I dont own these characters! They belong to Matsuri Hino!
Ever since Yuki's murder by the hands of Sara Shirabuki, life had been hard for Zero. Both he and Kaname were present when Sara had pulled Takuma's sword from the blond's hands and drove it through Yuki's heart. Sara fled, leaving all three boys to stare in shock as Yuki stumbled and fell to the floor in a pool of her own blood.
Kaname- the ever calm one even in such situations was the first to snap out of the daze and race to his sister's side, pulling her head into his lap. Takuma was next, letting out a strangled cry before collapsing on his knees- even if he hadn't done it himself; it was HIS blade that had destroyed the Kuran Princess. It took Zero a few more moments to realize what was happening, but when he did, he too ran to Yuki's side. t
Yuki had stared up at both men's faces, breathing laboured and tears falling down her cheeks, "N-nii-sama... Ze-ro..."
Zero had shut his eyes, trying to fight back tears, refusing to cry in front of Kaname. He gripped Yuki's hand tightly, biting his lip. "Yuki..." his voice was a strangled whisper.
Kaname looked down at the face of his sister, a shaky smile crossing his lips, "I-I can't believe I was so blind to her plan... I'm sorry Yuki..."
Yuki had then smiled the brightest smile they had ever seen, "I-its alright Nii-sama... J-just pro-mise me o-one t-thing... B-both of y-you..."
Both men had nodded right away. "Anything..." Kaname had promised.
Yuki smiled again. "I-I want y-you t-two to s-stop fighting each-other... A-and n-never give up w-when I'm gone... I-I'll be r-really s-sad if e-either of you do..."
Zero had looked shocked, looking up to Kaname, "B-but..."
Kaname had caught his gaze, the look on his face telling him not to argue. Zero had surprisingly stopped all comment, looking down and nodding. "I... I'll try..."
After Zero's comment, Kaname looked back down at Yuki, "For you Yuki, I'll promise to try anything..."
Yuki then used the last of her strength to take Kaname's left hand and Zero's right, placing Zero's over her heart and Kaname's over Zero's, smiling softly when neither man lifted their hand when she let go, her blood seeping through Zero's fingers and wetting Kaname's palm. "You both held my heart... Once I'm gone... I want you both to take all from me that you can... My powers aren't much, but they should help" she gasped, "in the end..." her voice was strangled, eyes drifting slowly shut. "Please, for me... Take care... of each other..." and then she was gone.
Both men sat there for several moments, eyes closed, trying to hold back tears. Surprisingly, it was Kaname who broke first, and Zero was 'blessed' by being the first person to ever see the pureblood prince cry. When he broke, Kaname's hand had gripped Zero's, still on Yuki's chest, grip firm despite the blood covering his palm and Zero's entire hand.
Zero started a little, staring at their hands for a moment before he furrowed his brows and flipped his hand over, lacing his fingers with Kaname's, letting his own tears fall. Several more moments passed.
"K-kir... Z-zero..." Kaname stuttered after a while, looking up at him, using his hand not in Zero's to wipe his eyes, embarrassed that Zero had seen him crying.
Zero wiped his own eyes on his sleeve, glancing up at Kaname. "Yeah?"
Kaname took a few breaths to try and compose himself. "D-drink her blood... All of it..."
Zero looked up at him, shocked. "What? She told us BOTH to..."
Kaname nodded, "She did... but I don't need it..." he tightened his grip on Zero's hand, "You're anything but weak Zero... but we're going up against Sara and her army... If we're going to work together, you need more strength..."
Zero looked like he was about to refuse. "I-I can't!" he shook his head, "N-not someone else! I already devoured my own brother, I can't do it again!"
"Zero..." Kaname spoke sternly, "Yuki wanted us to use her power to strengthen ourselves, I don't need it, but YOU do..."
"What would it matter if I took it or you? If we're working together, it would add up to the same power," he shook his head, "No you'd probably be able to make better use of it..."
"That's not necessarily true... I've already taken a lot of power, and there IS a limit to all I can take in." Kaname's look was still stern, but his burgundy eyes were all but begging Zero to take all the power for himself.
Zero shook his head, "Why do you even CARE Kuran? Just because Yuki asked you to?"
Kaname's hand tightened on his, "No..."
Zero looked up, surprised at his answer, "But then..."
"Just because I used you in my game doesn't mean I didn't CARE Zero... Actually I used you for the job BECAUSE I DO care... Even if you hated me, I trusted you..." Kaname's hand tugged away from Zero's, placing his bloody fingers against Zero's lips. "Take it..." his voice was soft.
Zero stared at him a moment, trying to ignore the scent of blood so near his fangs, but eventually gave in, eyes flashing red. He surprised Kaname by licking the blood off his hand, then his own before finally leaning down to sink his fangs into Yuki's cold neck.
Kaname's breath had hitched when Zero's tongue touched his skin, going silent when Zero moved onto Yuki's neck. He watched Zero take the remaining blood from Yuki's body, his breathing shaky. "S-she's gone..." his voice was thick and low.
Zero looked up at Kaname through his hair, red eyes showing the same pain Kaname himself was feeling, reaching a hand out to touch Kaname's hand again while he continued to grudgingly drain Yuki's body.
Kaname looked down at Zero, smiling weakly and gripping his hand back, trying to stop thinking about the fact that Yuki was gone, and more on the sudden connection he felt with Zero through it.
By the time Zero was done and Yuki's body turned to dust, he was shaking from the combination of the pure power mixing with his blood and the emotions of the girl he'd loved for so long truly being gone.
"S-she really IS gone..." Kaname was also shaking, letting his tears fall again.
Zero's head was bowed, his own tears falling thickly down his face, letting out a little whimper in response.
Then it was Kaname's turn to surprise again by pulling Zero into his arms and dropping his own head to Zero's shoulder. But then he too was surprised when Zero responded to his embrace by wrapping his own arms around Kaname's shoulders and resting against him. They stayed like that for only god knows how long; letting out their grief over the woman they loved in the arms of their rival for the very same girl. Something SO unexpected that it seemed completely logical. They hadn't even noticed when Shiki and Rima had come in and lead a sobbing, trembling Takuma away.
Life had been hard for Zero since then. But he wasn't in it alone. Kaname had been by his side every step of the way, through the grief, through the seemingly endless battles with Sara and her army, through the deaths of Yagari and chairman Cross, through the time after it was all over when he was trying to find a purpose to his life now that Yuki was avenged. Kaname had been there through it all, sharing his pain. And now they were closer than even Yuki would have imagined.