chest and moaned.

Kaname wrapped one arm around Zero's torso and the other around his knees, lifting him from the floor and exiting the bathroom. He picked his way through the cluttered bedroom, careful not to grind the glass into the carpet any more than it already was.

"I don't… I don't want to go… with you…" Zero's head lolled from one side to the other,

"I don't particularly care." Kaname kept walking, making his way through the house toward the living room. "You're sick, Kiryuu. You're a smart boy. Could you defeat me if you were healthy?"

Zero didn't say anything, but the bitter scowl on his face was answer enough.

"Exactly. If you can't beat me healthy, you certainly can't beat me when you're sick. So, for both our sakes, stop arguing with me." Kaname put him down on the couch and hovered over him. "I'm going to find some blankets for you, and then we're going to get a cool rag on your head. Behave."

Zero glared weakly, but it didn't last. His eyelids refused to get that close to each other and not close, and once his eyes were closed, he could hardly keep himself conscious. He rolled onto his left side, moaning softly, and buried his nose in the back of the couch.

Kaname shook his head slightly and stepped away from the sofa, approaching the wardrobe in the corner. He pulled the doors open and saw exactly what he expected: more blankets than any household would ever need.

Ever.

Grabbing two, Kaname returned to the couch and draped them over Zero's body. He watched Zero shiver, little hands coming up from the bundle of clothes and cushions to take the blankets in their fingers.

It wasn't much, but it was a meager show of cooperation, and Kaname would take it.

Crossing the foyer yet again, Kaname went to the kitchen and hunted down a dishrag. He ran it under cold water and wrung it out, going back into the living room.

Kaname barely got a foot over the threshold before he stopped, distinctly aware of muffled crying from the couch. He took another step, but Zero either didn't notice his presence or didn't care. He stepped again and then once more, putting him next to the couch, and he tried to put the rag to Zero's forehead without making Zero look at him.

Surprisingly, Zero turned his head to make eye contact of his own volition, and there was something so utterly broken in those eyes. It made Kaname a bit sick. He had seen those pale, lavender hues full of rage, cold as ice, vacant, and even dead, but he had never seen them under the influence of grief and vulnerability.

"Kiryuu?" Kaname pressed cautiously, his voice hardly above a whisper.

Zero dropped his gaze and blinked a few times before lifting glassy eyes back up to look at the pureblood prince. And, in that moment, it was so obvious to Kaname how young Zero truly was that it pained him.

"I want my mom and dad."

Kaname pressed his lips together in a thin line. "If I could take you to them, I would." And that was the honest truth. "Let's try and get your fever down, hmm?"

Zero blinked slowly and didn't resist when Kaname put the cool rag on his forehead. He was extremely out of it, and while it made him more compliant, it was concerning to see him so dazed and afraid.

"Can you keep water down?"

Zero shrugged his shoulders, staring blankly ahead.

"Does that mean you haven't tried?"

There was a slight jerk that could have been interpreted as a nod, and then Zero went still again. Still, Kaname found it hard to believe he was intentionally making things difficult—the level of illness Zero was displaying was hard to fake, especially to a pureblood.

"I'll get you a glass and you can try some. I'll be right back."

Zero didn't respond, and Kaname left him on the couch in favor of finding a drink. He entered the kitchen and scanned the cabinets, taking a moment to recall which one had cups, and then he filled it up with lukewarm water.

I do remember that much. Ice water might feel better on his throat, but his stomach certainly won't appreciate it. Kaname opened the fridge and took a quick look around, not seeing anything he would attempt to give to an unhappy stomach. If he can keep down some water, I'll have to make him something.

Sighing, Kaname shut the door and grabbed the water, walking into the living room just as Zero started coughing. Kaname set the glass down on the coffee table and seated himself on the edge of the couch, unsure of what he was supposed to do.

I can't recall what purpose coughing serves during illness. Sneezing, vomiting, sweating, fevers… those are all to combat the virus or bacteria, but what does coughing do?

Zero sat up slightly, reaching his empty hands towards the opposite end of the couch and making a grabbing motion with his hands.

Kaname turned to look, but all he saw was a small, decorative pillow. He didn't understand, but he grabbed it anyway and handed it over. "This?"

Zero latched onto the cushion and held it tight to his chest, curling his entire body around it. He stayed that way until he stopped coughing, a span of time that lasted about twenty seconds or so, some of the spasms violent enough that Kaname winced.

"Kiryuu?" Kaname spoke only once the fit ended, his tone hesitant. He had absolutely no idea what the sudden increase in discomfort would do for Zero's state of mind. "I brought you some water."

Zero shook his head, still holding the pillow, and sank into the sofa.

"Zero, you have to try. You need to stay hydrated."

Zero shook his head again, harder, but he moaned immediately afterward.

"Don't hurt yourself just because you want to be stubborn."

Kaname tried to pull Zero into a sitting position, but the young hunter only squirmed, putting as much space between them as he could. Kaname got ahold of Zero's arm and pulled him up, feeling a split second of success before Zero kicked him in the shoulder.

"Kiryuu!" Kaname scolded, the impact forcing him to let go. "Honestly, don't be childish. Sit up and drink something, or I shall make you." He narrowed his eyes. "Don't think I won't. Yuki doesn't have that much control over how I treat you."

Zero wasn't listening, and his struggles continued. He twisted and kicked and clawed, writhing like a man possessed, doing whatever it took to keep Kaname's hands off him.

"Kiryuu, sit."

Zero froze on the spot. Not that he had changed his mind, Kaname simply wasn't giving him an option anymore. His muscles were tight, a sure sign of futile resistance against Kaname's control.

"Sit up a bit."

Zero moved slowly, jerkily, eyes bearing equal amounts of fury and fear.

Kaname took the glass and held it to Zero's lips. "Take that with your hands, and take a drink." Then, after a pause, he continued. "Just a small one. I truly don't want to hurt you."

Zero emitted a low sound that wasn't quite a growl. It was more like a moan, his tone split between angry and pleading, with a little bit of pain mingled somewhere in the middle. Still, he couldn't overpower the manipulation, so he sipped the drink like he was told.

Kaname took the glass and set it back down on the coffee table. "Good." He took Zero by the waist and pulled him closer, getting him far enough down the couch that he could lay flat again. "Go on, lay down."

Zero did, and then he tried to roll onto his left side again. Kaname was confused, but there was no harm in removing his control now that Zero had gotten a little fluid into him. For a second, there was stillness from both of them, and then Kaname released his hold.

Zero flew into the back of the couch, his effort no longer restrained, and he went slack on the couch with a quiet mumble. "…hate you…"

Kaname arched a brow. "You don't say? I never would have guessed."

Zero glared at him sideways and curled up, a shiver racking his body for the first time in several minutes. "I don't… wanna get sick…"

"No, I should think not, but you need to stay hydrated. It was just a bit, and if you can't keep it down, then we won't try again for a while." Kaname stood up and returned to the blanket closet, retrieving a third and draping it over the boy on the couch. "You should try and sleep."

Zero made a sound that seemed like an agreement of some sort.

Kaname flipped the cloth, putting the cooler side against Zero's forehead. "Go on. Or do I have to make you sleep, too?"

"Gimme a second." Zero growled out the words, glaring for a second before closing his eyes. "I can't just… fall asleep… I need to…" He yawned, pulled the blankets tighter, and let out a moan. "…won't take long…"

Kaname couldn't help the small smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. I can see that. You can hardly keep your eyes open, Kiryuu. But he figure the less he said, the sooner Zero would sleep, so he kept his silence and went out to the kitchen.

There has to be some kind of soup in the pantry somewhere…

Or at least, he hoped there was. Because he really didn't know what else to feed a sick child, and it would be rather problematic if he let Zero starve.

Kaname stood just inside the living room with a steaming bowl of soup in his hands, allowing himself the smallest of smiles at the sight of Zero asleep on the couch.

Eyes gently closed, mouth slightly open, knees drawn up toward his chest, arms wrapped loosely around his pillow, and the steady rise and fall of his chest all came together to form a rather adorable sight.

If only he were like this all the time.

Pushing the thought aside, Kaname placed the bowl next to the mostly full glass of water. He sat on the edge of the couch cushions and gave Zero a gentle nudge on the shoulder.

"Kiryuu, it's time to wake up."

Zero didn't so much as stir, so Kaname gave him another shove, this one a bit harder.

"Kiryuu, you need to wake up and eat something."

Zero remained unconscious, but his face tightened, as if he were aware of Kaname's presence but not conscious enough to form a response of any kind. His breathing picked up, and he let out a whine as he began to squirm, the pureblood's presence evidently causing him grief even in slumber.

"I do apologize, but you haven't got anybody else to help you right now." Kaname reached out, intending to take him by the shoulders. "Come on, Kir—"

Zero reacted the minute Kaname touched him, pushing the hands aside and thrashing wildly on the couch. He kicked Kaname in the side, and when the pureblood reached out again to grab him, he latched onto Kaname's wrists and held them away from himself, screamin gall the while.

"Kiryuu, calm down." Kaname stood up, a move which quickly gave him leverage, but Kiryuu continued to cry out and gasp for air, eyes shut tight and forehead glistening with sweat.

Is the fever breaking? Or did he enter a dream while half-awake?

Regardless of which scenario it was, it had to be extremely unpleasant for Zero to make such noises, and when Kaname spoke again, there was a little bit of pureblood power at play. "Zero, wake up!"

Zero jolted and screamed one last time, eyes flying wide open, hands still clutching Kaname's wrists in a tight grip. He stared, and it was clear in his yes that he had no idea what was happening or where he was.

"Kiryuu… are you awake now?"

Zero panted, chest jumping violently as he looked around the room and then back at Kaname. He swallowed hard, and after another second of contemplation, understanding dawned on his features.

Zero tore himself away and glared, pulling his hands close to himself and retreating into the mess of blankets and the corner of the sofa.

"I brought you some soup to eat." Kaname decided to brush over the topic of the obvious nightmare. "I see you kept the water down, so broth would be the next step up." He paused, and when Zero didn't say anything, he pressed. "Are you going to be as difficult about this as you were with the water?"

Zero looked at him for a moment, and then he looked at the soup. "Not hungry," he muttered, and his voice was rougher than Kaname remembered.

Kaname sighed softly. "I didn't think you would be. But you've got to get your body some nutrients somehow."

Zero looked like he wanted to glare, but his vivid dream had left his expression in a perpetual state of deer-in-the-headlights. "I'm not—" He shook his head slightly, pressing a hand to his head. "It's not like I'm… gonna starve if I don't eat. I could go for weeks."

"Yes, you could, but you're hardly going to get better if your body has nothing to help it fight the sickness." Kaname slid the bowl a little closer. "Go on. Just try some."

Zero swallowed hard and shook his head again. "Huh-uh."

Kaname felt his irritation spike, and he opened his mouth to administer some form of scolding, but he stopped short when Zero lowered his hand from his head to his stomach. Kaname glanced at the soup and then back at Zero, noticing the way Zero couldn't quite look at the dish.

"Do you feel nauseas?"

Zero pressed his lips together, twisted them a bit, and then offered a reluctant nod.

"You could have just said so." Kaname gestured to the glass. "Do you think you could try a little more water?"

Zero eyed the glass, and for a moment it looked like he would reject the idea right away, but then he frowned. "Just… just gimme a minute. Geeze."

Kaname refrained from smiling and held up his hands in a display of surrender. "Fine. We'll wait." He slid back and to the left, sitting at the end of the couch next to Zero's feet. "Apart from your stomach, are you feeling any better?"

Zero shrugged. If there was anything that did feel better, it was, apparently, outweighed by the return of an upset stomach.

Kaname nodded and let the subject die. He leaned forward and took a book from the coffee table, not knowing what it was about and not caring. He needed something to keep his mind off the boy next to him, and sitting in silence wasn't going to cut it.

Upon opening the cover, Kaname found it to be a classic, and while literature of the poetic variety had never been his favorite, he couldn't say he disliked it, either. So, flipping through until he got to the first actual page, he began to read.

Minutes ticked by in silence, broken up only by the clock on the wall and the occasional sound of Zero waking up from a state of near sleep. It happened every five minutes or so, the noise just loud enough to catch Kaname's ear but not loud enough to truly warrant attention.

Once they hit an hour of the same thing happening over and over again, however, Kaname decided he had to do something.

"Kiryuu, what seems to be the trouble?" Kaname didn't look away from his book, figuring the less eye contact he made, the more Zero would be willing to talk.

He was wrong.

"Nothing."

Kaname sighed softly. "Do you not want to sleep because you're afraid you'll have nightmares?"

"I'm not afraid!" Zero's outburst wasn't in the least bit convincing, and it didn't help that his shout was followed immediately by several harsh coughs.

"Kiryuu, please. It's nearly six in the morning, and that means I am getting ready to sleep. I am not in the mood to argue." Kaname gave him a raised brow and an unimpressed stare. "Do you want my help?"

Zero looked at him for a moment, and then he scoffed. He turned back onto his side and kept his face to the back of the couch, pulling the covers up to his chin and saying nothing.

Kaname watched him for a moment and then sighed. I suppose I am supposed to be the adult in this situation. He closed the book and set it on the coffee table, standing up and stepping to the other end of the couch. "Sit up."

Zero frowned at him for a moment, clearly confused, but he slowly did what was asked of him. Kaname could smell the shameful hope of help rising, but he chose not to mentioned it. Instead, he sat down and pointed to his lap.

Zero hesitated for another moment, but then he lay back down. He stayed on his left side, which was something Kaname was beginning to think had to do with his stomach, and curled up slightly. His face was pressed into Kaname's stomach slightly, but he didn't seem to mind—or at least, he didn't mind enough to move.

"Go to sleep, Kiryuu. You'll be fine."

Zero watched Kaname instead, not comfortable enough to close his eyes when he was so close to the pureblood, but that was fine. He was exhausted. Kaname knew he wasn't going to last more than a few minutes before the appeal of a dreamless sleep won him over.

Kaname moved his hand to Zero's forehead and gently trailed his fingers through the silver locks. They were dampened with sweat and somewhat greasy; Kaname wondered how long it had been since Zero felt well enough to shower.

"Go on." Kaname stroked the hair again, watching the fight drain from Zero's body. "Sleep. You need it."

Zero blinked slowly, and then his eyelids started to droop. He continued to stare, but Kaname stopped paying attention. Instead, he leaned his head back and rested it on the back of the couch, his fingers still making idle paths through Zero's hair.

Well, he thought, smiling when he felt Zero's breathing decrease and then even out. That could have gone worse. It seems you aren't such a terrible pain, after all, Kiryuu.