"SHADOWS AND LIGHT: AN UNBREAKABLE BOND"

Written By: Stone Angel

 

Please see Prologue for disclaimer, ratings and explanations. ^_^

AN: Just so you know, I HATE this chapter. For that matter, I hate the next few. They are the ones where the players are evolving and you get to know them better than you’ d probably ever want to. Ugh ugh ugh. Crappy writing afoot. I was DRUNK! My god, never write when drunk. This could happen. I’m working on it, but it takes time. Patience. Anyway, if you can get past these genuinely FUBAR (for those of you who just went: “HUH?”, that means Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition. Military term I suppose.)pages, I think you’ ll like the rest of the fic. The people who have read the whole thing were hesitant at first, but then really got into it and now are begging for bound copies and/or publishing. I think that this story would be better as a fanfic however. For the time being. No promises mind you.
ANYway, read the crapulence and then graduate to the better stuff and in short, you’ll be glad you did. BUT STILL FEEL FREE TO FLAME ME FOR THIS CHAPTER! I'LL *AGREE*!!!

 

SHADOWS AND LIGHT: AN UNBREAKABLE BOND:

CHAPTER 1: CARPE NOCTEM

The club was smoky. Loud music played over the speakers. The smell of strong alcohol permeated the air. Couples of all sorts sat at the tables, drinking wine with their dinners. Singles sat at the bar. People danced solo or with a mate on the dance floor.

Heero sat at the bar, a shot of tequila on the bar surface in front of him, a lit cigarette in one hand. He sat, turning the small glass upon the bar, studying it intensely through alcohol clouded eyes, every so often, taking a drag from the white cylinder.

"Hey, Kid." Said the bar tender, a tall young man who was slightly portly and had a goa-t and blonde hair. "That ID you flashed me was a fake."

"No shit." Said Heero. 'I'm actually somewhat surprised he knew.' He thought to himself. 'No one else ever did.' "You just figured it out? How?"

The bar tender smirked. "I knew. But you looked like you needed a drink or two. I ain't givin' ya another one though." He said. "So? What happened?"

Heero sighed, sipping from the shot glass, drinking it slowly as he was not going to get anymore. "You know I almost died today?" He put the cigarette out on the ashtray a few feet away on the bar surface.

"No shit?" Said the bar tender, disbelief and skepticism apparent in his voice and eyes. He leaned against the bar across from Heero.

"Yeah." Heero took another small sip of his drink. "Turns out I was ten seconds away from being murdered." He said, staring at his glass.

"Really?" He asked, now seeming curious. "What happened?"

"I was going along one of the back roads in east county and I saw a car pulled over. I stopped and asked if they needed help. It was some guy about seventeen years old. Weird looking. In a nice way. He said to go ahead, that he was meeting somebody." Heero took another sip and grimaced at the taste. "As I was driving away, I saw a car stop and three older guys get out and meet the boy. On my way back down the same road, there were cops and an ambulance and a coroner truck. It turns out, the three guys were murdered and their bodies dumped in the ditch by the side of the road. The guy I had talked to was gone without a trace."

"Wow." The bar tender said with wide eyes. "Pretty merred out, huh?"

"Understatement of the year." Replied Heero, finishing off his drink and setting the small glass loudly on the bar. "Do you think you can pretend my ID is real and keep 'em coming?"

The bartender looked at Heero for a moment. "How old are you?"

"Nineteen." Heero said, looking the man in the eyes without a hitch. He spoke the truth.

"Ok. Just a few more." Replied the bartender after a moment of deliberation. "But only tonight, Ok? I don't want you thinkin' you can make a habit outta this. Next time you get drinks from me, you'll be Twenty-one. Understand?"

"Sure thing." Heero said, tapping the bottom of the shot glass against the polished wood top of the bar.

The bartender refilled the glass and left with the bottle to see to others at the bar.

Heero sipped from the thick glass and turned around on his stool to face the dance floor. Men danced with men, men danced with women, and women danced with women, all on the same floor. Heero didn't recognize the music. 'Must be European.' He thought to himself, swallowing half of the remaining contents of his shot glass. 'Look at them. All so happy. Mina baka kore wa.' He sighed.

"May I sit here?" Came a smooth voice beside him.

Heero continued to watch the people on the dance floor. "Whatever." He said with disinterest. He heard the stool pulled slightly across the floor and someone sit on it.

"So. Come here often?" The voice asked.

'Oh, Jesus.' Heero thought. 'Not another one. EVERY fucking TIME! What the hell?! I'm like catnip to losers or something.' "Look, buddy." He said, turning to the voice. He was about to say something along the lines of: “In your wet dreams.” when he caught sight of the person.

A long chestnut braid hung gracefully over one shoulder, short hairs upon the person's crown fell into their eyes, obscuring them slightly. The person was slender, but not waifish and wore all black save for white on the bottoms of the sleeves of his shirt and the top of his collar. The person turned to Heero at the sound of his tone, a small smile upon his delicate lips, bright violet eyes that seemed able to pierce his exterior to see his very soul shimmering in the light.

"HOLY FUCK!!!" Heero exclaimed as he leapt from his stool, shot glass falling to break into three pieces, the tequila splashing onto the floor.

A few people turned to look at the noise, but seeing nothing strange, went back to their activities. A waitress came over and picked up the pieces, wiping up the liquid with a damp cloth.

Heero stood, staring at the boy before him, eyes wide and breathing erratic with fear.

"Ok. That's not what I expected." Said the boy, smile remaining on his lips, though his eyes seemed surprised and he held his hands before him in the air to try to calm Heero. "Sit down, would you? You're causing a scene."

Heero stood and gaped at him for another moment before looking around the bar and taking his seat upon the stool. He stared at the boy next to him for another moment, the boy staring back. "Nani...kore...?"

"I see I'm going to have to break the ice, ne?" The boy extended his hand to Heero.

Heero flinched back slightly away from the hand as it was offered to him, but soon recovered and took it slowly in his, shaking it awkwardly.

"Ore da Duo Maxwell." Said the boy with a grin on his face that could light the darkest of shadows.

Heero gazed at him for a moment before clearing his throat and replying. "Heero Yuy."

"Woah, cool name." Said Duo, releasing Heero's hand, grin still upon his face. He looked at Heero for a moment. "Um. Are you ok? You need to breathe."

Heero realized he had been holding his breath and quickly exhaled, breathing regularly. He looked into Duo's eyes. "Um... I saw you earlier... In the Jeep?"

"Yep. That was me." Duo said cheerfully, turning to the bartender when he came to see to him. "I'll take a margarita, please. And a shot of whatever he's having." He said to the barkeep, gesturing towards Heero with a thumb. He stared at the bar tender who looked at him suspiciously, not moving. "Fine. Here." He sighed, pulling his driver's license out of his pocket and handing it to the young man.

The bartender looked it over thoroughly, before handing it back. "You look really young." He said, handing the small plastic card back to Duo.

Duo smiled brightly. "Thanks. Family trait."

The bartender looked him over once more and then left to make Duo's drink.

"So." Said Duo suddenly, startling Heero out of his thoughts. "Where were we?"

"Um... Well... Did you know that three men were killed where you were parked right after you left?" Asked Heero looking deeply into Duo's eyes, searching.

Duo gasped. "You don't say."

Heero nodded.

"Hmm. Weird. What killed them?" Duo looked genuinely curious.

Heero thought he saw a small spark of knowledge within Duo's amethyst depths. "The police said blood loss. But there weren't any wounds." He replied. "The police also said they were wanted criminals. Bad ones."

The bartender returned, placing a shot glass of tequila and a margarita glass before Duo.

"Hn. Really." Said Duo, taking a sip of the margarita. "They have the best margaritas here, ya know?" He pushed the shot glass to Heero.

Heero gaped at Duo. "Why aren't you concerned? The three men you met were killed!" He nearly yelled.

"Quiet down, Heero-kun." Replied Duo, taking Heero by surprise. No one had ever called him that. "Who says I met them? And besides, they were scum. They polluted the good like a bad apple in a bunch. Now they're gone and I think the world is better for it. Just my opinion."

"I saw you meet them. ...You killed them." Heero said, calmly. 'Please say no. Say no. Say no...'

"Hmm... What if I did?" Asked Duo, smirking around his margarita. His eyes twinkled slightly.

Heero looked to his shot glass. 'Well he didn't do anything to it, I've been watching him the whole time. The only time he touched it was when he pushed it to me.' He thought, considering not touching it. 'Fuck it.' He took the small glass and swallowed the drink in one gulp, grimacing.

Duo grinned at him. "You're going to have SUCH a hang over in the morning." Turning to the bartender, he shouted. "Can I get some water here?"

Heero gazed at the mysterious boy next to him. "So did you?"

"Did I what?" Replied Duo, turning to him.

Heero rolled his eyes. "Did you KILL them?" He nearly yelled.

"Keep it down!" Duo hissed, fire in his eyes.

Heero gulped, suddenly fearful again; Duo looked as though he could be dangerous if he needed to be.

Duo looked around the bar to see if anyone had overheard. "Do the words 'Let it be' mean anything to you?" He asked, calming somewhat as he gazed back at Heero.

The bartender carried a tall glass of water to Duo who signaled that it was for Heero. The ice floating just below the surface of the water clinked against the glass as it was put on the bar. The bar tender left.

Heero stared at the large glass placed before him. "No. Not really."

Duo smirked. "Hn. Me neither." He finished off his drink. "Hey! Let's get a booth!" Exclaimed the boy with a wide, manic grin and light in his eyes. He looked as though it was the best idea he had ever heard.

Heero blinked at him. "Mou ie_"

"Yosha!" He yelled with glee. He took a Twenty out of his pocket and slammed it on the bar to pay for the drinks, his other hand snatching Heero's water. Taking Heero by the hand, he dragged him to a booth against the wall. He pushed Heero into one seat, setting the glass of water in front of him and sitting across the table from him in the other.

Heero shook his head to clear it of a fog that had suddenly appeared. 'I drank too much.' He thought. 'Well. I might as well play this card for all I can. If he thinks I'm plastered, he'll act more naturally. And if he tries anything, I'm not too drunk to not be able to stop him. This way I'll see what he's really like. I hope this isn't a bad idea.'

"Drink."

Heero looked up to Duo who looked back at him, concern and a smirk upon his face at the same time. "Hah?" He said intelligently.

Duo chuckled.

Heero decided it was a pleasant sound and he smiled at Duo. "You have such a nice voice." He said drunkenly.

"Oh, no. You're not getting out of this by changing the subject. Drink up. Now." Duo replied with a grin, pointing to Heero's water.

"I don't wanna." Heero whined. "It's too cold. And I'm tired."

"Ok." Duo sighed. He stood up and pushed Heero towards the wall in his seat, sitting in the seat Heero had left and lifting the glass to Heero's lips. "Drink this, Heero-kun." He ordered gently.

Heero shook his head and winced. "Stop spinning." He said to Duo who raised an eyebrow.

"Huh. You had more to drink than I thought." He said. He took a gentle but firm hold of Heero's jaw and made the boy face him as he pressed the glass to Heero's mouth, who clamped his lips shut. "Heero." Duo said seriously. "If you don't drink this, you are going to wish were in a coma in the morning. You need to drink water. It helps a lot. Now drink."

Heero obediently opened his lips, holding the glass with Duo and swallowing most of it.

"There. Was that really so horrible?"

Heero shook his head.

"Uh-huh. That should help keep you from getting too sick, too. You eat anything today?"

"...Anou..." Heero thought. "I... I had some toast on the way to school. And...Pizza?"

"Ok, when was the pizza?" He asked.

"Lunch time. One o'clock I think." Heero laid his head on the table. "Shimatta." He cursed quietly.

*

Duo looked at the watch on his wrist. It read 11:45. "Heero, I'm going to get you something to eat. Stay here and don't go anywhere with anyone. Ok?"

"Hai...hai..."

Duo pet Heero's hair before moving through the crowd to the bar. He reached it and looked to the bartender. "Can I get a hamburger, please? Extra everything? And a coffee?"

"Yeah. That'll be Thirteen, seventy-five." Said the bartender, writing on a small pad of paper.

"Excuse me?" Said Duo, not believing his ears. 'When the hell did food get so expensive? Then again, I have been out of the loop. It was probably a gradual thing.' "What costs so much?"

The barkeep looked at the pad he held. "Well, the coffee is six, fifty."

Duo blinked. "Do they carry it from Columbia on foot?" He asked as he pulled out his wallet.

The young man laughed. "You sound like my grandpa. You want it or not?"

"I'll take it." Sighed Duo, handing the bills over. "Keep the change. I'm at that booth over there." He said, pointing. "Oh, and can you make it quick? He's gonna throw up if he doesn't eat something."

The man went through a push open door to put in the order to the kitchen.

Duo walked back to the booth. He saw Heero's head was still lying on the table. 'Oh, man. He's sloshed.' He shook Heero's shoulders. "Hey, man, wake up."

Heero lifted his head slowly. He looked up at Duo.

Duo smiled at him. "How'er ya feeling?" 'You look like shit. Sexy shit. But you look like you don't feel too good.' He thought to himself.

Heero sat back, leaning against the back of the seat and gazing at Duo. "I'm not supposed to go anywhere with strangers." Seeming to realize it was Duo, he added. "Why do you have such pretty eyes?"

Duo grinned. "Flattery will get you everywhere. How do you feel?"

Heero shook his head. "I feel like going to sleep." He said as he closed his eyes.

"Oh no, none of that. You gotta eat something. I got you a hamburger; it'll be here in a minute. Does that sound good?" 'Please, don't be a vegetarian.'

"Food?" Heero asked, head coming up to look at Duo. "What kind?"

Duo laughed. "I just told you. A hamburger. And I got us some coffee."

"Sounds good." Heero said.

Duo sat down across from him. 'Why the hell can't I read anything from him? It's like he's made of stone. He has mental defenses better than I've ever seen. Well. That's not true. He has mental defenses as good as Solo did.'

"What?"

Duo shook his head. "Huh?"

"You were staring at me... My...eyes. You looked like you were trying to see something. Do I have something on my face?" Heero asked, wiping at it.

"No. No you don't. I was just thinking how cute you are." Duo said with a smile.

Heero gave a sound that could be a small laugh. "Yeah. Me. Cute. That's a good one."

"Alright then, how does 'sexy' sound to you?" Asked Duo. 'Please don't freak out. Please don't freak out...'

Heero looked into Duo's eyes for long moments, not saying anything. Then he looked at the table shyly. "No one's ever called me that. Unless they were trying to get me into their bed. You're not though. Are you."

Duo shook his head. "Did you ever go?" He asked, regretting it the second he'd said it. 'SHIT! What the hell are you thinking?! You don't ask those questions to people you just met!!! Watashi wa hounto baka kore!!! And besides! What the hell business is it of yours?!' He thought to himself of why he had said it. 'I... Like him. A lot.'

*

Heero looked into his eyes for a moment. "No. I never did. I kind of don't really care to get involved with anyone." 'Please, see that for the lie it is.'

*

Duo was heartbroken. 'Oh well.' He thought behind his small smile. 'It was worth a shot.' "I understand." He said to Heero. "So, you never had a girlfriend?"

Heero shook his head.

Duo paused, looking and picking at a scratch on the table before cautiously raising his eyes to Heero's. "...Boyfriend?"

Heero looked at him. "No."

Duo was relieved Heero hadn't rejected the idea with disgust. 'At least he's open minded.' "Can't say I blame you." He said. "Relationships are all fucked up."

They sat in silence for a few moments, alternately looking to those on the dance floor to those at the bar, to each other.

A waitress came over to their table and set a plate with a large hamburger down on the table. Next to it, she set a large, steaming cup of coffee. Having done her job, she left without a word.

Heero looked at the hamburger. "There's no way I can eat that."

"Ok, I'll help you." Said Duo. He once again moved to sit next to Heero. He picked up the hamburger and held it in front of Heero's mouth. "Bite."

*

Heero looked at him for a moment. 'I guess I can trust him. He seems Ok. He hasn't tried anything, even though he thinks I'm drunk off my ass. And even though he isn't a ningen. ...I think.' He took a large bite of the hamburger. "This needs ketchup in the worst way." He said to Duo, scrunching up his face slightly.

"Yosha." Duo picked up the bottle of ketchup from the side of the table nearest the wall. He put the hamburger down on its plate and opened it. He poured some ketchup onto the patty.

"Okari." Heero said. "Please."

Duo smirked. He poured even more ketchup onto the burger. "Enough?"

"Hai." Heero took another bite of the burger when it was held up to him. "Better."

"You like a shitload of that stuff, huh?"

"Ah. It's nasty any other way." Heero said around his bite. "Aren't you going to have any?"

Duo smirked slightly and his eyes shone brightly. "No, I ate already. Thanks, though."

Heero swallowed what he had been chewing and Duo held up the burger again. "You mean those guys?" He took another bite.

"Nani?!" Duo said, alarm in his eyes for a moment before a confident smirk set upon his features. "You MUST be drunk. REALLY drunk."

"Dameo."

"Dameo nani?" Asked Duo, still coolly.

"You know what."

"Do I?" He asked, placing the burger on its plate and taking a sip of his coffee.

"Yes." Heero said. "I know what you are." He whispered, a severe look in his eyes.

Duo grinned brightly. "Watashi wa omai no tomodachi desu."

Heero gazed at him. "Iye. Omai wa vampi_"

Duo, with an expressionless mask and almost too fast for Heero's cobalt eyes to see, snatched up the hamburger from the plate and shoved it into Heero's open mouth, leaving it there. "Eat." He turned back to his coffee.

Heero glared at him, but chewed the large bite that had been forced into his mouth, putting the rest of the burger onto its plate.

Duo sipped his coffee.

There was a long moment of silence, in which Duo looked at his coffee thoughtfully, and Heero watched him avidly, swallowing his food.

"And what if I am?" Asked Duo finally.

"I KNEW it!" Heero said, eyes wide, as he moved as far away from Duo as he could, looking for a way to escape the booth.

Duo looked to him with a small, almost sad smile, putting his hands in front of him, in a "calm down" gesture. "Hey, hey. I'm a vampire, not a leper." He said. "And we're not bad. Er, most of us aren't. I'm not."

"But you KILLED!" Heero exclaimed. "THREE MEN!"

"Shh. Them? They were scum. They were on their way to off someone who had dropped out of their gang. The only reason they stopped by me was to rob me and steal my car." Duo said, taking another sip of his coffee. "If I had been human they probably would have killed me, too."

Heero thought about that for a moment. "Sooooo... You're stronger than humans."

"Have to be. Faster, too. Otherwise how would we take them down?" Asked the vampire.

"Good point." Heero said. "So you only kill bad guys or...what?"

"Yep. Just the scum of the earth." He grinned. "It's fun; we get to play super hero." He added, making a joke to try to lighten the mood.

"Don't you mean 'God'?"

Duo looked hurt, though he covered it well.

"Gomen, ne." Apologized Heero, looking at his hands. "I didn't mean to say that."

The vampire shrugged. "Yes you did. But that's Ok. Your opinions are your own. We can read a soul, and bits of the mind to see if they are bad or good. That way we don't make mistakes. Kind of a Santa Clause deal. Tell who's been naughty and nice."

Heero gasped. "You can read minds?"

"Yeah. And souls. We can also control them, but I personally choose not to unless there is no other option. It's an invasion of privacy, and a source of confusion for them the next day. Plus I get one HELL of a headache." Duo said with a grimace then a smile.

Heero chuckled. "So... How many...?" He gazed at Duo.

Duo leaned back and cast his eyes to the ceiling. "Jeez. Ya know, I think I lost count over a hundred and fifty years ago. Let's just say 'many'.”

"That brings up another question." Heero said. "How old are you?"

Duo picked up the hamburger again and held it in front of Heero who immediately took a large bite, eyes never leaving Duo's. He thought about it. "I really don't know. I was an orphan so I didn't know anyone who could say. I think I was seventeen when I was made. Around there. And that was two hundred and forty-one years ago."

Heero swallowed. "Wow... You're..." He blushed brightly.

"Old?" Asked Duo with a smirk. "I don't care. You can say it. " He chuckled when Heero blushed more. "Yeah, though by comparison to a choice few, I'm actually pretty young, still."

"So... Why do you talk like...that?" Asked Heero. "You know. Like I do."

"Wouldst thou I speaketh so?" Duo asked. When Heero looked at him amazed, he laughed, his eyes sparkling as the sound rang out pleasantly.

'I could get used to hearing that voice every day. Er, night.' Thought Heero, feeling warm. 'What am I thinking?!'

Duo chuckled again. "Of course I speak like you. It would be kind of conspicuous if I walked around sounding like William Shakespeare, now wouldn't it? That kind of thing stands out." He took a sip of his coffee.

"Um... You drink? Well, obviously you do, I've seen you. What about eat?" Asked Heero.

"Nope. Can't eat. My system can't handle it. But it's cool. It holds no appeal for me. On the other hand, coffee, tea, alcohol, I often drink those things. The rule is usually that if I can see through it, I can drink it. But there are a few exceptions." He looked at Heero through the corners of his eyes, a sly smile on his delicate lips. "You weren't as drunk as you appeared, ne?"

Heero blushed again. "Iye."

"I take it that was test of sorts?" Asked Duo with the same sly smirk.

"...Hai."

"Hmm..." Duo sipped his coffee. "So did I pass?" He asked with a grin.

"Hai. I just wanted to make sure you were safe. I knew you weren't human. I figured, if you thought I was so out of it that I couldn't even protect myself, you might try something." Heero paused. "But you didn't. Naze da?"

Duo looked at him, seemingly shocked. "Why would I? Normally, I don’t hurt a fly. Unless that fly is hell-bent on mass-destruction or something." He joked, then became serious. “ You're not bad. ...Are you?" He asked, watching Heero's eyes.

Heero was confused. "Can't you tell?"

Duo looked to his coffee. "Well, that's the thing. The reason I sought you out is because when we met on the road, I couldn't read you. It's like you weren't even there. It still is. I can't figure it out. I can't see any aura and I can't get any thoughts or feelings. I'm not used to that. It's a bit....unsettling." He said, glancing up before looking back to his drink.

Heero looked at him blankly.

Duo stood up and moved away.

Heero automatically reached out and grabbed his arm, startling Duo. "Please. Don't leave." He pleaded.

Duo looked back at him. He searched his eyes for a short moment then grinned. "Hey, I'm not going anywhere. I'm just going to sit on the other side of table, K?" They looked down to Heero's white knuckle grip on Duo's wrist.

Heero blushed and let go. "...Gomen."

"Hekki hekki." Said Duo waving it off in a dismissive way. He took his seat across from Heero, reaching over and retrieving his coffee.

Returning the conversation to what it had been, Heero gazed at him. "Does that happen a lot?"

Duo shook his head. "No. Not really. It has a few times, but then I find their aura and have no further problems." He gazed back into Heero's eyes.

"Hn."

Duo grinned at him. "I guess you're special."

Heero smiled as he blushed briefly. "I doubt that." He looked at Duo's teeth, noting that though the canines were sharp looking, they were by no means fangs. "Um... Where are your...um...fangs? That is, you have them right?" He asked, blushing again.

Duo grinned again. "Yep. They come out when we're hungry and we know blood or people of poor substance are near. Like, you know how you salivate when you're hungry and a big plate of good food is right in front of you?"

Heero nodded.

"Yeah, it's like that kind of. But they hurt."

"They hurt? How often?" Asked Heero, leaning forward slightly.

"Every time." Replied Duo. "You get used to it after a while. We have a high tolerance for pain. And I personally did before I was made, so it doesn't bother me that much anymore." He said with a small smile.

"But it used to?" Asked Heero?

"Well, yeah. I had no idea what was going on at first. For a few nights I figured it was all a bad dream. For a long time after I didn't wake up from the assumed nightmare, I thought I was crazy. Then, when I learned what was going on a few years later after another one found me and explained things a little, I realized I was in Hell. But in the beginning, all I knew is that I was THIRSTY. And HUNGRY. It's both of them at the same time, being the same thing at once. I couldn't hold down food. Water wasn't working. And then some guy came up to mug me, it felt like someone was driving nails through where my canines were, and I..." Duo looked at the table, seemingly sad. "It was really bad. I had no clue of what I was doing. I just acted on instinct. It was brutal and gruesome and when I realized what I had done, I freaked." He sighed. "It's hard sometimes. Knowing what you've done. The only thing that makes it better is the fact that you've kept innocents safe from those you kill. That's really the only comfort there is."

"No one explained what was happening to you? Why?" Asked Heero, frowning slightly.

"I was made by mistake." Duo said, looking at his drink, turning the cup on the table and looking at the letters and pictures on the sides of it. "One fledgling who was very inexperienced and had not had a kill in nights found me in an alleyway. He was starving. I was young and covered in filth, living on the street. But I was healthy and at the moment, that was all he cared about. He came up to me and bit me. I felt really weak pretty fast and had no way of really fighting him. So I bit him back."

"Oh, that's what does it?" Asked Heero.

Duo nodded.

"Bad idea, ne?"

"Understatement of the century." Said Duo. "And of course, instinct is to get as much of it as you can once you've had it, so I initiated the change myself. Afterwards, he freaked out and fled. I never saw him again." Duo said with a touch of disdain. "As you can tell, I don't really like him much. He was too weak to kill when he had the chance so he fed off an innocent. He would have killed me if I hadn't changed. And then he was too weak to kill me when I began to change or stick around and explain things a little. I went for years not knowing what was going on."

"Hell? Is it that bad?" Asked Heero quietly.

Duo looked into his eyes. "It's a big step."

"Hn. So you were an orphan?"

"Yeah. I did whatever I had to, to get by. I had hardly a penny, but I often stole food or clothes from the shops to stay alive or I'd hunt in the forests and steal crops from the farmers, so I was clothed and fed. I would steal food and clothes for the other orphans I hung out with, too. They were younger than I. We were our own family. I did anything for them. I even..." Duo looked down. "I did some things I'm ashamed of. But we needed the money. There were times when we couldn't steel what we needed." Duo sipped his coffee again. "Desperate times call for desperate measures, ne? So I did some things for men to make the money. Or went to collect debts for others. Business men. They would send me to retrieve money from others for a fee. I often had to resort to violence to get the job done. A ‘hit boy’ of sorts. I was kinda strong, and no one expected that. Plus I knew how to use a knife so it was easy. I guess I can see why the one who made me figured I was Ok to take. I was by no means perfect."

"So you were like a father to them." Said Heero, thinking about it.

Duo looked blankly at him. "I wouldn't know. I hardly remember mine. I remember that he would drink a lot. I have a few memories of him hurting me. I think my mother died in childbirth. He probably blamed me for the loss. He did whatever he could to hurt me. I hated him. So I left when I was very young. I think I was four. Maybe younger. It's a good thing I did, too; he died of the plague soon after." He said tonelessly, looking to the dance floor.

Heero was silent for a moment. "Um... What about sun?"

Duo looked up. "Ah, sun. Yeah. That sucks. It hurts like you would not believe. It can burn us. It's the radiation. It leaves anywhere from a sunburn to first to third degree burns on us depending on the length of exposure. It's not pretty. But, contrary to belief, we don't burst into flame or turn to ashes. We move our asses." He said, chuckling at his joke.

Heero smiled at him, then grew serious. "You said something about bad ones?"

Duo sighed, stirring his coffee. "This is gonna be a long night, I can tell." He massaged his temples, closing his eyes for a moment. "Ok. Bad vampires. Yes, they do exist. They were bad as humans and some poor fool made the world class mistake of turning them. Sometimes the change and the power that comes with it can corrupt one's soul and that can also turn them to the wrong path. They kill innocents. We find that taboo and unacceptable. When we come across one, we wipe him out. They are a dangerous risk to us as well as to humans. They often kill in public places and don't cover their tracks. We can't be found out en masse. It would be very bad. I, personally, have taken out forty-six of them. Which has gained me a lot of respect among the sociable ones." He said with a grin. "They're pretty hard to catch. I mean, if they're alone, once they spot you they just... VOOM."

"You can fly?!" Asked Heero, eyes wide.

"We can drive." Said Duo.

"Oh. So, you can't fly?"

"Yep." Duo grinned. "Delta. Frequent Flyer Miles are a bitch, ne?" He said, making a joke.

Heero looked confused.

"No. We can't fly." Duo said simply.

"But you're not bad now." Said Heero, thinking on all that had been said. "Even though you had done all those things."

"Nor was I then. I was tainted but not evil. The things I did, I did for the good of the children I lived with. Some of them would need medicines for things. I wasn't going to let a single one of them die due to weak heartedness on my part. I did whatever I had to do. However much it haunted me later." He said.

Heero looked at him, considering, for long moments. "How do I know you're not lying to me about any of this, that you're not evil or whatever?"

Duo looked into is eyes. "I don't lie."

"NANI?!" Exclaimed Heero. "You lied about not killing those men! What'a'ya mean; 'I don't lie'?"

"Keep it down." Said Duo, looking angry for a moment as he glanced around. "I did no such thing." He said, looking back to Heero.

"What?_" Heero began.

"I evaded answering the question directly." Said Duo, holding up a finger to silence Heero. Duo looked at him seriously for a moment. "I may run and hide, but I never tell a lie." He said with a grin. "Besides, why would I?"

"Good point." Said Heero after a moment. "I need a drink." He said lowly, gazing at the table. "Bad."

"K." Duo sounded somewhat hurt. "What kind?"

"Anything strong."

*

"I'll be right back then." Duo stood and walked to the bar. Once he turned his back on Heero he let his hurt show, a small frown setting upon his face. 'He doesn't trust me. Well OF COURSE he doesn't, baka!' He argued with himself. 'Christ! You just told him things that would rock anybody's world! He needs some time to sort through it.' He reached the bar. "Can I get a couple of glasses of vodka, please?"

"They come in shots." Said the bartender.

Duo glanced around the bar quickly to make sure no one was looking. "Yes, well I'd like some glasses, please." He said, eyes glowing dimly for a second.

"... Of course. The vodka comes in glasses, too." Said the bartender after a short moment, taking his eyes away from Duo's and shaking his head to clear it before he went to comply with the order.

"Thanks." Said Duo. 'Itai. Why did I just do that?' He thought, grimacing. He brought his hands to his head and rubbed his temples. 'This is not good. It better go away soon. What the hell is wrong with me? Do I really care that much about pleasing Heero?' When the glasses were placed before him he picked them up and carried them back to the table where Heero sat, holding his head in his hands. "Hey. Here."

Heero looked up. "What is it?" He asked, taking the glass and smelling it.

"Vodka." Duo plopped unceremoniously down in his seat, putting his glass down to pinch the bridge of his nose, frowning.

"What's wrong?" Asked Heero.

"Hekki." Said Duo, looking up and plastering a grin to his face. He picked up his glass and sipped it. 'Woah. That's strong. And there's a lot in these glasses. Is he gonna be alright?' He wondered. "Um. Don't drink all of that at once, ne?" He said to Heero, gesturing towards the glass. "It's pretty strong."

*

Heero sipped his drink as well. "Wow, you're not kidding." He said, putting it down. He gazed at Duo, catching a pained look on his face before it was covered with a skill that disturbed him. "Doshda?" He said in a tone that said he was in no mood for bullshit.

"I just have a headache. It's Ok. I get a lot of them. No big." Said Duo looking at the dance floor.

"How bad is it?" Asked Heero.

*

Duo looked back at him, somewhat surprised. 'Is he...concerned?' He wondered. 'What should I say?' "Why?" He blurted out, mentally kicking himself.

Heero looked at his glass. "What do you mean?"

"Gomen, ne? I'm not used to dealing with people, really. And I'm really bad when I have a headache. I say stuff before thinking about it. I meant, why do you care. Not to be rude, just curious." Said Duo. "I mean, why are you being nice back to me?" He added.

Heero looked down. "I...You seem nice. I guess... I can see no reason to hate you. And because, well, you were nice to me, trying to make sure I didn't feel like crap in the morning and stuff. No one's ever done that before." Said Heero, not looking up. "I could get to like you." He added quietly.

Duo felt his heart leap into his throat, headache suddenly becoming nothing more than an annoyance. 'He...could...like...me?' He thought with amazement. "Me too." Said Duo quietly. "I mean, about you." He added quickly. "I do. Already." He said. "I think you're beautiful. And nice to me. No one was ever nice to me, either." His eyes locked with Heero's. "Well there was one, but...he died a long time ago."

*

"How do you do it?" Asked Heero after a moment, dropping his eyes.

"Do what?" Asked Duo.

"Not be bitter. About people. Or everything." He said.

"What would becoming bitter accomplish?" Asked Duo with genuine puzzlement though he smiled.

'He's got a good point.' Thought Heero. 'I should think more like he does. He seems so innocent. And happy. Even though he has pain.' Heero smiled at him, eyes twinkling and Duo smiled back at him as a mirror would. "You're right." Said Heero. "It accomplishes nothing. I admire your strength."

"Aw, that's nothing." Said Duo, blushing slightly. "I just try to look at the bright side of things. People, too, though that usually backfires. Not you, though." He grinned.

Heero smiled and looked into Duo's eyes for long moments. "You're amazing." He said. Accidentally voicing his thoughts, he blushed. "I mean your outlook on things. Life. Or... Unlife or whatever." Heero said.

Duo grinned. "Arigato."

Heero gazed into Duo's eyes for long moments. Unrealizing, he drew closer and closer to Duo, leaning across the small table until his lips were merely a few centimeters from Duo's.

Duo closed the distance between them when Heero hovered there for a few seconds, his lips gently meeting with Heero's.

Heero moaned quietly into the kiss, noting in the back of his mind that Duo was warm to the touch. 'What am I doing?!' His mind screamed before he silenced it harshly. 'I don't care. This feels... Right.'

*

Duo smiled inwardly. 'He's so cute.' He thought. 'But he's only doing this cause he was drawn. I have to be more careful. And I can't take this too seriously. It would be wrong. But it doesn't feel wrong...' He gently nibbled on Heero's lower lip for a moment before letting go and sitting back.

Heero hovered in the air another moment before opening his eyes and blushing a deep red. He quickly sat back down and looked at his hands.

"Gomen nasai." Duo said blushing as well. "I didn't mean to do that."

Heero looked at him. "Do what? I initiated. I should be the one apologizing."

Duo shook his head, lowering his eyes. "Iye. It wasn't you. You got drawn to my eyes. It happens sometimes. Kind of a moth to flame thing. I forget to be careful not to make eye contact for too long. So technically, I initiated. There was nothing you could have done. I shouldn't have reciprocated. I apologize." He said, still not meeting Heero's eyes.

Heero reached over and gently lifted Duo's chin to look at him. "I don't regret it. Why should you?"

Duo looked at him shocked for a moment before smiling brightly. "I don't. I was worried you'd be mad." He said. He looked at Heero seriously for a moment as Heero had yet to take his hand away from Duo's chin. "Anou... Heero-kun..." Said Duo as their eyes met and held for another long moment. 'Careful. No drawing.' He thought to himself lowering his eyes to the table. "Heero-kun..." He said again, restraining his eyes forcibly from Heero's.

*

Heero saw the look of concentration on Duo's face and felt guilty. "Gomen." He said, taking his hand away. He immediately took a large drink from his glass.

On the dance floor, the crowd was thinning. A song came over the speakers that sounded like glass wind chimes in the beginning.

"Oooooooooohhhh!" Squealed Duo excitedly. "I love this song!" He exclaimed, looking to Heero with wide eyes and a happy grin, squirming in his seat with excitement. "Dance with me?" He asked, seeming to regret it the moment he had said it, but still looking to Heero with wide eyes.

'He thinks I still don't trust him.' Thought Heero. He smiled at Duo to reassure him. "I don't really..." He faltered. "I can't dance."

Duo grinned again, looking happy that he had not been totally rejected. "Aw, that's Ok. Have you taken a good look at the crowd?" He asked.

Heero looked over at the people dancing. Most of them were very bad at whatever bastardized dance they were trying to do. Heero chuckled. He looked back at Duo when he felt a gentle grip on his hand.

"Come on." Duo pleaded. "All you really have to do it stand there and move your feet. I'll do the rest, K?" He asked.

Heero picked up his glass and took another huge gulp of the vodka. 'I can't believe I'm doing this.' "Yosha." He said to Duo who grinned, eyes sparkling, and stood up and away from the table walking to the dance floor and all but dragging Heero with him.

Here I lie.
Motionless.
Catch me if you can.
My properties of no defense
So strike at your command

Duo moved gracefully to the music, his nearly meter long braid swaying just as gracefully behind him with his every movement.

Heero stood and watched him, unsure of what to do. ‘Christ. He is sex on legs.’

The braided 'boy' danced slowly, hips swaying slightly to the music, walking to Heero with a seductive smile on his face. He took Heero's hand in his, forcing him to move. He wordlessly instructed Heero on how to move and when.

In addition to that, Heero felt as though he was moved by some force he could not identify. The closest thing he could associate the feeling with was when he held a piece of iron up to a magnet. The pull felt the same. 'Is he doing that?' He wondered. He looked into Duo's eyes as he found the beat and began to move to it, less gracefully than Duo, but much improved.

But don't bring me down.
Alright.
Don't bring me down.
Cause there's purpose for this night.

Save me come tomorrow.
Lead me to my urgency.
See I'm no more no less
Of an Angel
Than you'd have me be.

Duo's eyes met his briefly. They seemed to glow dimly. A beautiful amethyst color. Duo smiled at him.

'I guess it is him. I suppose he's leading.' He thought with a blush.

So let's shake it like this.

Duo smirked at him before he spun around and pressed his back to Heero's chest. He took Heero's arms in his hands and held them to his chest as he swayed to the floor and back up again. Heero followed the magnetic pull and matched Duo's movements perfectly.

'Mate.' Thought Heero. 'Who's leading who, here?' He wondered.

Steady here.
I cast my lines.
Only to expose.
A weaker sense.
And no constraint.
Now my true self shows

Duo released Hero's hands.

Heero felt the need to keep them where Duo had placed them. He held Duo close, gently but firmly.

Duo reached back and gripped the front of Heero's thighs lightly with both hands, still moving to the music with Heero.

But don't bring me down.
Alright.
Don't bring me down.
Cause there's promise in this night.

'Wow.' Thought Heero as he moved with nearly as much grace as the 'boy' in his arms. 'I'm dancing. Or more of, he's dancing through me, but I feel like I can do this again without him. He could make a killing giving dance lessons.' Heero smirked. 'Yeah. I can see the add now: "Take ten years of lessons in twenty minutes. Two hundred and fifty-eight years of experience to offer". Ha!' Heero smiled at Duo when he craned his neck up and to the side and looked at him with a grin, seeming to giggle slightly. 'Anou... Did he hear that?' Heero wondered, smile faltering slightly before he put it back up.

Duo winked at him, smirk getting slightly larger before he faced forward again, features now obstructed from Heero's vision.

Heero stared at him.

Save me come tomorrow.
Lead me to my urgency.
See I'm no more no less
Of an Angel
Than you'd have me be.

So let's shake it like this.

Just a little bit like this.

Heero watched in amazement as Duo spun in his arms to face him, lips so close to his own. But rather than kiss Heero, Duo began to slide down with the swaying of his hips, much the way he and Heero had before. But now Heero felt that he should stay standing. He shuddered slightly as Duo lightly skimmed his hands slowly down his body. 'If he keeps this up, I'm going to have to run to the bathroom. Christ. If I had known any of this was going to happen I wouldn't have worn spandex.' He thought, as he blushed slightly, doing his best to control himself. 'I hope he doesn't hear me or notice this.' He nearly prayed.

Don't bring me down.
Alright.
Don't bring me down.
Cause there's still promise in this night.

Duo began to move upwards again. He had noticed. He was blushing, his cheeks and the very tips of his ears a bright pink.

'Kuso.' Heero thought. Yet at the same time he thought that Duo looked cute when he blushed. Though he looked cute all the time.

The ‘boy’ was a wet dream walking.

Duo opted that they switch positions. He moved behind Heero, doing the same movements, hands on Heero's chest and upper abdomen, holding him close as they swayed to the floor.

Heero blushed.

Save me come tomorrow.
Lead me to my urgency.
See I'm no more no less
Of an Angel
Than you'd have me be.

Yeah. Save me come tomorrow.
Lead me to my urgency.
See I'm no more no less
Of an Aaaannngell

He felt Duo's breath on the back of his neck. It was warm until Duo blew cold air on him and sent chills down his spine. He shivered slightly.

Gomen, ne?

Heero jumped. The words had been in his head but he had not thought them. Had he...?

Shikashi, it helped with your, uh, problem, ne?

Heero looked back at Duo in wonder. 'Anata kore?' He asked himself.

Duo smiled at the familiar term and winked again. So did it help?

Heero was confused by his words for a few seconds. Then he blushed, thinking about it. He nodded, facing forward and blushing deeper. 'Leave it to cold to get rid of an erection.' He thought.

Duo grinned and rested his chin on Heero's shoulder, closing his eyes as the song wound down.

Heero looked at him.

Duo's face was serene, a small smile playing upon his delicate lips, braid hanging to his side, brushing Heero's upper arm with the movements, amethyst eyes closed, thick, dark lashes resting on slightly pink cheeks.

'He's so beautiful.'

Duo gave no indication that he'd heard him. He continued to move gently with the music, holding Heero close, resting his head in the perfect place on his shoulder, eyes remaining closed as the song ended.

So let's shake it like this.

A little this and this.
A little bit, little bit like this.
Little bit, little bit.
Little bit, shake a little bit like this.

The crowd cheered the song as it ended and soon another one took its place.

Duo smiled at Heero and led him back to the table they had been at before. "You weren't half bad." He said with a grin as they each took their seats. He picked up his glass and took a sip.

Heero did the same. "I thought you said you couldn't read me. What was all that about then?" He sipped his drink again.

Duo looked down. "Don't be mad. It's just, I guess the alcohol or something... You were... It was like shouting in my ear. I could have tuned it out, but..." Duo blushed, glancing up. "I didn't want to. I can still read you, but I'm not going to." He said, still looking down. "I guess you're like a really hard algebra problem. It takes a while, but once you've got the formula figured out, you can do it with ease. You still don't have an aura, though, which vexes me."

Heero thought about that for a moment. "And the telepathy?"

Duo looked at him. "That's not so hard once you're in. You can even send messages back to me if you want. Or catch glimpses of my thoughts. When my defenses are down, that is, which I'm not going to do here for safety reasons."

'Bad ones?' Heero sent to him with some concentration. He gulped his drink.

Duo watched him with concern. Hai. If there were a coven nearby, I can't have them sensing me. They may have a score to settle and I can't take many on at once. Plus I can't risk a fight in public. Or jeopardize your life or the lives of the others here.

Heero smiled slightly. "Arigato."

Duo smiled back. "I wouldn't let anything hurt you, Heero-kun." He said genuinely.

Heero smiled back at him. 'It's so nice to feel safe. And liked.' He thought.

The two sat in silence for few minutes, merely enjoying the other's company.

Finally Heero spoke. "Um, Duo, I'll be right back. I have to_" He faltered as he tried to stand up only to begin to fall.

Duo was up like a shot, holding him.

Heero looked up into Duo's eyes for a moment before realizing what had happened.

"Well." Chuckled Duo, eyes sparkling above him. "I guess that vodka finally kicked in, ne?" He lifted Heero to a standing position with ease and grace, holding him by his
shoulders to steady him. "What were you saying?"

*

"Anou... I have to pee." Said Heero blushing slightly.

"Ah." Said Duo, blushing as well. "Um. Are you going to be able to get there Ok?"

"Lemme see." Heero shook his shoulders slightly and Duo released them. He swayed as he walked, unable to walk a straight line before he stumbled and began to fall to his side.

Duo caught him again, pulling him up. "Oh man, you are sloshed. You were totally fine a few minutes ago. You shouldn't have drank so fast." He cradled Heero against his chest in his arms, carrying him to the door with the white "man" symbol over a dark blue triangle. He stood Heero in front of one of the urinals against the wall, standing behind him with one hand on Heero's shoulder, his other on Heero's upper abdomen to keep him upright, leaning his chest lightly against Heero's back.

Heero stood, limp and uncomprehending for a moment. "Duo-kun?" He asked, puzzled.

Duo smirked, though Heero could not see it. "Heero. This is as far as I go on the first date."

Heero seemed to wonder about what he meant for a moment before he laughed. "Hai, hai." He said as he zipped down his fly.

A man walked into the bathroom, looking at the tile floor. He raised his eyes to Duo and Heero and stopped, mid-step, pausing for a moment.

Heero and Duo looked back at him. Duo, leaning against Heero's back, looking as if he were trying to bend him forward. Heero with alcohol flushed cheeks and one hand in his fly, the other holding the button of his shorts.

They all stood in complete silence for a moment, all looking to each other.

The man turned white, spun around and left, saying not a word.

Heero and Duo watched as the door closed, bursting into laughter the moment it did.

"Did... Did you see...the look...on...his face?!" Squealed Duo between fits of laughter and gasps for air. "Priceless!!!... HAHAHA!!!" He laughed, tears of mirth coming to his eyes.

Heero was laughing so hard he was nearly falling to the floor, save for Duo's hold on him, his knees having given out.

Both continued laughing for a few minutes.

"...Ha... Ok, Hee-kun. Haha." Duo said, lifting Heero to stand straight again and struggling with not giggling. "Let's do this."

Heero was still laughing as he began to urinate. And he was giggling when he finished. He zipped up his fly and Duo helped him to one of the sinks where he washed his hands.

Duo checked his watch. 'How the hell is it already Three in the morning?' He wondered. 'I guess it's true. Time flies when you're having fun. I haven't had fun in a long time.' He felt Heero slump against him suddenly. Duo looked down into deep blue pools. "Heero-kun?"

Heero blinked at him. "What time is it?"

"Almost three." Duo replied.

"Shimatta." Said Heero, attempting to stand on his own. "I have assignments that are going to take all day tomorrow to finish. I can't be out his late, I have to wake up early in the morning to get to work. And I can't be hung over!" He exclaimed, alarm and stress in his voice.

"Shh." Duo restrained him from trying to walk on his own. "Listen, if you walk on your own you're going to fall down and possibly injure yourself." Duo thought for a moment. "How did you get here? Did you walk?"

"Um..." Heero relaxed in Duo's arms and his head fell back. "I think you carried me."

Duo smiled down at him. "I meant the bar. How did you get to the bar?"

"I drove. Er, rode." He replied slowly. "My motor bike."

"Kuso." Said Duo. "You're not driving home." He frowned. "Which is where, exactly? And how long does it take to get there?"

Heero thought about it for a moment. "About ten minutes, North." He said. "I can drive."

"The hell you can."

"I can." Heero crossed his arms.

"Sure you can." Said Duo, his voice laced with sarcasm.

"Stop it. Don't treat me like a child." Said Heero, frowning up at Duo.

"I'm not." Replied Duo, frowning back down at him. "I'm treating you like an adult. A drunk adult. And while they have similarities to children, they are not the same thing." He added with a smirk.

"Well, what about all the alcohol you had?" Asked Heero with an accusing tone.

"I don't get drunk. Alcohol has little to no effect on me."

"I don't care." Heero scowled at him. "I'm_"

"Drunk." Interrupted Duo, eyes glowing dimly as he gazed down into Heero's eyes.

"Drunk." Said Heero, eyes gazing back at him.

"Too drunk to drive. So you're going to put your sorry, drunk ass in my more than capable hands. Not in the literal sense. You are going to let me take care of how you get home with no ‘if's ‘and's or ‘ but's. Yes?" Duo finished, eyes going back to normal. 'I'm not going to let you get yourself killed, baka.'

Heero blinked and shook his head. "Can you take me home?"

"Hai." Said Duo, carrying Heero out of the bathroom and back to the bar. He put another Twenty down on the bar top when the bartender came over.

The bartender looked to the two of them as he picked up the bill.

"He'll be alright." Said Duo. "He just needs some rest."

The bartender looked to Heero. "Do you want this guy to take you home?" He asked slowly.

Heero looked at him for a moment before he blinked and nodded.

"Don't let him drive." Said the man before he turned to tend to other people at the bar.

Duo nodded and carried Heero to the exit, opening the heavy wooden door by pushing against it with his back side and walking to his car.

'Christ, my head hurts.' He thought scowling briefly. 'Don't frown, it makes it worse, dammit. Oh well. I suppose it's worth it. I can't leave him to his own devices to get home.' He glanced to his side to see a familiar motor bike parked across the small parking lot. Carefully, Duo balanced Heero in one arm with some difficulty, using his other hand to pull out his entry remote, unlock the car and open the front passenger door. He gently placed Heero in the seat.

"Where are we going?" Asked Heero groggily.

"I'm taking you home." Said Duo as he put the seat belt around Heero and clicked it into place.

"What about my motor bike?"

Duo sighed. "I don't know." He thought about it for a moment. "Let me see what I can do."

He walked away from the car to where the bike was parked. He looked it over. 'It doesn't look that heavy.' He thought as he scanned the area for onlookers. He tested the weight, lifting the back end off the ground with only a small amount of difficulty. 'I can do this.' With another glance around to make sure no one would see, he hefted the bike up, hauling it over to his car where he set it down for moment before lifting it slowly over his head and placing it on the roof rack. 'I just hope this thing will hold.' He opened the gate and took out the heavy duty rope he kept with him for whatever reason that may arise. He carefully tied the bike to the roof racks, testing the knots to make certain they would hold. Satisfied, he got into the driver's seat, putting the key in the ignition and starting the car, letting the engine run for a short moment before putting the vehicle into drive.

He pulled out of the parking lot and looked to Heero, noting the way his head lolled to the side. He winced at his headache. 'I hope he's not too pissed at me tomorrow.' He thought. 'I know he's gonna know what I did. He was drunk, not stupid.' He held the side of his head as a particularly bad throb of pain hit him. 'ITAI!!!!!' He screamed in his mind.

*

Heero heard Duo yelling in his head. 'Too loud.' He thought tiredly for a moment before he realized that Duo had not intended to be heard. He opened his eyes with a degree of difficulty and looked over at Duo.

Duo sat in the driver's seat, hunched over, one hand on the wheel, the other gripping the side of his head. His beautiful features were set in a grimace of pain, teeth gritted, eyes mere slits, a scowl on his brow. 'That looks like it hurts.' Thought Heero. "Gomen nasai."

Duo looked to him, masking his pain as best he could, though it was still obvious. "For what?"

Heero thought about the question. "I don't know." He said after a few seconds. "I just feel sorry for some reason. …Why do I feel all... Weird?" He wondered aloud.

Duo seemed as though he had not heard him. "So where do I go? I'm heading towards the freeway. You said North. Which exit?" He asked.

"Main Street." Heero said, head lolling to the other side.

"Then where?" Asked Duo, hand reaching into the center console for something.

Heero watched as Duo pulled out a small glass bottle and opened it, holding the wheel straight with his elbow and shaking two small white pills from the bottle into his hand, then popping them into his mouth but neither chewing nor swallowing.

"Um." Heero thought about the question. "Then take a right. Then a left onto Elizabeth Street. I'm the second building on the right."

Duo seemed to commit the information to memory. He took another couple of pills.

"Anou... What are those?" Asked Heero, words slightly slurred.

"Oh, these?" He shook the bottle at Heero. "Bioplasma." He said. When Heero gave him a confused look he explained. "It's just... It helps with my headaches. Or when I can't get blood right when I need it. These help a lot." He popped a few more into his mouth. "Most the time."

Heero watched Duo for long moments as he drove. Something occurred to him. "How come you can take pills?" He asked. "They're solid."

"These dissolve in a matter of seconds." Said Duo. "And even if they didn't, they're so small, nothing bad would come of it."

"Oh." Said Heero. He watched Duo as they got onto the freeway. He was still watching him as they exited.

Duo glanced at him and smiled every so often, his lips tight in a well-hidden grimace.

"So where'd you get the ride? I mean, the DMV doesn't have very flexible hours." Heero said, resting his head in his hand, elbow on the small curved surface where the passenger window was.

"It's not registered. At least not any more. I got it in the Photo Adds. When I get pulled over for expired tags, which is rare, I just make the cop forget he ever saw me. He gets in his car, leaves, and doesn't think of it until I am already gone. It's a necessary action. I can't be taken to jail, I can't go to court, and, as you said, the DMV is all day hours. I don't like doing it, but some things are unavoidable when you want to avoid other things, ne? My driver's license is a fake. I don't use it for much save for proving I'm not a minor." He explained. "You said ‘Elizabeth’?"

"Hai." Heero watched as they turned onto his street, his grayish blue building coming into view.

Duo pulled into the small parking lot, steering into a spot with a cramped but vacant spot to its left. He turned off the car, switching on the interior lights and turning to Heero, an unreadable expression on his face. "Well. Here it is."

Heero looked back at him, slightly afraid. 'I don't want this to be the last time I see him.' "Um." Heero fumbled through the alcohol-induced fog in his head for words. "I... Don't go yet." He said at last.

Duo stared into his eyes for a moment before he smiled. I don't want it to be over either. Came a soft reply in Heero's mind.

"So don't...go." Said Heero, moving closer to Duo, though still restrained somewhat by the seatbelt. Duo moved closer as well. Heero buried his fingers in Duo's hair, brushing his lips against Duo's for a moment before breaking and moving down to rest his head on Duo's shoulder. 'I want to stay like this forever. I don't care about anything else. I want to be with him no matter what. I feel like I've known him my whole life and he just got back from forever. Is this what love feels like? Am I a baka just like everyone else?' He smelled Duo's scent, humming slightly. 'He smells like the night. It's beautiful.' He felt Duo petting his hair and a hand on his back, holding him gently, and nuzzled Duo's shoulder slightly. "Will you come up?" He asked the one holding him.

*

It took Duo a moment to process the question. 'Wait. WHAT?!' The implications were not lost on him. 'That wouldn't be a good idea. Say no. Say no. Say_' "Ok." He replied weakly. 'WHAT THE FUCK!? SINCE WHEN DOES "OK" MEAN "NO"!? This is a monumentally bad idea. We can't go so fast. I mean, he's drunk to boot! What the hell am I thinking?!' He looked down at the boy in his arms. 'I wasn't thinking. I was acting. And while I want us to be close like that, it can't happen now. I don't want it to. That would ruin everything. I should have said "no". Maybe it's not too late.' "Heero-kun." He said softly. "I'll come up. But I can't stay..." He held Heero away from him, Heero's hand slipping from its place in his hair, and looked into his eyes to make sure Heero heard him. "I think that would be a mistake for both of us. Do you understand?"

Heero nodded wordlessly and stared at him for a moment before undoing his seatbelt and moving forward, circling his arms around Duo's waist and resting his head against his chest.

Duo saw Heero's look of confusion and as he moved his head around on Duo's chest, seeming to search for something.

"Ne, Duo." Heero said, still moving around on Duo's chest. "Where's your heartbeat?"

"I don't have one." Duo said softly.

Heero pulled away and looked up at him. "That's Ok." He said quietly, after a moment's pause. "My heart will beat for the both of us." He smiled slowly. "Ai shite ieru." He rested against Duo's chest again, holding him tightly.

Duo looked down at him in shock. 'Did... Did that just happen? Did he just say that?' He wondered. 'I feel the same way. Like we didn't just meet, but rather have known each other for years. This is all so surreal. Who would have thought that an ordinary hunt would end like this?' Duo embraced Heero back, feeling the arms tighten around him when he did, Heero obviously having been reassured by the gesture. Duo smiled down at him. ...Ai shite ieru, Heero-kun. He returned with a small smile. He closed his eyes and rested his chin gently on top of Heero's head, smelling the scent of his hair.

The two sat holding each other for hours, content with the simple contact the embrace offered.

--------

tbc

(Eye twitches.) Hate that chapter hate that chapter hate that chapter. Ooooh I hate it. As I said, feel free to flame me. Damn that was a long chapter. There are a few this long, fewer longer, but most are much shorter.
A line or two were taken from Buffy(A great show with the perfect amount of romance, angst and humor) and I had to use them. Oh and throughout this whirligig of fun, Heero remains OOC unless he is at work, school, or massively pissed off. You'll see what I mean. That is, if you weren't scared off by this chapter.
Oh and there's a reason that they fell in love just like that. Patience. Or lack there of as I have none. I did my best to drag out the shonen ai but Christ it was hard. And this stuff CAN happen. The whole madly in love at first site thing. Trust me.

Chapter 2

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