*...* denotes thought
~~~ indicates scene breaks
Author's notes: Warning, it jumps around a little, so pay attention to the dates. O_o
Embrace The Night Part 3
Colony L2 AC 199
Duo's body remained immobile, frozen in shock, yet his mind was already racing to find a way to rationally explain why the young pilot in front of him had the face of his long dead lover. The more logical side of his mind whispered silently, *It's just coincidence. Heero was of the Japanese descent, so is this young man. He just shares the same basic features, that's all.*
Even as rationality tried to reassert itself over the vampire's consciousness, Duo could feel the ashes of hope start to smoulder with newly awakened hope.
*Heero...*
Lost in the swirling mass of confusion and shock that resembled his thoughts, Duo barely registered the irritatingly grating voice of his boss, Professor G.
"... name is Heero Yuy..."
*Heero... the same first name? What are the odds of that?*
"... pilot of Gundam Wing..."
*Is this real? Or is fate just mocking my pain once more, dangling an intangible prospect in my face, only to snatch it away in one cruel blow?*
"... your partner until the end of Operation M..."
*Heero... I've missed you so much, lover.*
"... we'll leave you to get acquainted. Briefing for Operation M will be in two days."
Duo nodded his head limply in assent to Professor G, barely realizing that the two scientists were leaving his apartment, his eyes refusing to move from the man in front of him. His mind barely registered the sound of the door closing, his brain too drunk from the physical apparition in front of him. His eyes greedily ran over the man's every aspect and feature, imprinting them on his mind's eye.
The two men stood in the living room of the apartment, silent and still but for the necessary breaths of life on the part of one and the equally necessary illusion of breath on the other. Silence started to turn into tension, as neither man spoke, one unwilling to break the spell so carefully woven, afraid of shattering the illusion, the other unaccustomed to doing anything besides following orders.
Finally Duo wet his dry lips and whispered, "Heero..."
It was the barest of sounds, yet the Japanese man in front of him managed to catch the word. His expression unwavering, a perfect mask of indifference, as he coldly assessed his fellow Gundam pilot. "Yes?" he answered in a flat, unemotional tone.
Duo's heart flinched at the cold tone of his voice, but he pressed onwards with his question. "D - do you... know me?"
A few seconds passed in silence before the other man said, "Yes."
Duo's soul soared as hope started to come alive in his breast. The half of his heart that had been locked away over half a century ago began to throw off the shackles and break the locks, while the other half that had been destroyed began to stir with a new fire, a new life.
However, as quick as the ascension was, so too was the descent.
"You are pilot 02, Duo Maxwell, protégé of Professor G and pilot of Gundam Deathscythe," Heero said, rattling off the information as if he were discussing the weather, his cobalt blue eyes betraying no emotions.
Unpleasant shock ran through Duo's system, threatening overload. His already twisted and tormented soul faltered under this new blow. Fate seemed to be mocking him, laughing outright in the face of his misery and pain. Tormenting him with a man who looked like his dead lover, but was not his soul mate.
Or was he?
*He's not Heero, or if he is, he doesn't remember me... Heero... I miss you...*
~~~
Duo methodically rotated his wrist in a circling motion, nonchalantly swirling the rich red liquid in the wine glass. His face was slack, his eyes half closed as he gently mused to himself while focusing on the obscure lights that danced on the liquid's surface.
*Strange how something that can so resemble blood in looks refuses to taste as sweet,* he thought to himself. He lifted the rim of the crystal goblet to his lips and took a slow sip. Grimacing slightly at the bitter aftertaste, he reluctantly allowed the liquid to slide down his throat.
*Hmmm, an 86 blend. No wonder this is so expensive. But that was a bad year.* Duo's thoughts automatically began to meander through his memories for what he had been doing in the mid 80's. His face curved down in a frown as a swirl of unbidden images floated to the top of his consciousness.
*In more ways than one,* he added, finishing his earlier thought.
The feeling of being trapped in darkness, with no sense of being...
A mocking laughter followed by dark, burning eyes framed by a short mop of black, feathery hair...
The intense burning sensation of his flesh as knowledge of the rising sun grew, as well as the helplessness...
A hoarse cry from his beloved... whom he had failed to protect against his worst enemy... His former lover... His maker...
Duo abruptly broke off the chain of his thoughts, refusing to dwell on the past best left forgotten. He had no desire to relive those dark days... the days when he still roamed alone... before he had finally come to realize what a fool he had been and had returned to L1... and to the blue eyed orphan he had left there...
*Yeah, you returned all right... almost too late, you old fool... And Heero almost paid the price for your folly...*
Heero...
Duo unconsciously dredged up memories of his deceased love, comparing them to the silent and taciturn pilot partner he had left in his apartment hours ago. After the two 'good' doctors had left his apartment, pilot 01 had fallen silent, refusing to acknowledge his presence, except for a brief "Hn" every now and then. The stress and shock of being confronted with a mirror image of his dead husband had been too much for Duo who had fled from his own apartment. Desperate to seek solitude and comfort in an outdoor cafe, among the mortals of whom he was so envious, jealous of their simple, yet brief lives.
That line of thought brought the upwelling of depression and self pity as Duo unconsciously tipped the wine glass towards his mouth and he knocked back the rest of the aged alcohol. With a start of shock, he started to sputter, not realizing how much of the bitter wine had been left in his glass. It was only with the aid of his supernatural reflexes that he was able to swallow the huge mouthful, leaving his mouth dry and heaving.
A sudden trickle of Power at the edge of his consciousness alerted him to the fact that he was no longer the only immortal in the small outdoor cafe. His violet eyes widened imperceptibly, his guard going up.
With a flicker of his own Power, he slammed up his walls of protection and boldly sought out the intruder.
A wry laugh from behind alerted him to the whereabouts of the foreign presence.
"You know you should be more careful of what you drink, Shinigami... or should I call you Duo?"
The vampire whirled around in his seat, shock and surprise keeping him rooted in the metal chair.
There, standing at his back, nearly towering over his seated form, was an angel haired vampire. The light blue eyes were staring down into his wide amethyst orbs with something akin to humor and amusement, the gentle mouth curved in a light smile.
Duo's eyes softened as recognition flooded through his being. With his free hand, he gestured to the empty chair at his table, watching with appreciation as the lithe figure moved with liquid grace to sit down.
Duo looked over his shoulder and nodded once to the hovering waiter in the background. Then he turned his full attention to his unexpected companion. Briefly glancing over his guest's choice of clothing, he gave a slight inner chuckle.
*Well, it looks like he still prefers his signature color.* Duo shrugged off his humorous musings and smiled. His voice came out, granting his thoughts life as he chirped, "Well, long time no see, eh Angel?"
The golden haired vampire looked slightly startled before his face relaxed into an easy grin. With words reminiscent of the ancient past, he waved one elegant hand and said, "Desist with the 'Angel' calling, Duo. You know the name's -"
~~~
Earth 1685 A.D.
"-name's Quatre."
"Huh?" came the coherent response from the chestnut haired vampire. Duo turned bleary violet eyes to glare balefully at the unwelcome intruder who had settled himself on the tavern stool next to Duo.
The blond man ignored his intelligent comeback and signaled the bartender with a simple lift of one hand. The bartender, a pathetic mortal with beady little eyes, a pugnacious nose, and a greedy glint, rushed to the blond man's side and presented him with a large bottle of something.
The blond man nodded once and the other raced off to grab a clean glass from the tavern's small rear kitchen. As soon as the seedy man was gone, the blond turned back to Duo and lifted his hand in greeting. "Most call me Angel, but you can call me Quatre."
Duo sneered back at the smiling other, his lips curled in a mocking grin. He tossed back the rest of his drink even as he slurred out with, "Oh? And to what do I owe that honor?"
The man only shook his head with something akin to pity, causing an immediate flare of anger to spark within Duo's chest. He managed to contain that rage, but just barely. He remembered his hasty vow to never harm another mortal, no matter how provoked he became.
*Although,*he thought with a leer, *I'd like to bury my fangs in this one... he's cute.*
The blond man looked at the vampire from the corner of his eye, his expression indeterminate. As his blue gaze flicked over to the opening kitchen door and the approaching bartender, he whispered, "Get your mind out of the gutter."
Duo was shocked into silence. He was sure that he hadn't spoken out loud, yet this man had seemed to pick up on his train of thought. A thought crossed his mind that caused Duo to narrow his eyes introspectively.
Was this man a man?
The bartender set down the clean glass filled with a dark wine, then gleefully pocketed the large tip Quatre left him. Duo watched, fascinated as the other man picked up the wine glass that was large enough to float a carp in, and took a tiny sip. The man's blue eyes closed, his face contained an expression of enjoyment.
Quatre opened his eyes and stared into the glass. "Hmm, a good vintage. Although, no matter what year the wine, it's still never as good as blood, ne?"
Duo's eyes widened as shock mingled with alarm coursed through his veins. "Wh - WHAT??!!" he stuttered, his voice never rising above a whisper yet strong enough to carry his apprehension. What had possessed this stranger to utter such a phrase?
Quatre sighed deeply, his eyes closed with resignation and patience, before he turned to the braided vampire and he said, "You can cut out the act now."
"What act?" Duo asked hoarsely, all endeavors at acting like an intoxicated mortal quickly disappearing as a deep, primitive warning finally began to buzz in his brain.
"I know what you are," he simply said.
"Oh?" Duo asked, forcing a bit of cockiness back into his voice in an attempt to sound nonchalant. "And just what is it that you think I am?"
The blond said quietly, "You're a vampire."
Duo sat in stunned silence, his body unmoving even as his mind raced with a thousand unasked questions. Finally he blurted out, trepidation apparent in his chaotic panic, "How did you know?!"
Quatre smiled back at him, revealing his sharp, white canines.
"Because I am one too."
~~~
Duo looked all around him, his large violet eyes taking in all the details of the magnificent home that surrounded him. After the confrontation at the tavern, Quatre had invited Duo back to his town house, stating that the conditions of the mortal watering hole were unfavorable for such delicate talk.
The blond vampire had proceeded to lead Duo to his residence, a magnificently decorated town house that lay in the, excuse the pun, dead center of the bustling, human, city. It was a far cry from the slums and gutters that Duo had been using as his temporary homes. Duo knew wealth when he saw it, and this Quatre was definitely loaded.
As his blond host was talking quietly with one of his male servants, Duo took the opportunity to study the other vampire. Having only his own maker as a reference as to how typical vampires acted, looked, and thought like, he greedily latched on to this chance to learn more about the creature that he had become so long ago.
Quatre looked like an angel.
There was no other way to describe him. His hair was short, cut off at the bare nape of his neck. It curved softly around his head, creating a gleaming halo around his face. His eyes were a bright blue, easily catching and reflecting the lights around him. His face, though youthful in appearance, clearly had the stamp of age and wisdom on it, causing Duo to wonder just how old this one was.
Duo snickered to himself as he recalled words that his best friend, Solo Shivente, had once said to him. "Ya know, Duo, it's always the pretty ones ya have ta watch out fer."
Duo felt his heart ache at the painful memory. Solo had been his best friend in his village. His comrade, his partner in mischief and trouble. Their mothers had been best friends, and had thought it would be a laugh to name their children Solo and Duo, respectively to whichever child was born first. Solo had arrived into reality just a bare three minutes before Duo.
With a clenching of his teeth, Duo forced the painful memory back into the cold recesses of his mind, and returned to studying his host.
Quatre was clad in a typical English ensemble, as least those worn by the upper echelons of the Society. His long, limber legs were clad in a soft pair of black breeches, the velvety material outlining his powerful thighs and calves. His feet were snugly fit into a slick looking pair of riding boots that rode up to just under his knees. He was wearing a frilled shirt that had matching frilled cuffs that ended right at the bottom of his wrists. His silk neckcloth was deftly maneuvered into intricate folds around his neck.
However, it was Quatre's choice of coloring for his shirt that held Duo's fascinated attention. Duo didn't mind other colors of clothing, it was just his personal preference for black that influenced his own wardrobe. However, most men nowadays were wearing what he considered sensible colors, often a mix or matching of dark grays, whites, light grays, black, and even occasional greens and burgundies. However, Quatre's shirt was... it was...
Hell, the thing was PINK!!!!!
It wasn't a really bright pink, more like a pale pale pink. However, the color was so darn... feminine... that it took Duo by surprise. He assumed that the only place one could find fabric like that was in a woman's apparel shop. He didn't even know that they had that color material for men available.
*Oh well, to each his own,* Duo thought as he patiently waited for his host's attention to return to him.
When Quatre finally turned to him, Duo steely prepared to face the lion in his den, so to speak. However, he wasn't prepared for what occurred next.
Quatre walked over to where Duo was and then motioned towards the large stuffed chairs sitting in front of a cheerfully blazing fire. "Care to sit down?"
Duo nervously moved to the chair closest to the front door, preparing himself to make a quick and hasty exit if the need arose. If Quatre noticed his intentional action, it went by uncommented upon.
*C'mon Duo, you're over half a century old now! You shouldn't be this fearful!* the braided vampire thought to himself.
Quatre sat down in the chair next to his and he said quietly, "Rashid, my Reverent, is preparing a room for you now. I assume that you still probably can't withstand the sunlight?"
Duo gulped and nodded, fear beginning to slip into his eyes and mannerisms. Quatre watched this with some degree of astonishment before he allowed a bark of laughter to escape his lips. His blue eyes danced with merriment as he finally comprehended Duo's unspoken fears.
"Don't worry so much! I'm not going to expose you to the sunlight as soon as the sleep overcomes you."
Duo nodded but didn't let down his guard. Quatre sighed as he watched the tension building in Duo's slender frame and he shook his head. "Why do you fear me so much? Haven't you had exposure to other immortals?"
Duo still refused to talk, his silence stretching between the two men like a wavering shield. Quatre closed his eyes and then allowed his Power to expand.
Duo felt the subtle intrusion in his mind, the strands of Power forcing themselves into his memory. He was aware of the invasion, but he was powerless to stop it.
After a few careful brushes against the other's mind, Quatre allowed his Power to recede, and sat back into his chair. Several silent, strained minutes passed before Quatre said quietly, "So, that's the only reference of a vampire you know about, is it? What a pity. But, she was an absolute bitch, wasn't she?"
Duo sputtered in rage as Quatre voiced Duo's thoughts. "K'so! How dare you! What gives you the right to pry in affairs that do not concern you?!!!"
Duo had jumped up from his chair, intent on harming the other immortal in his rage induced state. His hands were clenched into tight fists, aching to wrap around Quatre's slender neck. However, even for all his madness, he was no match for the sudden wave of Power that forced him to regain his seat, albeit reluctantly.
"Calm down. It's your own fault for not shielding your memories, or did Hilde never teach you that?" [1]
Duo slumped into the chair, defeat etched into his very posture. He mumbled under his breath, his violet eyes trained on the thick oriental rug that lay underneath their feet. "No, she didn't tell me anything, other than that if I don't drink, I die. I found out about the dangers of sunlight the hard way."
Quatre clicked his tongue sympathetically, before he added, "Well, surely you know about the other things too then. Or have you allowed yourself to believe the foolishness of the humans and their nonsensical ramblings about our kind?"
Duo looked up at Quatre sharply before he said, "I know a few things."
Quatre leaned back in his seat, his body completely relaxed. "Well, allow me to enlighten you. Most of what humans say is complete nonsense. I mean, do they actually believe that garlic, of all things, could keep us away? I mean," Quatre rolled his eyes in exasperation, eliciting a surprised giggle from Duo, "geez, sure it's unpleasant to smell on someone's breath, but then nobody really likes garlic breath, not even mortals!"
Duo nodded his agreement, Quatre's relaxed atmosphere starting to take influence on the braided vampire. Encouraged, Quatre continued.
"You know about crosses and crucifixes too, ne?"
Duo smiled a hesitant smile, before he quipped, "Actually, I'm quite fond of looking on crosses."[2]
"I would hope so, since you wear one around you neck," came the dry statement.
Duo gasped with surprise as his hand automatically came up to grasp the silver cross, which rested underneath his black shirt. "How did you-?"
"Gomen, but I read it in your mind. I assumed -"
"Oh," Duo said quietly.
Quatre looked away for a few moments before he continued. "Actually, most of what humans claim is true about our kind is false. We're not really monsters, just different animals, trying to survive in a harsh world, just like them. All this nonsense about crosses, and garlic, and coffins, and such is pure hokum."
"A few of the things are true, though," said Duo.
"True, true. The fact about sunlight is true, it can destroy a vampire, at least, until one reaches their 1000th birthday."
Duo's head whipped up at this new information. "You mean, I will be able to see the sun again?"
"If you survive that long," the quiet reply came.
Trepidation threatened to fill Duo up again, before he quickly quelled it away. If Quatre had wanted to destroy him, there was no stopping the other vampire, but he hadn't shown an inclination of that so far.
Quatre continued with their discussion. "Of course, wooden stakes are the preferred choice of destruction by the mortals, but they only do half the job."
"Eh?" came the intelligent response.
"In order to fully destroy a vampire, you must not only thrust a stake into their heart, but you must also cut off their head. Only then will their body turn to ash. The other option is to somehow destroy their heart outside of their body. Meaning ripping it from a vampire's chest. Those two methods and sunlight, for the first 1000 years, are the only true ways of destroying a vampire. Everything else is pure nonsense."
Duo quietly absorbed that little bit of information and stored it away in the archives of his mind. He decided to ask a question of Quatre that had been bugging him for so long. "Why do the humans hate our kind so much?"
Quatre looked into the blazing fire, his face somber and sad. Duo thought that he might not answer the question when several minutes had passed, but he finally turned to look at Duo, a hint of resignation in his blue orbs. He said quietly, "Humans fear what they do not understand, and they seek to destroy what they cannot control. That is their way."
"But don't they have a reason? I mean, we kill them for food!" came the steady retort.
Quatre looked at Duo with shock and surprise, before he released a torrent of laughter. Duo was puzzled by the other's laughter, one slim chestnut eyebrow raising in a silent question.
"M-m-my god! Y-y-you really are a fledgling, aren't you?"
The statement caused Duo's back to stiffen in affront, and he shot to his feet in rage. "FLEDGLING?! I am over 500 years old! Don't call me that!!!"
Quatre still giggled, not impressed whatsoever by the angry youth in front of him. "Compared to me (giggle, giggle), you are a fledgling!"
That caused Duo's anger to dissipate, as confusion once again flooded into his mind. "Compared to you? You don't look any older than me. When were you created?"
"I wasn't," came the simple response.
"What?" Duo asked in stupefaction.
"I am an Original," Quatre illuminated. "I wasn't created by another vampire, I was born this way. As far as I know, there are only about 10 of us around. The others having either been killed or taken their own lives. And all of you newbies were made by Originals. Luckily, only Originals and the Vampire Master can grant the Dark Gift, otherwise, we'd probably be running rampant over the Earth by now." [3]
Quatre suddenly looked over at the large bay windows of the greeting room, his calm gaze noting the lightening sky. "It's getting close to dawn. You should get up to your room and get some rest. We can continue this tomorrow night."
Duo rose up in acquiescence, his mind in a stunned daze at the information he had just been granted. He stared at Quatre, his violet eyes wide and the pupils dilated. His mind was having trouble with all the new stats.
*Originals... Vampire Master... I have so much I need to learn.* he thought.
Quatre stood up as well, until his blue eyes could gaze into Duo's. "If you like, you can stay here with me and learn everything you need to know to survive. It would be nice to have some company after so long of being on my own."
Duo nodded his head once, before turning to follow the silent Rashid up to his room.
"Hai, I would like that."
~~~
Colony L2 AC 199
Duo shook his head free of the old memories and returned his full attention back to his companion. A smile graced his lips as he once again conversed with his old mentor... his old teacher... his first friend after he had been reborn into his new existence...
It had been Quatre and his teachings that had led Duo from his nightmarish existence into some semblance of life. Quatre had taught Duo that he no longer needed to kill humans to live, but rather just take enough to quench the thirst, leaving the victim alive. He had also taught Duo how to control and harness his many powers, including the convenient gift of allowing his victims to live without any memories of his feeding.
Quatre had given him the knowledge that he needed to know. All that, and so much more.
Quatre had given him his life... and his soul back...
The soul and heart he had then given to another...
Duo mentally hissed and pulled his wayward thoughts back under tenuous control. He forced another cheerful grin to his face and said, "Well Quatre, what brings you all the way out here to L2? Surely you didn't come to see little old me, now did you?"
Quatre chuckled under his breath, happiness emanating from his body. "Nah, of course not, Duo. Why would I come to see you?" he teased.
Duo melodramatically clutched at his chest and said, "Oi! Quatre, thou hast wounded me mortally!"
"Still the same old tease, eh Duo?" Quatre's face suddenly went serious and he said, "It's nice to see that you can still laugh."
Duo's hilarity died a quick death as his previous feelings of misery and heart/soul pain fiercely reasserted themselves into their proper places. "Yeah, well, you know. Nothing can keep Shinigami down for long!" he quipped, although none of his humor reached his eyes.
Quatre laid a calming, friendly hand on Duo's shoulder, giving a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "You still miss him, huh?"
Duo looked at Quatre with something akin to desperation in his eyes, although remorse and sorrow threatened to overshadow the emotion. "Yeah. It's been almost sixty years since he died, but I still miss him."
"I know, Duo. I miss him too. I lost one of my best friends, even if he was a mortal."
Duo was silent, although several tears finally escaped his eyes, rolling down his cheeks. Quatre looked startled, and said hesitantly, "Duo?"
The quiet concern in Quatre's voice broke the dam that had already suffered fatal cracks. Duo laid his head down on the table in front of him, sobs wracking his frame. Quatre looked alarmed, but made no move to stop his friend from unleashing his misery and grief, instead offering a consoling hand on Duo's shaking back, moving it around in light, gentle circles. He carefully looked around with a steady gaze, daring any of the surrounding customers to interfere in his friend's release. Luckily, no one was even looking at the two men, they were all too concerned in their own menial lives.
Finally Quatre started to make a sort of semblance of the words that poured from Duo's mouth in a grief stricken and marred confusion of cacophony. "I - I - I had to watch," Duo sobbed out, barely making sense, "had to watch him die and... leave me for somewhere I could never hope to follow... and then I had to go on living... but not living... for my heart was with him forever... and now THIS!!!"
Quatre's hand suddenly stilled on Duo's back and then abruptly fell away. The sudden absence of comfort caused Duo's sobs to hitch in his throat as he raised his head to turn a tear stained face on his friend. What he saw there froze him.
Quatre had a look of absolute guilt on his face.
"Quatre?" he managed to stutter out. "Are you all right? What's wrong?"
Quatre closed his eyes and then said, "So... you've met him."
Duo didn't need any prompts or hints to know who HIM was. Immediate comprehension flooded his system as Quatre's words penetrated his sorrow filled mind. "You KNEW about this, Quatre?!"
"H - Hai, I knew that there was a pilot of a Gundam that resembled Heero. I didn't know if he WAS Heero or not, but yes, I knew."
Duo sat back in his seat, stunned, his violet gaze accusing, before his logical mind kicked in. "Wait a minute, how did YOU know about the Gundams?"
Quatre blushed, a rosy hue starting to spread on his fair skin. "Um, well, you see, Duo... I..."
Duo glared at Quatre silently, his tears long since dried. His eyes narrowed into thin, amethyst slits as his mouth thinned into a grim line. He glanced around the cafe silently, searching for someone.
Not finding the object of his search, he turned back to his now silent companion. "And speaking of friends, where is your green eyed shadow, hmm? After that... incident... in the 21st century, I would have thought that he would never let you out of his eyesight again." [4]
If it was possible, Quatre blushed even more, his face now a bright cherry red. Duo's composure firmed up even more, as he prepared himself for some kind of horrible admission.
"Quatre..." he warned in a tense voice.
"Oh, gomen Duo, but you see... Trowa and I... well, how can I put this nicely?" Quatre looked around, up at the sky, down at the ground, at the table, all around him, anywhere except at the chestnut braid bearing vampire sitting next to him, before finally giving up and looked at Duo with a sheepish expression.
"You see, we're pilots 03 and 04 of Gundam Heavyarms and Gundam Sandrock. We're the second team."
Duo fell out of his chair, shock and surprise etched on his face.
TBC...
[1] Ah ha!!! So, can you guess who Duo's Maker is yet? I honestly have nothing against the girl, (mutters: except that she's an obstacle that Duo and Heero have to overcome, much like Relena), but I felt that she was the only appropriate one for that role, the others having already been filled! -_-
[2] Forgive me, but Interview With A Vampire is one of my fav books and movies, by Anne Rice - read her stuff!, and I had to include it somewhere! -_~
[3] I know that in the previous chapter I had alluded to Duo offering Heero the Dark Gift, and now this statement, but bear with me! All will be explained... eventually...
[4] Know who I'm talking about? =^.^= Ah well, can't keep you guys in suspense, not about this, right?
Back to Alana Winters' Fanfictions Page