Enlightened Dark
by Tanith
Chapter 6
Heero’s eyes slid open as he felt Duo’s breathing deepen against his chest, the throb of the boy’s pulse beating through Heero as if it were his own as it evened and slowed. He gazed down at the shining chestnut head nestled in his shoulder, marveling at the way the boy could trust him so implicitly, fearing Duo had made a deadly error. It was inevitable that whomever had controlled Heero so easily knew of the dark-haired man’s rebellion, could feel that he had wrenched away from his mental bonds. It was only a matter of time, and time was swiftly running out.
He took one last look at Duo’s peacefully sleeping face before he slid out from under the arm trying to anchor him to the bed, careful not to disturb his slumber, scarcely making the bed dip as his stood. Dressing quickly, he walked to the door, turning to get one last look at the pale beauty on his bed, hoping that it wouldn’t be the last. He could imagine what would happen to Duo if he failed, and he wished had not thought of it, of the vibrant life snuffed from those violet eyes. Or worse, of those very same eyes glinting with a feverish light borne of uncontrollable bloodlust, insatiable need to feel another’s heart beating beneath your lips, the warm flow of sticky sweet blood washing over your tongue. Heero’s shuddered, he knew that need all too well, it had taken him years to overcome it, to push it back into the dark recesses of his mind where it lingered still like a cloying, death-scented cloak.
He shook his head, a cool, dry breath puffing from between his lips as he turned again and disappeared down the hallway.
***
Duo waited until Heero’s footsteps faded to open his eyes, allowing his deep breathing to return to normal, before those too dissolved into nervous, shallow intakes. His heart sped up, mind racing, wondering why there was a nagging ache in the back of his mind. It stabbed through him as if trying to warn him that something dreadfully wrong was a about to happen.
Duo rose, hurriedly slipping back into his rumpled clothing, briefly mourning the loss of the leather cord he used to keep his hair in place. Swift feet carried him to the door, silently, instinctively letting them guide him down the path he somehow knew Heero had traveled before him.
***
Heero's hand glided over the tarnished silver knob, fingertips twitching over the biting, frozen surface as if to make the hand jerk away. His hand clenched around the handle, the pure iciness burning into him as it turned almost effortlessly, the door swinging open with an ease that belied its sheer bulk, the bottom scraping the rough stone floor with an earsplitting shriek. Heero cringed, finally allowing his hand to flinch away from the knob, flying protectively to his side. He took a step through the portal, his gaze instantly attaching to wall directly before him. A tall figure leaned back against the shadowed surface, his arms crossed mockingly over his chest, head bowed as if in prayer. If such a creature as that could risk something as dooming as faith, Heero though, sneering his mental tone.
The head raised, blue-black hair melting away from the forehead obediently, smooth, flowing like rish ink around his cheekbones. A small smirk curved pale blue, bloodless lips, narrowed silver eyes opening languidly as if he had no dear of the man standing across from him. And why would he?
"Such petty thoughts; meager bullets, wouldn't you say? What does one need with such a fearsome," his sardonic voice quavered mockingly on the word, sharp ivory teeth glinting in a brief, feral grin, "injury as God when one is all but immortal?"
"Who are you?" Heero asked, his voice even, low.
"You know me, Heero. You know what I can do, you just won't let yourself think of it. Pathetic cowardice. You use it as a shield and it gets you nowhere." A low rumbling worked its way from within Heero's chest, his eyes never breaking from the man before him as he pushed himself away from the wall, shaking blue-black hair from his piercing eyes. The man walked gracefully toward Heero, every movement like pure liquid, gliding smoothly, hypnotically. He stopped before Heero, silver gaze even clashing with dark blue, his lips tilting upward, smirk transforming into a savaged beatific smile. "No more than a coward, a beast, a monster hiding behind a pale mockery of humanity. Open you're eyes, Heero," the voice lilted an octave higher before dropping down to a bare whisper. "It is what you are. Embrace it, love it... Use it."
"Why me?" Heero swallowed, his throat bobbing around the thickness of each new breath.
"Because," the man leaned forward, raven hair gliding over Heero's cheekbones like liquid silk as the man brushed his lips over Heero's, breathing his next words into his mouth. "I own you."
***
Duo's heart was in his throat as he watched from behind the slightly ajar door as Heero's lips parted, his soft pink tongue darting out to moisten his them as the black-haired man backed up the barest space, his own tongue flicking out, over Heero's. The man pressed forward again, laying his lips completely across Heero's sucking the other's tongue into his mouth, jaw working as they seemed to duel within. Heero was staring directly ahead, cobalt eyes vacant, seemingly on a different plane of existence, lost deep within himself.
The silver eyes opened, raising, locking with Duo's through the open space, mesmerizing orbs glittering knowingly, maliciously as he parted from Heero's lips, letting him fall limply to the ground like a broken doll, his eyes staring sightlessly ahead. The black-haired man backed up another step, then turned disappearing through an exit Duo couldn't see from his viewpoint, erasing himself from Duo's memory as cleaning as if he were just another featureless person in a crowd.
The violet eyed boy stood frozen in place, his eyes falling helplessly on Heero's sprawled form before he rushed through the opened doorway, falling to his knees over the man he foolishly loved.
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