"SHADOWS AND LIGHT: AN UNBREAKABLE BOND"

Written By: Stone Angel

 

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

AN: /TEXT/ = flashback

 

SHADOWS AND LIGHT: AN UNBREAKABLE BOND:

CHAPTER 31: LIE TO ME:

Heero held Duo tightly to himself as he watched him sleep.

Duo had yet to stir at all since he had fallen asleep over an hour ago. The only movement that belied the fact that he was indeed not a statue was the shallow but even breaths that caused his chest to rise and fall.

Heero watched his lover for any signs of emotional or physical distress. 'God. I wish painkillers worked on him. I'll bet that arm hurts like hell.' Heero's own muscles were sore from the fight and the skin on his elbows and back was scraped badly. He knew that he had bruises as well from his landing as well as being kicked, backhanded and stepped on during the battle.

After an hour, he realized that he had to pee so he reluctantly left Duo, covering him with the blankets again, and did just that. The light in the bathroom hurt his eyes and he squinted, quickly answering nature's call. Then, since he was in the bathroom anyway, he decided that, as there was a mirror there, he would check his back to discern the severity of the injuries. He stripped off his green tank top and paled in shock at the sight that greeted him in the mirror.

The scars that marred the skin of his chest were far less noticeable. They were still obvious but he knew them well and they had definitely changed. He ran a hand over them to make sure he was not hallucinating and found them to be smaller by touch as well. He felt his back and felt the same thing. "What the FUCK?!" He hissed at his reflection, too quiet to wake up his lover or Wufei but loud enough to echo in the small and near silent bathroom. Suddenly, the ticking of the old fashioned clock on the window sill seemed deafening as the world went slightly out of kilter for a moment before everything spun back into place.

/"Heero, we all have scars. They fade for us when we are made but they are still there."/

Heero remembered Duo's words from Quatre's house when they had been sitting by the pool and realized that it was Duo's blood that had lessened his scars. He held on to the edge of the counter in a white-knuckle grip as if, should he let go, he would fall off the edge of the world. He knew that he would certainly fall onto his ass. 'I want it.'

He studied the other parts of his body. His skin was slightly smoother and seemed softer and his hair shimmered in the light. He ran a hand through it and found that to be slightly softer as well. 'Oh..........my............god...........' He looked to his eyes and found them to be a bit more brilliant than they had been before, shimmering back at him in the mirror. He noticed his eyesight was improved as well, things seeming a bit sharper than he remembered them. His hearing had changed only slightly, too. He quickly checked his teeth and found that his canines were only slightly more pointy than they had been before but no longer. He felt one with his tongue and found it sharp. Duller than Duo's, but sharper than it had been before. He knew that biting his tongue or a lip now would draw blood. He stood straight after a moment and thought about this new development, gazing at his reflection and running his fingers over the smaller scars.

'I want it.' Scowling at himself, he shook his head. 'Baka. That has got to be THE MOST shallow thing you've EVER thought! And it doesn't matter. He will do it. Not now. And I'm glad. I never appreciated the sun until I met Duo. Now I think that I stop and appreciate it enough for the both of us. Even though I hate it for being such a deadly risk for Duo and a separating barrier for us. I want to remember everything and experience everything mortal to the fullest before I do this. And he will. I know it. I don't think he could stand to watch me die. Again.' He looked at the scars once more before pulling on his shirt and checking his reflection. Satisfied that he was decent, he left the bathroom and walked to his lover's bed, studying him as he slept.

After a moment of merely watching Duo sleep, and mindful of his broken arm, Heero crawled into the bed beside him and held Duo tightly to himself. Duo's state of comatose-like slumber did not change and Heero kissed his hair, pulling the blankets around them before surrendering to sleep himself, completely exhausted.

* * *

Duo awoke from a pleasant nothingness he rarely got the chance to enjoy when he heard a loud yelp right next to his ear. His eyes snapped open and he looked around for enemies, his arms automatically raising to protect himself. He nearly shrieked at the agony that shot up his left arm to flow through his entire body but stifled it, not willing to betray his presence or show any weakness should a foe already know he was there. He felt a body next to him and looked to see that it was Heero. 'SHIT!' Now he really had something to protect to the death. He jumped from the bed and took a defensive posture, ignoring the waves of pain that crashed upon him in a torrent of agony. After a half of a second, he heard another yelp, this time quieter and looked back to the bed.

Heero wore a scowl in his sleep and was thrashing his head about on the pillow. He was writhing as if trying to escape something, his breathing quick as small moans or yelps escaped him.

Duo was back on the bed in a human heartbeat and was trying to discern the problem. When he did, he smacked himself mentally. 'He's having a nightmare. No doubt about the battle. Kuso.' As the weakness overcame him again, he collapsed and held Heero close in one arm and kissed his cheek, extending his mind to touch Heero's and sending away the nightmares from his head. He instead filled Heero's unconsciousness with love and promises and warmth.

Heero mumbled something in his sleep and cuddled close to him.

Duo winced as Heero's hand rested on his wound but did not move, letting Heero be close to him. 'He was dreaming about the marks.' He closed his eyes and shuddered as the events played themselves out in his head. 'Heero dusted his first vamp. I want to be proud, but I know that he's gonna have a lot of weird feelings about it. I'll have to have a talk with him. Help him work through the issues.' He nuzzled his lover's hair and was reminded of his own. He reached back and felt that his braid was longer and looser, obviously having grown since Heero had done it. Duo put his arm about his Koibito again. 'That was so sweet. What he did. I wonder if he knows how much that meant to me. I know my hair will grow back. I'm just..... I'm tired of it. I like it, but I'm sick of it growing back when it gets cut. It's one of the reasons why I never cut it. I hate that it just grows back like that. Such a reminder.' He looked back to Heero. 'What he did was so thoughtful. Hee-kun, ai shite ieru. Arigato gosaimashite.' He held him closer to himself and purred deep in his chest next to Heero's ear to keep him at ease as he slept, banishing the nightmares to the darkness that was anything but Heero Yuy. 'Heero. You are the sunlight in my life.'

Feeling like something had changed about Heero, Duo studied his lover intently for long moments before he realized what was different. He felt his blood run cold with a surge of adrenaline. 'Oh, *FUCK*!!!!!!!!!!!' He moved back from Heero and studied him.

Once looking for the right things, they were obvious. Heero's skin was paler and smoother and his hair shinier.

Duo carefully lifted Heero's upper lip and checked his teeth.

The canines were dull. Sharper by human standards but far too dull to be that of a vampire. Duo's own had become unreasonably sharp during his change but had remained the same length they had been previously until he had killed his first. They still were so: Merely sharp canines most the time until they grew to become fangs.

Duo put Heero to the last test, remaining still and listening intently to any sound in the small room.

The steady rhythm of Heero's heartbeat filled his ears and he nearly cried with elation.

Heero was very human.

Duo held him closer and chided his own stupidity. 'Of course he's human, baka. He took too much when I marked him and that made him change just a little but that could never cause The Change as I didn't take any from him and he didn’t take a lot from me. There's no risk whatsoever as I have not bitten him in days. I can stop freaking out about this now. I'm being stupid. Like always. ...He'll notice this though. And he'll want to talk about it. I can do that. I don't think that he would try anything. And if he did, Wufei is here.' He gave in to the weakness he felt and, holding Heero closely to himself, he drifted back to a not so pleasant and blank nothingness.

* * *

At Nine in the morning Heero awoke. He knew because Duo had a clock in every room in his house and the way he was facing, a small, cherry wood clock with roman numerals glared back at him. He stretched and looked to Duo who was still asleep. He felt his skin and felt that Duo was still somewhat warm. 'That's good.' He looked to Duo's braid that was draped over his neck. The plait was very messy now as the braid had grown. He studied it. It must have grown a good three inches. 'I'm glad. He'll have it back in no time and he won't be reminded of the fight.' Heero shuddered at the memory of killing and nearly losing his lover.

Duo stretched slightly in his sleep, obviously disturbed by Heero's shiver. His eyes fluttered open and he looked at him for a moment before smiling. "Ohaiyo."

Heero smiled as well. "Hai. Dai ja bu?"

Duo grinned, something he had not done in a while, and though it was hollow, it was obvious he meant it. "Right as rain." He answered before his grin became somewhat wry. "Whatever that means."

Heero chuckled before becoming serious. He fixed Duo with a solemn expression and Duo nodded.

"We need to talk."

Heero nodded and kissed his hair, trying to convey that he was not repulsed by what had happened the last night.

It apparently did not convince Duo because he spoke in a sad tone. "I know you're freaking out about that, Heero. And you have every right to." He ran his hand through Heero's hair and then down his cheek as he sighed. "I'll make you breakfast. We can discuss this over coffee?"

Heero nodded at the oddly put question and he and his lover rose from the bed. He caught the flash of pain in his lover's eyes as he stood on very shaky legs. "Dosh_" He ran to Duo's side and caught him as he collapsed, unable to remain standing.

Duo groaned. "Mouuu! How annoying. Sorry, Hee-kun."

Heero shook his head in dismissal and carried Duo into the living room.

Duo's eyes widened at the sight of his bare couch stained with a liberal amount of blood. "What the hell?"

"I had to lie down. I forgot that my clothes were......" He glanced to the bloody bundle on the floor.

Duo followed his line of vision and his eyes widened more before he looked pensive. "Those have to be burned. ...Gomen nasai."

Deciding that the couch was no longer an option, Heero carried Duo into the kitchen and carefully placed him in a chair at the table. "For what?"

Duo looked down. "Ruining your clothes. And our evening." His voice was almost inaudible to Heero as he spoke the next three words, his bangs obscuring his eyes. "....And your life....."

Heero hugged him tightly to himself before loosening his grip at Duo's semi-stifled yelp as his shoulder was jarred. "Don't think that. I am glad that I am with you. I am of my own free will. I could leave at any time, Duo."

Duo looked slightly afraid then and Heero kissed his hair to reassure him.

"But I won't. I choose not to. Please stop beating yourself up about us." He sighed. "Last night.... I almost lost you. I was so scared. I thought you were as good as dead. If you died.... If I lost you, Duo..... I'd kill myself."

Duo looked up at him with wide eyes and shook his head. "Iye. Iye! Heero, I live with the knowledge that a fight with a mark can go badly any given night. I exist, teetering between life and death. Please don't think that way. Someday, my number will come up. And there won't be a thing either of us can do about it. When that happens..." He reached up and cupped Heero's cheek tenderly. "... you have to promise me that you will move on."

Heero shook his head vehemently. "No way, Duo."

Desperately, Duo's eyes pleaded with his. "Heero, please. Just..."

Heero held him tightly. "I will never lose you, Duo. NEVER. Not to anything. And if anything even TRIES to take you away from me, god help it."

Duo was silent as his arm wrapped around Heero's neck.

Heero drudged up the courage to ask the question to which he already had the answer. "So... The leader. He was the one that made you?"

Silently, Duo nodded against him.

"I'm sorry, Duo. I know how much you hate him. Did you know he was a mark?"

"No. I didn't. But now it makes sense."

Heero nodded. "Are you Ok?"

A long silence ensconced itself in the room with them before Duo spoke quietly. "I will be. I feel.... Strange. I know that I will have closure from this later, but for now, I just feel numb. Do you understand?"

"Ah." Heero thought about the previous night and how cold and cruel his lover's maker had been. After a long moment of silence, he spoke. "I'm gonna just have some cereal. You want some tea? Or coffee?"

"Tea please. Arigato."

Heero moved back reluctantly and began to boil some water in one of the new pots Duo had bought recently. He took out four tea bags and threw them unceremoniously into the water as he moved to the refrigerator and took out the milk, closing the door and not meeting eyes with Duo who suddenly felt very uncomfortable to him. He took out a bowl and filled it with cereal and milk, grabbing a spoon and sitting across from Duo at the table.

Footsteps approached the kitchen and Heero turned to face Wufei as he hunched over his bowl like an animal over a kill.

The Chinese vampire's hair was back in its traditional, gravity-defying ponytail. He rubbed at his temples for a moment before glaring at Duo. "Do I really have to say it?"

Heero growled at him, not tolerating anyone even speaking in a less than friendly way to his beloved, and Wufei looked at him incredulously, as if unable to get his mind around the challenging look in Heero's eyes.

"Maxwell should be in bed. He didn't die of the stake, but he can still die of the blood loss." He turned to Duo when Heero abruptly dropped his snarl. "For the next day, you need to use a minimal amount of energy and get all the blood you can. I will take you to the slums tonight. Until then... Don't make me carry you to your bed." He stepped aside from the doorway to the hall. "Go. Now."

Duo sighed and again tried to stand but Heero instead rose and lifted him gently, carrying him back to his bed.

As he was set down, Duo leaned against the headboard. "Man. This sucks."

"Get used to it, Maxwell. Payback's a bitch." Called Wufei from the kitchen.

Duo chuckled mirthlessly and Heero raised an eyebrow at him. "It's not as serious as he makes it seem. I could have died before, there's still a chance now but it won't happen. And he's doing this cause it's what I did when I took care of him. Now he gets to play mother hen."

Smiling, Heero nodded. "I'll be right back, ne? I'll get the tea."

Duo closed his eyes and leaned his head back. "Hai. Arigato."

Heero left the room to see Wufei standing over the pot, glaring at it as if that would make it boil any faster. 'And with the way he glares, I wouldn't be surprised.' He thought to himself with a smile. He stood next to the Chinese vampire, fearful no longer.

Wufei looked to him from the corners of his eyes for a moment before returning his gaze to the contents of the pot, noting the closeness but not saying anything about it.

Heero spoke after a moment of uncomfortable silence. "I'm sorry I acted weird around you. Thank you for helping Duo."

After a short moment, Wufei nodded almost imperceptibly. "You had every right to behave so. And you are welcome."

Heero smiled and extended his hand.

Wufei looked down at it before grasping it and shaking it.

"Friends?"

"Hai." And with that, Wufei, obviously uncomfortable, walked out of the kitchen to his room, suddenly uninterested in the tea.

Heero smirked to himself and turned to the tea. After a minute or so, it was steaming and he figured that it was hot enough. He poured it into two cups with some sugar in them and carried them back to Duo's room before returning to the kitchen for his cereal. He waltzed back into the bedroom and sat by his lover on the bed.

Duo sipped his tea and smiled at him. "That was sweet."

Heero blinked. "Nani?"

"What you said to Wu. He really feels bad about the basement thing. That was nice, what you said. The truce."

Heero smiled wryly. "I guess. Just...after last night, I can't be afraid of him anymore."

Duo nodded solemnly. "You got a chance to meet vamps that were BAD, not just rude."

"Not just that." Heero said. "He helped you. I didn't know what to do. He was the one that kept you from dying."

Duo nodded. "Wufei is a good man. They all are. It's a shame that that happened. It was not the cap that I wanted you to have to meeting them. But they really are all great. Quatre is like a ray of sunshine itself; golden and warm. He can make you feel better about anything. No matter how bad it gets, he always does his best to improve the situation. He is a great friend. Trowa is forthcoming and truthful. He won't lie to you. He'll give it to you straight, even if it hurts, cause he knows that's what you need to hear. He won't change his opinion or go back on what he said for anyone's sake. A good trait that so few share these days. Wufei is a hard ass. He'll push you, and, in hindsight, you really appreciate it. He seems gruff all the time, but deep down is a man who cares deeply for his near and dear and is completely devoted to them, ensuring that they are never hurt, even by themselves." He sighed.

Heero smiled. "What about you?"

Duo grinned. "Didn't you know? I'm the comedy relief."

Heero laughed at that. "I wouldn't use the word 'relief', Duo-kun."

Duo pouted before grinning again. "Naw, we met some hard times, me and the 'Fang Gang'. Things got pretty dark at times. But I always tried to lighten the mood. Just to keep everyone from trying to tear each other's heads off."

"I'll bet you drove Wufei crazy."

Duo smirked. "Short drive."

Heero laughed and Duo's eyes sparkled.

"I just did my best to keep everything in perspective. Sometimes things got blown way out of proportion and SOMEone had to step back and reason it all out. I usually take a huge step back and look at the big picture and when I see it, I can't stop laughing. I'd often try to convey what I found so funny to the others but they all looked at me like I'd grown a second head or something. I would keep talking so they didn't all lose it. Or they would leave and get some fresh air to come back somewhat cooled." He shrugged with one shoulder. "In either case, the strategy worked."

Heero thought about that. "That's pretty useful."

Duo smiled. "Aw. Thanks. My annoyingness can be a gift at times."

Heero looked to Duo's bandage that had a large spot of blood on it. "I'll change that for you if you want."

Dropping the smile, Duo nodded hesitantly as he gazed at the blanket as if it held some particular fascination. "Anou...... Heero...... What I did....with the blood... You might notice some........changes."

Heero nodded and set his cereal on the table aside the bed, suddenly not hungry. "I already have."

Duo looked up from under his bangs. "I'm sorry. But I had to do that."

Heero took his hand, not pulling it as it was his left one and his arm was still broken. "It's Ok, Duo. No harm, no foul, ne?"

Duo nodded hesitantly. He smiled weakly after a moment. "If you suddenly get bad sunburns, tell me."

Heero chuckled at the stressed joke for Duo's sake. He smiled at him before he became serious. "Why didn't you use that trick in the basement?"

Duo looked away. "I.... It..... There's always a chance that you could take it too far. It's dangerous. And it is SUCH an insult. Quatre would have been really hurt if I had marked you in front of him. I was there to protect you, anyway. You took a lot more than was necessary this time. Those changes will fade but not disappear completely. After a few days when the spell has worn to nothing."

Heero nodded. "Sorry."

Duo didn't meet his eyes. "It wasn't your fault, Hee-kun. Instinct dictates what your body does during.... And our blood dictates your instinct. There is nothing to be done about it."

Understanding, Heero nodded.

"How are you?"

He cleared his throat. "I'm Ok. Everything looks much sharper now. Clearer. I can hear a lot better. And smell. And everything feels different. I mean physically. I feel stronger. And my sense of touch seems better. My canines are pointier and I get the feeling that it would hurt a lot if I bit my lip on accident. My skin and hair feel smoother too. And....my scars......." He turned to Duo with a small smile. "They faded a little."

Duo smiled slightly. "A perk."

Nodding emphatically, Heero answered. "Definitely."

Duo smiled. "The scars will remain faded. They are technically damage so the blood will try to fix it. The other things however will become a bit more normal again." His smiled faded to nothing. "You are lucky. You could have accidentally been changed and then, because of the small amount of blood, been very, very weak. I am weak by standards as I was not made properly. That's why I can't do all the mental tricks Q or the others can. When one does it correctly, blood is exchanged at least twice during. I got it once." He looked away. "I am glad that it did not turn out so for you."

Heero nodded in agreement.

Duo looked around the room, at anything besides Heero.

Heero squeezed his hand lightly.

Duo looked back to his eyes after a moment. "Do you remember your dreams?"

Heero was puzzled by the question until he recalled the rather vivid nightmares he had had during the night. He felt his blood run slightly colder and Duo leaned forward and hugged him tightly with his good arm, having quickly put his half-empty cup of tea on the nightstand. Heero thought about the strange way that the nightmares had suddenly turned warm and soft, no images or sounds save for a deep, encompassing amethyst and a rumbling purring. "Was that you that made them stop?"

Duo nodded against him. "I had to do something. You were so scared. Hee-kun.... It's perfectly normal for you to have nightmares about that. Don't feel weak because of it."

Heero felt himself begin to tremble and clung to Duo tightly. Tears began to fall from his eyes and he squeezed them closed as he sobbed into Duo's hair. "I killed."

Duo rubbed his back. "I know. I know exactly how you feel, Hee-kun. Like you know you did the right thing, but you still feel like it doesn't matter how right it was, it was still wrong."

Nodding, Heero sobbed harder. "I can't get his face out of my head. I know that he was bad. Evil. But he looked so......human. And then the girl... She looked so young! Barely a teen!"

"I know. I know, Hee-kun. Things like this haunted me for twenty years until that part of me became somewhat numb. I just shut it off. It's easier that way. But it will always hurt. Hee-kun...... If you want, Wufei can take the memory of last night away."

Heero shook his head at the thought of someone mucking around in his mind and deleting things. "Iye. I'll be Ok, Duo. I just...... I never want to have to do that again. See you almost die. I would kill every mark on the face of the Earth if I didn't have to go through what I did last night again. That was Hell. Almost losing you. I would live for a thousand years and kill dozens of marks every night if, in return, you didn't have to. I never want my hands to be stained with your blood again, Duo. Ever."

Duo nodded. "I understand. But I can't give you that, Heero. I cannot promise that this will not happen again."

Heero nodded and buried his head in Duo's uninjured shoulder. He let the tears flow at the memory of seeing people die and causing one to do so himself. "I... I took his head off. He had no head before he... And I did it." He sobbed.

Duo kissed his hair and rubbed his back. "I know. I want to tell you to be proud, you handled the situation better than I could have ever dreamed. But first, you need to get used to this. And I'm here for you, to help you deal. Just please, never think that what you did was murder. It was killing, but it could never be murder. What you did was right. You saved hundreds of lives last night, Hee-kun. You may as well have put down a rabid dog. The analogy fits well. Never think that killing that mark was evil or murder."

Heero held him more tightly. "Arigato, Duo-kun." He sobbed and Duo ran his fingers through his hair in a comforting gesture. "How can you stand this? It's so strange. And it hurts."

Duo nodded. "I know."

Heero held him tightly to himself, careful of Duo's injuries. "Will it go away?"

Duo kissed his hair. "No. But it will fade and get easier to handle with time. In a week, it won't hurt nearly as bad. In a month, you might be able to joke about it. And in a year, you can look back with pride. The way I do now."

Heero nodded and took the words as gospel as Duo never lied. "Arigato, Duo."

Duo kissed his hair. "Hai, Koi. Ai shite ieru." He held him tightly.

Heero was quiet, after a moment, speaking softly and restraining the tears that threatened to spill again. "I can't believe you had to do that last night. I know you said you had to, but I always kind of refrained from picturing it. It was like a nightmare. And then... Your maker."

"Sire." He said softly.

"Huh?"

"Sire. He was my sire. Though I am loathe to admit it. That's the word for when one makes another. They sire him." He said with shame and a bit of anger.

"Oh." Heero took in that bit of information but was unsure of what to do with it. "It was horrible, Tenshi."

Duo nodded and spoke in a voice hardly above a bare whisper. "I know, Heero. But even angels kill."

Heero nodded and rested his head on his shoulder. "Will this happen again? Will we be so lucky next time? Will we always have happy endings?"

For a moment, Duo was silent before he spoke in a sad tone. "What do you want me to say?"

Heero tightened his arm around his lover. "Say something meaningful and happy like you always do. Lie to me."

"Heero, I don’t li_"

Heero moved back and gazed into his eyes, giving Duo a pleading look. "Please?"

Duo waited a moment before smiling sadly and speaking in a soft voice made of black velvet. The tone alone could put Heero at ease. "Yes. Everything always ends well just like in fairy tales. We always get the bad guy, the good guy always lives, no one ever dies and we’ll all live happily ever after."

Heero’s eyes filled with new tears even as he smiled. "Liar." He rested his head back on Duo’s shoulder.

There was a moment of silence as Heero got his tears under control.

Sighing, Duo spoke softly. "Will you let me check your injuries? I can smell that you are hurt. How bad is it?"

Heero shook his head. "I don't know. Not bad. Just some scratches and scrapes."

Duo nodded and kissed his hair. "You want me to fix them?"

"Yosha. Kudasai. And then I'll braid your hair again."

Duo was quiet for a moment before he pulled back and Heero saw the tears in his eyes. "Heero. What you did, braiding it back like that, it meant a lot. You have no idea how much that helped."

Nodding, Heero replied. "I do. That's why I did it."

Duo kissed him lightly. "Arigato, Heero."

"Ah."

"Let's take care of you now."

"Ah." Heero sat back and stripped off his shirt.

Duo's eyes became sad at the sight of the bruises on his ribs. Then his eyes went lower and he smiled faintly. "You weren't kidding. The scars are smaller."

Heero nodded. "I love it. I've been wanting to get rid of them since I could talk. And now, all of a sudden, they change. And they'll stay smaller?"

Upon a nod of Duo's head, Heero smiled brightly.

"I'm stoked."

Duo laughed. "I can understand that. I had a lot of scars when I was mortal as well. I was confused but happy when they faded so drastically. You can still make them out faintly, though."

Heero looked him over. "Where are they?" He asked, looking desperately for the shared trait and realized that he and Duo, though very different, were the same in heart.

Duo gestured to his chest and shoulders. "They're all over but these were the worst." He ran a hand in a line across his chest, tracing one for Heero to see.

Heero looked closer and saw the faintly paler lines on his lover's skin.

Had he not been looking for them, he never would have seen them. They were just a bit paler than his lover's natural skin tone and ran in random patterns over him. Most looked as though the blade of a knife had made them. Others looked to be small burns or puncture marks.

He traced them with gentle fingers. "What...?"

Duo shook his head. "I don't remember most of these. .....I was too young.... Wi...with my father...."

Heero nodded and looked down, unsure of what to say or do and not wishing to give in to the rage he felt towards Duo's father in front of his lover.

"You mostly just have bruises on your chest, only a few scratches." Duo said, changing the subject. "This one looks bad." He pointed to one. "Let me see your arms."

Heero raised his arms and turned them, letting Duo examine them thoroughly.

Duo winced at his elbows. "Do those hurt? They look awful."

Heero nodded. "They hurt a little. I have a feeling they will hurt more later. I think I'm kinda still in shock."

Duo nodded. "Can you turn around? I need to see your back."

Heero turned around and heard Duo hiss quietly at his back. "Is it that bad?"

Duo ran a hand down his skin and he winced.

"Itai."

"Ah. Your skin is more broken than whole. I guess you skidded for a distance when he kicked you away. I still can't believe you did that. Attacked him."

There was a pause before Heero felt the hand return to his back, this time with a strange warmth accompanying it. The places the warmth left tingled pleasantly. He tried to turn but Duo stopped him.

"Stay still." He said as he continued to move his hand along Heero's back. "If I left this, you would have even more scars. And I know how much you hate the ones you already have. The blood that you got on you from me healed parts of it where it touched but not all of it."

Heero nodded and relaxed as the pleasant warmth and tingles moved over his back. Then a gentle hand took his arm and carefully and slowly pulled it back and he knew that Duo was using his broken arm. 'God. That must hurt so badly. But he's putting up with the pain to help me. Like always.' The warmth washed over his elbow, followed by the expected tingles. The same treatment was given to his other arm before Duo turned him gently to face him. Heero looked to his lover who was smiling sadly.

"Better?"

Unable to examine his back, Heero checked his elbows to find them healed completely.

Duo leaned forward and kissed his lower lip, licking gently and healing the small cut he had there. He then bit his thumb with a sharp canine and applied the drop of blood to the few scratches and scrapes Heero had on his chest from the leader's nails.

The same warmth and tingles followed his lover's ministrations to these small wounds. Heero watched, amazed, as they healed and disappeared to nothing instantly. He looked up to Duo who sucked on his own thumb for a moment before lowering his hand, the puncture he had made with his canine gone. "Arigato, Duo."

Duo smiled a little sadly. "No big." His manner became all business. "Heero. Don't ever do anything that stupid again."

Heero frowned. "Excuse me?"

Sighing, Duo crossed one arm upon his chest and scowled slightly. "Attacking the mark like that. I told you to stay away from them. Do you have any idea how close you came to death just then? How easy it could have been for him to snap your neck?" His scowl deepened. "Do you know what you would have put me through if you died? Because of me?!"

Heero stiffened in affront. "You almost died, too, Baka!"

"I didn't have a choice, Heero! I HAVE to do something when I see a mark! And I couldn't run with you there! I had to kill him! There was no other option!" He snapped, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"What happened to 'I'm so proud of you, Heero.'?" Said Heero with a sneer.

"I said that I was proud of you for dusting the vamp that attacked first." Said Duo, holding up a finger. "And I am. But to tackle a mark?! An OLD mark?! How could you make such a huge faux pas?! What in the holy FUCK were you thinking?!"

"THAT I HAD JUST WATCHED MY LOVER BE MURDERED!!!!" Retorted Heero.

Duo looked away and said not a word.

Heero cupped his cheek and let his anger cool. "Duo. I thought that when he stuck that thing in your chest, he had hit home and you were dead. And I didn't care what happened to me. You were dead. And since you were dead, so was I. If you couldn't protect me, I was going to be next. I wanted to go out fighting though, see if I could take him out with me. Duo, I saw RED when he staked you. Trying to kill him was all I cared about. I wanted blood. Or dust. I wanted to kill him slowly and painfully for taking you from me. I felt like the world broke into pieces and they all blew away on the wind, and no matter how I tried, they wouldn't come back. If you had died, and I wasn't killed, I don't think the world would have ever come back together. You know? And, if that happened, I wouldn't want to live in the broken world."

Duo looked up at him and Heero saw the sadness there.

"Is that how it was when...... When Solo died... When...I...died...when you were younger?"

Duo looked down and nodded. "...Ah."

Heero leaned forward and rested against him, mindful of his injuries. "How did you live? I don't think I would have lived."

Duo sighed heavily. "It was hard. Hell would be an understatement. I went mad for a while. Q almost killed me for my own good. For all ours." He rubbed his back gently. "I snapped out of it within half a year or so. Everything still hurt beyond description, though. But...even when I was insane...I had this weird feeling that I should go on. Like...if I did... I just had to wait, and all the pain would be replaced with something better. I just had to be patient. I know now why." He kissed Heero's hair. "You rescued me from Hell, Hee-kun."

Heero held him tightly and continued to rest his head on his chest.

Sighing again, Duo spoke. "It was really hard. I almost walked into the sun more times than I could count, but that little voice in the back of my head always screamed at me not to. I rarely listen to him. I should more often but I always realize that fact later. When I do, things always end better. As they say, hindsight is Twenty-Twenty. He nagged at me yesterday not to go out. I should have listened. I'm such an idiot."

Heero shook his head. "You're not an idiot, Duo. ...But the voice tells you things?"

Duo chuckled mirthlessly. "I'm not a psychotic, Heero. You can drop the 'Duo is insane' tone now."

Heero chuckled. "Yes you are. MY psychotic, loudmouthed baka."

Duo laughed for real then before wincing. "You sound like Wu."

"Hn." He sat back. "But the voice; it tells you stuff? Like what?"

Duo sighed. "It's Reason. It's always there to argue with me when I'm doing something stupid or yell at me when I SHOULD be doing something stupid." He shrugged painfully. "He also warns me about things, but I usually have trouble telling the difference between him and errant thoughts and I often brush him aside as me when he's trying to tell me something. I really shouldn't. Ningens have this Voice, too, Heero. It's just you guys never stop and listen so you can never hear him. Or her as the case may be."

Heero nodded. "Oh." He smiled. "Has the voice got a name?"

Duo seemed to think for a moment before speaking with a single nod of his head as he said the simple name. "Bob."

Heero couldn't stop the hysterical bark of laughter from leaving him. "'Bob'?!"

Duo smiled. "What's wrong with 'Bob'?"

Heero shook his head. "Please tell me you're kidding."

Duo grinned. "As always. I never gave him a name. Never thought about it. I just call him 'Reason'. Or 'Voice'. It makes sense. Ne?"

Heero thought about it for a moment. "What about 'Teisei'?"

Duo thought about that. "...'Whisper'... Yosha. If I have to name the bloody voice in my head, I suppose that is fitting." He beamed a wide grin at Heero before becoming serious. "Just..... Hee-kun.... About what we were talking about.... Please don't do that again, Ok?"

After a long pause, Heero spoke. "I can't guarantee anything, Duo. But I'll try not to act like an idiot again. Ok?"

Duo kissed his hair. "Good. I don't want to be in Hell again, Hee-kun. Don't get yourself killed and make we wait another two and a half centuries for you to return. Ne? I'm not that patient."

His voice sounded strained to Heero and he quickly nodded. "Hai. Chigiru, Duo-kun." Sitting straight, he reached up and ran a hand through Duo's bangs. "I'll braid this again."

Duo smiled wryly. "Ah. I'm sure it looks fairly ridiculous by now. ...Heero, if you want, I can just wear it down today. It has to be braided later, before Wu drags me out_" At that he scrunched up his nose in distaste. "_but for the day... I know how much you like it down."

Heero smiled and took the band out, combing his fingers through the chestnut silk and causing the messy braid to be undone. "Arigato, Koi." He kissed the soft locks tenderly and Duo held him tightly with one arm. "And you may have figured this out already, but I might as well say it: I'm not going to school today."

Duo nodded. "I figured as much. You have homework?"

Heero nodded as well. "Hai." He smiled brightly. "And, I thought you might like to know, my last English, History, and Math tests all had good scores. Thanks for helping me."

Duo grinned. "I'm glad." He yawned. "Hee-kun, I'll help you with today's homework as well, but right now I think I'm gonna pass out. Sorry."

"That's Ok, Koi. I'm tired too." He rested his head on Duo's chest. "Let's get some more sleep. I'm not ready to face the day just yet."

"Yosha. Arigato." Duo's hand rubbed his back.

Pleasant warmth spreading through him, Heero's eyes drooped closed and he fell asleep.

*

Duo looked down and saw Heero's chest rising and falling in even breaths and smiled to himself. 'Heero. Please, never make me so scared for you again. Please.' Duo felt the lethargy overcome even his formidable stubbornness and surrendered to the beckoning slumber he so needed.

* * *

Heero awoke a few hours later and stretched, waking Duo with his movements who blinked for a moment before groaning.

"I don't want to get up but I don't want to stay here." Duo whined. "This is SOO boring."

Heero smirked. "Wufei said that you need your rest. But, in a few days, I can certainly help you with that boredom." He whispered in Duo's ear.

Duo smirked as well and kissed his neck, sending a small shiver through him. "I'm sure you can. I just wish that I wasn't stuck here. I feel like I'm in a pool of tar. Like everything is heavy but me and I can't move."

Heero nodded. "That's what blood loss is like. You're lucky, though, I guess. A ningen would be dead. You lost a lot."

Duo nodded. "Ah." He grimaced. "Shit."

"Nani?"

"Oh." Duo groaned. "I have to do something about the deer by the porch. I don't think Wu had the decency to get rid of it. Damn. I'll ask him if he can."

Heero nodded. "So what do you want to do today? Non-boredom wise."

Duo shrugged. "Does it matter? Something. ANYthing. Anything that doesn't involve me moving too much. I could help you with your homework if you like. I also want to tend to my poor couch tonight. I have to see if I can get that stain out."

Heero grimaced. "Gomen, ne?"

Duo smiled. "Hee-kun, it's a couch. A bloody couch. Literally. I'm really not that distraught about it. I just have to get the blood off of it. If I can't, it has to be burned. The Jones’ will understand. I hope. This place came furnished so it's kind of theirs but I can replace it easily since I don't have to move right away anymore." He shrugged.

Knowing that his eyes had lit up with childlike joy, Heero grinned. "I'm glad. I want you to stay here forever."

Duo chuckled and purred into his hair. "Hai. Me too."

Heero embraced him. "So you want to get to work on the couch now? I have to help. I have a feeling you know more about how to get blood stains out of things better than I, but I can still help, ne?"

"Ah." Duo nodded. "You know, peroxide is a really good stuff for blood stains. It won't get it all out, but then what will? It will make it almost invisible however so unless you were looking for it, you'd never know it was there."

"Hontou ni? Segoi. I never thought about using peroxide."

"Ah. The down side is that stuff wreaks. It gets the job done though, so it's an even trade. Can we get to that first? Then your homework?"

"Hai." Heero moved back and carefully lifted him from the bed.

Duo blushed and it was obvious that he didn't like having to be carried but he said not a word.

Heero knelt on the floor by the couch and set Duo down gently before standing and looking over the couch. "So where are the things we'll need?"

"In the bathroom under the sink. There's a drawer that the bandaging stuff is kept in. With it is peroxide, some rags and two scrub brushes. Get all those things and a pot of cold water." Duo looked up to him from the couch with a bit of sadness in his eyes.

Heero tousled his hair and walked out to retrieve said items. He returned to see Duo attempting to stand on his own. He waited and watched sadly for a moment, watching from behind in the doorway as Duo managed to get to his feet and stand. He was about to say something in the way of praise when Duo swayed violently and began to fall to his side.

Dropping the things in his hands, Heero rushed forward but was too late.

Duo fell onto the coffee table, pushing it and causing it to over-turn. He shrieked and grabbed his left arm in pain.

Heero lifted him off his broken arm and kept him standing by holding him against himself. "Duo?"

Duo looked at the floor and spoke softly. "I thought I could do it myself. If I tried hard enough."

Heero sighed. "How's your arm?"

"Still broken."

"Did you hurt it worse?"

Duo chuckled mirthlessly. "Does it matter? I don't think, once something is broken, it can be hurt any worse."

Heero nodded. "Does it hurt too bad?"

Duo didn't say anything.

Wanting to bring the mark back to life so he could have another crack at him, Heero sighed. "Why don't you just tell me what to do and let me get the blood off the couch?"

Still not meeting his eyes, Duo shook his head. "Iye. I still have another arm." He said with a small, wry smile.

Heero sighed again but nodded and set Duo down on his butt on the floor. He then picked up the things he had dropped, handed them to Duo and left to fill a pot with water. He returned to see Duo gazing at his arm in a broken looking way. He looked at Duo's bare chest and saw that his bandage had a larger spot of blood on it. He didn't say anything as he figured that as soon as they cleaned the couch he would be able to do it. Or Duo would have Wufei do it out of nerves. Either way, it would get done, and that was all Heero cared about. "So what do I do?"

Duo took a brush in hand, dipping it into the cold water for a moment before bringing to the large, bloody stain on the couch and scrubbing in circular motions. "First we have to get it wet. Then we deal with lifting it."

Heero picked up the other brush and mimicked his lover's actions.

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Chapter 32

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