"...bucket..."

The soft groan was temporarily the only sound in the room before a heaving overtook the silence, followed by whatever the stomach's contents falling into the bucket that had been passed to him just in the nick of time. It left Zero hunched over the bucket that had been placed onto the bed between his knees, vomiting for the fourth time in the last half hour. Though at least he wasn't alone in his torture...

A soft hand was rubbing against his back as he tried to swallow down the bile that was fighting its way back up his throat and the sick hunter could hear soft encouraging murmurs as well being whispered into his ear. His bleary eyes opened up as he managed to catch his breath, momentarily being spared the vomiting that had been lunging its way out of his stomach, to look back at the one that was helping him. Kaito's soft hazel eyes met his own, full of concern and worry.

"...I look like shit, don't I," Zero slowly groaned out as Kaito leaned forward, taking the bucket from between his knees and setting it back onto the floor to where it wouldn't spill. All through the early morning, he had been vomiting and running a slight temperature. The temperature was fading, but the vomiting was not... It was sucking out Zero's strength in ways he couldn't imagine, and he knew he didn't look all that strong to begin with.

He could feel the gross sweat slicking his skin, the sickly tone to his skin, and even how his breathing was labored. Though he was soon too weak to even sit up properly as he slouched his way back into his bed, laying down onto his side and letting the warm arms envelop his body, trying to give him as much support as Kaito could muster. He just wanted to lay down and die... Though he wondered what he had done to get himself this sick in the first place.

There was nothing Kaito could do but curl his arms protectively around his mate, to support him through this strange sickness as best he could. But the question remained, what had caused this? Kaito had gotten it in his head that it had been his fault for making love with the hunter out in the open all that time ago.. He hadn't even attempted to cover up his lover and keep the cold away afterwards, it was why he felt guilt now, why he was always apologizing.

Pressing his lips against the others clammy cheek, Kaito let out a soft sigh. "Is there anything I can do? You haven't been feeling well for quite some time and I feel helpless right now.." Maybe they should go to the infirmary to get medication, or at least something that would help his lover sleep.

They had been curled up on the bed for days now, originally Zero only feeling a little weak. Now it has gone downhill, his health plummeting to the state it was in now. "You don't look like shit, you look as handsome as ever" hazel eyes continued to stare into his lovers, contemplating why this was happening.

"If this continues for the rest of the night maybe we should go to the infirmary, it will probably be best..

Zero hasn't been able to go to classes for the last few days because of this flu or whatever they decided to call it, but it wasn't like Zero had been going to classes anyway... Instead the real trouble seemed to be in patrols. Kaito had to step in for him multiple times because he would be too weak to leave the room. At least it was better than leaving Yuuki alone to fend for herself... Who knows what she would do.

Closing his weary eyes, he tried to pull in comfort of his protector laying beside him and trying to help. "...it's okay, I'm fine," Zero softly croaked as he slowly rested his head against the crook of Kaito's neck. There he rested, trying to gather his strength and look as 'fine' as he could at this moment, which.., wasn't much. It was worse than Zero would admit but he had even been shooting down the idea of going to the infirmary every time that Kaito brought it up. This time, though, he said nothing against it, only tucked himself closer to Kaito's warm and comforting body. He was getting that weak that he wasn't refusing to go to the infirmary anymore... That's... Scary.

His soft breath brushed against Kaito's neck as he remained into his embrace, trying as much as he could to keep his breathing level. Kaito needed to know that he was alright... But as his body stiffened up and the hunter began to gag again, it was clear that he was no better than before. In fact he seemed to be getting worse... Leaning over and quickly grabbing the usual bucket he gave Zero to throw up in, Kaito quickly began rubbing at the others back to assist in bringing up the fluids that were threatening to erupt. "After this, we are going to get you looked at, even if that means me fending off all the old bats that will be trying to hit on you"

It wasn't a secret that Zero was one of the more attractive day class students, hell he was even more attractive than some of those vampire bastards that pranced around the academy. He despised them almost as much as his lover, and nothing would have pleased him more than to shoot one of them in the head if he spotted one out past curfew. Lucky for them he hadn't..

Pressing warm but loving lips against the younger hunters silver hair, Kaito grimaced as the other started throwing up the bile liquids in his stomach. This had gone on for long enough, it was time that Zero got medication instead of suffering in silence. He hated when his lover was sick, though this was probably the first time he had seen him physically sick like this.

That was the one thing that Zero could not shake off... Why was he sick to begin with. He had rarely been sick in his life other than a cold here or a fever here in extreme conditions. It was his twin that had been seriously ill, not him... But here he was, unable to keep stomach acid in his stomach as he vomited that up too. Zero needed to get to a doctor before whatever was going on got worse.

After a few more moments of vomiting and then a few bouts if dry heaving into the bucket, the hunter reluctantly slid himself back down into bed, a fresh sheen of sweat across his face. A soft groan slipped from him again but he immediately regretted it. If Kaito was going to drag him to the infirmary to get looked at, he was going to fight it the entire time... Zero hated the doctors with a passion and Kaito would easily know why.

He would know the few times they would be in the hospital together, when Ichiru would be inured or sick, or even when Yagari or Zero's parents had gotten seriously injured. There have been countless nights stayed at that hospital and Zero wasn't about to step into another doctor's office unless he was in a coma or even dead.

Zero looked exhausted anyway, if he did wish to put up a fight then he wouldn't be much of a worry. Kaito could easily drag him or even carry him to their destination. They were in the headmasters headquarters anyway, the infirmary was only a building away. "C'mon, lets get you some medication before you throw up a lung" Smirking a little at his lover, Kaito soon took away the bucket and shifted his arms around the hunter.

After brushing off the groans and grumbles from the other, Kaito began to gently shift the male in his arms. Luckily enough for them it was late at night and no day class students would be around to see him carrying the other lovingly in his arms, though that's not to say the blood suckers wouldn't see..

Eventually the male had gotten his lover out of the building and down to the infirmary that awaited them. The familiar beeps and sounds of a medical area quickly reaching their ears. ignoring further grumbles from the silverette, Kaito managed to find a nurse who instantly moved them to a bed, only to check over the others vital signs.

Zero barely complained, which in itself was troubling, as Kaito gently carried him off into the infirmary to get treatment. His eyes had fallen shut by the time that the older hunter had carried him into that infirmary and it seemed like the hunter had finally found some sleep... He needed to rest after almost throwing up his stomach time and time again. He had barely shifted in Kaito's arms other than a soft swear as he was brought into the infirmary and heard the monitors buzzing away.

They all brought back memories that Zero no longer cared to remember, ones too horrid to recall all of them... His father after he had been in a car accident, his mother in a hunting accident... Yagari after he had tried to kill an aristocrat that had stepped onto hunter land... They all made him grimace. But he didn't want to face these memories now... Just to rest instead.

With a shallow sigh, the hunter forced himself to relax into Kaito's arms before he was slid into the bed, ignoring as he felt hands against his wrist and chest to get better readings... He just wanted to sleep and wake up back in his own bed with Kaito resting next to him, healthy once more.

But as the nurses examined him, they seemed to be puzzled... He just seemed to be... Vomiting. Everything else was normal, almost perfect actually, but he was still vomiting... As Zero soon napped away into the slightly soft bed, the nurses discussed amongst themselves before they simply agreed on the obvious. The flu. Though they were still confused as to why this was the only symptom...

The flu? Kaito wasn't happy with that explanation at all. In fact it was the one thing the male completely rejected. After all being this sick from a common flu wasn't right, it didn't happen like that. But of course whenever he voiced that opinion the nurses merely brushed him to the side and told him that they knew what they were doing.

So it was with reluctance that the hunter accepted the diagnosis, sinking down to the seat next to his lover as he watched him sleep peacefully. He was still so helpless, the only thing they prescribed to him was simple flu medication, nothing to help with the vomiting or weakness. "Its going to be alright, Zero" mumbling those soft little words, Kaito quietly slipped his hands into the others.

They stayed like that for the entire night, sitting in silence as Zero occasionally spewed up whatever was left in his stomach. If things didn't pick up he would take him to Kaien, hoping to get permission from the elder hunter to go to the hospital off campus. He just hoped the silly old man would allow such things.

The silly old man might help them more than they would ever think... But for right now, it was only Zero trying to get over this flu without a cause. That didn't seem to be going over quite so well though... Instead the hunter had continued to vomit up whatever liquid would gather up in his stomach when he would get too sick to keep it in long enough.

It was all too strange... Especially as the nurses finally, out of exasperation, said there was nothing they could do than let him get it out if his system. They simply said to get him plenty of water to keep him hydrated or maybe try some ginger pills, which they thankfully provided, to help. From there they attempted to help Zero off of the bed and to lean against Kaito, while giving him a bucket for the way over. From there, it seemed to be out of their hands...

So as Kaito almost dragged Zero along towards the hallway to get back to his room, he also found himself with a decision. He could easily take him to kaien right now to get him looked at and see if he could be taken to a real hospital or take him back to his room and hope that Zero would be able to recover in time... But who knows which is best.

Kaien perhaps was their only choice right now, Kaito just wouldn't accept what the nurses had told them back in the infirmary. Besides, Kaien could probably look after Zero in his own room, that way when Kaito had to go on patrol in Zeros stead the male could rest easily knowing that the headmaster was looking after him.

So on that train of thought Kaito continued down the halls, taking a turn for the headmasters office when Zero wasn't really paying attention. It was a quiet walk on the way, the younger hunter not really paying much attention. But soon enough they had arrived at the elder males door. Knocking quietly at the males door and only to have him answer in his frilly night gown a few moments later, Kaito soon explained the situation to the elder male. He took them back into his headquarters, and from there Kaito explained what was going on with his lover..

Strangely enough, the hunter didn't seem to notice where they were going right away... He seemed lost into his own drowsy world as he laid against Kaito's side, leaning much more than usual. Though he did start to notice the closer that they came to Kaien the they weren't going to the direction of his room, an rather the opposite.

"K-Kaito, this isn't..." Zero mumbled out as he tried to tug against his partner, only to realize that they were stopped in front of a door. Kaien's door... And that was when the same man opened the door, allowing both of them inside. Though he seemed to be obviously a little drowsy, he still greeted them as warmly as he could until seeing Zero's pale and weak form. Before he had the chance to ask what was wrong, Kaito was already explaining.

It made the elder hunter frown slightly at first but he soon focused in letting Zero lay down into his couch to rest. "Has he eaten anything that would make him sick? Something in the cafeteria that just didn't look right?" Kaien quietly asked as he soon knelt down by the couch and started to check his son for a fever or for a drop in his pulse or anything that could give them a clue...

Crouching by his lovers side as Kaien looked over the young male, he quickly shook his head at the question "Nothing, Ive eaten the exact same as what he has and I feel perfectly fine" It definitely wasn't the common flu, there was no way that the symptoms would be so severe. You hardly spewed when having that, not to mention he would also be coughing and have a runny nose to boot.

It was like this for hours before Kaien gave up for now, telling Kaito to head home and rest until morning. Of course Kaien said he would look through his medical books for hunters, seeing if this illness was something that had only effected a hunter. It would explain why the medical staff in the infirmary would not have found anything. But at least they could rule out falling to E status, the silverette hadn't needed blood at all.

Reluctantly the male complied to the headmasters wishes, looking regretfully at his mate as he slowly walked away from him. He knew he wouldn't sleep a wink, knowing he couldn't be there to protect him lover throughout the night when he needed him most.

Kaito wouldn't have someone beside him tonight, something that had been happening for the last week or two. Zero seemed to be getting much more attached to Kaito, barely wishing to leave his side and even becoming much more physical as well. But then that sickness had started and things seemed to have gone downhill from there...

But now Kaito had to leave his lover probably for the first time within a couple of weeks, letting him rest as much as he needed to... The hunter in question was already starting to doze off on the couch, able to find a little rest after almost constant vomiting. He seemed to barely react as Kaito started to step away, which by itself was worrisome. Was he worse than they thought?

But a few days started to pass by. Kaien had been constantly trying to search for something to help his ailing son, but other symptoms were starting to occur... Zero was getting frequent headaches and his back had been aching. This was adding to the discomfort the young hunter was suffering... But at least now he was resting in his old room not too far from Kaien's study, napping away a vomiting fit.

Maybe Kaien had found something...

And find something he had.

Kaien sat at his desk, staring down at an item he had in hand for the past few hours, obviously trying to come to terms with what he had just found. As expected he had taken numerous tests on the hunter, some more extravagant from the last. But he wished to cross off each possible illness that had been listed in one of his most trusted books, of course he was running out of options and the further down the list he got, the more unlikely they would be.

But reaching the bottom of the list he found that he wouldn't have to look further, for the answer was staring him right in the face. It was rare, actually the ways to go about such a thing was something he hadn't thought would ever happen, let alone Zero having the genes for making it possible. Pulling himself up from his chair and fixing his glasses, Kaien tucked away what he had been holding in his pocket before heading down the hall to his sick son. He deserved to know, it was something that he would have to deal with anyway..

'knock knock'

Allowing himself in the room, Kaien quickly made his way over to the bed and crouched down beside the sick male. "Zero, I have the answer to your problem, but you must promise to believe me.." Waiting for the male to open his eyes up, Kaien reached into his pocked and pulled the item out, only to put it into the young silverettes hand.

"Zero, you're pregnant."

...Whoops?

:D

-J