"SHADOWS AND LIGHT: AN UNBREAKABLE BOND"

Written By: Stone Angel

 

Please see Prologue for disclaimer, ratings and explanations. ^_^

AN: FINALLY! Action! Yay! I wrote the fight scene in a hurry so if it seems rushed that’s why. I had to write the whole chapter in three hours. That actually isn’t much time to type when you type as slow as I. But I don’t think people want a twenty page fight scene anyway, no matter how cool Duo sounds while he’s kicking ass. So I made it brief. Enjoy and tell me what you think. Fight scenes are another thing hard to write.

 

SHADOWS AND LIGHT: AN UNBREAKABLE BOND:

CHAPTER 30: ANGELS AND DEVILS: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN:

Heero arrived at Duo's house at Five o'clock in the afternoon. He eagerly ran up the steps and knocked on his lover's door.

The door opened and Wufei answered. "What?"

Heero gulped and shifted his stance unconsciously. "Um. Is Duo here? His car is."

"The braided baka is sleeping. You can come in though." Wufei stepped aside to let him in.

Heero stood outside the door for a moment before entering the house and skirting around Wufei, closing the door behind himself and standing a few feet away from the Chinese vampire.

"Not to be rude, but I'm going back to bed. I hate being up at such ungodly hours as these." And, so saying, Wufei walked indignantly to his room.

Heero waited until he heard the door close before he headed down the hall to his beloved's room. He stealthily opened the door and peeked inside.

Duo was curled up on his bed above the covers as usual. His head was partially buried under a pillow and one arm was holding it there while the other was curled around his middle protectively. His voice was agitated and muffled somewhat by his upper arm as he spoke. "Wu, I ain't getting up. I've had two hours of sleep. If you need your bandage changed, you can do it your own damned self."

Heero smiled to himself and moved forward to sit on the bed.

Startling none too slightly, Duo moved away from him and threw the pillow away from his eyes to look up at Heero. "Oh." He smiled and relaxed again. "What time is it?" He asked as he checked his watch. "Wow. Today really flew by."

Heero was taken aback by how exhausted he looked. "Dai ja bu?"

Duo smiled sincerely. "Hekki hekki. I'm just tired."

Reaching forward, Heero tenderly stroked his bangs back from his eyes. "How much sleep have you gotten in the last two days?"

Duo didn't answer immediately.

Sighing, Heero laid down next to him on the bed. "How much?"

Duo closed his eyes as he answered. "About four hours."

'I'll spare his pride.' Heero circled his arms around him and held Duo to his chest. "I don't have work today. And I'M tired. I'm going to sleep now. Feel free to join me if you want." He smiled to himself, knowing that the battle was already won. Duo could never stay awake in his arms. And he knew his heartbeat would help his beloved find an inner peace to allow him rest. This way, Duo would get some sleep and he would not feel guilty if he thought Heero was tired as well. Heero mused on the fact that when Duo was slumbering in his arms he slept like the dead.

Duo snuggled closer to him and wrapped his arms around him as well. "Ok. Just for a little while. Then I have to_"

"You have to sleep. If I have to, I'LL take Wufei out for his dinner while you rest." Heero rubbed his back and gave in to the urge to take the band out of his lover's hair.

Duo chuckled against him. "Yeah. There's a thought." He pressed his ear against Heero's heart and purred as Heero ran his fingers through his hair. "How come you're so good to me?"

Heero smiled and kissed his hair. "Because, baka, you're my Koibito."

Duo kissed him through the fabric of his shirt and pressed his ear against his heartbeat again as he yawned. "Oh. I guess that's a good reason."

Heero chuckled and then yawned as well. "Let's get some sleep, ne?"

"Hai, Koi. ...Arigato."

Heero waited until Duo's breathing became less and less noticeable and definitely even. He moved back slightly to look on his features.

Duo wore a small smile, even in his sleep.

Heero felt guilty when he saw the shading under his eyes, barely there and only noticeable to him because he was looking for it. He kissed Duo's crown tenderly, knowing that it was either his own thoughts or nightmares that were to blame for his unrest. 'I guess I should sleep here with him for a while. A few days at least. I get the feeling he sleeps better when he's with me. Hn. So do I.' He kissed his hair again and held him close to himself, following his beloved into sleep.

* * *

Duo awoke three hours later and stretched as he yawned. He looked up to see Heero looking down at him and smiled. "Koban wa."

"Ah. You need to ‘eat’ something."

Duo ran his tongue over his teeth and felt the fangs there. "...Um... Ok. Will you wait here?" He pleaded with his eyes.

After a moment's hesitation, Heero nodded and smiled reassuringly.

Duo smiled wryly, keeping his lips closed and tousled his lover's hair. He walked from the room quickly and merely drank three bags without heating them. He then boiled some water and made three cups of tea. He downed the first, sugar or no, and then put sugar in the other two and carried them into the bedroom. He handed one to Heero and sat on the bed, sipping his.

"Arigato."

"Hn."

"So what do you want to do?"

Duo smiled wryly. "I have to get Wu-man out for a hunt. Then my night is free." He took a gulp of the tea in an attempt to get some body heat.

"What about you?"

Duo looked back to Heero who was staring at him over his cup as he took a sip of the steaming tea. "Um. I can do that after midnight. What did YOU want to do?"

Heero sighed but left the subject behind, much to Duo's joy. "Well, I want to sleep here tonight but before that, you wanna go see a movie? It's rare that I have no work or homework, and I want to take you out of here. You've been playing 'House' with Wufei since Sunday. I figured you might like to get out for a while, have some fun."

Duo smiled. "That sounds great. Arigato." Something nagged at his thoughts but he ignored it, squashing it ruthlessly when it failed to be silent. "I think that is just what I need. So what do you want to see?"

Heero smiled. "An action movie. Something mindless with lots of bullets."

Duo laughed. "Sounds good. I don't think it'll be hard to find a movie that meets that criteria."

"Hai."

"But I get to return the favor." He said with a smirk. "How does dinner at a fancy restaurant strike you? I know this place that has the BEST Chardonnay you'll ever have. It's a little posh, though, so we'll have to dress well. I want to take you shopping again but for now, we already have the clothes. I washed them. So how does a four star sound?"

A smile lit up Heero's eyes and he leaned forward and kissed Duo lightly. 'Sounds like a night on the town. This'll be great. Arigato, Koi.'

Duo smiled and kissed him back.

* * *

Duo walked in the front door and into the living room, Wufei following him, and smiled at Heero who was already dressed to impress. And impress Duo he did. "And you're sure that your classes start late tomorrow?"

"Maxwell. Shut up and go out and have fun, dammit. Don't make me kick your sorry, mothering ass out of your own house." Came Wufei's voice as he walked past him into his room.

Duo smirked and Heero chuckled. "Ok. Just let me get dressed. Hey... Um.... Can we go on the bike?"

Heero grinned. "Sure. You really like that huh?"

Duo nodded emphatically. "It was great. And if we're going out to have fun, I think the night would be incomplete without it."

Heero grinned wider. "Yosha."

Duo flashed a victory sign and ran into his room to get dressed. 'I'll have to cut tonight a bit short. I can't keep him out past One. I have to HUNT! God! I'm fucking starved. And then I have to call Doug tomorrow and see about getting another delivery. A bigger one this time since Wu is here. But that's later. Right now I just wanna have some quality time with Hee-kun.' He dressed and shoved a stake into the calf of his jeans for safety. He then checked his appearance in the bathroom mirror and smiled. Dressed to kill. But not to hunt. 'Perfect. Hee-kun deserves no less.' He sauntered into the other room and took Heero by the hand.

Heero smiled and the two walked from the house.

* * *

Duo sipped his white wine and looked around the fancy restaurant. Aside from the strong scent of garlic in the air, he was thoroughly enjoying himself.

Classical music was being played by a band in the far corner of the establishment and the lighting was perfect, dim so his eyes did not hurt, but light enough to cast the most magnificent shadows around the restaurant.

Heero had thoughtfully ordered one of the few meals in the place that did not have garlic on it and was also enjoying a glass of Chardonnay. "This place is beautiful. I've never been to a fancy restaurant before."

Duo smiled and swirled the yellow liquid in his glass before smelling it. "Yeah. The last time I was at a place like this was with the gang. We all just went out to try out the wines of the area. Of course, that was France and about eighty years ago. This is a change for me, too." He added quietly as he sipped his wine.

Heero reached across the table and took his hand, turning his wrist so he could check his watch. "Ok, we have ten minutes and then we have to leave for the movie theater. I'm almost done." He took another bite of his meal.

Duo smiled at him over his glass.

* * *

Heero and Duo watched the movie avidly. He had wanted an action movie due to his current anger at Duo's past and the loud noises and sights of people being blown away were rather satisfying, helping to quench his human blood lust.

There was a quiet moment in the movie and, while Heero recognized it as the quiet before a storm, Duo apparently had no clue for when a particularly loud explosion sounded over the speakers, Duo all but jumped into his lap. He smiled to himself at Duo's childish behavior and took his hand in his, squeezing it lightly and wrapping his other arm around Duo's shoulders.

Duo looked back to him in thanks before casting his wide eyes back at the screen and jumping when a tank exploded.

Heero chuckled and tightened his arm around his shoulders in a protective manner.

Duo leaned against him, placing a hand on his chest as he rested his head in the perfect spot on his shoulder and continued to watch the movie.

A man with burns all over his body lay gasping on the ground on the screen and Duo gave a quiet yelp and buried his head in Heero's shoulder.

Heero kissed his hair, uncaring about the public shows of affection for another male and just enjoying how Duo clung to him.

* * *

"So what did you think?"

Duo seemed to think for a moment before rubbing at his ears. "Loud."

Heero laughed. "Yeah. But aside from that."

"I liked the plot. It had a lot of twists and turns but it all made sense in the end. It was really bloody, though." He looked around the deserted few blocks of the old street as they continued to walk to the old park where Heero's bike was.

Heero laughed again. "Yeah, well most war movies these days are. You don't watch too many, huh?"

Duo shook his head. "Not really. I liked that one, though. If a movie has crap for plot, I usually don't bother. And the few war movies these days that I HAVE seen all had no plot. Did you ever see 'All Quiet on the Western Front'?"

Heero shook his head. "No. Is that an old one, cause I haven't seen too many old movies."

Duo smiled. "Ah, the lovely generation gap I keep hearing about finally applies. Yes, it is an old movie. Black and white old. It was really good though. It was about World War I. Total classic."

Heero smiled warmly. "Yosha. Tell you what. I'll rent that and 'Sixth Sense' and we can have a movie marathon some weekend. I'll watch yours if you watch mine."

Duo smirked. "Yeah, I've heard phrases like THAT before." He laughed as Heero blushed and looked to the ground with a small, bashful smile. "Hahaha! I love that look you get when you're embarrassed about something. It's just too cute."

Heero rolled his eyes. "When are you going to believe that YOU are the cute one in this relationship?"

Duo thought about it as he looked up at the stars. "When you learn to braid my hair back after you undo it." He said with a smirk.

Thinking about that for a moment, Heero nodded. "Yosha. I think I have it down from seeing you do it so many times."

Duo grinned. "Cool. Now you can..." He suddenly froze and stayed perfectly still while his eyes scanned the area with a dangerous glint.

Heero immediately moved to stand next to him. "Duo?"

"Shh." Duo continued to scan the area. "I feel other vamps here." He seemed to think hard on something before his eyes widened. "Kuso!" He cursed in a whisper. "Marks!"

Heero felt his blood run slightly colder. "How close?"

Duo thought about it before flinching and spinning to face the other way.

Heero did the same and paled when he saw a group of seven men and women walking towards them. 'Oh *SHIT*!!! DUO! LET'S GET OUT OF HERE!'

Duo shook his head. ‘"They'd catch us. I can't carry you all the way home and I don't know any humans who would let me in but not invite them to do so as well. As soon as we got on your bike, they'd catch us. Here."’ He reached down and took a sharp stake from within his jeans above his left ankle, handing it to Heero. ‘"Don't let them touch you."’ He looked about the ground and found a small, old and splintered piece of lumber. He broke it into two pieces and took the pointiest one in hand, throwing the other far behind himself as he approached the group.

'Duo. Are you sure they're bad? I mean, how do you know?'

‘"I can feel the maliciousness flowing from them. Hee-kun, I'm so sorry you're here. Please be careful. I will do my best to protect you but you still must be completely aware."’

The group stopped and each member seemed to size them up. Heero saw Duo do the same. One of them whispered to a man in the center of the group and he judged that to be the leader if indeed there was one. A woman in a tight, black leather skirt, blood red halter top and fishnet tights that led down a pair of slender legs to high cut, black leather boots spoke. "Who are you?" She licked her lips as she looked him up and down. "You wanna have some fun?" She smirked and though her face was sweet, Heero could see the hunger and malicious intent in her eyes.

He shivered, suddenly wanting to go to her but fighting it with his formidable strength of will.

Duo cursed in his mind. ‘"KUSO! Most of them are young, but they are strong. One is my age. They have mastered their mental capabilities. Heero. I have to do this. I'm sorry."’ And with that he bit his own fingers with his now present fangs and stuck them in Heero's mouth.

Heero felt a huge current flow through him at the taste of that forbidden blood and his body instinctively clamped his jaw down on the fingers in his mouth while one hand latched onto Duo's arm tightly. He sucked hard on Duo's fingers, trying to get as much of that blood as he could, unable to understand why and equally unable to care.

Duo opened his jaw with force and took his hand away, prying Heero off of himself.

Heero felt like the world was spinning. 'Did he just do what I think he did?'

‘"Iye. You will remain mortal but they will not be able to drink your blood or manipulate you and you will be able to see most of our movements. They can still kill you, though, so do not let them get close."’

Heero nodded and fought through the slight haze in his mind from the unexpected taste of Duo's blood and gripped the stake in his hand tighter. He flinched as the woman spoke again.

"Aw. No playing with that one. Too bad." She pouted and the 'leader' behind her spoke.

The 'man' had dark, shoulder length, curly hair and cold, ice blue eyes. His features were angular but not unpleasant. However, when he smiled, they became so very quickly. "So. You lived."

Heero's head whipped to see Duo's eyes widen to an impossible size and his skin become paler than it ever had been.

Beginning to shake violently, Duo didn't say anything and Heero felt the waves of panic and shock flowing from him.

'Who is this man?'

"That's funny. I had you pegged for death within the first week. Never expected to see you again."

Duo continued to stare at the man and for long moments no one spoke. Then Duo's eyes began to fill with tears, even as his face remained shocked. "You... You... Urusanai... Never.... I will never... I will never forgive you...." He said, his voice wavering with barely suppressed sobs but steely in its conviction.

'WHO THE HELL IS THIS GUY?!' Heero wondered, frustrated and fearful for both himself and his lover.

"You left me..." Duo said as his fingers reflexively tightened around the stake in his hand. "You just left. ...Didn't kill me... ...Didn't explain anything to me.... How could you do that?..."

Heero felt his blood turn to ice. The man before him was the one who made Duo a vampire. Condemned him to the life he so loathed. And Heero really didn't know what to feel.

Duo's tears were running down his cheeks by that point. "...Why?..." He asked brokenly.

The man smirked. "You were a mistake. As I said, I thought you would die the next morning. If I told you nothing, you would not know how to survive. Problem solved." He shrugged nonchalantly.

Heero saw in Duo's eyes his pain. The look within his lover's amethyst depths made a huge lump form in his throat.

Duo looked beaten. The look was quickly covered by confidence and anger. It was clear that Duo was putting up his mask, this time, the tarnished armor for the battle ahead. "Urusanai... Urusanai! URUSANAI!!!! You are going to pay. That was the first mistake you made in your pathetic life. You should have killed me when you had the chance." He said menacingly.

The other merely smirked at him. "Well, now that you're here..." He ignored what Duo had said as he looked him up and down before snickering cruelly. "I've heard about you. I didn't know it was you but now I realize that the description fits. I hear you dress as a priest. Who do you think you're kidding?" He laughed.

Duo sneered. "Please. Like you're so much better. You are nothing but kyuketsuki. You have no souls."

The other glared at him. "I do. But I am a realist. I know that humans are nothing more than cattle for us. When will the rest of you foolish bleeding hearts come around?"

Duo snorted. "You are a fool. And I am going to have to kill you for a whole host of shit I can’t be bothered to list. These are people. And_"

"Don’t be so rude." Said the man with a wave of his hand. "I didn’t raise you to disrespect your elders."

Duo was red with rage by that point. "You didn’t raise me at all!"

"So, what are you doing in my town?" The vamp said as if he had not heard him.

After a moment to get his anger under control, Duo smirked. "I got news for you, buddy: This town is neither of ours. It belongs to Quatre Winner."

The mark hissed at him. "Winner?" He seemed fearful for a moment before he covered it. "It matters not to me. He can have this place by day. By night, it is my turf."

Duo chuckled and Heero shivered at the animosity in the sound. "Yeah. Live that dream. You're about to forfeit 'your' land. And your pitiful excuse for a life."

The man smirked and crossed his arms. "Is that so? Hmmm. And I suppose you're going to make me? You may be older than my kindred, but I out age you by a few weeks. And we have more power by strength in numbers. I believe it is you who will be begging for death within a few short moments. You and your little mortal friend."

Heero wanted to scream something along the lines of "Can't we all just get along?!" but he knew it would do him or his lover no good. So he waited.

Smirking and touching the end of a fang with his tongue in a blatantly aggressive gesture, Duo stood between him and the others, twirling the stake in his fingers. "Prepare yourselves for these are your last moments on this plane. I will cast you into Hell."

The mark's smirk widened into a cruel smile and he touched the shoulders of two vampires on either side of him. The two smirked and approached.

Once they had walked a few feet, they blurred into motion and Heero found himself being pinned to the ground by a combat boot on his chest. He rolled and swiped a leg under the vamp’s feet as hard as he could, his adrenaline lending him strength.

The vamp fell and Heero stood and struck out, kicking his chin and sending him to his back on the ground. When the vamp stood, Heero struck again, snapping his head to the side with a blow with the back of his hand and then delivering a powerful kick to the man’s abdomen, causing him to stumble back a step. The vamp smirked then, obviously finding the fight amusing and seeing it as a game. A challenge. He grinned a fanged grin and rushed towards Heero.

Out of reflex, Heero formed a Ki-ball in one hand and threw it at the man's head.

The man was too shocked that a human had Ki to dodge or ready himself for the blow to survive. The head disintegrated into nothing and the body became little more than dust, whatever strange sort of combustion it was, eating the clothes to nothing as well.

Heero stood and watched as Duo spun the female vampire that had been sent to him by one arm until her back was to him and then plunging his piece of wood into her back with a snarl. Apparently, he hit her heart for, with a shriek, she became dust as well.

Duo turned to him and looked him over for injuries almost faster than Heero could see and then turned back to the remaining vampires, taking a defensive stance. "Any other volunteers?"

The leader looked slightly more afraid now but he still gestured for two others to take the place of their brethren. The two looked at him in shock but he snarled and they faced Duo again, stepping forward. These were a young looking girl, maybe thirteen and a man who must have been in his thirties. Both, though afraid, held a small air of confidence about them and Heero saw the spark of wisdom in the girl's eyes, belying her seeming youth.

Duo growled and stepped forward to meet them. The girl was moving slowly by vamp standards towards Heero. Duo intercepted her and spun her to face him. She struck out, catching his chin in a blow and knocking him back a few steps. He recovered quickly, striking out himself and causing her to stumble. He moved forward and grabbed her by the hair, yanking her to a bent over position and bringing a knee into her chest and she gasped as the breath left her.

The other came up behind Duo and took a hold of his neck, looking as though he wished to break it.

Duo struck out with a foot, bringing it up behind himself as he bent his body forward, his head near the ground, and catching the man's head with his heel. He then stood straight again and, keeping a firm grip on the struggling female vamp's hair, he struck out with a fist behind himself and hit the man's temple.

The man stumbled back, gripping his head in pain.

Duo returned his attention to the female vamp and pulled her up again to deliver a quick death. He turned and made quick work of the man's confidence, the two exchanging blows for all of two seconds before the vamp ran back to the leader, holding his jaw in a hand and grimacing.

"Fuck! Boss, my face hurts." He complained to the now confirmed leader who glared at his incompetence.

Duo snarled. "And it's gonna match your ass when I'm done kicking it!"

The leader backhanded the insubordinate mark and the underling's eyes glazed for a moment before he reluctantly returned to the street turned battlefield.

Duo and he exchanged more blows before Duo found an opening and took it, driving the stake deep into the vamp's unguarded heart.

Heero was thankful that he had not had to deal with the last two as he was still recovering from killing something that looked so human. He knew that he was doing the world a favor, but he still felt ill. 'I guess this is what Duo talks about. Why he hates this so much. God. The girl looked so young!' Heero knew this would haunt his dreams for a while.

Duo waited patiently for the enemy's next move.

The leader smirked and looked to his last two. He gestured at one and then looked lovingly at the other.

The one he had gestured to was over six feet tall and all muscle with no hair.

Heero gulped and watched as Duo waited as the man approached him.

The large man was at least a foot and a half taller than Duo and outweighed him by a minimum of two hundred pounds. He walked up and stood before Duo with nothing but an expressionless mask. Then, as if he had just seen the funniest thing in the world, he grinned a wide but malicious and fanged grin down at him. Then Duo was flying backwards and Heero knew that he had been hit.

Duo pulled himself off the ground, hunched over slightly, and wiped with the back of his wrist at a line of blood that was dribbling from his lips. He had obviously suffered a serious blow to his abdomen and had internal bleeding. "Was that your best shot?"

The man smiled and shook his head and Heero guessed that he didn't talk much.

Duo rushed him and when the man moved to grab him, he skirted out of reach, jumping up and bringing his left elbow down on the man's head on his descent. He then moved back and cradled his elbow, looking like he was in intense pain but not wanting to show it and Heero knew that he had broken his arm.

'...Shit... This isn't good.'

Duo was seemingly taken by surprise as the man, who was still smiling, grabbed his neck in one massive hand and lifted him off his feet.

He drew one fist half the size of Duo's head back and smashed it into Duo's beautiful face. When he drew it back, Duo had a broken lip and his nose was bleeding.

Heero screamed as he saw the large vampire do it again and this time when he took his hand away, Duo's eye was swollen and he knew it would be dark purple the next day. Wondering why the other two were not attacking, he looked to the others and saw them watching his lover get pummeled and seeming to enjoy the show. He wanted to go over and make them regret ever being born. Especially the one that had made Duo cry. But he knew he could do next to nothing and Duo had told him not to get close to any of them. He knew that it would be stupid to do otherwise. 'I hate being helpless. And I don't think I've ever felt so helpless as I do now. FUCK! Duo-kun!'

Heero gasped at Duo's next and obviously planned move.

Duo waited until the man crashed his fist into his face one more time. When he brought his fist back, Duo smiled sweetly at him and drove the stake that had been dangling from the hand on his good arm into the vampire's chest. The mark had had no way of knowing, much less blocking. One hand was around Duo's neck while the other was just being brought in for another blow. Duo seemed to take satisfaction in the look of surprise the larger vamp got before he turned to dust. He fell once he was no longer being held in midair and his legs gave out from under him. He quickly got up off the ground and looked to the other two who looked back at him.

"You want me to do him?" Asked the one that was not the leader. He was a young looking one. Not as young as the girl, maybe Twenty. But he was obviously lacking in years as a vamp as he took everything in with a child-like vigor and seemed to see the other as a father figure, wishing to make him proud.

"No." Replied the leader. "He's mine."

Heero shuddered and saw Duo smirk as the vamp approached.

Duo sighed. "So you decided to do your own dirty work, huh? Good. I was getting bored." He checked his nails and then looked up to the other.

The leader chuckled cruelly. "Oh yeah. I saw that when you were getting that lovely black eye."

Duo sneered. "Aren't you at least a little remorseful for you friends?"

The other laughed. "They were too stupid if YOU beat them. You have the build of a little girl. And you are weak. Another reason I expected you to die. The only asset you posses is speed. If you beat them, they were not worthy of living." He shrugged. "Easy come, easy go."

"Yeah." Duo said, his eyes haunted. "I have waited so long for you to come back and finish the job you started that night. It's about time we met again. I've been wanting to kill you for almost two and a half centuries."

The other vampire laughed cruelly, the sound cold and hollow, unpleasant.

Heero realized that not all vampires were as beautiful as Duo or his friends. Not all of them had a smile that could melt cold hearts or a laugh that was so pleasant it was contagious. This one was just... Cold and cruel. And his very manner showed it.

"Be thankful that you are old and have lasted THIS long." Said the mark. "I will not be such a push-over."

Duo growled. "Whatever." He took a defensive stance. "Let's get it done."

The mark smirked. "Very well. But I will not attack."

Duo shrugged. "Suit yourself." And Heero watched as he blurred towards the other, raising his fist with the stake and getting ready to strike.

The mark sidestepped at the last moment and took a hold of Duo's hair, pulling it cruelly, taking hold of Duo's hand holding the stake and swinging Duo around by the braid and then straightening his arm so he faced him. He then kissed him roughly.

Heero felt his blood run cold and saw Duo's eyes widen with shock before he recovered and began to fight violently.

"...YOU GODDAMN MOTHER FUCKING SON OF A BITCH!!!!! HOW DARE YOU?!"

The mark licked his lips. "Hn. Sweet." Whatever else he was about to say was cut off as Duo struck him hard across the face, his hold on his hair releasing.

Snarling with pure rage, Duo kicked his chin rabbit style and delivered an incredibly large Ki blast to his middle, his eyes flashing violet for half an instant as it was formed.

The mark flew backwards and lay there on the pavement, obviously dazed and shaking his head to clear it. He stood painfully after a moment and fixed Duo with a glare.

Duo growled. "Give it up! You've been out-classed!"

The other sneered. "We're just getting started." He then formed a large Ki ball in either hand and charged towards Duo, burns or no, with a shout, his eyes flashing an ice blue for an instant.

Heero watched helplessly as the two fought for a moment, the mark going all out and Duo doing his best to fight with one arm, depending heavily on his legs as weapons. He could not throw the Ki with his broken arm or form it while clutching the stake, so to use Ki, he had to grasp the stake with his thumb and let the energy gather in his palm before he could throw it.

A few moments of intense battle ensued during which they would strike with Ki or limbs, there were snarls and each one’s eyes would flash every few seconds with Ki forming that either missed or barely singed the other, usually countered by the other’s Ki. It would have been beautiful had they not been fighting to the death. After long moments of intensely beautiful battle, Duo was caught by his long, graceful braid again. This time, however, the mark did not use it to swing him. Rather he called Ki into his hand and burned the rope of hair, severing it a few inches below the ear. The braid fell to the ground and lay in an 'S' shape upon the pavement.

Duo's newly shortened hair fell around his face, not much longer than shoulder length and blew in a sudden slight wind. Duo stared at the braid on the ground in shock and the mark took the opportunity to wrench his broken arm violently and take his make-shift stake from his other hand.

Heero screamed and collapsed, suddenly boneless, the stake falling from his fingers as he watched what happened next.

The mark drove the suddenly hated piece of wood into his flinching lover's chest and then stepped back from him.

Heero couldn’t breath. Couldn’t think. His heart felt like it wanted to stop and give up. But not without revenge. "Duo....... Kun......... IIIIYYYEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!" He was up and rushing the vamp before he could even think and he tackled him to the ground, pummeling his face and wishing he had not dropped his weapon.

After a short moment, the mark recovered from his surprise and back handed him, breaking his lip before scratching at him and kicking him off of himself, sending Heero through the air to land painfully on his back. He stood and looked back to Duo.

Once landed, Heero opened his eyes from his grimace and looked up to his lover as he stood up on shaky legs, the throbbing pain in his body barely registering. What he saw made his heart soar with happiness and made his body cringe at the sight.

Shocked, Duo gazed at the mark for a moment before looking down to the stake and pulling it from himself with barely a wince. His shirt and jeans were covered in blood, the black material of his shirt clinging to his skin while the blue of his jeans was ruined.

The mark looked pale and took a step back.

Duo was before him and driving the very stake that had been used upon him by the mark into his heart faster than Heero had ever seen him move.

The vamp was too stunned to dodge or fight.

"You missed." Duo hissed in his ear. "That was the last mistake you'll ever make."

The mark's eyes were wide with the irony of the situation. He had caused his own demise. And he had done it nearly two and a half centuries ago. He glanced to his side at the only remaining 'boy' before becoming dust.

Heero and Duo looked to the young mark for a moment, waiting for movement.

The vamp whimpered pitifully and then, in a blur, he was gone.

Heero looked back to Duo who was staring blankly at the braid on the ground while his eyes seemed dazed. He rushed into his arms and covered his face in kisses as he sobbed. "Duo! I was so scared! Are you Ok?!"

The stake clattering to the ground, Duo rubbed his back with his good hand. "I'm Ok, Hee-kun. It's Ok. It doesn't hurt."

Heero pulled back to look him over.

Duo frowned and put a weak hand on Heero's now ruined clothes. "Your shirt." He collapsed then and Heero caught him and lowered the two of them to the ground, cradling Duo to himself in his lap.

"Duo?! DUO?!"

Duo whimpered weakly as his eyes slid closed.

"DUO?!?!?!?!" Heero shook him. "Are you sure you're Ok?! Should I take you to the hospital?!"

Duo's eyes cracked open and he shook his head, a gargle escaping his throat.

Heero felt the waves of terror flowing from him and cursed his stupidity. "Of course. No hospital. Ok?"

Duo nodded as his eyes closed again. His mental voice was weak and strained as it spoke directly to Heero's mind, as if he had to put a lot of effort into the simple task. ‘"We have to get out of here, Hee-kun. ...Now. ...Before anyone comes by. ...Grab the stakes. No evidence can be left."’

Heero nodded and gathered the two stakes and his lover's braid, bundling them in one arm while the other picked Duo up off the pavement. 'God! He's so light! He weighs even less than before!' He carried him in both arms, careful of the stakes and set him on his motorbike seat. Duo immediately began to slide off and Heero opted to set him on the pavement, leaning against the bike as he put the items in the compartment over the back wheel. He then lifted Duo and cradled him in his lap as he started the bike, thankful that they could get away with no witnesses. 'If a cop sees us riding like this, he'll pull us over. Kuso!' Heero got off the bike and pulled Duo's arms over his shoulders, earning himself a whimper when Duo's broken arm was pulled. "Sorry. Sorry." He slung one of Duo's legs over the seat of the bike and sat down as well. Then, holding Duo's wrists with one hand and steering with the other, he pulled away from the park and headed toward Duo's house.

Despite his hold on Duo's hands, he kept slipping to one side or the other of the bike, threatening to fall off. Once they exited the freeway, Heero pulled Duo into his lap again.

"Huh? What are we doing?" Came the soft and very faint voice of his beloved.

"I'm taking you home. You were falling off the seat so we're switching positions. Can you hold onto me?"

Duo turned to face him with a great effort and wrapped a weak arm around Heero's middle, leaning against him. "Sorry, Hee-kun."

Heero wrapped an arm about him as well and sped down the road to Duo's house. 'Wufei will know what to do.' He told himself. 'He can help me. Help my Duo. Oh god, if I lose him... I can't lose him. I'd go insane. GOD, AND IT CAME SO CLOSE TO THAT!!! I HATE THIS!!!'

Duo's newly shortened hair tickled his face and neck, being blown about in the wind. "Hee-kun...?" Came a faint voice over the wind and engine of the bike.

Heero was only able to hear him because his ear was right next to Duo's lips. "Yes?" 'God! Talk to me!'

"Can you stop yelling?"

Heero kissed his hair. "Hai." 'Anything for you, Koishi.'

Opening the Jones’ gate had been quite troublesome for Heero as he had had to do it with Duo, who was by that point unconscious, in one arm. He left the gate open, not caring in the least as he got back onto his bike, and drove to the house where he knew Duo would be safe. They pulled up in front of the porch and Heero turned off his bike, running to the steps with Duo and shouting at the top of his lungs. "WUFEI!!!! GET-THE-FUCK-OUT-HERE-RIGHT-NOW!!!!!!!!!!!"

The door opened just as he reached it to reveal a scowling Wufei who looked as though he was about to curse him before he caught the sight and no doubt scent of them. "WHAT HAPPENED?!"

Heero walked past him into the house. "We ran into some marks. He's lost a lot of blood. What do I do?"

Wufei extended his arms. "Give him to me."

Heero handed his beloved to his friend without a second thought. While he may have been more than a little scared of the Chinese vampire, he knew that he would not harm him and certainly not his lover.

Wufei carried him into his bedroom and laid him on the mattress. He began to rip his clothes off of him. "Kuso." He surveyed the wound. "Get me some hot water and a few towels." He said as he removed his own stained clothing, the white shirt Duo had given him and he used as pajamas.

Heero nodded and left to do that. He returned a moment later with a pot of hot water and a bundle of washcloths.

Duo was lying on his bed in no more than his boxers, still unconscious and Wufei was checking the rest of his body for injuries.

Heero set the pot down on the nightstand and soaked a cloth in it before handing it to Wufei.

Wufei began to clean gently around the wound on his beloved's chest. "Kami-sama. He's lucky. He's fast. Looks like he dodged at the last second. How many were there? They usually keep to packs."

Heero soaked a cloth himself and began to help Wufei wipe the blood from his lover's skin. "It was a coven. There were seven."

Wufei looked stunned. "How the HELL did you survive?!"

Heero didn't look up from what he was doing. "He_"

"He marked you."

Heero looked up then. "Is that where you bite your finger and_"

"Yes. It is a protective barrier. ...That explains it." Wufei seemed to think for a moment as he continued to wipe the blood from Duo's body. "I can do this."

Heero knew that he was nervous about him being near Duo's blood having tasted it so he stood and watched.

"He'll need blood. More than you can give him. Do you know how hot it has to be?"

"I can figure it out." Heero walked from the room to prepare some blood for his lover. He felt a strange numbness about the whole thing. Suddenly, heating blood or having Wufei so close to him or mention him 'donating' didn't seem so dire or strange. 'After that, I'm not surprised this doesn't effect me. God. I hate this empty numb feeling. I just hope Duo wakes up soon. Everything is always Ok when he's around. He makes it Ok. But this isn't. Duo-kun, please wake up soon so you can tell me that everything is alright.' Heero pulled the fridge open and took out a bag, thanking the numbness and taking out the pot in the damaged cupboard by the only glass. He looked around for a knife but found none other than the plastic ones. Then he recalled the dagger Duo kept in his room. He set the bag of blood down and walked into the room. He found the dagger in a drawer and, paying Wufei and his unconscious lover a look, he walked back into the kitchen. He cut open the bag carefully and poured it into the pot. He set the pot on the stove and turned the flame to medium, not expecting Duo to awake very soon.

He looked at the clear plastic bag lined with red that lay on the counter and washed it as he had heard Wufei do a few nights previous before he pitched it into the trash. He moved back to the blood and waited. After a moment of confusion as to how he was expected to discern its temperature, he sighed exasperatedly and stuck the tip of his finger into the dark red liquid. 'This is probably how Duo does it. There's no thermometer around. I just hope I don't get any diseases from doing this. I know he can't but I can.' Deciding that the blood was still too cool, Heero washed his hands in the sink with the heavy-duty detergent and waited a few more moments before repeating the process. This time, the blood was hot. "Yosha." He washed his hands again before he took out the glass and carefully poured the blood in it, not liking the idea of cleaning up any of the liquid he spilled. He set the glass down and put the pot in the sink, filling it with hot water and leaving it to take the glass to Duo.

He stepped into the room to see that Wufei had finished cleaning him off and was ruining a washcloth beyond redemption by pressing it against the wound on his lover's chest, applying pressure to stop the bleeding. "Here."

Wufei looked to him over his shoulder and grunted. "Table. He'll wake up soon."

Heero looked down on his beloved's face and saw the damage that had been done. His lower lip was swollen and broken, his nose still bled a little and Heero figured it was probably broken, and his left eye was blackened. He seemed even thinner and his skin was much paler than it normally was. He looked lower. Duo was covered in bruises and scratches. There was a gaping hole in his chest and the ribs on his right side were nearly black, so dark was the bruise. He looked higher again. And his hair was cut. Heero absently thought he looked only slightly like a beautiful painting of Jesus on the cross.

"Can you get the bandaging items from the bathroom?" Asked Wufei. "They are on the counter."

Heero nodded and wordlessly left the room, quickly gathering all of said items, willing to follow whatever command or request Wufei gave him if it would help his Shugotenshi. He returned to the room and put the bandaging supplies down on the table by the blood. He watched, memorizing everything as Wufei quickly and efficiently bandaged the wound.

"As far as I can tell, he has a badly broken arm, nose, two ribs and a dislocated shoulder. And the hole in his chest. But he's going to be fine_IF he survives this blood loss. It's all resting upon the time between now and when he wakes up and feeds. He'll need a lot of rest. And blood. I'll take him hunting tomorrow night. He's been living off that damned refrigerated stuff since Sunday. Maybe longer. And that stuff is old. He needs to contact his dealer." The Chinese vampire seemed to notice something for the first time. "Why is his hair shorter?"

"They cut it. The leader did. I think he was the one who made him. I have it in my bike. I didn't want to leave it behind as evidence. DNA. Do you have DNA?"

Wufei nodded. "Yes. It's altered however so it is a good thing that you did not leave the baka's braid behind. Our blood or other samples of DNA would prove a puzzle to ningens should it ever be found. There are already enough ideas out there and it would be bad if ningens were certain. The day we are discovered is the day I kill myself." He said tonelessly as he looked over the bandage and Heero knew that he knew that life would be Hell if he were ever caught. "He is going to be upset about his hair. But there is nothing that I can do for that and it will grow back." He shrugged.

There was a long silence before Heero couldn't take it anymore. "So what do we do now?"

"We wait."

'I hate waiting.'

"Too damned bad."

Heero wanted to yell at Wufei for getting into his thoughts but he realized that it was probably just a reflex. He was afraid for Duo as well and so he was very aware of his environment. And yelling at him about it would do no good anyway. "Is he going to act all weird when he wakes up?"

Wufei turned to him with narrowed eyes. "How the hell would YOU know about that?"

Heero wanted to shrink back from that glare but remained still and met it with one of his own. "I care about Duo. More than anything. Ever. And after the fiasco dinner at his landlords', I took care of him, brought him back here, made him warm again and kept him talking so he wouldn't freak out. He does that. If he doesn't talk, he gets stuck in his head and he can't get out."

Wufei's lips quirked into a smile. "Sao. You know him well."

Heero nodded.

Wufei's eyes sparkled briefly. "I am glad. You two make a good couple. An odd one, but not a bad one. You are well suited for each other. As well as a ningen and a vampire can be, anyway." He looked back to Duo. "Yes. He will be in quite the foul mood when he awakes. I will take care of that. And then it is your turn and you can talk to him. I can't take more than a few seconds of his rambling before wanting to shove a gag in his mouth." He snorted. "It's good that you like it, because he's ALWAYS been a loudmouth and he always WILL be one. How long are you two planning on being together?"

Heero looked down. "That's kind of debatable." He didn't offer any other information and Wufei took the hint and dropped the subject.

"You'd better wait in the other room. He will wake at any moment now."

Heero nodded and left to let Wufei care for his beloved. He sat heavily on the couch and waited.

After a few moments, he heard Duo yell from the other room.

"GODDAMN SON OF A BITCH!!!!!!" Then there was a brief scuffle and then a thud. Heero heard Wufei hissing something while Duo whimpered and fought the urge to run in and help his lover. After a brief moment of silence, Heero heard sounds of movement.

"Is he here?" Came Duo's whispered voice.

'God! He sounds so weak.'

"Hai. Drink this and then you can see him."

There was more silence before Duo spoke. "I'm cold."

"I'll get another glass. ...Are you alright?"

More silence. "Sure. I'm just really cold and really tired. ...It hurts so bad to breath. And... I can't feel my arm."

There was a sickening popping sound and Heero knew that Wufei had reset the shoulder.

"CHIKUSHOU!!! WUFEI!!! THAT HURTS, YOU BASTARD!!!"

"Shut up. You'll thank me later. There is nothing I can do about your ribs. Or your arm; the bone is shattered above the elbow. It will heal within two days but it will hurt until then. I'll get the boy_"

"No. Please. I don't want him to see me like this. Please, Wufei."

Wufei sighed. "You need more than this. I will go out and see if I can catch one of those deer of which you speak."

"No. That's Ok. I can_"

"Damare, Maxwell. You need to feed. You are lucky that you are not dust. I will get a deer. You rest."

Heero heard footsteps leave the room and saw Wufei enter the living room. "He's awake. I have to go out and see what I can get him sustenance wise as his stock is too old to be of much use anymore. I will be back soon."

And then he was out the door.

Heero stared at the doorway that led to the hall for a moment before standing and walking quietly into it and creeping to Duo's room. He poked around the doorway into the room to see Duo sitting in a ball on his bed. His head was resting on his knees and his shoulders were shaking. "Duo?"

Duo jumped and looked up to him. His face looked as though he had lost the fight, though Heero knew better. His lip was, by this point, very swollen and his eye was painful to look at.

Heero suddenly wanted to run. His beloved's eyes were dilated in the same way as Wufei's and the others' had been that day in the basement.

Duo closed his eyes and turned away from him. "Hee-kun. Thank you for taking care of me. But... I need to be alone for a while. Kudasai. ...Ok?"

Even though Duo couldn't see him, Heero nodded. "Ok. I'll be in the next room, alright?"

Duo nodded as he buried his face in his arm on his knees again. "Hai."

Heero walked out and flung himself onto the still cushionless couch. Though he did his best not to, he couldn't stop the tears from trailing down his cheeks. He wiped at them furiously. 'So this is what I got into. I just want to take Duo away from all this darkness and death. To a place where we could walk in the sunlight and not have to worry about blood or marks. How can he stand this? All the death? I can’t. I've never killed anything before. I feel sick. I know that I shouldn't. That vamp was going to kill me and then hurt my Duo. And he was a murderer, probably a hundred times over. I know that what I did was right but I feel like I'm covered in the ashes. God. I feel so dirty.' Heero covered his face in his arms and sobbed silently.

After a few moments, the door opened and a tired looking Wufei stepped into the room. His hair was free of its band and fell about his face slightly messy but attractively, shinning in the light. "You stay in here. He doesn't want you to see him as he is. I found a deer and have it outside. I will take him out there. You just stay out of the way. Understood?"

Heero nodded. "What should I do? I mean..."

Wufei sighed. "Just wait in the room I have been using. And don't come out until later." He then walked into the hallway.

Heero walked into his room, closing the door and sitting on the floor, leaning against it. He heard Wufei mumbling something to Duo and then a shriek that made his heart leap into his throat. He battled the urge to run to his lover's side and he bit at his lip, breaking open the cut he had received from being hit by the leader and sucking on it. 'That vamp... He's the one that made Duo. He was...evil. So evil. And Duo is so good. I guess vampires are either angels or devils. I'm glad that Duo did not become a devil.'

*

Duo listened to the conversation in the other room with shame. 'I know that he feels bad about this and I should be comforting him, but I can't face him like this. Not after... That was my fault. I knew something bad was going to happen and I ignored it. I'm so stupid.' He fingered the ends of his short hair and felt a wave of pain wash over him. 'Stop being childish. It will grow back.' But the fact was what upset him so was not the fact that his hair had been shortened as that it had been used against him and he had almost died as the price. 'Because of my stupidity, I almost died and left Heero alone. Hee-kun... I'm so sorry you were there.'

His mind traveled back to the night he was made in a dirty alleyway on Maxwell Street. His eyes squeezed closed tightly and he suppressed sobs. 'I saw him again. And he was evil. I had always hoped that he was at least not a mark. God. Of course he was. He took me, and I was not dirty. My aura was not red at the time. It couldn't have been. I was always so angry that he had not stayed with me and raised me, but now I am glad.' He bowed his head in shame as silent sobs racked his shoulders painfully. 'My sire was a mark. My SIRE was a MARK. I'm so ashamed.'

Wufei stepped into his room and began speaking.

Unable to understand what he was saying, Duo shook his head to clear it. "I'm sorry?"

The Chinese man snorted. "I got a deer. It's outside. Heero is in my room so he will not see. Let's go." He lifted Duo off the bed none too gently.

Duo yelped before stifling it and glaring at Wufei. "Put me down! I can walk myself! Goddamn it, Wu! Let! Me! Go!" He struck feebly at Wufei with his good arm as he was carried down the hall. He eyed the door to the room Heero was in warily until he was in the living room and out of sight of it.

"Be grateful, baka." Wufei snorted again as he walked outside and Duo saw a large female deer lying on the ground just beyond his porch, its breathing heavy and labored while its eyes gazed widely at nothing.

Duo knew it was in shock. As Wufei set him down by the beast's neck, he swallowed his tattered pride and bit roughly into the artery, drinking quickly and hating that Wufei was there.

After he was done he sat back and looked over the animal that had ceased breathing long seconds ago. "I'm sorry." He whispered.

Wufei sighed behind him. "Baka. It's dead. It can't hear you."

Knowing that Wufei would not understand, Duo didn't say anything and tried to stand on his own but found that, though he felt better, he was still too weak.

Wufei wordlessly lifted him and carried him back to his bed, laying him on it carefully this time.

Duo laid back against the pillows and pretended to fall asleep immediately, wanting to be left alone for a while. He slowed his breathing and kept it shallow, almost nothing, and didn’t respond to anything.

"Che. Baka." Wufei snorted and left the room.

Once he was gone, Duo turned to the door and listened as Wufei told Heero that he was asleep. He heard footsteps approach his room and closed his eyes again, turning painfully onto his side.

"Duo?" It was Heero.

Duo didn't answer him. He felt horrible but he knew that it was better for Heero to keep his distance from him for a while. While he wanted to run into Heero's arms, allow himself to be held, he knew that he had to stay away for their own good. It would be so easy to fuck up again…

"Duo-kun. I.... I'm sorry. Please get better soon. I need you."

The guilt at the pain in his lover's voice was eating him alive. 'I'm sorry, Hee-kun. Please understand.'

"I'll be in the other room."

And the footsteps retreated.

Once Heero walked away, Duo lost the battle and the tears fell from his eyes into his short hair.

*

Heero stepped into the living room and looked down at himself. His clothes were covered in his lover's blood. The dress shirt and gray sneakers his beloved had bought him were completely ruined. Heero realized that he was cold, his clothes wet with blood, and stripped them off mechanically, walking into the bathroom to take a quick shower. Once he was clean again, he stepped from the shower and walked briskly into the living room in a towel, only caring a little if Wufei exited his room and caught the sight of his scars. Taking his usual clothes out of his backpack, he dressed quickly in them and one of the spare pairs of boxers he kept with him since he and Duo had become intimate and he had been spending days at a time at Duo's house.

Once dressed, he looked at the couch that had blood on it. His clothing had been soaked in the stuff. The shirt was torn from his landing after the leader had kicked him away and he knew his back was scraped badly but he couldn't seem to care or register the pain yet. He knew that was shock, but again, he didn't care. He lay down on the floor and rested his head on his arms. Sleep did not come for him, however and so he sat and stared at the bloody clothes in a bundle on the floor. 'I killed.' He continued to stare at his clothes. "I will never see my clothes stained with blood again." He vowed. "I will protect Duo from this for as long as I breathe and keep this from happening again. Never again." He began to shake and he knew that he was finally coping with killing his first person. His hands became fists unconsciously as he gritted his teeth. 'This is horrible. But I would gladly do it again and again to protect my Duo. I would live for a thousand years and do this every night if it meant that Duo didn't have to. God. It's so cold.'

After nearly an hour, at One-thirty, Heero heard the shower start and wondered if it was Duo or Wufei. He stood and walked to the bathroom and found the door cracked open and quiet sobs coming from inside. He recognized Duo's voice and stepped inside the small bathroom, closing the door behind himself. The bathroom was filled with steam and Heero knew that it was from the extremely hot water.

He opened the shower curtain to see Duo sitting in a ball in the tub, his broken arm dangling to his side while his good hand was tugging at his short hair. He stared forward with an expressionless mask as small sobs escaped him, his tears lost in the downpour of water.

Heero reached for him and hissed at the heat of the water, bringing his hand back and turning off the water altogether. "Duo." He knelt by the side of the tub and reached out again, turning Duo's chin to make him face him. He noted that Duo's eye was only slightly dark now, his lip not nearly as swollen as it had been and the cut gone, and his nose was no longer bleeding.

Duo turned haunted eyes to him. "Their... Their ashes is on me. ...In me. ...And I'm covered in blood. Mine... Theirs... ...It's the same.... ...I have to get it all off. I can't stand the smell."

Nodding in understanding, Heero picked up the bar of soap and began to lather it in his hands. He brought his hands down onto his lover's skin with care, knowing he was in pain, and gently soaped Duo's body.

Duo sobbed quietly through the whole thing and kept his eyes squeezed closed.

Heero filled the tub with warm, not hot water and began to rinse Duo of the suds. He then moved on and picked up the shampoo bottle. He poured a liberal amount into his hand and worked it through the now short chestnut silk he so adored.

Duo's sobs became stronger then and Heero hugged him tightly to himself.

"Listen to me. Your hair will grow back. In a week, you'll never know that it had been cut. You don't have to cry about it, ne?" He kissed a cheek tenderly.

Duo nodded as his sobs became harsher. He got out choked words between the sobs. "I'm...so...sorry...Hee-kun. I almost died...and left you...because of my stupidity. ...I'm so sorry."

Heero hugged him tightly to himself again. "No, Duo. Don't do that. Ok? We are both Ok. And I am glad that it ended well. I just wish you did not have to do that ever. That there was a way to take you away from all this. Give you chance at normal life."

Duo shook his head. "I'll never have a normal life."

Heero nodded. "I know. My Angel in shackles. But I guess what I have to do then, if I can't give you a normal one, is I can at least try to give you a happy one, ne?"

Duo smiled sadly at him. "Arigato, Koibito."

Heero kissed his cheek again and turned on the showerhead, rinsing the shampoo from Duo's hair.

Duo absently fingered the end of a short lock as he stared forward blankly.

Bringing a towel out from beneath the sink, Heero lifted Duo to sit on the edge of the tub. He knew Duo was weak, swaying as he was, and dried him quickly. He then carried him into his bedroom, dressing Duo in a pair of black boxers, and laid them both on the bed.

He looked to the wet bandage and saw that, being wet, it was doing nothing to help, blood soaking through the gauze to stain the once white tape. Heero removed it carefully and placed fresh gauze over the wound, taping it there with the same medical efficiency he had seen Wufei use. He checked it over and deemed it good enough for his beloved.

If Duo was nervous about him being near his blood, he didn't show it. He was still staring at the ceiling, absently tugging on his hair and Heero saw that it had indeed grown a few centimeters since it had been cut.

A thought occurred to him and he rose from the bed, walking into the bathroom and retrieving Duo's brush and a small black band from a drawer. He returned to Duo's room to see him staring blankly at the ceiling, still holding his hair. Heero gently lifted him into a sitting position and sat behind him. He let Duo lean back against him, his legs on either side of Duo's, his chest pressed to his back. He ran the brush through the wet hair, hating that it was so short as there was so little of it to brush.

Duo’s shoulders shook with quiet sobs as his hair was brushed gently.

Heero then separated it into three sections and, recalling how Duo had done it, he began to braid it. It was a little uneven, not nearly as neat as when Duo did it, but it was plaited. He carefully placed the band an inch from the ends and then brought Duo's right hand to his hair and let him feel the short braid.

Duo's deceptively delicate looking fingers tentatively traced the length of hair, shaking lightly.

Heero kissed his hair and then his hand. "Ne, Duo? I guess now you have to admit that you're the cute one of the two of us. Ne?" He whispered tentatively

Duo turned with a monumental effort and kissed Heero lightly, a bare brush, his lips ghosting over Heero's before he pulled back with tears in his eyes. "Arigato, Heero." He sobbed. "Arigato." He buried his head in Heero's shoulder and held him tightly with his intact arm.

Heero kissed his hair again and rubbed his back. "Ai shite ieru, Duo-kun."

"Ai shite ieru, Hee-kun. Arigato."

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Ack! (Gags on sap) Jeez. That was too much, even for me. Gomen, ne? ~_~’ Sorry guys.

Chapter 31

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