Warning: brotherly love, I mean it in family way but if you want to look at it in sexual way, that means incest and shounen-ai, and it's of Zero-centric

Vampire Knight © Matsuri Hino

Chapter 2

FOREVER

By: Hitsu

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Ichiru opened his eyelids very slowly because he found it very heavy to only rolled his finally he recognized his surroundings, he found a hazy silhouette sat next to him. Frowning his eyebrows, the silverette to see more clearly who the man was.

"Ze..ro?" ichiru spoke the first name appeared in his head.

"Yes, it's me." the man talked.

His face resembled Ichiru in every part. His hair, his eyes, his nose, his ears, and his lips, but his eyebrows furrowed so much, it made him looked scary. Fortunately, he relaxed his face thus his beautiful face structure with light-gleaming purple eyes could be seen.

Zero put his hand on his brother's forehead to check on his temperature. Then he flipped his hand and moved to his cheek, then his neck. Ichiru sighed at the coldness of the other's hand.

"Your fever's still high." Zero put away his hand, making Ichiru long for more. he opened his eyes and looked at Zero. Zero moved closer. "Can you sit?"

The younger brother shook his head. "I feel nauseous. My head feels heavy."

Inbetween Ichiru's mumbling, Zero put a plester-like medicine on his forehead. Ichiru moaned lowly as Zero caressed his hair gently. The coldness from the medicine was sent to Ichiru directly. He shiftedcomfortably and smiled at Zero unconsciously. Zero's heart thumped a bit. It had been a long time since Ichiru smiled like that to him. It reminded him of the old days.

He missed it.

He missed him.

The elder twin brother felt like tears will burst out of his eyes anytime. The memories were still fresh in his mind as if it was only yesterday. They always slept next to each other and never separated ... until that woman appeared.

Zero gritted his teeth hard as he remembered the day when the tragedy occurred, when his family ruined, when he was biten and left undead, when his twin brother went away and he didn't know whether he was dead or alive, and when his whole world changed ... he turned into a vampire ...

"Zero..."

The same voice of his called out his name. Zero's focused back to his brother. Ichiru had awoke, his eyes searched for his long-separated brother.

"I wonder ... why are you here?"

"To nurse you back to health of course! Why else am I here?" zero answered quite loud, but Ichiru, instead of fretted out, laughed. Zero looked at him worriedly. Is he alright?

"Zero.. really, you're as kind as I can remember. Still the same worrywart Zero." Ichiru spoke with mocking voice, but his tone slowly became gentler. "Do you forget that I'm on Shizuka-sama's side?"

"How can I forget ..." the fact that you're with the woman I hate the most, but at the same time you're still my brother and still remains alive, remains human.

"So, why Zero? Ain't I your enemy?" Ichiru smiled. His only reason must be ...

"You're still my brother..." the elder man whispered. His hands clenched on his knees.

See? He hasn't change at all. Ichiru chuckled in his little mind. "Still the same sweet Zero."

"Stop spouting nonsense." Zero cut his sentence with flat tone. "I see that you're better. You can sit right? I brought porridge. Eat this and take your meds."

Gently, Zero helped his twin to sit. He took the porridge and about to hand it to Ichiru, but the sick man talked, demanding.

"Feed me, Zero-nii."

Usually, Zero would stop looking after someone as selfish as that, but it was Ichiru. He just couldn't refuse the request. So, without talking anymore, the silver-haired prefect took a spoon of the porridge, blew on it softly, making sure it wouldn't burn the patient's tongue, and finally feed the younger man, putting the spoon into the younger man's mouth. The pattern went like that for a while in silence.

Suddenly Ichiru laughed. Zero looked at his younger twin with confused face.

"What's wrong?" Zero asked as he touched his forehead, afraid if Ichiru's fever got worsened.

"No, nothing. I'm just surprised at how much you're not changed in four years." Ichiru answered.

He took Zero's hand which was on his forehead and kissed it lovingly. Quickly, Zero pulled his hand back and glared at the man on the bed. Ichiru only smiled, a mysterious smile which Zero hadn't even seen until now. He was afraid of what Ichiru's plotting.

"I am changed."

You are changed too, Ichiru. Zero thought in pain when he watched his little brother in front of him still smiling nonethelessly.

"No, you're not, Brother." Ichiru insisted. He closed his eyes and grinned, remembering the old days. "You're still as kind as ever, frowning your eyebrows, hiding your smile, and feeling guilty to me."

"I am not ..." the elder silverette gritted his teeth. You always know me best. Yes, he was never good in lying.

"See? Still the same. You don't have to lie to me, Zero, 'cause I can see through you."

Zero sighed, not wanting to continue the conversation. He then took the medicine on the table and gave it to Ichiru.

"You are talking nonsense again. Hurry, take your medicine."

"Why is it so hard for you to admit that you're not changed?" Ichiru asked as soon as he drank his medicine. Zero looked away.

"Can't you see? ... I'm no longer human." The elder spoke in whisper. I have no right to stay beside you, or Yuuki, or anyone else.

"I envy you," Ichiru relaxed himself. "I wish Shizuka-sama turned me into vampire so I could be equal to her ... but she didn't do it and kept me remain human."

"Even if she changed you into vampire, you would never be equal." Zero said in harsh voice, startling Ichiru.

"I would probably be just her slave, but it's fine with me as long as I'm by her side, not growing older and die easily." His voice sounded longing, missing the woman he was talking about.

Zero bowed his head, letting his bang down, hiding his purple-teary eyes. He clenched his fists, trying so hard not to scream and cry. He wanted to tell Ichiru how much he felt granted that Ichiru was still alive and remained human. He wanted to tell him that being a vampire was like hell, torturous and excruciating. He wanted to tell him that he would always love him no matter how much he loved the vampire woman he hated most.

"Zero, are you okay?" Ichiru tilted his head. His hand reached out to the other man. He forced the man to look at him.

Zero frowned his eyebrows, his purple eyes glinted with tears. Ichiru's heart was melted a bit. It made him smile. The last thing he could think of was embracing the cute Zero in front of him. He grabbed Zero's wrist and pulled him onto him. The elder man fell on top Ichiru.

"Ichiru! What are you-?" Zero quickly rose up, but Ichiru prevented him to do so. He circled his arm around Zero's torso, pulling him in embrace. Zero startled, he put his hand on Ichiru's shoulder to brace himself better. Their face only inches apart. The elder of them blushed at the sudden intimacy until Ichiru put his head on his brother's shoulder.

"I miss you, Zero."

Ichiru's tender voice sounded tired. Zero felt as if he was back to years ago when he still sleep with Ichiru every night. Ichiru could cling to him and make him stay beside him. Zero patted Ichiru's head while smiled bitterly. He hoped that he could be back to that time.

"Sleep with me, Zero-nii."

Without waiting for Zero's consent, Ichiru pulled him to bed and put the blanket over them.

"I- Ichiru!"

"Come on, Zero." The younger man smiled and held Zero's hand. "doesn't it feel like when we were kids?"

With relieved sigh and worried face, Zero finally surrendered to Ichiru's selfishness. Ichiru pulled him more in tight embracce, making Zero's face reddened. He was about to yell at him again, but Ichiru's peaceful face prevented him to do so.

He slightly touched Ichiru's forehead. It was warm. It seemed that his fever hadn't gone down yet. Zero couldn't help feeling guilty.

If only he didn't take all the good genes, his family still had been complete by now. Ichiru must had not suffered from bad experience and he could have smiled freely. But everything was in the past, at this time he truly held him there. No, it was Ichiru who held Zero. It sent a tiny bit of happiness to Zero's heart.

"I miss you..."

Ichiru mumbled in his sleep. It startled Zero. His heart raced a bit. Within his heart, he hoped that line was meant to him. But again, there was no way that happened. He must be dreamt about that vampire woman, Zero must thought.

"Zero-niisan..."

Zero's pupil dilated. He was very surprised of what Ichiru said in his sleep. It made him kinda happy. He couldn't help but smile.

Yeah. It was very rare for him to smile, but, indeed, Ichiru could change the fact. If it's for Ichiru, Zero can do anything, Zero can be anyone. And right there, Zero found his highest happiness from Ichiru's words. He held Ichiru's hand tighter and slept next to him. It was the night when Zero could fall asleep defenselessly and peacefully.

The peaceful night for the first time, and maybe for the last time. Zero shifted himself closer to his twin brother. He didn't care if he would get his cold, he just wanted to be with him for longer and longer time.

Forever.

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A/N: finally I make it two-shot. Well, I hope it's not half bad compared to the first chapter. Anyway, if it's really bad, just blame me..

Thanks for reading, thanks for the reviews, thanks for everything, readers!