Disclaimer: I do not own vampire knight.
AN: Finally i finish my study. Yay! although i still got some practical. haha. This is really short.
Beta-ed by: BlueSapphire24
Enjoy...
Red wine orbs stared down at the child in bed, breathing evenly with traces of dried up tears staining his cheeks. The lower eyelids were red from crying and his face was as pale as a white sheet. He looked like a ghost in his sleep.
Kaname moved to sit by the bed, hands reaching to the tears forming by the corner of the sleeping child's eye. He wiped it away then proceeded to caress the child's cheek. It was soft but sticky with tears. The child felt a little warm so he leaned down, touching his forehead with Zero's.
Fortunately, there was no fever.
But Kaname could feel it. Zero was tired, not only from crying but also emotionally.
"Mommy… Dad—dy…" another tears formed. The child mumbled in his sleep. "Where are you?" his lips trembled. "Ichiru… don't—leave…"
Kaname felt an ache in his heart. He frowned.
Suddenly, Zero coughed. He started to have a coughing fit as he cried, clutching his aching throat. Kaname looked around. Water, he needed water.
There was a glass of water on the nightstand. He reached for it as he pulled Zero in his lap, coaxing Zero to wake up. The child however whined instead, not waking up. He had another coughing fit.
Kaname frowned. Zero was crying again.
Not having any other option left, Kaname tilted his head back, filling his mouth with water from the glass before using his fingers to lift the child's chin up so that he faces him. He opened the child's mouth for him to transfer water mouth to mouth.
Water filled the small mouth and using his finger, Kaname rubbed Zero's throat so the water could slide in easily without chocking the kid.
He did it a few times before the child whined enough. He didn't wake up though as he snuggled up to him, getting comfortable, contrary to how he acted around him when he was awake.
Kaname smiled. He liked it somehow.
Influenced by the mood, he leaned down and kissed Zero's temple as he laid down with the child.
"Zero…"
For three days, Zero cried in his room without stopping. The only time he did stop was when he was out cold, exhausted. That was the only peace they got in the last three nights. That kid, whenever he was awake, he was quickly wailing when he realized he was not dreaming and that he was still trapped in that room.
Kaname didn't let anyone enter the room. He didn't even allow them to comfort the child or even making their presence known. The only time they were allowed to enter the room was to give the child foods and drinks.
The meal however was not touched by the child at all.
It could be bad if this go on. Zero was thin enough as it is.
Kaname however didn't worry over it. He mouth-fed the water to keep him hydrated. He did it every time the child fell asleep. He was crying all day after all.
Still the problem was not solved yet. Zero was losing weight because he was not eating. He was getting paler by the day and Kaname didn't like it. Zero looked sick. He didn't like the thought of Zero falling gravely ill.
The fourth day however, Zero's room was unusually quiet. He was still there though when they checked but he was not crying. He was instead looking out the window, staring, and not moving at all like a statue.
On the other side, the cook, Kain Akatsuki was delighted, well as delighted as his stone cold face could show. Why you asked? Well, Zero ate the meal he prepared for him. It was only a few spoons of porridge though. But still! There was a glimpse of an improvement.
They were overjoyed. Even Kaname drew in a few relief sigh of his own. But it was a short celebration. A few hours after his first meal in a few days, Zero managed to break out of his locked room. Their master knew of this of course, and he let him wander around, nonetheless. He felt that the child needed it or deserved it. Besides, the castle was equipped with traps and spells. It could cause someone to get lost in the castle and run around in circle. Kaname was in no worry at all.
Zero was lost on the first day. He cried again but Kaname-sama found him. He was trailing and watching him at a safe distance. He was such a stalker. He didn't have to though. Since he was the master of the castle, he knew where everyone was. He didn't have to see the person to know their location but still he followed Zero around. And that grin on his face showed how much he was enjoying the little entertainment.
If it was the old Zero, Kaname would be kicked a few times by now and he would never succeed in doing anything he was doing now. Zero-sama was strong; he would never allow anything like to happen to him unless he allowed it. He was the person that no one could chain down. He was a free man and if he was tied down, it was because he chose to be so.
Little Zero however was weak. He couldn't do anything about being kidnapped and separated from his family. Kaname realized that but he also saw that little Zero inherited some of the old Zero's trait. Like the fact that he'll never give up and let himself be in a situation he didn't like. If he was in a predicament, he won't let himself down and wait for help. Instead he would search for a way to be free.
It both caused fear and exhilaration in Kaname.
Fear that Zero would disappear one of those days.
And exhilaration that Zero bore the same fighting spirit as the old Zero.
"Sob…mmnn…" his jaw was trembling, trying to restrain himself from crying yet again for getting lost in the castle. His throat hurt from holding back and he was beginning to feel alone, lonely in the dungeon like place he ended up.
This place is creepy…
He felt it in his guts, it was a place with negative air. It was bad to be there. However, no matter how he tried to escape the place, he ended up returning to the starting again and again.
He felt so exhausted. He had been going round and around for 5 hours now. It was affecting his head. He swore he saw fairies and the mice speaking.
"Zero~ I found you." Suddenly he was enveloped in a warm embrace. Zero flinched, whirling around to face the vampire. His face was too close. He was smiling again, that cunning smile of him. He was watching from far again. This sick vampire.
The child was angry but instead tears flowed down his cheeks. He was so scared just now. He thought he had to wait for a few hours more in the creepy place.
"Waaahhh…" he cried.
Kaname tilted his head. "Oh~ don't cry."
"I don't like this place." He whined, digging his fingers into the vampire's shirt.
The vampire patted his head. "I'm sorry." He then picked Zero up and hugged him, running one of his hands down his head, caressing it like he was trying to sooth Zero. Zero tightened his hold on the vampire's neck, clinging while he sobbing. "Let's go out then." The vampire said.
Zero nodded in the crook of the vampire's collar.
Sometimes, the vampire was really gentle and kind…
But other time, he was plain evil, playing around as if Zero was a toy.
Zero didn't understand the man.
But he didn't hate him.
A month later, Zero finally managed to break through the spell and traps and got out of the castle. He however collapses right away at entrance. He didn't have much energy left at that time and Kaname brought him back into that room which locked Zero inside.
This incident got Kaname a little worried. Little Zero never received any magic or spell training neither did he knew magic existed but he still managed to break the trap spell on the castle. This only made Kaname believe more that this Zero was his Zero. He needed to increase the difficulty of the spell.
However, that didn't stop Zero from breaking out again. He was clever and he caught up fast so every single new locks or traps Kaname prepared for him, he broke out through it without much sweat. He was starting to enjoy the challenge he faced and somehow he started to forget his true objective; his desire which was to escape and go back to his family.
He was also making friends with the servants. The servants were instructed to conceal their presence in the house and hide from Zero but somehow the kid had a way of finding them without much trouble. He almost made it look like he stumbled upon them like a coincidence. Nevertheless, it happened so often that they started to suspect that there was no coincidence.
Senri, Rima and Hanabusa were around his age; appeared to be; so he liked to seek them out and played with them, much to Kaname-sama's chagrin.
The master; although he was happy that Zero was not thinking of escaping anymore, he was becoming more possessive. He didn't like Zero paying other any attention and he wanted the child to look only at him. Zero always denied him the privilege because he was stubborn and made Kaname blew a fuse on few occasions.
The children couldn't see it, but the servants in the house were getting wary of their master's development.
And to top it off, Zero managed to get a hold of a news regarding his brother. Ichiru was sick, his condition worsened because of the cold weather lately and it started a chain of event where the adult servants' suspicions were proven right.
Zero's reincarnation didn't help a little in their master's condition. Their master was not getting well at all. If any, he was getting crazier.
Today, Zero managed to run to a town. It looked somehow familiar.
"Oh, Ichiru-kun, healthy already?" An uncle from the sweets shop greeted him.
Zero blinked up at the chubby uncle. He was smiling while handing a lollipop to Zero. "Here, a treat." He said. Zero took it without doubting much and said his thanks. The uncle pats his head and went back into the store while Zero went on his way.
Zero knew the uncle. He was Uncle Padeni from the candy store he frequently visited with Ichiru. Zero's eyes lit up, realizing where he was. He was in his hometown. He couldn't believe he forgot.
Adrenaline pumping, Zero ran down the road where he knew his house was. He did it. He found the way back. He was so excited; he missed the dark silhouette he passed and those red orbs watching his every move closely.
He arrived at home. A two, wooden story house stood cozily in the shades of the forest surrounding the premise. A sense of warmth coursed through him. He's home finally.
He took a step forward, but was pulled back suddenly.
"Zero-chin~ where do you think you are going?"
A cold chill ran through his spine. He froze when a pair of arms wrapped around his body.
"Kaname?!"
Red orbs greeted him and from the expression of the vampire, he was not happy with something. Zero stiffened in place. Usually at time like this, it was better not to protest or struggle. It could get bad.
"I—"
'Siren sound.'
Suddenly a white van drove by. Its siren rang loudly that Kaname tsked as he jumped away out of it way. He settled in a big, dense tree, on a branch, Zero in his arms as they over looked the situation.
The ambulance stopped in front of the Zero's house. The driver glanced around, opening his window as he did and scratched his head.
"I swear I thought I saw two people standing here." He said.
A paramedic came out next. "Are you sure? You didn't run them over?" he asked as he looked under the van and at the back or anywhere near. There was no sign of people.
"There's no one around." Another paramedic confirmed as he brought out a stretcher. "Come on, we need to get the patient to the hospital." He said and ran towards the house. Another paramedic joined him and they entered the house when dad opened the door.
A few seconds passed before they got out with Ichiru on the stretcher. He was having hard time breathing. His face looked a little blue.
This alarmed Zero. He jumped, reaching to his brother, screaming and trashing, "Ichi—!" but Kaname's hold on him quickly tighten while clamping his free palm over Zero's mouth, silencing him.
Zero struggled, glaring at the man. However, the man was not fazed. He was scowling. "We are going back." He said coldly and took off.
"No!" his protest was muffled. His eyes were tearing. It was frustrating. He wanted to go to Ichiru, to be there for him but struggle hard as he wanted, Kaname's grip was like iron steel.
It was frustrating.
He cried.
No!
'I want to go back!'
The sight of the ambulance got farther.
His throat hurt.
It was getting farther.
Zero reached out his little hand at the direction of the ambulance, where Ichiru was.
'No, ICHIRU!'
The sight finally disappeared as they got into the dense forest. Kaname pulled his hand away from Zero's mouth. The child was crying, sobbing in his shoulder, gripping his shirt in his little hands. One of it formed a fist and struck the vampire's chest in a weak protest.
"Why didn't you let me see Ichiru? He was sick!" He shouted but it sounded strain from his crying.
Kaname didn't answer.
"He was—sick! He was sick! Why?" he struck his knuckle repeatedly. It was weak and hardly hurting. Kaname let the child direct his frustration at him as he cried more.
Kaname continued his journey, to get back to his castle. Zero's sob accompanied the silent walk.
Not long after, Zero fell quiet. Clearly, he was tired and had fallen asleep. However, before he completely lost conscious, he mumbled incoherently to the vampire. "I hate you Kaname."
Then there was a series of even breathing and long silence.
It was quiet again.
That little exclamation however did cause damage in his immortal heart.
To be continued...
Review please...
