Disclaimers: I don't own Megami Kouhosei or the characters. :snaps fingers and sighs:
Summary: Zero and Erts yaoi. It's Erts' b-day and he receives something special from Zero.

Happy Birthday, Erts by Yaoi Girl

"Zero!"

The blue-eyed boy paused in the seemingly endless hallway and turned to see Erts running to catch up to him.

"What is it, Erts?" Zero asked, looking down at the boy who was now next to him, bent over with his hands on his knees and panting softly, catching his breath.

"You…you promised that we would…go to the mess hall together…today. Don't you…remember?" he panted.

"Oops…it must've slipped my mind," Zero replied, scratching his head and grinning widely and stupidly.

Erts was now standing up straight, giggling somewhat, then suddenly grew silent, his eyes lowering. "Do you still want to? I'll understand if…"

"A promise is a promise!" Zero cut in, throwing an arm around the other boy's shoulders.

Every time, up until now, when Zero touched him, Erts could always feel the boy's flowing energy and determination to become a pilot. But something was different this time; it felt as if something new altogether was thrown into the mix, something Erts couldn't quite put a finger on.

He said nothing about it though and they continued down the hall, Zero's arm still around his shoulders, almost possessively.

When the pair reached the mess hall's doors, Zero turned to Erts to face him.

"Close your eyes, Erts," Zero said, trying to conceal something within his excited voice.

The blonde was confused, said nothing, and did as Zero ordered.

Zero smiled triumphantly and walked to stand behind the other boy, resting his hands on the boy's shoulders, urging him forward and through the doors.

The mess hall doors slid open and all was quiet.

"Zero? Erts asked, uncertain of the situation at hand.

"It's okay, Erts. Nothing bad is going to happen," the messy-haired boy assured him, trying his best not to let anything out of the ordinary to slip into his mind to ruin the surprise for Erts.

"Why is it so quiet in here?" he whispered.

No response. Erts would've thought for sure that Zero had left him alone in the room; except the hands on his shoulders affirmed that he was in fact still there.

A few more slow steps into the room and Zero abruptly removed his hands from Erts' shoulders.

"You can open them now," the blue-eyed boy whispered in his right ear.

Slowly, the twin aqua orbs appeared and a small gasp burst from his lips.

All of the newer candidates and repairers were gathered around the middle of the room in a circle with Erts and Zero in the center.

"Happy birthday, Erts!" they all said, not too loudly so they wouldn't get into any trouble, and Erts could only smile, deciding that killing Zero would have to wait until later for this.

"Thank you so much, everyone," he said, then turning to Zero. "Thank you. How did you know anyway?"

"Simple. Ask around." He leaned close to Erts, eyeing Hiead, smirking. "I even know Hiead's, and you know that he doesn't tell anything to anyone!"

The circle had dispersed and they had gone back to their normal and dull lunch routine.

"Let's eat, then I have something planned. Okay?"

Erts smiled weakly. "I'm not all that hungry right now. Sorry, Zero."

"No problem. Neither am I, so let's get out of here."

The two headed toward the exit when Zero was suddenly jerked around.

"And where do you think you're going?"

"Let go of me, Kizna!"

She let go of him and Zero then grabbed her arm and pulled her to the side, out of earshot of Erts.

"What should I do? I'm so nervous!"

"Just be yourself, Zero."

"But what if…"

"Trust me! Everything will work out fine."

Zero sighed and started to walk back to Erts, who was now talking to Aracd, when Kizna yelled, "good-luck!"

"He's coming! I'll tell you later, okay?" Erts said somewhat panicked before Zero reached them.

"Ready?" Zero asked and received a nod in answer.

Erts waved to Aracd and he and Zero walked out.

"Sorry I kept you waiting."

"It's okay, Zero."

The pair walked in silence and quite and distance from each other as compared to earlier when Zero was practically gloomping Erts.

They had rounded several corners and Erts looked around, and then stopped.

"Haven't we walked through here three times already?"

Zero stopped and started to also look around. "Guess I'm lost. I still get lost sometimes…"

"I understand. When I first came here, I had the same problem, and still do sometimes," Erts said, smiling at the memories. "Say, we're close to my quarters. You wanna hang out there for a while?"

"Anything than walking around in a giant circle for an hour is fine with me," Zero said, throwing an arm around Erts' shoulders again. "Lead the way!"

That odd new feeling hadn't left Zero yet, Erts noted to himself while turning a corner and stopping in front of his door.

The stepped inside the small room and the arm that was around Erts' shoulders disappeared.

"Hey, Erts?"

"Yes?"

"Why do you have my picture next to your bed?" the boy inquired as he walked over to the nightstand next to the bed, turning the framed image of himself in toward the bed as he sat down.

I totally forgot about that! Erts' mind screamed as he tried to remain as calm as possible.

He couldn't ever lie to Zero, but he could throw in a twist so Erts wouldn't be telling the other boy directly what and how he felt for him.

"It's there to remind me of the fun we had the first time we trained together. You're the only person who's ever treated me like a person and doesn't mind that I'm a telepath, except for my brother."

"I see," Zero replied softly, a tiny hint of disappointment in his voice and eyes, having been hoping for another reply.

"What's wrong, Zero?" Erts inquired at the sudden change in personality and walked across the room and stood in front on Zero, toying with the idea of whether or not to sit down.

"It's just…" he sighed. "Nevermind."

"Zero…" Erts said softly, looking down sadly at him, sighing slightly himself as he finally sat down.

The blue-eyed boy stared at his feet, his arms resting on his legs as he was slouched forward slightly, his hands dangling over his knees.

Zero looked at the picture again and slowly reached up, turning it back to where it was before he had entered the room.

"Zero, please tell me what is troubling you. I want to help, if I can."

Silence.

Zero stood and walked over to the window, looking and at the twinkling stars, smiling half-heartedly.

After a few moments of silence, Erts couldn't help but say something to break it.

"They seem so close, when, in actuality, they're so far away…just like you…" he said, looking down and sitting similar to the way Zero had a few minutes ago.

Twin blue orbs used the window as a mirror and looked over at Erts, his heart clenching painfully at the sight, knowing that he had caused it by not speaking what was on his mind.

"Erts…" he said, barely above a whisper.

The boy perched on his bed glanced up at Zero from the corner of his eye, having suddenly felt a wave of pain emanating from the other boy.

The blue eyes were staring and holding the visible aqua eye through the mirror as Erts turned his head to look at him directly.

They held their gaze for some time before Zero suddenly turned from the window and walked back toward the bed.

"What did you mean by that, Erts?" he asked, locking his eyes to the other boy's again, seeking the answer.

The aqua orbs dropped to the floor. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but then slowly closed it again and sighed, also closing his eyes.

Zero knelt down in front of him and tipped his chin up with a finger. "Please?" he asked softly, his and Erts' eyes dancing together silently in an uneven rhythm as Erts finally realized what that new emotion was as Zero openly let it flow through him and to the other boy.

He was still afraid to say anything to Zero for fear that this feeling of love was meant for someone else.

"Please?" came the soft question again.

Might as well enjoy this once, rather than to live in agony with nothing at all, Erts thought as he suddenly leaned down and captured a wide-eyed Zero's lips in a tender kiss.

Just as Zero was really starting to enjoy it, Erts suddenly pulled away.

The blonde was now a lovely rose color, hiding his flushed face with his hands, his elbows on his knees, not seeing Zero also change color and smile at him.

"You still haven't answered me," he teased.

An aqua eye was revealed as Erts moved his left hand slightly over and looked down at the smiling boy, and then removed both hands, revealing that he had started to cry.

The brown-haired boy got up from his kneeling position and took a seat next to Erts, their sides touching, and Zero suddenly and unexpectedly scooped the other boy onto his lap and tucked his head under his chin, wrapping his arms around him tightly, kissing the top of his head.

Erts was scared and shocked at first, but he did nothing to protest and soon relaxed into Zero's unyielding embrace.

"Now I'm close no matter how you look at it; and that's the way it's always gonna be, right?"

He felt the other boy nod slightly against his throat, then a pair of arms snaked around his neck and Erts sat up, gazing deeply into Zero's eyes.

"Do you mean it, Zero?"

Zero put his forehead to Erts'. "Do you think I'm joking this time?"

The blonde felt the emotions within Zero stir and knew that the love was indeed for him.

"No. I know you're not," he answered telepathically as he leaned in to kiss Zero again.

The pair shared a passionate kiss for some time, breaking apart for air and Erts tucked his head back under Zero's chin, cuddling him with a smile.

They sat in contented silence for a while, when Zero realized that Erts had fallen asleep.

He smiled tenderly and laid down, his burden cradled against him as he pulled the blankets over them and held the boy tightly, whispering, "I love you, Erts," before he, too, drifted off to join Erts in his dreams.

~owari~

Hope you enjoyed. It's my first Megami Kouhosei yaoi fic, so please be kind! R&R appreciated!