A\N: Whoo! Another chapter! This was so much fun... I took a while because I hit a bump after the first section, but I finally got it together. Thanks so much for reviewing guys! I did mentions last chapter, so maybe the next one or the one after that. I think I'm only pulling about... two more chapters out of this. I can't drag it out much more than that. But, of course, that does not mean I'm done with ZeroKanameFriendshipFluffnes s there will be more, I promise! Just stay on the lookout for it! :)

Anyways, I still own nothing and please enjoy! :)

Bloody fingers trailed through his hair, down his face, over his chest.

"You want to kill me… this 'Shizuka Hio', don't you…?"

Zero's heart pounded, pain searing throughout every inch of his body as the poison burst through his veins, contorting his very being from what it once was to what she wanted it to be.

"Make hatred your nourishment and become and adult quickly… my lovely Zero."

That would be no trouble at all. Hatred would come easily for him, and he could thrive on it without a second thought. Just sight of her, the smell of her, the thought of her would ebb him on.

"I want to watch you closely forever. Those eyes of yours… that are filled with hatred are just mine. I'm happy that you and I are bound by the 'bond' that can never be broken."

That bond. That cursed bond why? Why did this have to happen to him? It wasn't fair! What had he ever done to deserve such misery?!

"Daddy, why did Master lose his eye? Why? Why did that nice woman have to become a level D?"

Kiryuu pulled Zero onto his lap and sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Sometimes, Zero… bad things happen to good people. It's how the world works."

"B-but… why?" the child sobbed, wiping his eyes furiously.

Kiryuu bit his lip, stroking Zero's hair. "I… I don't know…"

Blood.

His parents were soaked in it. Sprawled over the floor; dead. He was all alone. His brother had left with Shizuka, and there he lay, alone on the cold hardwood, blood pooling around his body. He heard the sirens in the distance, and he had a feeling they were coming for him to give him a new home.

New home? He didn't want one. Why would he want one? This was his home and… and… look… everything was fading. How odd… fading into black… black, black… and… was that a light?

"AH!"

Zero convulsed violently, his body held down by some sort of restraints. Fangs were lodged in his neck, pain searing through every inch of his body. His head whipped around, wide lavender eyes locking on a tangled mess of brown hair in front of his face.

"Wh-what? Kaname? Kaname!"

Zero began to struggle harder, his vision blurring, and the pain disappeared almost instantly.

"Zero? What's wrong?"

Zero fell backwards into the sheets, vision darkening as his head hit the pillow. He gasped, clutching the sheets and screwing his eyes shut.

"Zero?" Kaname asked again, his voice much quieter. "Zero, what's wrong?"

Zero forced himself to open his eyes and look the pureblood full in the face, fear travelling down his spine. "I… I wasn't ready…"

Kaname looked at him for a moment, the wires starting to connect in his head, and then he nodded. "I'm sorry, Zero."

Zero said nothing, panting heavily as Kaname's fingers combed through his hair, trailing down his face.

"I didn't know it would affect you that way…" Kaname continued, sighing.

Zero grabbed his hand, stopping its journey down his face. He clenched his teeth, fighting back the urge to vomit as he wheezed on the bed. Kaname's eyes softened, and he shook his head.

"Zero, talk to me…"

Zero did nothing, but he refused to let go of Kaname's hand, squeezing it to the extent where he heard cracking. The pureblood winced, but didn't make him let go. Instead, he slid into bed beside Zero, still holding his hand.

Zero arched his back slightly, pain crackling down his spinal cord. His eyes burned, and he looked away from Kaname, not willing to let the vampire see him cry.

"Child… look at me."

"No…" he whined, screwing his eyes shut as the agony in his body escalated, forcing tears down his cheeks to the bed sheets.

"Zero Kiryuu, look at me right now."

Zero shook his head, turning further away, yet still clutching Kaname's hand with both of his. His chest began to tighten, panic over-taking him as the pureblood poison reached his heart, sending him into a new set of hysterics.

He let out a yelp as Kaname's hand was jerked from his grasp, sitting up and turning to Kaname.

"K-Kaname?" he squeaked, his throat constricting.

"If you aren't going to listen to me, I'm leaving."

"No!" Zero screamed jumping up from the bed and reaching for Kaname's arm. His legs gave out before he could grab hold of the limb, and he crumpled to the floor, letting out a quiet whimper.

Kaname stopped and glanced at him, but he didn't reach out to him or move to help him at all. Zero stared up at him, tears streaming down his face, wondering why Kaname was being so… so demanding! If Zero didn't want to talk, he didn't want to talk!

Gathering his strength, he pulled himself to his feet and stepped away from Kaname, sitting down on the bed and glaring at the floor. His joints burned, even when he was completely still, and he could have killed himself for even letting Kaname get near his neck. What had he been thinking?

Kaname's footsteps sounded, and a hand approached his face. "Zero, if you just talk to me—"

"Save it!" Zero slapped him away, looking at him with a disgust he hadn't felt since the first day of this stupid vacation. "Just go away!"

"Kiryuu—"

Zero gave him another shove, as obviously he didn't get the message the first time. "Oh, so I'm Kiryuu again? You are such a—"

Zero suddenly stopped, grasping his stomach as a wave of nausea hit him. He grit his teeth, taking painful steps towards the bathroom.

"Yes? I am such a what?"

Zero ignored him and stepped into the bathroom, hitting his knees and grabbed the sides of the toilet. He groaned, dropping his head and—

Nothing.

"Wh…what…" He slowly looked down at himself and saw two hands placed gently over his stomach. A heavy sigh blew past his ear, tickling him.

"I'm sorry, Zero. I'm not used to people doing exactly as I tell them. You don't have to talk… you don't have to look at me… And I shouldn't have left you or called you by your last name just because I was angry, I… I'm sorry."

Zero growled, clenching his fists and lowering his forehead to the rim of the toilet. "Yeah, me too… I know you were just trying to help… I'm… I'm not a little kid anymore, and I just…"

"But you are, Zero. You are just a little kid. You're a very mature kid, but you are still only twelve years old, and you shouldn't have to carry the weight of the entire world on your shoulders," Kaname said softly, rubbing his side.

Zero bit his lip, tears falling from his eyes. This was so out of character for him, but he couldn't seem to stop. It was just… just wrong that of all the people who know him, it had to be Kaname who figured him out.

"Why don't we go to bed now, hmm?"

Zero nodded wearily and stood up, stumbling a bit because of the leftover poison. "M'kay…"

Zero tumbled into bed, not even bothering with the covers, all the while wondering what he should say to Kaname. He could tell him… it wouldn't really hurt. Unless, of course, Kaname used it against him in the future. He was a pureblood, after all. But Kaname was… growing on him, maybe? Could he really deny the fun this week had brought? The carnival and the swimming and even the make-overs? Could he pretend Kaname didn't actually rescue him from certain death even though Zero gave him absolutely no reason to?

Zero jumped as the bed sank on one side, and a second later, the blanket moved up over his body, Kaname's arm draped over his waist, pulling him close.

"Sleep tight, Zero, and no nightmares. Understand?"

Zero closed his eyes, snuggling down and nodding his head. "Yes, Kaname…"

The world faded into black, Kaname's presence lingering and all memories of Shizuka and his twin brother far from his mind.

Kaname moved a little closer as Zero slipped out of consciousness, his heart aching for the boy in his arms. There was so much he still didn't understand about Zero, and Zero continued to close himself up, only releasing little bits at a time, and only when he was in physical torment.

Why don't you let me in, Zero? Let me talk to you… let me help you.

He kissed the top of Zero's head, a slight shudder moving through his body.

Please…

A\N: Review for ChibiZero... he will cry if you don't.

Chibi Zero: It's twue!

Kaname: *nods*