Crimson Ties Part 23

Anna had her head in Wufei's lap as they shared the loveseat in their living room. Looking up to her husband as he ran his scaly fingers through her hair, the redhead smiled, "Love you."

Chuckling quietly, Chang answered his Celtic Rose by leaning down to kiss her lips in a chaste kiss. Before the moment could become any more than that, the sound of their back door opening and closing broke them apart.

Their eyes immediately looking to the grandfather clock in the corner across from them, they noted the very early hour of the day. Sitting up, Anna gasped when their brother entered the room. Instantly springing to her feet, she hardly gave him enough time to shed his things when she latched onto him.

Weary and sore as he was, Heero snickered and returned the tight embrace all the same. Burying his face in her hair, he sighed deeply, "I missed you something terrible as well, sister."

Pulling back, the redhead's breath hitched in her throat when she spotted the dark circles under her Yuy's eyes. She had to fight every urge to mother him, knowing all too well how much he hated that. Bowing her head, she stepped aside when her husband stepped up to have a one-armed hug in greeting.

"Welcome back, brother," the scaly Vampire smirked, doing a good job at covering up his own concern when he got a good look at the other Infected. "How was the hunt?"

The smile on Heero's face slipped at the question. "I wish I could say it went as well we'd hoped," he sighed deeply. Shaking his head, he commented, "Trowa went directly to his home to see Midi. I don't imagine they'll be resurfacing again any time soon, same for Zechs and Noin. But when they're properly reunited, we all have to meet and discuss what we found."

Not at all liking the sound of that, Wufei and Anna cast worried glances to each other. Their questions were just going to have to wait for the time being.

Running a hand through his haphazard hair, Heero asked, "So, did I miss anything while I was away?" He blinked in surprise when the couple's mood changed as if he'd thrown a light switch, their smiles glowing.

"Well, there was one thing..." Anna giggled.

Before her brother could even open his mouth to get more information, she spared him any games and took hold of his wrist to pull him behind her. Wufei contented himself to just watch their departure as he leaned against the living room door frame, a wide grin of amusement on his face.

Yuy allowed his sister to tug him up the stairs. Even if he wanted to fight her, he was far too drained to put up much of a struggle. When they neared the dimly lit third floor, he finally laughed, "What is it, Anna? You know that smile you have right now makes me nervous."

Peering over her shoulder as she led the way down the hall, the redhead reached up with her free hand to press a finger over her lips with a whispered, "Shh. It took forever for him to finally fall asleep."

His back straightening, Heero planted his feet into the thick carpet to stop them both. "Him, who?" he demanded, keeping his voice low. Anna's mischievous grin only grew when she peered back at him.

Instead of replying with words, the Irish Infected just moved for the closed door of the guest room just ahead of them. Slowly turning the knob to keep it from making a sound, she pushed the door open a large crack. Gesturing with her head, she silently urged her brother to peek inside.

Frowning, Heero rounded his sister to gaze into the dark room. At the sight of the teenager tucked under the thick blankets of the bed, his peaceful face turned towards them, the Vampire gasped as his eyes widened in disbelief. There was no mistaking that heart-shaped face, nor the braid that fell over the edge of the mattress.

Shaken, Yuy fell back until his back met the wall behind him. "W-what is he doing here?" he breathed, his eyes still large with panic. As thrilled as he was to see the living, and surprised as he was that he was so out of sorts that he didn't recognize their link when he was close, this was completely unexpected. He wasn't prepared to have to face this.

Quietly closing the door again, Anna approached him. "Duo's been spending quite a bit of time with us since you left," she responded, her voice soft.

Heero remained still as he shook his head, "I... I don't even know what to do. What do I say to him?"

Resting a hand on her trembling brother's shoulder, the redhead smiled sadly, "You tell him everything that's in your heart. You can't really go wrong with that." The other Vampire's head shot up, his eyes wide with realization over the familiar advice.

Gently, his sister guided him back down the hall and they walked in silence for a moment. Then, drawing a deep breath, she informed, "He knows everything."

Once again pausing in his footsteps, Heero spun towards her, the fear back in his eyes. This was not at all what he'd imagined to happen.... especially while he was away on a hunt.

Completely overwhelmed by everything, tremors wracked his body. "I... need to feed," he gritted through his teeth that he clenched to keep them from chattering. "If he's around me for long when I'm like this, I won't be able to resist..."

Without hesitating, Anna held her right bare arm out to him and her breath hitched when her brother sank his fangs into her wrist.

*   *   *   *   *   *

Well past sunrise, there was still no sign of Trowa and Midi emerging from their estate when Wufei received a call from a high-paying client. Quickly finding that the company's firewall instability was not something that could be fixed from home, he kissed his wife on the cheek and promised to be back soon as he headed out.

Hearing the purr of the car as it drove off, Duo stirred awake. Quickly orienting himself with his surroundings, he reached up to wipe the sleep from his tired eyes. Surprised that he was able to get any rest at all with his worrying over Heero, he stretched and shuffled out of bed.

A quick shower was in order and with Sister Helen's towels that he'd packed, the braided teenager headed for the guest room's adjoining bathroom. Cleaning himself and his hair, he quietly hummed cheery tunes to keep his mind from going to any dark thoughts of Rogues and Yuy being out in the field when he was weakening.

The steam was so thick in the room when he stepped from the shower stall after his long wash up that Duo had to wipe at the mirror so that he could see himself enough to brush and braid his hair.

Pulling on a deep orange sweater, blue jeans and socks when he was dry, the teenager headed out of the guest room and made his way down the hallway painted a rich brown hue. He kept his pace slow so that he could leisurely take in the framed images that were tastefully hung at either wall beside him.

More than any of the other three houses, Wufei and Anna's home had family and friend pictures to decorate it as opposed to famous paintings. Either one or both of the Vampires had quite the eye for photography as well, between the personally taken and developed shots of everything from flowers and landscapes to historical moments that they were present at.

In every picture that the pair was snapped in, whether it be their wedding photos or candid shots, they were taken laughing, snuggling, kissing or just simply looking at each other adoringly. Like Trowa and Midi, their love was so intense that it almost scorched a person to be a witness to it... while at the same time being envied by those who did not have that in their own lives.

Duo stopped before one of his favorite images of his 'siblings.' It was a black-and-white image from their wedding day. In a simple, flowing white dress with a band of flowers on her head and a large bouquet in her hand, Anna stood with Wufei in his dark suit beneath a patch of trees amidst the rolling fields of Ireland. Under that canopy, the newlyweds were captured in a sweet kiss.

Though there was no color to be found, it wasn't hard to see the greens of the grasses and leaves or the clear, blue skies over them. It was a perfect day for the devoted couple, just as it should have been.

Very telling of the tight relationship between Anna and Heero as well was the other black-and-white picture hanging on the opposite wall across from it.

Wearing a dark suit of his own, the handsome Infected held the bride's hand in one of his own as the other wrapped around the back of her slender waist. The merriment shone in their eyes and wide smiles as they looked at each other and spun on the dance floor of the reception hall.

As still as the brother and sister were, Duo could hear the light music playing as well as their laughter. He could see them turning and gliding gracefully to the the tune, beautiful and captivating. He couldn't help but smile every time he saw the picture, caught up in the happiness that radiated from it.

Quietly sighing to himself, the braided teenager picked his feet back up and descended the stairs. With a yawn, he reached the first floor and stretched his arms overhead when the sound of voices reached his ears.

Something was wrong with Anna. Duo could hear that much by the slight snap in her muffled voice. Though he couldn't make out what she was saying, there was no question that she was not happy. His arms falling to his eyes, his violet eyes shot wide open in alarm.

That alert quickly faded into an overwhelming urge to protect her when a second and very unexpected timber followed. Maxwell could recognize that voice anywhere, even as low and distorted as it was in how it traveled down the hallway.

Heero. He was home. Safe.

Relief washed over the living in such a strong rush that his legs almost gave out. Slowly walking towards the source of the harsh conversation taking place, he frowned deeply in only hearing the two siblings going back and forth verbally. As he approached the enclosed back porch that he now knew the conversation to be taking place on, he strained his ears.

"You purposely went behind my back when you promised to heed my request by staying out of it, Anna," Yuy growled dangerously.

And with that one statement, Duo knew exactly what was going on. Wufei was away, his car being the one that woke the teenager earlier, leaving Heero with his sister to confront her on why his Other was here. Whether Anna admitted her involvement or her brother figured it out on his own, the end result was all the same...

Yuy was enraged.

With a snort, the redhead gritted back, "You didn't exactly give me much of a choice!" Stepping into one of the side rooms when he neared his destination, the braided youth peered around the doorway to see the two Vampires standing at either end of the back porch with heated glares set on each other.

Her hands waving excitedly, Anna exclaimed, "Duo deserved to know everything, since this involves him, too! God forbid I do what I can to help the two of you when you're both my family! I wasn't about to lose either of you! And if that meant going against my word, then so be it! My conscience is clear!"

This was such a different picture from the one that Maxwell was admiring a moment ago. Never before would he have imagined that he would see the siblings engaged in such a fight. The smiles and love that they'd had in the image was all but lost as they slowly stalked across their halves of the porch, as though a line had been drawn to keep them separated.

Were either of them to step across that invisible mark, Duo feared what would happen.

"Only now he feels guilted into being around me, thanks to your telling him what will happen to me!" Yuy snapped, a hand reaching up to bury itself in his unruly hair at the back of his head as he paced. "This is the last way I wanted it to work out! How can I look at him when he feels obligated to stay?!"

All of the anger and frustration came to a head when Heero planted himself in place, his gold-and-cobalt eyes never breaking from his sister's fiery gaze and he cried, "Damn it, Anna, you of all creatures know a little something about a human being forced against their will-"

Two sharp gasps rang out as the two Infected's backs straightened, their eyes wide when Heero stopped himself too late. Blinking his own enlarged eyes, Duo gripped the doorway as he looked to the faces of his friends... Yuy's filled with deep regret and the redhead's with profound pain as though she'd been physically smacked, her body reeling back from the blow.

The line had been crossed by leaps and bounds as opposed to steps.

And Duo was not about to stand another minute out of it. Fists clenched at his sides and violet eyes glaring, he stormed from the side room to step out into the open as he moved for the entrance to the porch.

Still too taken aback by his words, Heero remained focused on his sister as tears welled up in her eyes. "Oh, Anna, I..." he whispered brokenly, the sincere regret dripping from his voice, only to be cut off when a certain braided teenager stepped between them when the Infected looked on in shock.

Under normal circumstances, Maxwell would have seriously thought twice about getting in the way of two fighting Vampires, but not this time. Anna had been hurt badly and he was not about to see his 'sister' being treated in such a way, regardless of who was responsible... and that included the Infected that he was tied to.

So, here he stood, fully facing Heero with his back rigid and eyes filled with ire even as his body ached to be closer to the Infected... to make damn certain that Yuy was alright. Once again, Duo's desires and wishes were at such odds that he feared for a moment that he would fall apart.

In the end, it was his protectiveness of Anna that kept him in his place as he hissed, "She went to me because she loves you... both of us for that matter! I wish to hell I had a dozen sisters just like her! Don't you ever give her a hard time about this again."

His steps slow, he walked towards the stunned Original as he stated, "And let me set the record straight in saying that what she did, did not guilt me here, or has me doing one fucking thing against my will. I'm my own goddamned person and I make my own choices in how I go about my life."

Nearly nose-to-nose with the dumbstruck Infected, he all but shouted, "I'm here because I want to be! Got it?" Swallowing roughly, Heero nodded vehemently.

Instantly losing his pent up rage, Duo's shoulders sagged with a heavy sigh. He knew that there was no need to make his bonded feel worse than he clearly did already. But at least now there was a peace of mind that this matter of doubt behind the living's reasons for his presence had been settled.

Anna lowered her head and wiped at the couple of tears that fell down her face. "I'll leave the two of you alone," she muttered. Her frame still trembling at the strike made against her, she moved for the door leading to the snowy world beyond the porch, anxious to get away for some space of her own.

"Hang on, sis," the braided teenager called gently when her hand was on the handle. Lifting her head, the Irish Vampire's reddened eyes blinked when he closed the distance between them to pull her into a tight embrace.

Biting her lip, the redhead melted in his arms and returned the hug as she sniffled. When another tremor wracked her, Duo fought his own surging emotions and turned his head to kiss her cold cheek. "Are you alright?" he whispered by her ear.

She nodded against him and replied shakily, "Yea. I'll be fine." Tightening her arms around him, she breathed sincerely, "Thank you, little brother."

When she pulled back, Anna made sure to evade looking over at Heero and made quick to step outside. In a flash, she disappeared beyond the trees at the top of the short hill behind the estate. Looking on with a heavy heart, Duo made a note to get to the bottom of her story.

For now, however, he had a much more pressing situation to handle.

Turning back to face the stricken Vampire across from him, Duo took a deep breath and suggested, "We should both find a place to sit. I'd prefer it was in your place so that we're not bothered. We have a lot to talk about."

*   *   *   *   *   *

Zechs was very sneaky in slipping back home without her knowing it. He did that on purpose, Meiran was certain of it. But he was not able to stay hidden forever. Eventually, he and Noin had to leave their bedroom to speak with Treize and Lady Une privately.

And when the dark-haired Infected heard her cousins behind their closed door meeting, she was livid.

So, her family thought that they would get the better of her again by keeping her out of the loop of Heero's return home. Well, they were not about to keep her back now. There would be few windows of opportunity for her to work her way in without having eyes on her.

Dressed in a deep blue satin dress and heels with her hair pulled up perfectly, Meiran headed for the front door of her home when a voice called from the living room, "Where are you off to looking like that, cousin?"

Relena. Of course she would be back from her late night preying on wildlife to appease her thirst. And here the Infected was so certain that there would be no one to interfere.

Her hand clenching in a tight fist in midair where she had reached for the doorknob, Meiran turned as Peacecraft stepped out into the entrance. Raising her head high, she decided against lies as she was already walking on eggshells. "I was off to welcome Heero back home from the hunt," she replied in a singsong.

Playing coy, the dark-haired vixen tilted her head and asked sweetly, "Why? Is there something wrong?"

A small smile curled Relena's lips as she stated, "I would advise against going over to see him at all today. Duo spent the night at Wufei and Anna's home, so no doubt he'll be staying now that Heero is back." Folding her hands at her waist, she added, "They have much to work out between them and I pity anyone who might interrupt them."

Duo was with Heero. How bloody lovely.

Restraining her urge to scream in rage, Meiran only put on an even more brilliant smile. "Oh, well that's wonderful to hear that they might be able to patch things up. Heero will be happy, as well as the rest of his family." And the moment that living's neck was exposed when no one else was looking, she would snap it.

It was not fair! Why was it everyone else around her, including Relena now that she had seemed to find herself a new plaything, happy with someone besides her? When would she get what she wanted? What more would it take to win Yuy's affections?

Now with her babysitter back, the raven-haired beauty knew that she was not going to have an opportunity to escape and undo any possible reconciliation between Heero and his Chosen. Like all things in life, however, another door would open to her in place of the one that had just closed in her face.

She had successfully rid Duo Maxwell from her life for a time once already. The next time, that leave would be permanent. Patience. She just needed more patience for the right moment to strike. It would come, as all good things always did.

In the meantime, Meiran would make good on trying to not think of what was taking place at the Yuy estate. She couldn't allow her jealousy to paint pictures in her mind of a warm reunion... of arms that should be wrapped around her enfolding another.

No, those thoughts would only push the limits of her sanity. Mistakes would be made if she were to ever slip. And then she would lose any chance of getting what was rightfully hers.

"I shall be happy to stay behind and catch up with you, then," Meiran grinned. Taking hold of her surprised cousin's arm, she led them towards the living room as she giggled, "You were humming before you left for your hunt and you have not done that in a very long time. So, you simply must tell me all about this person who is bringing you joy again."

Just the thought of Quatre had Relena smiling nervously.

As nice as it was to seemingly have the other Vampire's interest and caring, the Council woman still had her worries over how sincere those things were. At least if she talked her cousin's ear off now, it would serve to give Heero and Duo more time alone to sort things out.

Considering all they'd been through, they were going to need all the time that they could get.

*   *   *   *   *   *

He was just as beautiful as Duo remembered... actually more so.

No memory could do such a captivating creature justice. And the more time he spent with him, the more he was realizing how his body wanted to be closer than they were as they sat across from each other in the Vampire's living room.

Looking down to the floor as he shifted in his recliner, Heero was distracted. Most likely still feel guilty for his words towards Anna. Then, very slowly, that distance in his eyes faded as they lifted to meet the violet gaze watching him.

"Okay," he nodded firmly, making it known that he was giving his full and undivided attention to the living. "What is it you wish to discuss, Duo?"

TBC...

 

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