"Ah..."
His voice was soft and tiny.
He himself was smaller than anything Kaname had ever seen before. He was quiet, only fussing when his diaper was full or if he were hungry.
But when he laughed...
Kaname couldn't help but smile.
He wanted to protect his brother. Those eyes had made him so horribly sad, yet so inexplicably happy. It was strange how much he loved his brother, but he was so worried for him.
He was like the dawn, bathed in the sun with the darkness of the night. Quiet, yet joyful.
"Kaa..." Hiro said, reaching his small hands out.
Kaname captured them, smiling fondly. Hiro kicked his feet, happy, as he laughed.
His hands were so soft, his curls bouncing as Hiro made a grunting noise. He was trying to sit up, get out of his crib. It was filled to the brim with soft, silk blankets and a canopy hanging above. It was something straight out of a fairytale, and it made Kaname gush internally about having a baby in the house.
Kaname lifted his younger brother up and onto his shoulder.
Hiro clung to his shirt.
Kaname brought him closer, rubbing his cheek against Hiro's curls. He pressed his lips to his face, pecking his cheek.
"I love you, Hiro."
He froze when he felt his hands grow empty. His hands tightened, his eyes wide when he began to grasp at nothing.
He looked at his empty hands in despair.
Not again.
He couldn't be gone again.
"Kaname?" Said a quiet voice.
He turned around, finding the baby he once held standing before him. The child was now almost a man, unrecognizable.
His eyes were empty and tired, his clothes lavish but they hung from his body like he were too big for them.
His once soft hands were coated in blood.
Kaname stepped forward, arms out.
Maybe if he just...
If he just held him, held on tighter-
If he could hold Hiro again, maybe he'd never disappear.
But when he got close enough, the person he touched reeled back.
Kaname froze.
His younger brother began to cry, folding in on himself. "I'm sorry..." he said quietly. He hugged his stomach, tears dropping to the ground.
"It's my fault."
"My fault."
"I ruined everything."
Kaname reached again.
Hiro stepped back.
They were suddenly back in the cold snow.
Kaname felt dread crawling in his stomach. Fear made his hands shake, and guilt weighed upon his shoulder and chest.
And like magic, Hiro was gone.
Nothing left but memories.
Things he couldn't touch.
Things he couldn't hold.
_________
Kaname woke up, almost getting up completely.
He looked around, realizing he wasn't in his room.
No, he was in the infirmary. He was waiting.
Waiting for Hiro to wake up.
He had to steer himself from almost racing up from his seat. He slowly got up, calmly walking over to the bed.
...he was so big.
And so small.
Kaname smiled, leaning down.
He just wanted those eyes to open.
He wanted to make sure he wasn't asleep anymore.
He wanted this to be real, to be reunited again.