The Angel's Decision

By DragonMage

Notes: Slow, slow, slow. I know. I'm a lazy bum. *V*

Key:

<Thoughts>

_Emphasis_

* -- Mind speech

Chapter 6

Duo laughed as he leaped over the coffee table and continued to run around the room with his lover's favorite book in his hand.

"Give it back, Duo!"

"No way! You read too much! It's about time you stopped and pay a little more attention to me," Duo retorted as he ran around Zechs. Wufei lunged at him but he jumped back and laughed. "You're getting old, Wufei! You can't catch me!"

"Old?? Why you little--!" Wufei laughed and caught Duo's braid.

"Aaah!! Unfair! Let go!"

"Not a chance in hell!" Wufei pulled on the braid and Duo fell into his arms. He laughed throatily and wrapped his strong arms around Duo's body. "Give me the book back, lover, and no one gets hurt."

Duo merely blew a raspberry. "I'm not going to give it to you."

"I'd rather not take it by force," Wufei drawled.

"Mm...force. You promise?" Duo purred as he rubbed suggestively against Wufei.

"You're both impossible. You just woke up!" Zechs laughed as he brushed his hair. Treize was tightening and smoothing down his tie in front of a mirror in the living room. The ginger-haired man had a faint smile on his face as he watched his children and lovers play. Dear God, he loved them so much. They meant the world to him. Zechs, Wufei, Duo...They were his family. His smile widened and he finally got the tie just the way he wanted it.

"Yes, well, he has too much energy and he's faar too contagious," Wufei sniffed. He pulled the book from Duo's hands without much trouble and threw it on to the coffee table. He mock glared at his lover. "You're not going to tear that book apart. You're not Zechs."

"Hey!" Zechs would have looked mildly offended except for the amused glitter in his ice blue eyes. "Ripping up books are fun. You should try it some day."

"No thank you. Unlike you, I like my books intact," Wufei said dryly as he caressed Duo's long, silky chestnut braid. He wanted to pull off the rubberband and run his fingers through the thick wealth of silk. In fact...

Wufei's nimble fingers were close to freeing Duo's hair from its braid when the intercom suddenly sounded. Zechs raised an eyebrow and walked over to the intercom and pushed a button.

"Yes?"

"Excuse me," came an annoyed voice. "Will you please stop making noise? I'm trying to study but you're distracting me."

"Zechs, who's that?" Treize asked curiously as he turned and looked at his lover with a single eyebrow raised.

"Our neighbor downstairs," Zechs answered with a slight shrug. Then he turned his attention back to the intercom. "I'm so sorry. We didn't mean to make so much noise. Our children are being naughty tonight."

"Piss off, Grandpa!" Duo sang, trying to smother his laughter. Children. Sometimes Treize and Zechs were impossible when they referred to Wufei and him as 'their children'. Yes, it was true in a vampire sense, but it was totally different when it came to mortals.

"Duo?"

There was a long silence and a soft, breathy curse from Wufei who tightened his hold around his lover. He knew this would happen but he hadn't expected to happen so soon.

"...Quatre?" Duo's eyes widened and he pulled out of Wufei's arms. <Oh my god...Quatre! He's here!> He rushed over to the intercom and non-too gently shoved Zechs aside. "Quatre??"

"Duo...oh my god.."

Duo shook his head in amazement. "Quatre...Damn boy, what are you doing here?"

"What are _you_ doing here? In fact, where have you been these past _three_ years?!" Quatre's near hysteric voice demanded.

Duo turned to Treize and Zechs. "Can I invite him up?"

Wufei was about to protest but Treize silenced his words. "Go ahead. I want to meet this Quatre boy. He was a friend of yours, right?"

Duo nodded, a goofy smile on his face. He was going to see Quatre again! He quickly told Quatre that he had permission and started buzzing his friend up.

Wufei threw a poisonous glance at his father. *What are you doing?*

Treize walked over to Wufei and kissed his child on his forehead. *He was going to find out sooner or later. Better sooner than later. Besides, I want to meet this Quatre Rabebra Winner. He seems like an interesting boy.*

*What if I lose him??* Wufei demanded angrily, suddenly very afraid of losing Duo to Quatre. *What if--*

*Hush. Nothing will happen.* Treize carassed Wufei's shoulders and smiled gently. *Trust me. Nothing will happen.*

*But...*

Zechs appeared behind Treize. He had been privy to the conversation between the two. *Treize is right. Nothing will happen. Duo loves you too much to leave you. But let him see Quatre. I think it's right he sees his friend after all this time. Of course it's going to be difficult explaining somethings to Quatre but I believe he's a smart boy.*

*And you tell _me_ not to drive humans insane! What if this tears away at Quatre's sanity?* Wufei asked tightly.

*Do you really care about Quatre's sanity? Or losing Duo?* Zechs asked.

*You know the answer to that already. Don't ask me stupid questions,* Wufei bit out.

*Wufei, you're not going to lose him,* Treize said firmly, grabbing his child by his shoulders. *Just listen to me and know this: Duo loves you. He _will not_ leave you!*

*How--*

Zechs tsked. *No more arguments. Duo's not going to leave. Just let him have some time with his friend. They haven't seen each other in a while. If you love Duo, you can at least allow him this.*

Wufei took a deep breath and nodded after a brief moment. *Very well. I do love Duo and I'll trust him.*

*That's my boy!* Zechs said happily.

It was right then the elevator doors swung open and Quatre Raberba Winner appeared. He stared at Duo for a moment. Then, "Duo!" and he was rushing at his friend, throwing himself into Duo's arms as they two friends hugged tightly.

Wufei watched and said nothing.

Duo laughed as he wrapped his arms around Quatre and hugged his friend back. "Quatre, man, I thought I was _never_ going to see you again!"

"I thought I was never going to see _you_ again, Duo," Quatre said, shaking his head. "You just disappeared three years ago...Not a single trace of you. Where have you been all this time?"

"I..." Duo turned and looked at Wufei, silently asking whether or not it was okay to tell his friend the truth.

*Go ahead. You trust him, don't you? He won't tell,* Wufei said, nodding slightly. He wanted to trust Duo as well. He wanted to trust Duo not to leave him, not to stop loving him. His fathers were right. He loved Duo, he was going to see that his lover had fun with his friend and that they enjoyed their time together for one never knew when a time had to end. And he had to trust that his lover wasn't going to hate living the life of a vampire.

Duo smiled. He turned to his friend. "Quatre, my dear friend, we have a _lot_ to catch up on."

Quatre frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Sit down, Quatre, this is going to take a while." Duo couldn't stop grinning as he lead Quatre over to the couch before launching into a full length story of exactly what had happened to him since they last saw each other.

~*~

Quatre's eyes were wide in amazement as Duo finished his story. The blonde looked past his friend to the Chinese boy--vampire--who sat on the arm rest of the couch right beside his friend. He could see how Duo unconsciously leaned towards the vampire, until they were almost touching.

<Duo's a vampire,> Quatre thought numbly. <It's not just that Chinese boy...not just the Russian man or the European man...They're all vampires. They all drink blood!> Something in the back of his mind screamed at him to run away, to get away as fast as possible, that he was among predators and he was their prey. But he couldn't get himself to run. Duo was here. Duo was his friend. He finally found Duo! He wasn't going to run, not after all these years of wondering and finally finding his friend.

"But...how can I believe you?" Even as Quatre asked that he already knew the truth. His sense were screaming at him, telling him it was the truth. He didn't need ask. But a logical part of him demanded proof. He had to see the proof before he could allow himself to believe.

"Well, we can't prove it to you unless you want us to drag back someone and feed on them," the Chinese vampire--Wufei--drawled. "Or would you like to volunteer?"

Duo shot Wufei a look but the Chinese vampire merely smiled and reached down to touch Duo lightly on the hand, telling him he was joking. Or at least Quatre hoped he was joking.

"How do vampires exist?" Quatre asked softly, almost shaking his head on wonder. "I thought vampires were just a story. How can there actually be vampires, beings who feed on blood?"

"Did you ever read Interview with the Vampire?" Duo asked.

Quatre's eyes widened. "You've got to be kidding me...Those books are true??"

"Yes, they are. Those vampires are out there. It's pretty easy to trick mortals into believing that they're all fiction. Afterall, who would want their perfect little world disrupted with the truth? Besides, it also works to our advantage. We can tell the truth and still remain safe. The only ones who were after them--Lestat and his friends--were fledgling vampires, vampires who believed they were stronger and wiser than the elder vampires. But now they're gone. If you remember the chaos a few years ago in San Francisco with Lestat you'll know that all fledgling vampires were destroyed."

"But you weren't destroyed. Why not?"

"He was protected by us," Zechs answered. "Our blood was powerful enough to keep him safe from Akasha's hands."

"Do you talk to the others? I mean...Lestat and them," Quatre asked.

This time it was Treize who answered. "No, we don't. We'd rather not associate ourselves with them. They get themselves into too much trouble for their own good. We prefer to live life our own way instead of always trying to seek the truth of God and all that drivel. We don't give a damn about it like Lestat and the others do. We are what we are; what's the point of looking for our origins? What are the origins of humans?"

Quatre nodded slowly, understanding what Treize was saying. They preferred to live a life of luxury, enjoying every moment of their immortality, not worrying about their guilt. <Monsters,> echoed in his mind. They didn't have guilt, not a single drop of it. What kind of life was Duo liivng now as a vampire? What had happened to his friend?

Or was Duo always like this?

From what it seemed, Duo was loving the life of a vampire. He had a lover, immortality and infinite riches and resources. What better life could a person live? Quatre almost shivered. He knew a life of luxury was wonderful but what kind of price had Duo paid for it? His humanity?

"I can hear what you're thinking," Duo said softly, sadness tinging his voice. "I didn't mean to listen but they're so loud." He paused. "I know you think I've changed...that I might be evil. In fact, I think I _am_ evil. But it's my nature, isn't it? It's all of our nature."

"You chose this life, Duo," Quatre whispered. "You chose to live as a vampire, to kill and eat like a vampire. Is the blood really that tempting?"

Duo pressed against Wufei and nodded. "As well as the love. I had nothing in life, Quatre. You must understand that. I had nothing left except him...except this family I have now. I'm happy, Quatre. Do you understand? Do you hate me for being happy?"

"I can't hate you for being happy but I still don't...like your decision. You're killing people! You killed one of my friend's friend," Quatre said, shaking his head. "She was just an innocent life...Yet you took it. What kind of life is that?"

"My life," Duo said softly. His strange, sparkling violet eyes unnerved Quatre. "Quatre, I told you the truth. You know I can never lie to you. Now you have to promise you'll never tell another soul what I have just told you. That you won't tell anyone about me and my family. I risked a lot telling you..."

Quatre nodded. "I know and I won't say a word. I swear."

Duo smiled and leaned comfortably against Wufei. "I know I can trust you, Quatre." His smile suddenly turned impish. "And if you ever want the Dark Gift...I don't think either of us will have a problem giving it to you!"

"I don't think so, Duo," Quatre said, shaking his head adamantly. "I don't think I'll ever be able to live a life like yours."

The braided vampire knew Quatre was telling the truth but a part of him couldn't help but hope Quatre would forget his words and join him in the world of vampires. He smiled gaily at his beautiful blonde friend. "Hey, don't knock it before you try it!"

"I'm afraid," Quatre said dryly, "that 'trying' it isn't exactly an option. 'Permanent' is."

Wufei smiled darkly at the blonde boy and reached down to wrap his arms around Duo, tightly. "You might be surprised how some arrangements can turn out very nicely."

"Hush, Wufei. Don't tease the boy like that," Treize adomished.

Wufei tilted his head to the side, allowing a curtain of black silk to fall over his shoulder. "Yes, Father."

Quatre decided not to make a comment over the name. Everything was as weird as possible right now and obviously it was going to get weirder. He was just going to have to be flexiable and deal with it. Yes, that was the perfect way to deal.

Duo could see Quatre was a bit uncomfortable around them. That was normal. Who would be comfortable around 'monsters'? And they were monsters, weren't they? Wasn't that the reason why mortals were so easily driven insane if they were too simple to accept the fact that, yes, there are hunters of their kind out there? No wonder Wufei had never had a problem playing with humans.

"Is there anything else you would like to know?" Zechs asked, smiling pleasantly. Duo had to smile as well. Zechs had such a way of changing the atmosphere among them with only a few words and a charming smile.

"Ah, no." Quatre shook his head. "I don't think so. Not at the moment. I mean..."

"It's a lot to take in," Treize said, nodding in understandment. "Of course you're going to need time to swallow everything."

*Swallow,* Wufei mentally snickered. Duo jabbed his arm into his lover's stomach.

*Hush,* the braided vampire adomished.

Wufei merely wrapped his arms even tighter around Duo's shoulders and leaned against him. *You're friend is _very_ amusing, Duo.*

*Don't, Wufei. Don't even think about it. Quatre is my friend. Hands off,* Duo said, mentally shaking his head to show his lover his disapprovment.

Wufei sighed and nodded. *Very well.*

*Thank you.*

"It's getting late," Treize suddenly announced. He stood up, catching Quatre's hand and pulling the slim blonde up as well. He smiled warmly at the slightly trembling boy. "Don't be afraid. We're not going to hurt you. You are, after all, under Duo's protection."

Quatre tried not to dwell too long on the 'Duo's protection' thing. <Does that mean if I _wasn't_ I'd be dead?> He swallowed hard and smiled shakily up at Treize. The vampire was certainly taller than most people he knew. Until Zechs stood up. Then Quatre saw exactly which one was taller.

"Of course," he finally managed. "I understand. I'll...get going."

Duo stood up and smiled. He reached out and hugged Quatre tightly. "It's so good to see you again. And to let you know what's happened to me. Do you want to go back up tomorrow night and we'll go out?"

Quatre hugged Duo back and nodded. "Yeah, I'd love that." He looked up into the cool, black eyes of Duo's lover and fought back a wave of fear and nervousness. It was clear the Chinese vampire didn't like him. He just didn't now why. He wish he did though. Hostility always made him anxious.

"Yes, it would be wonderful to have you with us. Duo does like your company...and I am curious about you," Wufei said softly, his smooth lips softening into a smile.

Treize threw a look at Wufei and tried not to sigh outloud in exasperation. Yes, Wufei didn't like Quatre but did he have to be so obvious about it? He knew his child had more poise and control than that. He was going to have to have a talk with Wufei after this...And here he thought they settled things! But, alas, Wufei was a very stubborn and obstinate person.

After a few more good-byes and promises for tomorrow night, Duo went with Quatre to his apartment, catching up everything that had happened so far in their life. The minute the elevator dinged shut, Treize and Zechs turned on Wufei.

The Chinese vampire child looked at them with an innocent expression on his pale, exotic features.

"What?"

~*~

"It's so good to see Quatre again! I can't believe this whole time he's been living under our suite!" Duo exclaimed in delight as he fell on to the bed, rolling on his back and coming up on his elbows. He watched as his lover changed out of his usual clothing into white pajamas. His smile widened even further. It was so nice to see Wufei in 'normal' clothing instead of the traditional outfits his lover seemed to favor on some nights. It seemed that all three of his elders carried an affinity for the fashions of their own time, as if there was still a part of them that couldn't let go. But it did make sense.

"That's wonderful, Duo," Wufei said, smiling as he slid on the shirt without bothering to button on the shirt up. He just left it loose, fluttering around him and leaving his chest and stomach bare. He padded over to the bed and fell on to it with a sigh. "Mmm...this feels good."

"What do you think of Quatre, Wufei?" Duo asked seriously. He knew Wufei had something against Quatre, it came off on him in waves. He just wanted to know why. This was one thing his lover was shutting him on out and he didn't like it very much. Wufei always opened himself to him, he never closed up this badly before.

"I think he's a good friend for you."

"What do you _really_ think? Do you like him?" Duo pressed.

Wufei turned his head, silky strands falling into his eyes, and stared up into Duo's violet eyes. "Do you really want to know?"

"Of course! I don't like you shutting me out...You know I hate it when you do that." Duo reached out and curled his fingers around Wufei's long hair. "Please...Tell me the truth."

"He's a good boy," Wufei said slowly, not really wanting to tell his lover the whole truth even as Duo demanded it from him. He didn't want to sound jealous--even though he was. He had more dignity than that, or at least he hoped. "I think he's good for you..."

"But?"

"But...It's stupid. Ignore me, Duo. Never you mind what I think of your friend. He's good for you and that's what counts. It's the only thing that counts. If he was bad for you, I'd never let him near you again."

Duo growled and leaped on top of Wufei, sitting on his lover's chest and pinning his arms ot the bed. "Wufei..."

"What?"

"Don't do this! Don't play like this!"

"What are you talking about, Duo?"

"Stop this! Don't treat me like a child!" Duo shouted angrily. He narrowed his eyes, blood rushing his face due to the many emotions rushing through him.

Wufei reached up, a dreamy expression on his face, as he touched Duo's soft, blushing face. "You're so beautiful...Do you know that?"

"Wufei..." Duo leaned over and buried his face in Wufei's hair, his slim body bending easily. "Don't shut me out...Never shut me out. I can't live if you do that to me."

Sighing softly, Wufei wrapped his arms around Duo's body and held him close. "I won't...I won't. I won't shut you out."

"Then tell me what's wrong!"

"I'm jealous, Duo," Wufei admitted, rubbing his lover's back comfortingly. "I'm jealous. I don't mind sharing you with Treize and Zechs...But to share you with Quatre seems unbearable. He's mortal...He was your best friend. He might have a tighter hold--"

Duo silenced Wufei with a hand to his cool lips. The braided vampire lifted his head and looked directly into his lover's eyes. "He'll never have a hold over me stronger than yours. You're my lover...My everything. No one else can control me as much as you can. One little word will make my world the best and brightest thing ever...and another little world can crush it and make it dark. Only you can do that to me, Wufei." He smiled and snuggled close. "It's nice to know you're jealous, though. I guess it means I really am appreciated."

Wufei let loose a whoosh of breath. "Of course you're appreciated! I wouldn't have it any other way!" He smiled and closed his eyes. "And it's nice to know that I actually matter that much to you."

"You're my love, my life...my savior. How can I hold you below my friend when you are my world? I love Quatre, yes, but I love you even more. And I know I'll have to leave him one day because he's mortal and we can't linger long. But I know that I can stay with you forever and ever. No one else can give me eternal love that but you."

"So confident you are in my love."

"You've never disappointed me before."

"And I hope I don't ever."

Duo frowned and reached down to cup Wufei's face in his hands, urging his love to open his eyes, which he did. "What is up with these melancholy thoughts, Wufei? You know I'll never leave you."

"I know, Duo, but I just can't..."

"Wufei..."

"I'm sorry, Duo."

Duo pressed his lips to Wufei's in forgiveness and in comfort. "It's okay. I understand. But have some confidence in me, okay?"

"Yes, Duo."

"Good! Now...let's get some sleep. I'm exhausted." Duo lifted his head to grin down at his beloved. His smile widened even further when he saw that Wufei's eyes were clear and no longer troubled. <Silly, Wufei. I'll never leave you. Don't you know that? You mean too much to me!>

They prepared for bed and soon before the sun even rose, they were curled in the center with their arms around each other.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heh...Finally finished it! *V* Tell me whatcha think!