A/N: I think you've waited long enough for the next chapter. How about that cliffhanger, nee? I'm glad that you are all still enjoying the story. Thanks for all of the support! R&R. Enjoy!

~…~

Tension fell thick and heavy in the room, filling up any empty space and, oddly enough, drowning all other noise out. Tadashi was still holding Hiro, who seemed to be frozen in time for the past three minutes exactly. Three minutes. That's how long it had been since Tadashi had told him the truth at long last and that was how long he had waited for a response. He didn't care if it wasn't a favorable one; anything at all, a huff of breath, some sort of movement, a nervous laughed followed by a 'Tadashi, you're crazy' would suffice. Even an angry response was welcome at this point, as long as he got some kind of reply back, some kind of hint that Hiro was still with him and that his mind hadn't flown the coop, unable to process what he had been told.

Three minutes may not be that long, but it felt like an eternity to Tadashi.

And in those three minutes, he became more aware of himself and of Hiro. Now more than ever, he noticed just how small Hiro was, how thin he was even though he kept a healthy diet, how warm and alive he felt in his arms, and how perfectly they fit together. Tadashi noticed just how big he was in comparison to Hiro; he may not be an overly muscular guy, but he did have some muscle and he was amazed at how he had managed to not crush Hiro all this time throughout the years, throughout all of the hugs and cuddles they had experienced together.

Would this be the last time it would happen? Would Hiro think him insane? Would Hiro deny it? Hiro was a genius; surely, he's noticed by now the differences between all three of them and normal humans. Did Hiro notice how cold Aunt Cass and Tadashi were compared to humans? Did he even notice? Were they even cold to him, him, the Vampire King? Whenever he cried, did he see their tears turn to ice? Did he wonder why? Did he even take notice of it? And the bloodlust he was experiencing now, did he think that was something that humans went through?

Four minutes now.

Tadashi jumped in his own skin when he finally felt Hiro move. His arms went lax as Hiro sat up on the bed and turned to him. Brown eyes were narrowed slightly, squinting, as though he were trying to find the answer to a problem that took more than a glance to solve. There was uncertainty in those familiar brown eyes, but there was something else there too, something that told Tadashi that, on some level and to some extent, Hiro believed him.

"This…this isn't possible. Vampires…don't exist, Tadashi," Hiro said, his voice full of skepticism, his eyes searching Tadashi's own.

Sitting up, Tadashi faced Hiro, his eyes looking into his younger brother's, his mate's. He gazed into those brown eyes, much like his own even though they weren't technically, truly brothers, and saw something he had missed: fear. It wasn't as predominate as the uncertainty and doubt, but it was still there. Whether the fear was directed at Tadashi because Hiro now thought him insane, directed at the fact that vampires did in fact exist, or directed at the fact that Hiro himself was one, Tadashi did not know. All he knew was that it was there.

And if Hiro truly believed that Tadashi was wrong, he would have been far more confident, he would have provided data, examples, and much, much more. Instead, Hiro gave him nothing, nothing to debunk, to refute what he had told him. Tadashi knew it was because there was nothing to debunk; the truth wasn't something that could be countered, not even with lies or denial.

"Hiro, you know it's true. And I know that you know," Tadashi told him, his voice gentle and kind and patient. If he was anything but, Hiro might freak out and do something, run away perhaps, and although Tadashi would always ensure his safety, he'd rather not hunt Hiro down. He could be hard to find even when he wasn't giving it his best efforts.

"But…but how…?" Hiro asked, shaking his head, not understanding. Or, rather, not wanting to understand.

"Legend has it that we were born from ice, that a goddess from on high loved how beautiful ice was and wanted for there to be creatures who embodied that beauty to walk alongside humans," Tadashi explained to Hiro. "To humans, we're as cold as ice and there are many, human and vampire alike, that say our hearts are frozen, but I think that's a bunch of hogwash."

"You're never cold to me," Hiro pointed out.

"That's because you're a vampire too," Tadashi said, giving him a smile, hoping to encourage Hiro to accept the facts as they were. Denying who you were was like denying a bird the sky or a fish the water.

"So, does that mean that humans feel hot to vampires?" Hiro asked.

"They feel warm, but not hot. They don't burn us or anything like that," Tadashi answered. "Touching a human is like touching one of Aunt Cass' cookies after its been sitting out for a little bit: still warm, but not enough to burn."

Hiro thought for a moment before looking back up at Tadashi.

"Why didn't you and Aunt Cass tell me this sooner?" Hiro asked, a hint of anger in his voice. He had every right to be upset. This was a big deal and for Hiro to find out at such an awkward time in youth, and with his bloodlust kicking in, most likely made things even worse.

The problem was: where to begin? It's not just that Hiro was a vampire; he was the world's first naturally born vampire, the Vampire King, the only one in existence, the only one ever. Being the only one of something without having any predecessor left them, himself and Aunt Cass, along with the rest of the vampire community in the dark. How was one to know what a naturally born vampire would be like, what all it would entail, what differences would arise? How was one to even begin to understand the differences and the similarities between a natural born vampire and one who was Turned.

There are so many questions that had no answers, not yet, and Hiro was the only one who could answer them. That was a lot to put on a ten year old's shoulders. Add that to the fact that he was also the Vampire King and it was a recipe for disaster. Yet, Hiro needed to know who he was to their people as well. He deserved to know, but Tadashi was hesitant. It was a hard pill to swallow, finding out you aren't what you thought you were.

"There's something else, isn't there?" Hiro asked him, bringing Tadashi out of his mind and into the present.

He looked at Hiro, who seemed less than thrilled about whatever else Tadashi had been keeping from him. Was he old enough to be able to handle this? Would he even want it? There was no choice in the matter; whether Hiro wanted it or not, he was the Vampire King. That wasn't something he could run from forever, even if it meant a future full of uncertainty and change. But Hiro was so very smart. Perhaps he would be able to understand it, to handle it. If not right now, in the future maybe. He wouldn't have to do it alone; Tadashi would be there and so would Aunt Cass. They were a family and they would always look out for each other no matter what.

"Two things, actually," Tadashi admitted. Hiro sighed and ran a hand through his already messy hair.

"Great. This day just keeps getting better and better," he mumbled and Tadashi couldn't help but smile even just a little at that. At least he was starting to sound like himself. "Lay it on me."

"First, you're the first vampire to be born naturally," Tadashi told him.

"What does that mean?" Hiro said, eyes narrowed again in confusion.

"Vampires can't have children. It's impossible. Many have tried and failed, often ending in their deaths," Tadashi said.

"Then, how can the vampire population grow?" Hiro asked.

"By Turning a human. We inject a small portion of our blood into their bloodstream when we bite a human and they begin the change. Most make it; some don't," Tadashi replied.

"So, how can I be the first naturally born vampire if vampires can't conceive?" Hiro said, his confusion increasing.

"No one knows. It's a mystery, even to the scientists who have studied it for centuries. What we do know is that one day, Mom found out she was pregnant with you and then, you were born," Tadashi said, giving Hiro a warm, loving smile that caused him to blush ever so lightly. It was adorable and seeing it made his heart fill with warmth and light..

"What does being the first naturally born vampire mean?" Hiro said. Tadashi's smile wavered and he sighed softly, running a hand through his short hair before answering.

"There's another legend, one that tells how the first male child to be born into the vampire community naturally, like a human is, will become the Vampire King. What that means, no one knows either. The only thing we do know is that that Vampire King of legend," Tadashi tells him and meets his gaze, holding it, his expression serious, "is you."

There was a pause, but it was nothing like the nearly unbearable silence that had descended upon them when Tadashi told Hiro that he was a vampire. Hiro looked away, a variety of emotions crossing his face such as confusion, disbelief, doubt, irritation, and many others.

"I don't…I don't…" Hiro shook his head as though he were trying to clear away unnecessary thoughts. His mind must be a jumbled mess. Tadashi instinctively reached out and pulled Hiro into his arms, holding him close. He relaxed when he felt Hiro return his embrace.

"Don't worry. There's nothing to worry about, not really. No one even knows what your being here means. There's never been a Vampire King before," Tadashi quickly reassured him. "The Vampire Council, who act as sort of a…Senate I guess, agreed to leave you alone until you came of age."

"Came of age?" Hiro mumbled softly.

"Until you were ready to take your place," Tadashi said softly, nuzzling Hiro's ear in an attempt to relax him a bit. It worked; he felt Hiro's body beginning to slump in his arms.

"I know it's a lot to handle, but I'm here to help answer whatever questions you have. So is Aunt Cass," Tadashi said. Hiro only nodded.

They sat together on Hiro's bed, locked in each other's arms, for a long time. Then, Hiro pulled away and Tadashi let him. With a soft, tender smile, he brushed Hiro's bangs out of his way and gaze at him.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Hiro nodded and chewed his lip. He glanced over at the clock before turning back to Tadashi.

"I don't think I'll be going to school today," Hiro said, which caused Tadashi to laugh.

"No. No, I don't think you are either. Do you want me to let Aunt Cass know you're okay and that school is out of the question?" Tadashi said. Hiro nodded and Tadashi placed him on the bed and kissed his forehead before standing up and making his way to the door. "I'll be back in a minute."

Going down the stairs, through the kitchen, and into the café, Tadashi made his way over to Aunt Cass, who had just finished ringing a customer out.

"Tadashi! I was starting to get worried! Is everything okay? Where's Hiro?" Aunt Cass bombarded him with question after question.

"Easy, easy, Aunt Cass. Hiro's okay. I…he…I told him," Tadashi said. Aunt Cass stopped and a look full of worry crossed her face.

"Everything about…?" she asked and he nodded.

"About us being vampires and who he is," Tadashi confirmed.

"How is he handling it?" Aunt Cass said, chewing her bottom lip in worry.

"I think he's doing okay. It'll take him some getting used to. I'm not sure what questions he still has left," Tadashi said. "But I told him we're both here to help him through it."

"Good. Good. My poor boy…he must be going through so much right now," Aunt Cass said. Tadashi gave her a reassuring smile and placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

"Don't worry, Aunt Cass. He'll be fine. I'll make sure of it."

"I know you will. Better go up and stay with him for the day. I can handle it down here," Aunt Cass said and then shooed him away.

Tadashi made his way upstairs and to his shared bedroom, wondering what questions, if any, Hiro might still have. He wasn't sure how well he'd be able to answer them, but he'd try his best.

"Hiro? I'm back," Tadashi said and opened the bedroom door, only to find that the room was empty.