Title: Life Blood
Author: Mel
Rating: NC-17
Pairings: 1X2X3X4X5
Warnings: Yaoi, AU, Relena/Zechs bashing, death fic, Lemon and dark eventually
Spoilers: none, AU
Feedback: C&C See other parts for disclaimers and Comments ^_^

Life Blood... Chapter 11

There was a time when you let me know,
What's real and going on below,
But now you never show it to me do you?
And remember when I moved in you,
The holy dark was moving too,
And every breath we drew was
Hallelujah.

Hilde was laid to rest on Sunday, the Sabbath day, a day for rest, but not for the wicked. Sleep had not come to any of the boys during the night, they had lain awake, resting in one another's embrace, the occasional cry of pain and sadness ripping through the quiet night. None had ever felt quite this awful. Duo especially waited for the day to come. He no longer took any delight in the inky blackness of slumber that he once had.

Hilde had had no family, but fore-sight that Duo had thought none their age had. She had a will. She left her clothes to the poor, with the exception of her favourite black leather jacket, which went to Duo. And out of her possessions the boys were to take what they wished and the rest to go to orphanages and charities she had named. There wasn't much, but she had obviously believed that every little bit helped.

The boys themselves took very little, Quatre let a golden locket with a picture of Hilde and Duo fall into his hand and Trowa slipped his fingers around the girl's prized flute. Wufei carried her roller skates over one shoulder and Heero a book of German poetry. Duo took the jacket with a heavy heart, slipping it on his slouched shoulders, he would have taken nothing if Hilde hadn't specifically wanted him to have this.

It was surprising to them at least at the amount of people who showed up for the funeral. There were so many that Duo could not even begin to count them all. They were all students and teachers from school, all in black, a sea of it running through the pews. It made Duo almost believe that Hilde had had a lot of friends. Almost. If it hadn't been for the guilty looks in so many of those eyes, the sorrow that they hadn't attempted to get to know her better, he would have believed it. They wandered down the aisle, Duo was the first to the open casket.

Once again he felt the steady thump of pain as he viewed his dead friend.

If she had been alive Duo would have told her she looked ridiculous. Her hair was brushed so fine it fell over her forehead in wispy strands. Her cheeks were dusted with blush and her lips covered with lipstick. And she was wearing a dress, nice and in denim, but a dress none the less.

The thing that was possibly the one thing that got to Duo was her lips. They were stitched shut, as were her eyelids. A sob choked in his throat and Trowa, whom came up behind him, slipped his arms around his waist, holding the braided boy. He could feel Trowa's tears soak in his hair.

Quatre stopped at Hilde, staring down at the German girl who had touched his life so much. And he reached out, brushing the blush from her cheeks, and taking off as much of the lipstick as possible. Now she looked like Hilde, except for the dress. Heero caught Quatre as he collapsed, sobs taring at the small boy's frame.

Wufei was the last of the five, and slipped a white carnation, Hilde's favourite flower between her hands that were clasped over her heart. He took a step back and bowed to her. "Fare well Hilde, pass on in peace," he whispered, turning from her, tears stinging his eyes.

All five of them sat at the front, quiet as the rest of the collage passed Hilde, saying their own goodbyes. Relena stopped in front of them. The blonde girl had never looked so frail as she did at this very moment. Tears ran down her cheeks that were free of makeup for once. She looked as though she had not slept a wink the night before and her eyes were puffy from all her crying. Her dress was long and mourning black. Relena was trying to keep from sobbing.

"Duo," she whispered, the words croaked out, barely containing the pain the girl was in. "I'm so sorry."

"What do you care?" Came Duo's icy voice, looking up at her with snapping violet eyes. "You're a hypocrite Relena, get away."

"I just wanted," the girl started, tears falling thicker now.

"What?" Duo's voice lowered dangerously. "To apologise? Why? She's dead now, it makes no difference." A sob fell from Relena's lips. "You hated her, you all did. But I loved her, she was mine damn it. She had no right to be taken from me. How dare you come to me and try to apologise, get away, it's your fault she's DEAD!" His words rose to a scream and if it hadn't been for Trowa's arms around his shoulders, Duo would have launched himself at the small blonde.

Miliardo caught his younger sister as Relena's legs gave way beneath her. His blonde hair fell in a curtain around his black clothes, a black band on his right arm. "My sister has not slept at this night, she too has felt the death of Hilde, it would be nice if you didn't ruin her memory of the other girl this way."

"Go Miliardo," Wufei whispered. "The wounds are still fresh, talking of such things only adds salt to them. Just go."

Miliardo bowed his head to them, his arms wrapped around Relena as he carted the sobbing girl way. The others made no sound, wrapped up in each other's pain that the rest of the funeral passed by at a blur...

+

"Where's Duo?" Quatre asked softly as he and Trowa carried the last of his things into the room. He looked around, noticing the braided boy was not with them. Neither was Heero, but that was to be expected. Wufei looked up from the book he was reading, his eyes sad.

"He is on the roof."

Leading out of the room they shared, through the window, was a set of stairs. They were supposed to be used to escape fires and other such things. But it led from the ground to the roof. Quatre's old room also had one, and he had often escaped to the roof when all he desired was solace from solitude.

Quatre quickly scaled the stairs to join Duo. He found him lying in the middle of the roof, staring up at the blue sky.

Quatre hesitated only slightly before joining him. He lay down beside the American, his blue eyes also lifting to the sky.

"She didn't deserve to die Kat," Duo whispered after a time. "I should have been there for her, but I wasn't."

"You did all you could Duo," Quatre whispered softly, soothingly. "You couldn't have done anymore then what was already done Duo."

"But I could have," Duo whispered. "If I had been there she wouldn't be gone now. I should have walked her home."

"Duo," Quatre began softly, but he didn't let him finish.

"Didn't you ever wonder what happened when a Vampire takes all the energy from your body Kat?" The words were soft, but there was an incredibly dangerous edge to them. Quatre decide he really did not care to know, but he would listen none the less.

"It forces a heart attack, Kat. The heart stops fighting and then the rest of the body collapses. You can tell when a vampires done it. It makes all the hairs on your body stand on end, as if they'd been pumped with electricity just before they died."

Quatre closed his eyes as the truth seeped in. "She was killed by a- "

"A Vampire," Duo finished for him.

"My father?"

"Perhaps," Duo's voice softened, "did it feel like what I said?"

Quatre nodded, his face filling with pain at the memory, now that was so clear. He had shivered, rubbing his arms to be rid himself of the feeling of unease as he viewed his father for the last time.

"Yes, it was, I- I've never thought about it before."

"They all thought Solo just had a weak heart, but I knew different. It wasn't his heart that killed him, it was a Vampire." Duo turned from Quatre, resting on his side. His feet curled up to his chest. "We had been checking out the old room to see if it would make a good hideout when this guy came in. He was obviously homeless, his clothes were rags and he was a mess. And then everything happened so fast, Solo was standing between him and me as we tried to get out. His face changed so quickly it was amazing. For a few moments he was just your normal Joe, next he was this hissing demon. He grabbed Solo and I froze, I couldn't do anything, I was so frightened. Solo's screaming at me to run, to get out, to get help, but I couldn't. And then it started.

"The guy had Solo by the forearms, hissing at him. Solo was trying to struggle out of his hold, but couldn't. I could see small wisps of Solo's life being drained from him. He was crying, I'd never seen Solo cry before. It hurts to have your life force sucked from your body like that. I just snapped, I can remember screaming and throwing myself at the guy. He ignored me. What did he care, he was a Vampire and I was just some street rat of a human kid. He just kept feeding off Solo while I was hitting him with all my might. Somehow I got up on his back, my hands around his neck. I twisted my wrists in just the right way and I heard his neck snap. It wasn't the cleanest kill I'd ever made, but it worked, the guy collapsed and started to turn into dust.

"I didn't care much of what he was turning into, I was more worried about Solo. You see, he wasn't moving. His eyes were open, blank and lifeless. I was too late... too late to save Solo and too late to save Hilde." Duo's voice trailed off and he fell into his thoughts. Quatre was crying softly to himself. He had never realized, he had assumed many things. Had the others discovered their gifts to rid themselves of Vampires in the same horrible ways? His life and problems paled suddenly in insignificance. He did not notice the rain clouds begin to roll in as he curled up to Duo's back, pressing his lips to the back of his neck softly.

"It was not your fault," another kiss, "you can not be there every time someone is in trouble Duo." He wrapped his arms around the other boy, breathing in his scent. "You corrupt their memories by blaming yourself."

He held Duo as he cried softly, murmuring words of sympathy, kissing and stroking him. Duo turned in his arms and pressed his lips hastily too Quatre's. Quatre opened his mouth to the probing tongue, letting Duo kiss him with force that took his breath away. They parted for a moment, Duo catching Quatre's blue eyes. The blonde smiled, grabbing Duo's collar and pulling him closer for another kiss.

Quatre didn't let his hands remain idle for long, running them down Duo's chiselled chest to the boys slim waist even as Duo rolled him onto his back, straddling his hips. He whimpered as Duo's arousal ground against his own, breaking the kiss to gasp in need. Taking the moment to rid Duo of the overly annoying black shirt, Quatre took in the sight of the boy above him. Duo was breathing heavily, his hair coming loose from its customary braid. His cheeks were flushed and still stained with tears but his eyes were filled with lust as he ducked his head, lips stealing another kiss from Quatre.

Unsure of what to do, Quatre let instinct take over, he let his hands travel up Duo's bare back, mapping each curve and indent in his flesh. Duo's breath hitched and he moaned at Quatre's wandering hands, his lips descending feverishly onto Quatre's parted ones. It wasn't long before Quatre was also missing his shirt. Duo smiled, his teeth flashing as he suckled at the tender flesh at Quatre's throat, causing the blonde to whimper beneath him. He left the tantalising throat for a moment, letting his tongue sear down like a twisting snake down his chest and to his navel. He dipped it teasingly in, returning it slightly to trace the rim of the small hollow in his stomach, only to dip it in once more. The teasing rhythm of his tongue caught Quatre off guard and he arched at the touch, a low moan falling from his lips.

Still smiling Duo unbuttoned the top button of his pants, slipping his hand beneath edge of them, massaging the heated skin beneath it. "Tell me to stop Quatre," Duo whispered huskily, lapping lightly at the sweat on Quatre's stomach.

"No," Quatre whimpered, then gasped as the stroking got faster. "Please. Don't stop."

Duo lent over Quatre's body, his cheek resting on his flushed chest. He listened as his heart sped up along with Duo's skilful hands. He was delighted to hear Quatre moaning almost continually now, to be the first to bring the other boy to such pleasurable heights.

"Are you sure Kat?" His voice breathed softly against his flesh just before he nipped at one nipple.

"Yes," Quatre cried as his sensors overloaded. His small body arched deliciously against Duo's as he came all over Duo's hands and his pants. As Quatre collapsed in a heap, Duo rid him of his pants, throwing the now dirtied garments away. He then licked Quatre's seed from his body, offering a hand to Quatre, which he tentatively and lazily licked.

"I want to make love to you Kat," Duo whispered, nuzzling the re- awakening arousal. "But I'll hurt you, I haven't brought anything with me." He chuckled softly, "I did not think that I would end up having sex with a sexy blonde nymph here on the roof."

Quatre reached out and cupped Duo's cheek even as the first raindrop fell. He smiled warmly, "You won't hurt me now," and then the rain started, it poured, soaking the heated ground and right into their very flesh.

Duo, surprised above all else, went to move from the roof. Quatre caught him, pulling his pants down, his mouth attaching itself suddenly to his erection. Duo moaned, his hands treading through Quatre's soaking hair. The blonde may not have quite known what he was doing, but he made up for it in enthusiasm, licking and sucking at the heated flesh, enjoying the sounds one of his beloveds made above the rain.

Quatre pulled him back down to the ground, the rain beating at him. "I thought you wanted to make love to me."

"Nympho," Duo teased, kissing him hungrily as he pressed him onto his back. Quatre gasped when one rain slick finger found its way into his body. Unready for the sudden intrusion his body clamped down on it. Duo made soothing noises, licking his ears and nibbling at his neck until he relaxed enough to allow the questing digit to continue preparing him for what was to come. It was not long before Quatre was rocking back on the intrusion. He didn't notice the additions of the second and third finger until they hit something with in him that made his body arch, gasping out in pleasure. Duo chuckled sexily, letting his fingers slip from the blonde's body, enjoy the soft mewl of disappointment at the loss of contact. But by then something much larger was pressing at the entrance to his body, pausing as if waiting for something.

Quatre was not inclined to wait and snapped his hips, half impaling Duo into him in the process. Duo gasped, he'd been collecting himself to move slowly and Quatre groaned.

"More."

Quatre didn't deny there was pain, but there was pleasure too, and he knew that it was only to get better as Duo sunk further into him. Not to be rushed this time, Duo held the blonde's hips when he was full sheathed, allowing the boy that had just moments before been a virgin, to adjust to being filled.

It didn't take long, Quatre wanted to feel Duo slide in and out of him right now. He whimpered, begging Duo to move. The braided boy leaned forwards, capturing Quatre's lips in a breathless kiss as he pulled out, pushing back in again and causing them both to groan out again.

The rain pelted down on them as they fell into a broken rhythm. It would not last long as the frenzied couple rose and fell. Quatre was much too tight for Duo to contain his rising excitement, and the feelings much too new and overwhelming for Quatre. But he was glad he could give this one comfort to his pained love.

Duo's hand snaked between their moving bodies, clutching at Quatre's erection, intensifying the blonde's cries as his mind tried to process the new touch. It was too much and he shuddered his release. Duo moaned, his lips clamping to Quatre's shoulder as he came deep within him. It was a few moments before either boy moved, the rain was beginning to let up and it finally stopped completely.

Duo kissed Quatre's swollen lips as he slipped from his body. "That was wonderful," Quatre whispered sleepily, the day's events finally catching up with him.

Duo smiled, earning one in return. "Yes, you were." He shifted a little, "now lets get off this most uncomfortable roof."

Wufei was sitting on the top of the stairs, a umbrella in his hand, a book in the other as Duo carried the exhausted Quatre back to the stairs that led down to their rooms. He smiled at the two damp boys.

"That was a well timed storm, convenient too, it ensured that no one saw fit to follow you two up here."

"Except you Wu-man," Duo grinned.

"I had to be sure you didn't drown Duo, I wouldn't put it past you."

+

"And so you get even closer to them. Your plan to keep them at arms length doesn't seem to be working."

Heero glared at the figure. "Shut up."

"My aren't we shit-faced to day."

"I thought I just said 'shut up'?"

"So you did, but has it ever stopped me before?"

Those words were met with silence. "Just remember what I told you, you won't have long to think it over. My time grows short and I've already wasted far too much on you."

[ch. 10] [ch. 12] [back to Mel's fic]