You Are

Flashback

Ichiru chased Zero for hours, trying to hug his brother.

"Stop it, Ichiru! I'm sick!" Zero screamed as his brother locked onto his waist.

"I don't care, Zero! It's just a simple hug! Besides, it's freezing outside! The snow and ice is making our house seem colder than it already is." Ichiru never loosened his grip.

"Ichiru, sometimes I just don't know what I'd do if you weren't here." Zero said as he finally gave in and hugged Ichiru. Their moment of synchronization was interrupted by the sound of a door opening downstairs.

"Zero! Ichiru! We're home, and we brought you candy!" Zero's mother yelled up the stairs as the two six year old boys ran down the stairs excitedly.

"Welcome home." The twins said in unison and smiled at their mother.

"Here you go. The strawberry one is for Ichiru and the Chocolate one is for Zero." Their mother handed them their flavored lollipops. Zero and Ichiru went outside to go look at the snow after their little hug-fight.

They sat down near a tree when Ichiru pulled out his lollipop and started to unwrap it; only to stop because of his twin staring at him.

"Yes, Zero?" Ichiru asked.

"It's just that…you know, I've always loved strawberries…" Zero trailed off.

"So…you want my lollipop, Zero?" Ichiru smiled at him.

"Yes…"

"You're gonna have to catch me first!" Ichiru laughed and Zero chased him all over the place. The snow was getting heavier and vision clarity was diminishing. Zero kept running after his brother, without a worry in the world. Too caught up in his state of bliss to notice the protruding branch covered by snow beneath his feet, and Zero tripped. He yelped out in pain as his ankle was twisted in all sort of shapes and forms.

"Zero! Zero! Are you alright!? Should I get Sensei? Zero! You can at least tell me what to do!" Ichiru asked as he tried to tend to his brother. Both of them were too much in shock to figure out what to do next until their panic slightly subsided by the feeling of a person walking up from behind them.

"You guys look like you need some help." The figure asked from behind. Ichiru turned around only to meet a girl with eyes the color of honey. He was about to scream until he realized it was just a little girl who looked about the same age as he was.

"I think…I think my foot is broken!" Zero said as he tilted his head back in pain.

"I…can take away your pain." The girl smiled at both of them and Zero felt she was suspicious.

"What are you? Some magical creature or something?" Zero asked cautiously.

"Close…I'm a vampire." Zero smacked her across her face.

"Get away from us." Zero stated plainly as his hand mark appeared on the little girl's face.

"Zero! Stop it! She offered to help us!" Ichiru tried to hold his brother down.

"Don't be so naïve, Ichiru! She's the exact type of monster that we are supposed to hunt!" Zero struggled against his brother.

"Oh, that hurt, little boy. I should've figured to expect nothing less of humans." The girl was about to get up and leave until Ichiru grabbed her arm.

"Please, although he doesn't want it, please. Just…fix him please!" Ichiru begged the golden-eyed girl to stay and help. She walked in front of Zero and looked into his eyes but Zero turned his head away.

"Don't look away." She ordered plainly, but being as stubborn as he was, Zero kept his eyes shut and his head turned. Getting impatient, the girl held Zero's face still and manually opened his eyes. As she stared into his eyes and vice versa, Zero went underneath a trance. Ichiru just watched as the young girl started to wrap up Zero's foot and she threw him across her back.

"Lead me to your house." Ichiru was a little skeptical at first, but then decided there was nothing to lose. She followed Ichiru home and as he opened the door to his house, his parents rushed in and held the little girl at gunpoint.

"Ichiru! You didn't notice a vampire following you home? Why is she carrying Zero!?" They flooded him with questions and he assured that he would explain to them later. The girl laid Zero across Ichiru's bed and as she turned to leave, Ichiru grabbed her arm once again.

"Wait! I want to thank you for saving my brother! You know…he means the world to me. I don't know what I'd do without him." Ichiru confessed to this practical stranger, but she smiled at him.

"It's no problem. I should head home, it's getting dark outside and my parents will wake up soon." The girl explained.

"Before you go…what's your name?" Ichiru asked.

"Aaya Mitaki."

End Flashback

Aaya finished drinking from Zero's neck and wiped her mouth. Zero regained consciousness as his eyes focused upon the girl in front of him.

"You…how…" Zero was about speechless.

"After that incident, we became friends. I guess I didn't leave you under your trance long enough." Aaya shrugged her shoulders. She dug in her shirt and pulled out his gun and threw it at him.

"I'll leave you to find your thoughts. I'll find my classes by myself." Aaya turned and left.

Zero stood up and watched as Aaya walked down the hallway and out of his sight.

"Aaya Mitaki…you are…something else."

I wonder why in every fic I write, Zero ends up being some kind of rape-victim. Almost. XD R & R.