Crimson Ties Part 2
Lowering his utensils slowly, Duo's hands rested on top of his thighs where they gripped on tightly. His teeth gnashing in rage, he hissed at his stricken roommate, "How many?
"Only a handful," Quatre squeaked out in a rush, sweat forming on his brow under the heat of the glare boring into him. "Three advisors, two professors and one who works in the campus library. And there are about five Companions that attend the school."
The sound of laughter filling the air from the cafeteria doorway broke through Maxwell's thoughts and had him turning his head to find the source of the sound. A handful of teenage girls giggled and conversed as they headed for one of the tables at the center of the room.
Amongst the pack was a particularly beautiful young woman with shoulder-length black hair that fell in tight ringlets. Everything that came out of her mouth was soaked up by her friends as they took their seats. Anytime there was a break in whatever the group was discussing, all attention fell on the lithe girl.
Throughout the cafeteria, the students gathered paused to cast glances at her. Meals were eaten and conversations were a second-hand thought to the presence of the young beauty.
But nothing about her was appealing to Duo. Not with the thick, metal band of gold that wrapped the middle of her right upper arm. Woven around that band was a twine of crimson-hued silk.
It was the universal mark of a Companion.
Nearly a century before, when the Infected first made their existence known to the world, panic rushed through mankind. When it was realized just how many Vampires that there were walking amongst them, to the tune of millions, there were killings and revolts and riots that came from the fear that it would only be a matter of time before humans would not exist.
After all, while those vile creatures could survive on animal blood, only the blood of humans could sustain them.
Outnumbered by the living, the Vampires created a government all their own to work along with the establishments throughout the world. To put the humans at ease, a pact was made and so came about the promise that no other breathing person would be turned.
Instead, the match to an Infected were to be dubbed their Companion.
Of their own free will these humans would be the ones to drink from the blood of their mate as opposed to the other way around. The act would give that human the same immortality that their Vampire had while sustaining the things that made them what they were- blood-producing, organ-functioning beings.
It was an acceptable agreement and so a treaty between the human race and the Infected was formed that had been tried and tested time and time again over the years. Despite the challenges that the agreement had in the beginning, the two races had been able to coexist peacefully because of the agreements forged.
Any Vampire offenders of the pact were put to death by their own, being treated even more harshly by other Infected than by the humans. Such handlings only solidified the comfort that people had in the creatures.
Nowadays, to be chosen by a Vampire to be their Companion was seen as the highest honor amongst the living. To be picked to live eternally young with the exalted race was not something given to many.
But there was no clear understanding to what it took for one to be picked to be a Companion. Throughout the world, there were countless Infected that went on without a partner and they seemed perfectly content in being on their own.
Hence the attention on the curly black-haired. Besides the marking on her arm, there were the other signs of her status from her perfect skin to her brilliantly shaded green eyes that were too light to be natural. Even her voice was like a song when it came from her lips.
She was one of a few elite to have been given the title that many envied.
"Why anyone would want to go through their prolonged lives with those filthy bastards is beyond me," Duo snapped under his breath, narrowed violet eyes still locked on the girl's gold band.
Quatre swallowed roughly and hesitantly mumbled, "They love each other deeply."
Snorting bitterly, the braided teenager shook his head and met the aquamarine eyes on him. "Love, huh?" he huffed. "Yea, that's what they want us to think. There has to be some kind of power of theirs that tricks their chosen into becoming their Companion. Those damned Infected aren't capable of an emotion like love when they have rituals like Harvesting, even if they are meant to give a peaceful end to the terminally ill or willing."
His eyes glancing back to the striking ebony-haired, he shook his head, "Companions are nothing more than glorified, permanent blood banks for those bastards."
Winner chose better than to comment and played with what little was left of his dinner with his fork. His shoulders sagging, Duo sighed deeply and frowned, "Sorry. I still have a lot to be pretty pissed off about when it comes to *them*. Why don't we change the subject?"
Brightening again, the blonde nodded at the suggestion.
* * * * * *
On their way back to Excalibur following their meal, Duo's gaze fell onto the tall, brown brick building at the top of the hill that they passed.
The library.
Whatever it took, he was going to make it a point of avoiding that facility as best he could over the course of his stay on campus. There were other means of getting his hands on any research material he may need besides setting foot in that place and running into the filthy Infected that worked there.
"So what major are you taking up?" Quatre asked, drawing his roommate's attention back to the present. "I don't remember you ever saying."
Meeting his friend's eyes, Maxwell smirked, "I don't exactly have one picked out yet. I figured that I would take the required courses that everyone has to take before they can graduate this year and get a feel for what interests me the most. That way, my last three years can be completely focused on that field."
"That's not a bad idea," Winner grinned. "A lot of students in your shoes do the same thing."
Sipping from the carton of milk that he'd grabbed from the cafeteria, he inquired, "Have you had a chance to look at your schedule for the semester?"
Maxwell replied, "Never really gave it much of a glance since classes don't start up for another couple of days. Would you mind walking the campus with me tomorrow show me where I need to go when they do begin?"
All too happy to have someone actually want to stay around him, the scientist nodded with an enthusiastic, "Sure! Once you know the layout of the campus, it'll be pretty easy to navigate. Depending on how quickly you walk, there are scenic routes as well as shortcuts that you can use to get where you need to in time and-"
"Quatre," Duo cut him off, an amused smile on his face. "You're at about a twelve right now when a comfortable six or seven would work."
Blushing, Winner ducked his head as he snickered, "Right. I'll try to remember that. Some of the simplest life lessons just can't be taught in a classroom." He grinned at the pat on the back that he received in response to that.
The braided teenager winked and smirked, "Truer words were never spoken. As far as those courses go, that's what friends are for."
* * * * * *
Waking in his new bed and new room the following morning, Duo wiped at his closed eyes before he blinked them open to stare at the ceiling. A small smile tugged the corner of his mouth at how comfortable the whole transition had gone for him up to that moment.
Although there was the disheartening news of Vampires and Companions on the college grounds, they were few and far between in comparison to the living that inhabited the school.
Pushing himself off the mattress, Maxwell looked over to Quatre's half of the room to find that the blonde was nowhere to be seen. The bed had been made neatly and there was no sound of typing from the safe cubby that his roommate had made for himself.
With a shrug, Duo reached for the end of his disheveled braid to remove the tie and undo the twine of his hair. Slipping into a pair of basic blue slippers, he made his way for the closet at the end of his bed and gathered up the bucket filled with all of his shower necessities.
The shower room at the end of the hall was empty, giving the teenager his choice of closed off stalls. Under the spray of hot water, he sighed deeply and quietly hummed to himself as he washed up.
Moments later, his damp tresses were brushed free of knots and wrapped back in their standard braid. Taking care, the towels that Sister Helen had gifted him were folded neatly and tucked back under an arm. Dressed in fresh clothes, he whistled on his way back to his room.
Stepping back inside, Duo smiled in finding his roommate sitting atop his own bed, reading what looked like a text book. "You normally read that stuff in your free time?" the braided youth snickered as he closed the door behind him.
Quatre's aquamarine eyes snapped up to meet the violet watching him and he laughed, "Well, of course! It's very captivating to me!" Setting the book aside, he hopped to his feet and grinned, "So, breakfast and a tour around, then?"
"I'm up for that," Maxwell replied, quickly setting his shower bucket back in his closet. Before he closed the door again, he took a second to gently run a hand over his new towels.
Returning to his roommate, he grabbed the closed envelope that held his schedule from his desk and stuffed it in his pocket as he commented, "I never heard you sneak out this morning. What were you up to so early in the morning?"
For a moment, there was uncertainty in Winner's eyes and he seemed to debate how to best answer. Then, taking a deep breath, he responded, "Morning prayers. I'm not exactly one who practices religion regularly, but I do every now and then. Not many people understand seeing a prayer rug or the homage given in my family's native tongue, so I go off in the fields to say them."
Nervously rubbing the back of his neck, he shrugged, "I was especially worried about what you would say being a devote Catholic. I thought that maybe you might judge."
Smiling at that, Duo chuckled, "Prayers all go to the same place, we all just have different names for God. You're free to worship however you wish and I won't judge or think little of you." With a snort, he smirked, "Besides, I'm not exactly a model of how a good Catholic should be, myself. My faith is my faith, and I just do the best that I can with it."
"There really should be more acceptance in the world," the braided teenager sighed, running a hand through his bangs.
Relieved, a wide grin tugging his mouth, Quatre nodded firmly, "Agreed. I appreciate your understanding. Now I won't have to soil my prayer rug." Turning for the door, he announced, "Ready to go when you are."
* * * * * *
The two newly-established friends took their time enjoying their breakfast, taking the time to converse over more details on their histories.
Leaving out any information on his parents and their deaths, Duo shared some of his experiences of growing up as a ward of the state in a church. Quatre was went on with stories of his rearing into his wealthy family's business while staying home to be taught by some of the greatest minds in the world.
And despite the vast differences in their upbringing, there was much that they shared in common- the loneliness that they felt even when they were surrounded by people and their firm wishes to now plow their own courses through life.
When they entered the cafeteria, Alex, Mueller and Trent joined the pair at the end of the more personal discussions. Friendly and jovial as they were the last time Duo met them, the trio offered to get the two acquainted with other students that they were friends with.
For his part, Quatre had made a huge step in not wanting to bolt when the popular trio sat at their table. Content to stay quiet most the time, he watched and studied how Duo interacted with the others to help himself. He even jumped in on the conversation to participate, much to the pleasant surprise of the juniors.
At the end of the sit down, the science major was grinning from ear-to-ear as he walked through the campus fields with his roommate. "They could make a whole new kind of science just off human interaction," he enthused, speaking at such a rapid flow that the words almost flowed out of him as one.
Shaking his head, he waved his hands in the air as he rambled on, "I mean there is such a rhythm that comes between us as individuals when we converse that it is easy to take it for granted. The simple laws and theories of relation in communication is still lost to me, but I think that I am stating to grasp it by just sitting back and watching others."
"Well, they already have some people who know the whole 'science' of communication, Quat." Duo snickered. "They're called psychiatrists." Lightly nudging his friend in the arm, he smirked, "But I have to say that how you handled yourself back there was a great start. Stick with me and you'll be a pro at the social game."
Turning himself so that he could watch the braided teenager as he walked backwards, Winner grinned, "I can't wait to see what else I pick up from you. And I really don't know how to repay you."
As he continued, the rapidness of his words picked up in his continuing, "Helping you out in your math courses would not be nearly a fair enough exchange, since there would be no challenge for me in doing so. I mean my understanding of algebra, calculus and-"
Duo made a gesture of winding back on a fishing rod with his hands as he smirked, "Reel it in, man. We really have to get you to know how to say a lot with less words."
"Oh," Quatre muttered, his eyes widening. Blushing, he chuckled, "Sorry. That's going to take some time and a lot of practice on your part." Maxwell's head fell back with an explosive round of laughter at that.
Turning himself to face the direction that they were walking, Winner announced, "We're coming up to the classroom facilities here. Do you have your schedule ready?"
Already in the process of removing the sealed envelope, the braided youth nodded firmly, "Right here." Stopping in the middle of the flowery field flanked by the mansion-like school facilities, he tore the seal open and removed the paper to unfold it.
Scanning over the text, he read aloud, "Let's see, My Monday, Wednesday and Friday classes start with American History 103 in what they list as the Atrium. Then I have Algebra in Cacious Hall Room 14B. And I wrap up the three-day run with World Literature in-" he froze when his gaze fell on the last location.
His violet eyes widening, Duo breathed, "No way."
Quatre was immediately as his side to peer over his shoulder, frowning deeply, "What's wrong?" Running his gaze along the schedule, he blinked in surprise as he read quietly, "The library." In seeing the tight grip that his friend had on the paper, he knew exactly why there was such a sense of dread.
"It won't be that bad," the blonde was quick to reassure, stepping before his roommate to bring the focus back on him. Putting on a smile, he shrugged, "The Vampire that works there keeps to himself. And the classrooms are in the basement of the building, and he has no reason to go down there."
The blood was rushing so violently in Maxwell's ears that he failed to catch anything the other teenager was saying. Nearly shaking, he continued to stare at the schedule in his clenched fists and demanded, "Where is the registration office?"
Swallowing roughly, Quatre stammered, "U-uh, this way." Completely turning in the opposite direction that they had been heading in and led the way back through the fields. Keeping the pace brisk, he cast a couple nervous glances over his shoulder to see his roommate's reddening face and brought them to a near run across the greenery.
Up ahead, the long, single-storied building that had once been a impressive stable to the wealthy, came into view. The tall, red-sided steeple at the center of the facility rose up nearly as tall as the tops of the trees surrounding it. Reaching the glass doorways, the scientist stepped aside so that his seething friend could enter before him.
Inside of the administrative facility, the building broke off in four long, marble-floored and high-ceilinged wings of offices. Their footsteps echoing off the walls as they walked, the two teenagers made their way to the northern wing. Biting his lip, Quatre informed, "The registration office is the last on the left."
"Got it. Thanks," Duo murmured under his breath as he walked ahead. Peering over his shoulder, he called back, "I'll see you around later. This is probably going to take a while."
* * * * * *
Seated in a chair of the waiting room, Maxwell's fingers tapped anxiously on the armrest as he stretched his neck around to try and see beyond the high counter that the staff was busy working behind. Since his arrival, the handful of men and women had been sent into a flurry of activity of either typing at their desks or thumbing through files. Occasionally, a head would turn to glimpse at their visitor before they quickly returned to whatever it was they were doing.
Maybe it was his raised voice when he demanded to have his class changed that had them all on edge, Duo thought to himself. Or maybe it was how red he knew his face had to be, if not how his fists holding his crunched up schedule shook when he slammed it on the counter.
Hilde, the youngest of the lot with whom the braided teenager had confronted first spoke in whispers to the director of the registry. Their heads ducked together, the words spoken were too low to be understood, but the tone of their urgency and concern was clear.
Finally, after a long discussion, the director adjusted his red tie and brushed down his white suit shirt on his way to the counter. "Mister Maxwell?" he asked as looked to the only person sitting in the other side.
Rising to his feet, Duo approached the white counter top with a firm nod. "So, what paperwork will I have to sign to get the ball rolling in having that class changed?" he questioned in more of a command than an inquiry.
"A-actually," the tall man stammered, "There is a bit of a problem with that." Clearing his throat when the violet eyes on him widened, he frowned, "See, your situation is a unique one being that your college funding is from the state. Because they are the ones providing your education, there are formalities that keep you from being able to change your courses if they are required ones."
Clearing his throat, the brunette director swallowed roughly before further explaining, "Anything that is related to a change in major on your part can be switched around without any problem. However, literature is one of your mandatory studies that needs to be taken before you can graduate. Therefore... well... there is nothing we can do."
Shoulders slumping, Duo's jaw fell open as all of the ire he held up to that moment was replaced with disbelief. "Nothing that can be done," he repeated softly. Such was the price of being a ward of the state... something that he never would have had to endure if it had not been for those fucking blood suckers.
Once again, those damned Infected had found a way to ruin his life.
Rather than take his frustration out on the kind people who tried to help him, Maxwell took a deep breath and let it out in a long sign. Feeling his face cool down, he put on a small smile and told the man behind the counter, "All right. If there's nothing that can be done, there's nothing that can be done. Thanks for trying to help me out,"
As he spun to leave the office, the braided teenager noticed that the tight grip around the schedule in his fist had not slackened at all. If anything, it only tightened all the more.
Without any real direction in mind, Duo just walked numbly through the campus. Whatever games or talks that were happening around him with his fellow classmates were completely lost to him. Only vaguely aware of the blossom-scented warm air and the shifts from grass to gravel under his feet, he lit and pulled cigarettes as he walked aimlessly around the whole of the grounds.
The sun had moved quite a bit in the sky and his pack of smokes was empty by the time he came back to his senses. Blinking in surprise at realizing how hours had slipped away, Maxwell found himself nearing the bottom of the hill where Excalibur stood.
Slowly looking over his shoulder, his violet eyes glared at the library resting at the top of the hill. "Perfect, he growled under his breath. "Just fucking perfect."
Feeling the slight throb in the soles of his feet, he headed for the dormitory where he planned on saying a lot of silent prayers for patience.
TBC...
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