Crimson Depts by Rondomness

Oh, my God, Vampire Knight Destiny officially announced… *fangirl scream*

Last chapter in this story. I hope you enjoyed it. Anyway, I enjoyed writing it. And yes, there will be a second story, following up on these events. The rough sketches are being made inside my brain already. This final chapter takes place one week after chapter 21…

Chapter title is from the HIM song of the same name. It fits rather well, especially the chorus… Sorry that there's a lot of thinking, not that much action but it's just a short ending chapter.

Because you wonderful readers and reviews hung on to the bitter end, I would like to say THANK YOU SO MUCH…

Chapter 22: Vampire Heart

Kaname gently rubbed his eyes, trying to rub the tiredness away too. He'd barely slept for a week and he could feel how his eyes hurt. Especially in the first three days after Zero'd gotten to the hospital, Kaname had refused to leave his side or to sleep. But still now, one week later, there was no sign of life, except that the hunter's chest was rising and falling, his heart beating. Zero was like an empty shell.

If he would just open his eyes, just move a muscle, just give one single proof that Kaname wasn't just keeping a corpse alive. Zero was breathing with much difficulty, he was gasping hoarsely but at least, his heath hadn't stopped since getting Kaname's blood directly in the wound.

Aidou had visited a few times, so had Ruka and Akatsuki, but they held no further interest in Kaname's eyes. He was deeply worried still, even though it really seemed like Zero would survive it. He was so silent, the only sound he made being the wheezing sound of his breathing and his faint beating heart.

During his short visits, Aidou'd asked Kaname why he refused to eat or sleep or move, to do anything. "Just because of the D'," as he'd expressed it. Kaname knew he only said it that way because he was worried about the pureblood and didn't really thought of how it sounded, but it nevertheless had made Kaname furious.

The rest of the time, he was almost as empty a shell as Zero, sitting by the bedside and looking very statue-alike. Sometimes, he held Zero's hand, explaining to himself that he was checking Zero's pulse and body temperature although he in fact only held it to get some support, to be a bit closer. He felt disgusted of himself for thinking this way, and then he again felt disgusted at thinking that there was anything wrong with caring for a boy who'd nearly been killed by his uncle.

His feelings were trapped inside him, pulling him in different directions and leaving him completely numb and senseless of pain, sorrow and confusion. Kaname was fighting to understand what was happening to him, why he was so worried. He was completely distracted by these thoughts, almost to the point that he didn't notice Takuma when he slowly opened the door and sat down by his side.

The silence was defeating in a few moments were Takuma apparently thought for something to say. "Uhh, how is it going with Kiryuu?" he asked awkwardly, clearly something else on his mind. Kaname didn't even answer, only gesturing towards the hospital bed. Takuma nodded in silent understanding. This was not something Kaname wanted to talk about.

"My g…" Takuma started, but he stopped himself when he looked at Kaname's sad face. He didn't want to make Kaname look even more broken down than he currently was. Kaname gave his surroundings a short glance before sliding down the chair and onto the floor.

Takuma smiled reassuringly when Kaname supported his head on Takuma's knee as he'd done whenever it all just suddenly became too much to handle in Ichiou's house. Takuma was quite sure that he was the only one, maybe beside Yuki and the Chairman, who knew this side of Kaname. The loving, gentle, yet so fragile side of him that he only showed when he was extremely weak or just needed some comfort. Takuma laid a supportive hand on the pureblood's curly locks, just sitting still and silent by his side and giving comfort through his presence alone.

When the pureblood had just arrived, at the age of eight, and till he became eleven, he used to sneak into Takuma's bed as well, laying under the duvet and crying because he had nowhere else to go. Kaname didn't cry anymore, but he still came to the blond noble whenever things got way too heavy for his slender shoulders.

Takuma hadn't forgotten the desperation he'd always felt as a child, it'd never fully left him. The fear that one night, he would find Kaname on the floor, suffering from wounds inflicted by Takuma's own grandfather. His own grandfather, who'd always protected and loved Takuma so dearly. In the beginning, he'd overseen the signs, simply because he couldn't believe that to be true.

His world changed the day he had to ask his grandfather for a small something, which Takuma didn't even remember what was, and he'd heard them from outside the door. He could recall the feeling of his blood running cold as he just stood there, too horrified to move or speak or do anything. He'd been standing still, eyes wide open, heart hammering in his chest, as he'd heard first his grandfather's voice followed by such eerie silence and then the horrible sound of a body being smashed into a wall. That had been repeated a few times before finally a small voice had answered his grandfather. A voice admitting both pain and defeat. Afterwards, Takuma ran away, he couldn't stand to hear any more of it. He often blamed himself for not noticing before.

His hand continued to nuzzle Kaname's hair, while he slid down to sit on the floor beside the pureblood, his hand falling on top of Kaname's. "Kaname," the noble whispered, supporting the pureblood's head with his hand. "Is there anything I can do?"

A quick shake with the head was Kaname's only response. "What was it you came to talk with me about?" he asked dizzily, sounding a bit uncaring. Takuma didn't want to upset him, Kaname'd suffered enough during this. "It was nothing," he whispered, learning his head against Kaname's shoulder. Sure, he would tell the pureblood about it at some point, but Kaname was too far down right now.

Kaname stood up, his gaze darting towards Zero's face almost automatically. Takuma also collected himself a little and walked out the door with an understanding look. Oh God… Zero was so, so pale, no color in his face at all. If Kaname hadn't been afraid that the Council would declare him downright dangerous, he would have given Zero even more blood.

Zero was so critical about himself. Yuki'd once told Kaname that Zero didn't think that anybody could love him. The pureblood remembered that she'd said it with an amused look and then she shook her head as if she wanted to reject that idea on the basest level. It had made him so depressed at that time. He'd always feared that Yuki was beginning to evolve into loving Kiryuu the same way he loved her. Kaname knew she only held brotherly love for Zero, but he was also very much aware of what feelings Zero'd held for her.

But all that didn't matter anymore. It was simply a time that had vanished, a happy and bright time already beginning to disappear. A time Kaname so desperately wished back.

In course of the first two days, Yagari and the Chairman too had arrived, and the Night Class was still sticking to the area, visiting regularly. That proved that there were a lot of people caring about Zero, although the Night Class at least partly was here because of Kaname. Wakaba Sayori, one of Yuki's friends from the Day Class, had also visited once. Actually, the only person whom Zero shared a relation with who hadn't come was, as far as Kaname was informed, his brother. Kiryuu Ichiru. Kaname had always felt a deep dislike for him, partly because he was Zero's brother and partly because of Yuki's concern for him. And now, he hated him even more. It didn't matter how bad a relationship you shared with your brother, when he was hospitalized with an injury so critical that he was close to dying, you came.

At least, Zero's will to survive wasn't a problem, the hunter was very strong-minded, he'd always been, right from the time Kaname'd met him the very first time in person and Zero had tried to stab him. Little Yuki'd been so afraid that something had happened to Kaname although a knife used to eat with wasn't quite of great danger to a pureblood. At that time, he'd both felt sorry for and angry at Zero. Angry in a stupid, childishly jealous way, because Zero had the ability to stay with Yuki all along while Kaname had to stay with Ichiou. Even now, that hadn't changed.

Kaname lightly touched Zero's silver locks. He didn't want him to die because he was a last chain, a last connection to Yuki. And Kaname didn't want Yuki to die completely. But even if Zero died, Yuki wouldn't die completely as Kaname would continue to live on forever and carry her in his heart. Kaname smiled lightly of his own nature. I wonder when I'll stop making excuses for myself…

Kaname had thought for so long that it was because his mother had sacrificed herself to save Yuki that Kaname felt such a strong connection to her. But that wasn't true and he knew that now. Knew that it was love, not sorrow, that made him smile despite his difficult life whenever Yuki screamed his name and threw herself into his tight embrace. Making sure that Yuki was okay hadn't anything to do with Kaname's mother, it had the world to do with Yuki, and Kaname's affections for her. Feelings which he'd spent days and nights only wishing to be returned. And he'd known that she did. He'd seen it in her eyes and behavior. And it had made him so happy.

Now, there were no feelings except pain and loss left in him. And yet… Kaname's eyes once again sought Zero's eyes. And yet there was hope. Because Zero might be a hunter, a natural enemy, he and Kaname might hate each other, but Kaname didn't want him to die. No, he wouldn't allow that to happen, even if it would give Kaname nothing but one more living enemy in the world. Kaname's finger brushed a silver lock away from Zero's face, straining to hear his gasps for breath.

Kaname learned down over the hospital bed, his eyes fixed on Zero's pale face as the hunter's eyelids trembled slightly. "Zero?" Kaname whispered, seeing if Zero really could be conscious again. Another faint movement of his eyelids at the same time as he took in another wheezing breath. Perhaps realizing he couldn't open his eyes, Zero tried to respond by stretching his fingers a bit, relaxing when Kaname took his hand. "Can you hear me?" Kaname asked, his pulse racing. This was the first sign of any life inside there had been the last week. All Zero could muster was to move his fingers very faintly, although he fought to open his eyes.

Then it was as if the shadows of unconsciousness lifted, Zero's silvery eyes slowly opening. He looked like one well drugged, which couldn't be so strange as the nurses had continued to give him morphine in huge doses to dull his intense pain. His eyes barely saw Kaname, darting around the room without thought, not trying to see something specific.

Kaname smiled at Zero as his dully eyes turned to Kaname's face with a surprised and questioning glare.

THE END