Crimson Ties Part 3
"I thought that I was going to have to call Public Safety to assemble a search party for you," Quatre sighed in relief when he peeked out from behind the 'wall' of his cubby when he heard his roommate opening their door upon his return.
Getting a good look at the distraught expression on Maxwell's face, the blonde cringed and rolled his chair out into the open as he frowned, "I take it that things did not go well at the registration office?"
Duo let out a puff of air and fell back onto his bed to stare up at the ceiling, groaning, "No. Thanks to my belonging to the government, my required courses are locked down." Throwing an arm over his closing eyes, he sighed, "Just when I thought that things were starting off so well, this crap happens."
Winner bit his lip and rose from his chair to move to sit on the edge of his bed. "I understand that you're upset with the Vampires and what had happened to you," he began quietly, "but this really isn't the end of the world." Shaking his head, he chuckled, "You really are a complicated one."
At the sound of the laughter, the braided teenager lowered his arms from his face and sat up to glare at the boy across from him. "What the hell is so funny and how am I the complicated one?" he gritted.
Unaffected by the anger directed at him, Quatre smirked, "You have such a high tolerance for people when it comes to religion and such, yet you cannot show the same for Vampires. They were all humans at one time, you know. And though there have been changes in them that make them part of another race, every bit of research that has been made proves that they are fundamentally still human as well."
When his friend opened his mouth to protest, the scientist raised his hand and continued, "What happened to your parents was a terrible thing. However, I highly doubt that it went without weighing heavily on the minds of the Vampires present. Like us, they make mistakes."
Raising an eyebrow, Quatre stated, "You also have to remember that it was your parents who willingly offered themselves to the Harvest, though they knew that they would be leaving you behind. They were every bit as much at fault for what happened as the Vampires that allowed them to slip past their screening."
His vision clouding over in a veil of red, Duo flew off his bed and paced the floor. Hissing in a deep breath between his clenched teeth, he pressed the knuckles of his clenched fists against his pounding temples.
Quatre was right, of course.
Throughout his life, Maxwell knew that his parents were not free of guilt for what happened any more than the Infected were. Still, it was hard to hear such words come from someone else; and it hurt. Not even Father Maxwell dared to say as much in all the years that he helped raise him.
But there was truth in it all. It was easier to pass all of the responsibility for the loss of his parents on the creatures that he had no tie to. Easier... and wrong. Still, whether or not he was truly ready to forgive and forget was an entirely different matter.
When he finally came down from his blind rage, Duo was panting for air as he stopped pacing while his vision cleared to reveal that he was now peering out the large window on his half of the room. Closing his violet eyes, he leaned his damp forehead against the cool metal window frame and let out a deep sigh.
"You're right," he finally whispered. "It makes no sense to me why they would be okay with dying when they had a child. And I am angry at them for it. But... I'm not ready to completely let those blood-suckers off the hook, either."
At that, Quatre smiled sadly, "Well, as I know people of faith like to say, everything happens for a reason. Maybe your coming here and this class can be seen as an opportunity as opposed to a punishment of some kind."
Turning to face his roommate, the braided teenager snorted, "Damn, Quat. I've barely known you a day now and you're already becoming annoying with your being right on this stuff."
Relieved that he was clearly beyond being harmed, the blonde smiled and shrugged, "Most of my sisters would back you up on my being annoying." The grin slipped as he stated, "I'm just trying to give you another perspective on how you can look at things. It can only help, wouldn't you agree?"
"Spoken like a true scientist, breaking down the logistics of a situation," Duo snorted. Rubbing the back of his neck, he relented, "You do make good points for me to consider. I'm not going to be able to completely avoid interaction with those damned Infected out here in the world. Maybe this is a test of some kind to get me adjusted to being around them."
A bit of resolve took hold as he raised his braided head and asked, "You did say that this Vampire usually keeps to themselves?"
Pleased by the turn around in his friend, Quatre grinned widely, "Yes. And even if you have to talk to him every now and then, Heero is harmless. I spend my days in the library quite a bit when the semesters kick in. He's a really nice guy."
Heero.
Repeating the name in his head, Duo couldn't help but have a strange feeling of familiarity to it. So the filthy Infected's name was Heero. Nice or not, Hell had a better chance of freezing over before he would ever want to have a pow-wow with the creature.
Mentally shaking himself from allowing his old rage to build up again, Maxwell decided to look on the brighter side of his dilemma as Quatre had suggested. He had spent so many years of his life angry and hating... two very unappealing qualities for anyone regardless of their religious denomination.
This could be a step in the right direction of possibly finding closure. Forgiveness would be nearly impossible to accomplish, but tolerance was certainly better than nothing.
It was definitely an improvement from having his anger eat him alive.
"Okay," Duo finally sighed deeply, shoulder sagging heavily at the burden that he was releasing. "I'll take it one day at a time, then." Hard as it was for him to admit it, he actually felt better in simply letting go that little bit.
Clearing his throat, the braided teenager smirked with a sincere, "Thanks, Quat."
Unable to help his growing smile, Winner replied, "Well, now I feel like I will be able to help you in a more fitting way to repay you for assisting me with my hang ups. Any math is far too easy for me. I enjoy a challenge."
Snickering, Maxwell shook his head in amusement. "Just to warn you, I can be a pretty stubborn bastard," he commented. "So you're going to have a quite a few challenges with me as far as my accepting those Infected goes."
"I'll make sure to keep my annoyance at an all-time high just for you, then," Quatre chuckled. Glancing to his alarm clock, he announced, "The cafeteria will be opening for dinner soon."
Duo took a deep breath and cringed at the heavy smell of smoke on him. "I better change into some fresh clothes first so that I don't ruin any appetites," he muttered.
Tallying his stash of cigarette in his head, he also made a note to himself to head out to the nearest gas station for another carton. No doubt he was going to be smoking like a chimney over the course of the semester.
* * * * * *
"We have to make this quick," a deep voice snapped. "The Yuy and Barton clans are not far behind us. And if they know that we're intent on making him our next meal-"
Another voice hissed, "I know what that would mean for us! Shut the hell up now and keep looking! That little brat can't be far."
Huddling himself in a tight ball in the shallow sewer below, Duo sniffled and fought the urge to let out even a whimper. Large violet eyes peering beyond the barred grate, he watched as the black-booted feet of the Vampires that had chased him walked past without a sound.
Everything that he knew about Vampires from what his parents taught him had been used. He'd hid in a place where the scent of his blood would be thrown off by other smells. And what could be more horrendous than the stench of grime and whatever else was floating in the murky water only a couple inches below his dangling feet?
That mere thought of his parents filled the nine-year-old's mind with the horrific vision of them being drained of their blood by those two monsters facilitating the service. He was supposed to stay away, but he ran into the room that his Mother and Father forbade him to enter only to watch them die.
When he screamed, the hoard of Vampires looked to him. Most of those brilliant eyes were filled with disbelief and panic... others were filled with a promise of death to fill an unquenchable thirst. So he ran as far as his little legs could carry him through the city.
Duo knew he would not get far on his own, so he hid and waited... praying that the Infected that were so close to finding him would go away.
"I still don't see why those wretched human-lovers wouldn't just include him in the ritual," the voice of a female vampire muttered. "Such a waste to let him be taken into the sanctuary of the Church. He won't have much of a future now that his parents are dead."
More terrible visions of his mother and father's blood flowing from their bitten necks filled the long-haired boy's vision. Squeezing his shimmering eyes closed tight, he bit his bottom lip to hold back the frightened sob that almost broke free.
The harshness of his teeth plowing into the flesh drew warm blood that dripped down the side of his mouth. With a gasp, his eyes shot open wide in terror.
A foot thumped down on the other side of the hooded grate. With a deep, sinister chuckle, the owner of that foot whispered, "There you are."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Crying, Duo shot upright in his bed, coated in sweat and his blankets tossed aside in his tossing and turning in his sleep. His hand rising up to cover his face as his eyes closed with a whimper, his eyes squeezed closed and his body shook.
That nightmare... it had been a memory from the past that he had successfully buried for years. As best he could, he forced those dark sights, sounds and smells away from the reaches of his mind as he gulped down air.
Slowly, that horrible night faded away again and violet eyes blinked open when the hand against them lowered. Breathing normally again, Duo scanned his surroundings to find his dorm room brightening at the early rays of dawn beyond the drawn window shades.
Releasing a deep sigh, he fell back against his mattress and pillows. As a single tear fell down the side of his face, the braided teenager wiped it way with a growled, "Damn it. I really could have done without that."
On today of all days, the day when his classes were to start and he would be expected to go to the library that he had successfully stayed away from over the last week... why did that memory have to come back as if he was reliving it all over again?
The sound of the doorknob jiggling in its turning had Maxwell shooting upright with a start. Placing a hand over his pounding chest, he panted again as he watched Quatre enter.
Shower bucket in hand and a damp towel wrapped around his shoulders, the blonde frowned deeply when he looked on his startled friend. Running a hand through his wet hair, he asked, "Are you okay, Duo? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Bitterly snorting, the braided teenager muttered under his breath, "Yea, it was something like that." Shaking his head, he put on a smile and shrugged, "Just a weird dream."
As was his motto, he never lied. But he did not always have to reveal the whole truth, either. Not when it was something that he was uncomfortable discussing. There was enough on his mind as it was. Bringing up that horrific night would not make what would no doubt be a stressful day on him any more difficult.
There was a flash of... something that crossed Winner's mind that had Duo thinking that his roommate might press the matter. Then the Arab grinned, "Ah, well, it may be you're still adjusting to your new setting."
'Good boy,' the braided teenager thought to himself. Not even a mention or reminder of their classes starting up. Quatre had become quite good in picking up on when Duo needed his privacy over their days of becoming acquainted. And the blonde was kind enough to give him that space without protest.
Rising from his bed, Maxwell peeled the sweat-smelling sheets from the mattress and tossed them in his hamper by the door. Mentally thankful that he thought to pack a couple sets of sheets, he decided against pulling one of the fresh replacements out so that the wet cot could air dry first.
While Quatre finished changing into his clothes for the day, Duo moved for his desk and switched off the alarm of his clock that was going to sound in a couple of minutes. Groaning, he realized in reading the time that he wouldn't have a chance to shower very thoroughly if he wanted to grab breakfast before his first class.
Originally, he'd intended to clean up that evening since he did not plan on waking in such a sweat. Throwing his frayed braid up in a bun, he hurried to his closet to grab his own shower bucket. "I'm going to take a quick shower," he announced. "I'll save cleaning my hair for later, so I'll still be able to meet up with you at the cafeteria to grab a quick breakfast."
Blinking Winner watched him retreat as he replied, "Okay. See you later, then." The door to their room was closed behind his distracted roommate before he got the whole sentiment out.
* * * * * *
Even though the day had not started on the best of notes for Duo, things steadily improved as he went through the motions of being a student again.
When he caught up with Quatre after his quick wash-up, he was pleasantly surprised to find him sitting with Alex, Mueller, Trent and a few of the other students that they had come to befriend over the last few days. Laughing and talking about normal teenage things was a relief and a welcomed distraction from everything.
Then, the braided teenager was on his own to get through his classes. Now a regular at making his way around the campus, he maneuvered himself around while smiling and waving to the other students that called to him in passing along the way.
American History class promised to be interesting, with a charismatic Professor Girard teaching it. Thankfully the man was lively and captivating enough to make it easier to keep attention during the early lesson.
Immediately after, Algebra began with a grinding, painful start that had Maxwell thanking God that he had a friend like Quatre who was more than capable of helping him understand what may as well have been advanced French from Mrs. Patterson's mouth.
Much as he despised math, he was more than happy to sit through it if it meant that it was that much longer before he would have to set foot in the library that early afternoon.
Before he really knew where the time went, Duo had finished up his two morning classes and was able to enjoy the couple of hours that he had to himself before Literature. Keeping himself occupied, he purchased his required books in the school store and headed to lunch which he enjoyed with a few of his classmates.
And all too soon, it was nearing one o'clock... the start time for Literature. Having never been in the library, he was going to need help in finding which way he needed to go for his class. If he could not simply recognize someone that he would be able to follow, that would mean a good likelihood of running into that Infected who worked there.
Biting his lip, the braided student thumped his fingers anxiously on the edge of his desk as he stared at the time on his alarm clock. Sweat was beginning to bead along his brow when yet another minute ticked by.
12:37. Just enough time to walk to the library and get pointed to his class. He'd timed it to where he would not have another minute to spare.
Quickly grabbing his backpack, Duo locked the door to his room and kept a brisk pace out of the dormitory. Crossing the wide lawn, he took to the pavement and shoved his fists in his pockets. He kept his head down, focusing on the cement as he ascended the steady incline of the hill.
If anyone had acknowledged him, the teenager doubted that he would have heard them over how loud the blood was rushing in his ears thanks to his thumping heart. And all too soon, he recognized the bike rack sitting beside the steps that he had been dreading and came to a sudden stop.
Raising his head, he stared at the library carved out of natural stone with shining glass side windows that made up the walls. "This is an opportunity, not the end of the world, Maxwell," he whispered to himself. Doing his damnedest to believe those words, he willed his feet to move.
Heart hammering all the harder in his chest, Duo climbed the steps until he reached the two sets of doors that opened when he stepped before them. Swallowing roughly, he stepped inside.
Frantic, his violet eyes scanned around the high-ceiling first floor that was filled with packed bookshelves, computer stations and couches. None of the fine details of what he was certain made the place a lovely facility were taken in as he searched for a familiar face.
Silently wishing to hell that Quatre was not in another class of his own that he could have helped him, Maxwell felt the breath of relief escaping him when he heard a woman's voice call, "The classrooms are down the stairs beyond these doors."
Instantly snapping his head towards the source of that announcement, he found an woman with graying hair holding her hand out to the double doors at the back of the space as she smiled to a handful of lost students.
All but running to join the rest of the group, the braided teenager fell in line and followed them down the stairs to the basement lined by opened doors marked by classroom numbers.
He'd made it without a single glimpse of the Vampire. Wiping away the trails of sweat that ran down the side of his face, Duo shook his head and laughed at quietly at himself and how ridiculous he had acted when there was no need for the stress that he'd put on himself.
Oh, there would be times when he would run into this Heero and others of his vile race. There would be a time for acceptance.
But it didn't have to come today.
Things were looking up for the reminder of the day, after all.
* * * * * *
Get through the doors and bee-line for the exit.
That was Duo's plan at the end of his class as he climbed the stairs back to the first level with the rest of his class. It was all he had to do and he would be free and clear of any unwanted encounters for the day.
He was in such a rush to leave the library that when Professor G called an end to the lesson, he didn't even bother to get his books in his backpack. Simply throwing his arms around them, he hurried from the room to get away.
Keeping his head lowered, he walked around the librarian's station and headed for the two sets of doors that blocked off his freedom. His lungs held onto the air in them as he reached his destination without a single look around himself.
At the opening of the glass 'walls,' the braided teenager breathed again as he stepped outside into the warm, sunny day. Letting out another laugh, he inhaled the sweet-smelling air.
Free at last.
Descending the steps, Duo chuckled quietly at how smoothly his first day of classes had gone... not even noticing that his backpack was lighter than it should have been in his haste to get back to his room.
Moments later, back inside the library, Professor G walked towards the librarian station with a thick notebook in hand. Smiling to the face behind the counter, he requested, "One of my students, a Duo Maxwell, dropped this. I believe that he resides here on campus. Would you please see that it is returned to him, Heero?"
Taking the book in hand, the librarian aid smirked, "Of course, professor. I'll see that he gets it back, personally."
TBC...
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