Some day when you're lonely
Sometime after all this bliss
Somewhere lost in emptiness
I hope you find this gift
-'We Belong Together' performed by Gavin DeGraw
Crimson Ties Part 43
Stepping forward, Duo took hold of the bottom end of his scythe as Wufei stated, "I'll start you with a lesson. When you're taking on a Vampire, there are five key points that you want to strike if you want to bide yourself some time."
His own hand gripping the top end of the staff just below the green blade, Chang lifted it to hold the edge of the laser by his head with a flat, "Here."
Lowering the weapon to glow by his neck, he said, "Here."
Slowly, he pushed the curved weapon to the center of his exposed chest, declaring, "Here."
The scaly Vampire then manipulated the blade to rest against the lower right side of his exposed abdomen then the left, as he concluded, "Here and here. Even a centimeter off of those marks could literally be the difference of life and death for you."
Violet eyes growing, Duo locked those places into his memory with a rough swallow and a firm nod that he understood. Wufei released the other end of the scythe so that the teenager could counter turn the halves to call back the glowing curve of the laser.
"When you hit any one of those weak spots as hard as you can, your attacker will be knocked back for only a moment in which you will need to decapitate or pierce their heart quickly," Wufei continued, his tone empty of its warmth as he now was a mentor training a soldier.
Folding his hands behind his back, he went on, "There can be no hesitation on your end in doing that or they will be sure to finish you off before you'll ever get a second chance." Again, Duo nodded in grim understanding.
Chang instructed, "When you are engaging in combat with one of our own, be sure not to go for one of those weaknesses right away because you'll never make it to your mark. No Rogue would ever believe that you are prelude to any of this, so go for a less harmful blow to them that they'll block off to give you an opening to the mark you are truly intent on."
All of that making perfect sense, Maxwell smirked, "Got it. Don't go for the jugular right away and don't strike unless I mean to finish it."
Pleased with that assessment of the start to his lesson, Wufei's mouth stretched into a small, amused grin. "Good," he approved. "Heero and I will get setting up the training ring in the back yard while you're on your run to warm your muscles up. Take this time to get some stretches in."
Without question or complaint, Duo moved to the door frame of the living room entrance to pull on the backs of his legs to loosen the tendons in them before shifting to stretching his arms. From the corner of his eye, he watched as Wufei headed over to Anna and Heero.
Holding out his unzipped gray sweatshirt, the redhead gave her husband a relieved smile. Completely ignoring the offering, Chang moved in to pull her into a tight embrace that she melted into and kissed her cheek. Another round of words that were no doubt of a reassuring nature were whispered by the Irish Infected's ear as she physically relaxed even more.
Only when they finally pulled away did Wufei accept and pull on the hooded top. Exchanging shallow nods with Heero, he led him out of the room so that they could move to the back of the house where they disappeared while Duo extended his legs out to the sides.
A cheerful smile on her face, Anna walked up to her little brother as she zippered the front of her deep purple sweat hoodie that matched her pants. "I promise to go easy on the pace," she winked.
"Thanks for that," Duo replied sincerely, righting himself. "No way in hell could I keep up with you if you ran at your top speed. I'd be hailing a cab back home." Snickering, Anna finished tying her long hair in a high ponytail and led the way out of the house.
* * * * * *
For it being late December, the air was not nearly as cold as it could have been. Bundled as he was in his red sweat wear, gray scarf, cap and gloves, Duo had no problem staying warm once his adrenaline kicked in during his run.
Just as she had promised, Anna kept a steady pace beside the braided youth as they navigated the hilly and serene back roads of the peaceful suburbia.
When they hit their second of the three miles, Maxwell took a deep breath of cool air and panted, "Man... I'm glad I wasn't a hardcore smoker before I totally quit. This would have sucked otherwise."
Giggling, his redheaded counterpart grinned at him, "I noticed how well you've kept up without a cigarette. I'm proud of you for that."
A sheepish look washed over her face as she shrugged, "Even if your lungs would be perfectly healthy without necessarily needing to breathe, I'm a bit of a stickler for humans taking care of themselves. Plus, I admit to being a bit of a Midi when it comes to looking after you."
"Oh, I get it," Duo snickered. "And I appreciate your getting on my case the couple of times you did about it." He was rewarded with a wide smile for that.
Taking one of the widely winding dirt roads around the white-blanked wildlife reserves, the two fell into a companionable silence once again. And that only left the teenager to his thoughts. There were few private moments like this, and so perhaps it was time to take advantage of that to have more of his questions answered.
As he peered from the corner of his violet eye at his sister, Maxwell took a deep breath and inquired, "Hey, Anna, can I ask you a personal question?"
With a laugh, the Irish Vampire met his gaze to reply, "Of course. There are no secrets between us. Ask whatever it is you want to know."
Biting his lip carefully to not bite down too hard when his body jolted in his run, Duo took another deep breath that he released to make a plume of smoke on the chilled air. Fully turning his head towards the redhead, he frowned deeply, "How did you come to meet and turn 'Fei? What happened between the two of you that seems to be such a dark thing in your past?"
Her blue-and-gold eyes widened at that and Anna slowed to a stop in the middle of the empty road. Quickly halting beside her, Maxwell worked to catch his breath as he watched her already pale skin lose a couple of hues spare for her darker 'freckles.'
Staring ahead of herself at nothing but her memories, the Infected whispered with a haunted voice, "That... is a very personal question, little brother. And a long one at that."
"I'm here," Duo offered gently, resting a hand on her shoulder to squeeze it. "And I have all the time you need to tell me." He gasped sharply when she looked back at him with a shimmer in her eyes that scared him.
The Vampire shook her head, breathing, "I just... it would kill me if you thought less of me-" With a soft whimper, her words were cut off and she looked away sharply before she was pulled into a fierce embrace.
By her ear, Maxwell vowed quietly, "That'd be impossible, Anna. You know I think the world of you. Along with owing you everything for risking that talk with me when I'd sent Heero away, you've already grown on me. Nothing will change that."
Melding against him and returning the tight hug, the redhead chuckled nervously, "Never say never. Remember that you also swore you would never forgive Heero for what happened at the Harvest."
That was true, Duo had to admit to himself. But he also knew that whatever acts his sister committed, they wouldn't undo how much he loved her.
Finally pulling back, Anna wiped a stray tear from her cheek with a sniffle. Clearing her throat, she collected herself enough to meet the gaze watching her and sighed, "Give me a little time. I promise you'll hear it all from me, as it is your right to know everything about us. I just need to be... prepared to go back to that time to share it."
"Okay," Maxwell grinned sadly as he gently wiped the last wet trail from her face with the pad of his gloved thumb. When you're ready, then." Leaning in, he kissed her forehead, urging, "No more tears now. It kills me to see you cry."
The Vampire's contagious smile returned as she chuckled, "You're such a sweet brother." Looking back down the path that they had yet to go, she smirked back at him, "Care to race if I promise to not go any faster than we have been running?"
Duo returned the smirk and responded, "You're on."
He won their little race when they returned home shortly after. But he had a feeling that Anna let him have that victory before the real punishment to his body began.
* * * * * *
Saying that Wufei was not a challenge as a trainer was a grave understatement, Duo came to soon learn. Over the course of the next week week-and-a-half, the scaly Infected had the mortal working out every muscle in his body with weights, stairs, medicine balls and every other torturous device that could be thrown at him...
...and they hadn't even begun the physical hand-to-hand or weapon-to-weapon combat yet. Chang said that he was not comfortable pushing that bit until he knew that his braided brother-in-law was physically up for it. Until then, all of the focus was on muscle sculpting and endurance.
It didn't take long for Maxwell to notice the early differences in his strength and body through the course of the intense workouts. And Heero was more than pleased with the results as well- not only for how it enhanced his Other's looks, but by how the changes would help Duo should he ever on the defensive against a Vampire.
Sighing deeply, Duo blinked his eyes open following his much-needed sleep. Muscles aching in protest as he stirred awake, their slight discomfort was instantly forgotten when he focused on a smiling pair of cobalt-and-gold eyes watching him. Quickly orienting himself, the teenager took in the feel of his Vampire's arms holding him against a strong chest.
Heero leaned in to kiss the living soundly before he leaned back to whisper, "Merry Christmas." And it already was a wonderful Christmas as far as Maxwell was concerned. Returning the greeting in kind, he tightened his own arms around the Infected and closed his eyes to relish in their closeness for a moment.
Just when he was about to drift back to sleep, Duo was woken by the rumble of his partner's chuckled, "The others have been patiently waiting downstairs for you to begin the gift exchanges. And Midi is going to have cooked enough of a breakfast to feed an army if we don't get you downstairs to enjoy it soon."
Snickering at that, the mortal decided that it was only right for him to get up and see the rest of his family. After all, they had been as excited about him having this first Christmas with him as he was.
A quick shower and change into a fresh pair of jeans set with a black sweater later saw Duo and Heero entering the living room to greet their siblings and cousins. To the sound of Christmas songs playing on the stereo system, the happy family pulled their wrapped presents from under the tree to hand them out to one another.
Through the conversations and laughter, the braided living couldn't help but have a couple moments where he would just sit back and watch the Vampires around him. For years, he'd wished for a Christmas like this- surrounded by loved ones and just the warmth of their company.
Not only did he have that now, but this was the first of many... many others to come. It was an overwhelming and fulfilling thought. To have more days like this with the given company was more than Duo could have ever hoped for.
Then, all that remained of the gift exchanges were the small wrapped boxes in Yuy and Maxwell's hands as they shifted on the couch that they occupied to look on each other.
Midi was through the room in her blurred state, cleaning the torn pieces of wrapping paper from the floor. The gifts were placed into neat piles as if by a wind that had entered the house. When she materialized, the garbage bag that the brunette Infected had brought in was stuffed with the remains and the space was spotless again.
"Breakfast is ready and waiting whenever you are, dear," the 'little mother' winked to her braided cousin. "We'll give the two of you a moment alone." Turning to the rest of her 'children,' she gestured with her head towards the door. Quick to their feet, Trowa, Wufei and Anna followed her from the room.
Releasing a deep sigh of a breath in having the privacy, Yuy faced his Other once more and smiled that private smile that he only showed the living. "It's not much, but it's also everything to me," he said in little more than a whisper as he handed over the silver-wrapped box.
At that description, Duo blinked his widening eyes and accepted the present. His heart hammering in his chest, he fought to keep his hands from shaking as he tore away at the bow and paper to reveal the little black box inside. Swallowing roughly, he lifted the lid to gasp sharply, "H-Heero..."
With his hand trembling now, the teenager reached inside to run his hand over the gold coin that his Vampire usually wore. Clearing his throat, the immortal stared down at the floor as he explained softly, "I have a new sense of my own worth for myself thanks to you. I am starting to see myself through your eyes more, so I no longer wish to be reminded of my painful start into this life because it doesn't matter anymore. Therefore, I want you to have that gold pence to always have something of me with you."
Swallowing roughly against the lump that had formed in his throat, Maxwell set the box aside to hold the Infected's cold face in his hands and turn it towards him. Quickly leaning in, he pressed and held a chaste kiss against the Vampire's lips. "Thank you," he breathed when he pulled back, his eyes stinging.
There could never have been a more precious gift than what Yuy had bestowed on him. But before he could add it to his chain, he needed to extend his own offering lest he give away his present.
"I guess they mean it when they say great minds think alike," the braided youth snickered as he held up his small, gold-wrapped offering. Handing it over, he watched the Infected remove the bow and wrapping carefully to find the white box they contained.
When the lid was lifted, it was Heero's turn to gasp and stare in disbelief at the content inside. Biting his lip, he looked up with the most reverent of love in his eyes before he claimed his Chosen's lips in a much more smoldering kiss.
Duo sighed into his mouth, violet eyes drifting closed as he gladly returned the gesture with everything in him until his need for air called him away.
Chuckling deeply, the two removed the chains from under their shirts to unlatch them to add their new pendants- Maxwell's including the bulb of blood from his family and now the gold coin whilst Heero donned the gold cross that his bonded had worn since his arrival at the Maxwell Church.
Their mouths curled in wide smiles that threatened to split their faces, the human and the Vampire took hold of each other's hand and rose from the couch to meet the others in the dining room.
'Yea,' Duo thought to himself as they stepped out into the hallway, 'I can definitely get used to Christmases like this."
* * * * * *
During the times of his training, Maxwell seemed to turn around and realize that another week had passed on him. And with the ring of the new year behind him, so ended his immeasurable happiness with the arrival of a most dreaded day.
Heero stood in their living room with his back to the teenager leaning against the door frame with a deep concern in his violet eyes. "You're sure that you have everything you need?" the boy asked, watching his Vampire slip his gun into the holster at his hip.
"I'm sure," the Infected reassured as he zippered his duffle bag closed and slung it over his shoulder. Walking up to the living, he smiled, "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."
Fully knowing the extent of the armor hidden beneath his Vampire's sweater and jeans, Maxwell knew that he shouldn't be worried... but he realized that his feelings couldn't be helped. "I just don't want to lose you again," he heard himself whisper, blushing that he actually spoke the words as he ducked his head.
A cool finger lifted his chin and a pair of chilled lips pressed against his own in a sound kiss that he melded into, their arms wrapping around tightly to bring their bodies as close as they could manage.
Reluctantly breaking the moment, Heero pulled away and rested their foreheads together as their eyes opened to stare deeply into each other. "I love you," he whispered.
"I know," Duo grinned. Snickering, his Vampire pressed a kiss on the end of his nose and led the way to the front door. On his way out behind him, the teenager grabbed his coat and threw it on before he closed the estate off in their wake.
Out on the sidewalk, the family of Council members were exchanging their farewells to Trowa and Lady Une along with Wufei, Anna and Midi. Moving in for his own goodbyes, Yuy made his way down the line to accept and offer handshakes and one-armed embraces while Maxwell stayed back to take it all in.
Finally reaching his sister, Heero smirked, "Try and behave while I'm gone, brat."
Huffing, Anna rolled her eyes and pouted, "You never let me have any fun." At the swat to her rear that she received for that, she laughed and leapt into her brother's opening arms with their hush voices muttering 'love you's'.
With a kiss to her cheek as her legs wrapped around his waist, the unruly-haired Vampire chuckled and spun the redhead around. As he lowered her back to the ground, he pecked her lips and winked as he headed to join his team in the middle of the street.
Barton and Lady Une waved to their spouses as they spun on their heels to leave while Yuy paused only to give his Other one last smile. Swallowing roughly, the living did his best to put on a brave smile. He even tried to ignore how his heart was breaking on him in preparation for the loss and fear he was about to endure in waiting for his partner's return.
All of the efforts he had but in to being strong were undone when his Vampire turned to catch up with the other. Biting his lip, Duo cried, "Heero!"
Running out into the street just as the surprised Infected faced him again, the living pulled him into a fierce and desperate kiss. Stunned for only an elevated heartbeat, Yuy's wide eyes closed as he held his Chosen tight, moaning into the attacking mouth that was covering his. A battle between their tongues was waged as their hands gripped onto their coats in firm grasps.
Finally breaking away, Maxwell realized that his right hand was hanging onto the cross pendant that now hung around the Vampire's neck. Panting for air, he kept their lips close enough that they brushed together as he whispered, "You sure as hell better get back to me in one piece, 'Ro. So help me if you don't-" He was silenced with another kiss, this one less demanding and sweeter than the last one.
"Not another worry," Heero replied just as softly, a loving smile on his face. "I did not wait as long as I did to find you to leave you now, or anytime for that matter." That said, he left one last gentle peck to the teenager's lips and their holds on each other slacked so that he could walk back to Trowa and Lady Une.
Keeping their eyes locked for as long as he could before he had to turn away, Yuy mouthed a 'love you' to the teenager. Then, as his teammates vanished in blurs from the street, the Infected took a deep breath and followed them.
Duo bit his lip as he stared out to where his Vampire had just been standing. Unconsciously, he reached into his jacket to cling to the coin and bulb pendants against his chest. It took a couple of blinks when his vision watered over for him to notice that it had begun to snow again... only adding to the chill in his emptied heart.
An arm wrapped around his shoulders to pull him into a side embrace to bring him back to the present as he turned to see Anna with Wufei right behind her. With a sad grin, the redhead set a quick kiss at the tip of her little brother's nose and urged gently, "Come on along, Duo. Let's get you inside. Midi is already making you some hot chocolate."
Numb, the living nodded his braided head and allowed his siblings to guide him back into the mansion.
* * * * * *
Sleep wasn't coming.
Not that he'd expected any different when he went to bed that night. It was almost pointless for him to even bother changing into his tank top and sleep shorts in the vain hope that maybe he would be able to relax enough to close his eyes and have slumber be kind enough to pull him from the painful world where Heero was missing from his side.
Turning so that he was lying on his stomach, Duo let out a frustrated groan that was muffled by the pillow he buried his face into. Completely giving up on trying to sleep altogether, he pushed himself off his mattress and navigated easily through the darkness of his room to open and step through the door. Steps sure and heavy, he made his way down to the brightly lit first level of the mansion.
He never bothered seeing just how late it was by checking the grandfather clock when he stepped into the living room. All that he was interested in was finding someone to talk to. But the sight of the empty space left those hopes dashed and his shoulders sagged with a deep sigh.
Wufei and Anna had promised Maxwell earlier that one or both of them would always be around the estate so that he had company. Neither of them struck him as the types to break such a word... especially knowing how rough his separation from Heero already was on him.
Just as his dark thoughts were about to set in again, the braided teenager's ears picked up the sound of a somber tune being hummed. Recognizing the voice, he instantly brightened and followed the sound. He remembered the tune, an Irish melody of a song called 'If Ever You Were Mine.' He'd heard it hummed a number of times now to pick it out.
And, like the other times he'd heard this voice humming it, there was a sense of heart in the way it was quietly droned.
Stepping into the kitchen, Duo found Anna standing with her back to him as she continued to hum while filling the teakettle under the running water of the sink faucet. Her song coming to an end, she peered over her shoulder and smiled that sweet smile of hers. "I heard you coming downstairs and thought you could go for some tea," she informed.
"Thanks, sis. That sounds pretty good right about now," the teenager grinned sincerely as he walked to lean his backside against the small table. Running a hand through his long bangs, he sighed, "Can't sleep."
His redheaded companion set the teakettle onto the stove and brought the burner it sat on to a slow burn. "Yea. Me neither," she replied with a lopsided quirk of a smile. Snorting at the joke, the living rolled his violet eyes with put on dramatics that made her laugh.
Walking away from the stove, the Irish Infected took up a tea mug filled with tea-colored blood as she approached her little brother. "Wufei is working with one of his clients that want to have a massive overhaul of an update to their server completed before their office opens in a few hours. Midi is working on the third floor of her and Trowa's home. So, that leaves you with me this morning," she smirked at the end of her detailed rundown of the whereabouts to the rest of the family.
Duo chuckled, "Well, I couldn't ask for better company." He was rewarded with another sweet smile and a ruffle of his bangs that he leaned into.
Setting her cup down on the table, a thoughtful frown etched its way across Anna's face. She chewed on the inside of her cheek for a moment before she locked gazes with the mortal and commented, "I couldn't help but notice that you still have yet to actually say that you love Heero. Do you still have any doubts to how you feel about him?"
Violet eyes blinking, Duo looked to the wall clock and whistled through his teeth. "Two in the morning and you're hitting hard with the personal questions," he muttered. Feeling self-conscious under her gaze in light of the inquiry, he stared at the floor and shifted his socked feet over the tiles.
"That's a tough one for me to answer, Anna," he responded without being able to look at her. "I care for Heero, I know that much. But I still don't know if I'm ready to call it love just yet. Part of me still wonders if what I'm going through isn't just out this mystical bond between us."
Humming, the redhead shrugged, "I see. Well, if there is still any doubt between you, then he is always welcome back to sharing my bed with me as he had many times over in the past."
Jealousy the likes of which Duo had never felt before shot through his whole being and rage was right behind. Without even thinking of doing so, he spun on his heels and threw a violent punch right for the Vampire's face.
When his clenched hand was a hair's width away from contacting, it was stopped with his sister's cold hand with a loud smack at the contact. Over her white knuckles, her blue-and-gold eyes continued to watch him. Though her mouth was concealed, the shift in the side of her face was a giveaway to the pleased smirk that curled it as she let out a low huff of a laugh.
Stricken by his actions, Maxwell froze and his skin paled. Never in his life would he have ever struck a female... least of all his sister! But his reaction was so intense and fast that all reason was completely forgotten, even though he was well aware that Heero and Anna were all that they had for support for hundreds of years. He knew they shared beds before, but nothing was crossed beyond their platonic sibling relationship, and yet he lost that bit of logic.
Lowering their joint hands, Anna smirked with a sarcastic, "You're right. Maybe you're not in love with Heero." At the glare that befell her, she gave the back of his hand a quick, apologetic kiss. "I'm sorry to have used such an underhanded way to wake you up," she frowned, "but it was the only way I thought that I could get through."
As she released his hand, she folded her arms across her chest and sighed, "More than most creatures you have in your life, I know how frightening something as intense as the love between a Vampire and their Chosen is."
Easily forgiving her for her method of making him aware of something new in himself, Duo swallowed roughly. "Pretty fucking terrifying is more like it," he murmured. Chuckling, the Infected nodded firmly at the sentiment.
The whistle from the teakettle pierced the air. Removing it from the burner, Anna turned the stove off and made a cup of tea that she handed over when she returned to her brother. They took seats across from each other at the table and sipped at their drinks in a comfortable silence for a bit.
Lowering her mug, the redhead bit her lip as she stared at the table surface. "Did you really mean it when you said nothing could make you think less of me?" she asked in a voice so soft that it was nearly missed.
Duo straightened upright in his chair. Reaching across to take her hand, he squeezed it tight. "You know I meant every word of that, he reassured softly but surely.
Her blue-and-gold eyes meeting his gaze, the Anna took a deep breath. Squeezing his hand back, she released it and sat up in her seat. "Okay," she nodded firmly. "I'm ready to tell you everything about Wufei's turning."
TBC...
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