C&C craved! P~L~E~A~S~E~!!!!!!!!! ^_~
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<Part 1>

 The vampire crept from the earth beneath the forest of the night. How long since he had been out among the living? A century? Two? He forced his body into the form of a furry, dark brown cat. The exact shade of his hair. Wouldn't do to walk around the town completely unclothed.

 The streets were cobbled unevenly and boys ran around with torches trying to find someone who
would allow them to lite their path home for a fee. Most of them would probably end up giving more
than light to their clients. They smelled of lost innocence and passionless coupling.

 The manner of the people was familiar, but the tongue was not the coarse Latin he knew from his
life. How long? The blood thirst wasn't very strong yet and so he decided to delay feeding and have a
look around this changed civilization.

 His mind still foggy from his long sleep, he crept up to a coach and climbed in hiding in the dark
interior. A rich coach. The smell of pulsing blood brought him to peer into around him. His eyes took
in the scene with distaste.

 A rich man sat there, a man of the church. Rich in the splendor he preached against. //I knew there
was a reason I hated religion.//

 The cardinal drew the blinds and ordered the young alter boy across from him to go down on his
knees. The boy did as he was told and the vampire watched in fascination as the cardinal pumped
into the young one's mouth. He had not seen a man of the cloth do this before! The bible fell from his
lap and almost on top of the vampire. He jumped back, ready for the sting of the word but none
came. Opening him eyes he crept closer, touching a paw to the book that had once caused him sheer
agony to near. Nothing. Have I grown so powerful? Or has faith become so weak? The carriage
started to slow and the cardinal came quickly and shoved the boy aside before tucking himself back
into his robes and stepping out the greet the crowed. The boy slid out before him swinging an urn of
frankincense in time to the collective chanting of the crowd.

 The cat crept from the coach in the shadows toward a slightly opened door. He needed clothing.
Inside he found a choir boy's garb. He shook off the dust of the grave and slid once again into human
form to dress. A group of boys was leaving the room for Vespers.  He followed silently.

 "Are you new?" One asked him quietly.

 "Yes."

 "He must have payed a pretty amount for you!"

 "Mm."

 "Were you castrated just recently?"

 "Why?"

 "You have a lot of pain in your eyes."

 //Pain. I have know so much pain. I don't think I know the meaning of pain anymore.//

 "What is your name?"

 //What -is- my name?// He reached back into his fogged mind and caught hold of a title. "Heero."

 "No last name?"

 "No."

 "Well welcome Heero."

 "Hn."

 "Do you sit on the decani side?"

 "Hn."

 "Good! He wont see you then."

 "Who?"

 "Buonarroti."

 He had heard that name on the streets. "Michelangelo Buonarroti?"

 "No, Duex Buonarroti. Michelangelo's son." The boy shivered, "His father is training him as a master
painter. He draws boys like us, in the nude! Do not pose for him. He is mad! Calls himself Death."

 //Death?// Heero's curiousity was piqued.
 
 

 Duex stood in the crowed looking up at the ceiling that took his father and he years to finish. His
father had been proud of his son's work, but that wasn't enough. He wanted Duex to be the greatest
painter the world had seen. Duex only wanted to write music. It was his true passion. In fact the song
the choir sung now was one of his. Written under an alias of course.

 Michelangelo was not his real father. -He- had died before Duex was born and his mother had died
in labor for him. Death followed him wherever he went. No one was safe from his curse.

 The music of the choir boys slid over and through him as he searched his soul for the belief he had
once held. For the trust in the benevolent God. He couldn't find it. God was dead to him. He had
seen to much pain and suffering to believe a father still watched over his people. God was dead.

 From the decani side of the choir a sharp, crisp voice rose with the others. His music came alive in
that voice. Touching his soul, his faith. This was the music he had written. That one voice made it
come to life! //Who is it?//
 
 

 Heero looked at the page they read from. The music was so tourchered! So abrupt. Highs and lows,
sharps and flats diving and stabbing into the soul of the crowd.  The music was so familiar to him! As
if the composer had reached deep into Heero and written his soul.

 He turned to one of the other choir boys, "Who wrote this?"

 "The angel of Death." The boy shivered.

 The one who had met him first nodded, "Duex Buonarroti."

 "I thought he was a painter."

 "His father wishes it and so it is, but he writes music for us all the time. It's scary the things he writes.
Like it'll choke you as you sing."

 Heero looked over the crowd to find a boy dressed all in black standing in the shadows of the
church doors as if he was afraid to come inside. He looked up at the same time and Heero found
himself starring into deep violet orbs. He gasped.

 "Don't -look- at him!" The boy warned.

 Too late. Heero was captivated. Those violet eyes danced with the joy of life. Why would someone
like that wear black?

 The boys around him bemoaned his fate, but Heero didn't hear them. The vampire grinned slightly
and nodded. He would know this boy.

 Heero turned to mist and wafted down to where the boy stood but by the time he arrived at the
spot, the dark child was gone.

 A commotion grabbed the vampire's attention and he hurried out into the street. There he was again.
The boy dressed in black. His mysterious artist stood in the center of a group of street toughs.

 "Come on pervert. What's the matter! Are you scared of us? Maybe we'll get our fleas on you?!"

 "I never. . ."

 "What? You scared?"

 "Please let me pass."

 "What if we say no?"

 He moved like lightning, knife jumping into his hand from no where and slashed the leader of the
group across the cheek. "Death does not bargain!"

 They ran like the bullies they were. And Duo collapsed once they were out of site. He had taken a
hit to the arm, it was dripping blood quickly onto the cobbles.

 The mist became a cat once again and he lapped at the blood.

 Duex bent and picked the little creature up, "Who are you?" He asked.

 Heero looked up worried, did the boy see who he really was?!

 "You must be starving to drink blood!" His eyes got a far away look and he sighed, "Especially
mine."

 Neko-Heero climbed up in Duex's arms and began lapping at the wound. Pawing at the edges to
force more blood out. When the blood wouldn't come anymore he stuck his little pink tongue into the
ripped flesh and began feeding there.

 Duex gasped and slid down against the wall of the alley way, "Wha. . . oh!" He cried out softly as he
came hard in his britches. Embarrassed he tried to cover it with his cloak. "God's I am sick! Just like
they all say." He hunched over and sobbed silently, hiding his face.

 Heero stared at the broken boy. He had caused this despair with his feeding. Slowly the cat melted
back into the vampire and he embraced the violet eyed artist, Stroking his long braid and murmuring
that everything was ok.

 Duex pulled back, startled, "Who are you!?"

 "Heero."

 "One of the cardinal's boys."

 "Hn."

 "You are the cat aren't you."

 "Aa."

 "What are you?"

 "Dead."

 Duex laughed bitterly, "Death and the dead huh?"

 "You are not a pervert."

 That brought another laugh, "I came because of a cat licking my blood! I draw naked boys and I
enjoy men over women, where in there am I not a pervert?"

 He lay a hand over the artist's heart, "here." Heero watched the boy stand and run away. His entire
being told him to give chase, but the sun was rising and though he was immune now to holy objects
he didn't want to try the sun. He retreated back into the building, the shadows.
 
 

 Days later there was a masque. It was to celebrate Michelangelo's latest pieces. The choir boys
were required to sing there, transvestiti. Dressed as girls. Heero wore the thin veils of a dancer girl
from the east. The outfit did little to cover him but the Vampire was beyond caring. His eyes roamed
the crowd for the familiar form of the painter's son. He found him dressed in black again, his mask
that of a skeleton's face. He was talking and flirting amiably with the ladies present.

 //He wears two masks tonight.// Heero thought.
 
 

 Duex looked up and froze as his eyes met those of one of the cardinal's boys. //It's him!// He
excused himself and walked across the dance floor in a daze, "You're him."

 "Yes."

 "I. . . I didn't ask you your name."

 "Heero."

 "That's a big name."

 ". . ."

 Duex smiled and offered his hand, "I'm Duex."

 "I know."

 "Oh. . ." He turned away slowly, "I'm sorry, you've heard the rumors then. I shouldn't have bothered
you."
 

 "Wait."

 "Hm?"

 Heero took his had, "I like your music."

 "My music?" He perked up immidiatly, "Really?"

 Heero nodded, "What do you think of when you write things like that?"

 "My past mostly."

 "Is it so dark?"

 "Aren't all pasts dark?"

 "You paint too."

 "Yes."

   "Could I pose for you?"

 "You would?"

 He nodded.

 "I would be honored."

 "So would I."

 "I can pay you room and board."

 "I don't eat."

 Duex held up his wounded arm, "I heal quickly, but I can cut myself again for you."

 Heero looked startled, "You would feed me?"

 He shrugged, "You would befriend me."
 
 

 Heero left the church then and moved in with Duex and his father. Michelangelo though was always
gone doing one job or another. The boys had the house to themselves for the most part.

 As Duex painted Heero would sing, usually songs they had written together. The young painter loved
to hear him sing and Heero loved to sing their songs. It was the only thing that made him remember
being alive, the only thing besides Duo. He missed it, but with Duex, eternity didn't feel so lonely
anymore.

 With one final stroke Duex stood back and smiled, "Done."

 Heero stepped from the stool and went to see himself for the first time since he had turned. //am I
really so beautiful?// He wondered in awe.

 The painting was of him, fully clothed and looking off into the distance at nothing, Heero knew what
he had seen, it was Duex.

 "Well?"

 "It's perfect."

 "So are you." Duex smiled softly and Heero felt something jump within him.

 "Do you want to . . . ah. . . to do another?"

 Duex blushed slightly, "If you want to. I don't think I would ever tire of painting you."

 Heero began to strip.

 "H. . . Heero, what are you doing?"

 "I thought we could do this one without clothing."

 "I. . ."

 "You don't want to?"

 "No! I want to! I just. . ."

 Heero hushed him and took up his pose. Duex nodded and put brush and paint to canvas, trying to
see him as just another model, but when he began painting his genitals, even Duex blushed bright. He
couldn't help it. The painting took weeks to finish. It was about seven feet by ten feet. Heero stood in
all of his glory, huge feathered wings arching from his back. The light and shadow touched him just
so, making him glow with etherial wonder. An angel of death.

 "I can not be as beautiful as you believe me to be." Heero breathed as Duex hung the latest portrait.
"You sell all of the others."

 Duo looked at him carefully, "Yes."

 "Why do you keep these?"

 "Because I. . . you're beautiful."

 "Duex."

 "Yes?"

 "Do you truly find me so beautiful?"

 "More than I could paint."

 "Do you love me?"

 His eyes were wide but finally he nodded, "Please don't leave."

 Heero walked closer, "Why would I leave?"

 "Because I'm a pervert."

 "You aren't."

 "But I love you! It's a sin!"

 "Then we can live the sin together."

 "Wha. . ."

 "I love you too."

 The painter reached up and cupped Heero's cheek in his hand. The vampire slid to his knees, even
with his artist. "Are you hungry?" Duex asked.

 Heero nodded.

 The boy pulled his hair out of the way, exposing his neck, "Take all you need."

 Heero felt the fangs unsheathing and leaned forward to pierce his beloved's neck.

 Duex gasped and buck up against him, pleasure bubbling through his veins as the drug inside of
Heero's fangs raced through him while the vampire fed. Finally both collapsed into the other's arms.
Duex gasping for breath.

 Heero moaning softly. Never had he felt like this, never for a human or blood. This was new. This
was love. Duex.

<Part 2>
 

 They lived happily for a while, Heero fed off Duex so he didn't need to hunt outside. Duex painted his lover obssessivly but couldn't bring himself to sell any of the portraits. They were just too personal.

 One day though, it all came crashing down around their heads.

 Michelangelo came back early and walked into his son's room. The paintings, usually covered were
all in the open and Duex lay on the bed, Heero lapping up his blood, both high from the pleasure.
"MONSTER!!!!"

 Both of them jumped and stared at the painter. Duex in fear, Heero in fear for Duex.

 "Blasphamy! Duex what have you done?!"

 "Father I. . ."

 "I am no longer your father!" He grabbed up the trembling boy and drug him away from Heero, into
the light. Heero couldn't follow! //Duex!// He paced the room like a caged animal until he heard a
blood chilling scream. //NO DUEX!// When the sun had set he ran toward his lover's scent.

 Duex was dead. His bones and charred remains lay in the ashes of a large fire. They had burned him
as the consort of the devil. "Duex." Heero collected the bones and ran into the forest of the night. He
buried Duex there, in his own grave and didn't come out for centuries. Soon Duex was only known
through his paintings, and Heero was forgotten but on those canvases.

**************
 
 

 In the year 1710, the forest of the night came alive again and with it, Heero. All around him were
changes. He had no idea where he was this time but he couldn't care. Duex wouldn't be there. The
vampire trugged through the filth covered streets, unaware that the sun was shining and didn't cause
him pain. He looked strait at it and turned away, unimpressed with the brilliance of the sight he hadn't
seen in centuries. It was insignificant without Duex. Without the boy he had come to love so dearly.

 The sound of life and merriment caught his attention and Heero moved toward the music
instinctively. In the center of a crowd of laughing humans was a jester dressed in a motley of black
and white. As he played to the crowed, one of his bells fell loose. It landed on Heero's toe. The
vampire looked down and picked it up the tossed it away.

 "Why so glum chum?" The idiot asked him, bells jingling, "Smile! It's what I'm payed for."

 "Hn."

 "Ooooh the silent type!" He teased, "Help!"

 Heero wheeled on him in anger and the crowed quickly departed, "Shut. Up."

 The boy looked around and sighed, slipping from his coat to the ground, "Great. Thanks buddy, you
just scared off my meal ticket."

 The vampire growled, "You have no right. . ."

 "No! I don't. What excommunicated peasant does?!" The boy turned on him. "This is all I can do! I
make people laugh! It's the only thing I have to turn to now ok?!"

 Heero was taken aback by the boy's speech.

 "Great, he finds out who I am and not even the walking dead will speak to me."

 "How did you. . .?" Cobalt eyes looked up and Heero gasped. The jester had violet eyes! And a
braid! Just like. . . "Duex?"

 "Nope. Name's Twin, Twin Tarleton."

 "Twin?"

 "Don't ask me. The nuns named me."

 "You are church raised?"

 "Yeah no wonder I'm excommunicated huh?"

 "You look so much like him."

 The boy shrugged and packed up his tools of trade. "I'm honored to be mistaken for him, he wrote
fine songs and did beautiful paintings, but I couldn't be him. Duex was burned to death for consorting
with demons."

 Heero flinched, "I know."

 "Oh! So you are the demon!"

 His eyes narrowed and he growled, "I am not a demon!"

 "Vampire, demon, whatever hm? They are all hated, so am I. Friends?"

 "I have no need for friends."

 "You don't want to hurt again right?"

 "What would you know about it?"

 "I've seen it before. He left you, didn't mean to but he still left. You don't want anyone getting so
close again, because they might just leave you too."

 "Hn."

 "Don't worry." Twin grinned and winked, bending to whisper, "I wont tell."

 "Get away!" Heero pushed him back and scowled, "You are insane!"

 "Aye, so I hear." He teased, "Come on, what will it hurt? You don't have to like me."

 "No?"

 "Nah, we'll just travel together. You'll have a food source and me, I'll have protection from
highwaymen and the like o' them. What say ye?"

 "You're daft."

 "I know."

 "Fine."

 The shook hands and Twin blinked and stumbled back.

 "What?"

 "Deja vu!"

 "Hn?"

 "Weird. It was like. . . as if you were familiar to me."

 "Hn."

 "You say that a lot don't you."

 "H. . . Aa."

 "Ha! Almost got you!"

 Heero glared but walked down the road beside the boy, "How did you know?"

 "That you're a vampire? You smell like you've been curled up around charred flesh and bones for a
century or two."

 "Duex."

 Twin stopped walking long enough to stare, then shook his head and ran to catch up with the
vampire, "Hungry?"

 "No."

 "Oh."
 
 

 Heero and Twin moved south, Twin worked in each town they found and performed for their room
and board at countless inns.

 As the sun set on another long day of walking The jester saw an abandoned church, "Hey, Heero,

let's bunk their tonight, the next town is miles."

 "Aa." The vampire walked inside and sat down, watching Twin lay out their sleeping roll.

 "Well you could help."

 "No."

 "How about I just keep my blood tonight then." Twin grinned.

 Heero was beside him before the boy could blink, "I could take it from you."

 Violet eyes grew dull and the jester sat down slowly, "and you would, wouldn't you."

 "Hn."

 The boy leaned back against his companion's legs and held out his wrist, "there then."

 Heero drank greedily but this time he noticed Twin wasn't accepting the pleasure of the feeding, he
was taking the pain.

 He pulled back as soon as the vampire was finished and turned onto his side away from his sight.

 Heero bit his lip in thought, why. . .? Twin had never. . . "Goodnight." he tried.

 The boy only shrugged.

 Heero could detect the boy's shoulders shaking. "Twin?"

 A crashing sound in the corner caused Heero to jump. He spun around but Twin was up first. With
incredible speed he was on the intruder.

 "Twin!"

 "S'ok Heero, I've done this before." Twin dodged the brigand's slashes and disarmed him, "We
don't have anything worth steeling so just go away."

 "Oh I see something. Pretty boy over there is just me type."

 Twin's whole stance changed, from slack and silly to hard and serious, "Don't." He grabbed the
man's arm, "You." He pulled the shoulder from it's joint, "Ever!" He knocked him to the stone
ground, "Threaten him!" One slice of the man's own dagger and it was over. Twin started to stand
and fell again. Heero was there in a heartbeat.

 "Twin!"

 "‘m ok. It's just a flesh wound." He assured him and pealed back his blood soaked britches. The
gash was nasty looking but clean. "Just couldn't walk on it."

 Heero nodded and tore off a piece of his shirt to bandage it. He picked the tired boy up into his
arms and lay him back in the bed roll.

 "Mm, feels so right. Heero, you sure we haven't met before?"

 "Maybe we have."

 "Aa."

 Violet eyes closed and Heero lay back against an old pew, cradling the jester's head on his lap and
stroking his long hair. "Could you be the soul of my Duex?" //The violet eyes, the braid, the name
meaning two. Were you giving me subconscious hints? Do you remember us deep inside,
somehow?//

 The next day, another three miles of walking brought them to a large town in the midst of a fair! Twin
grinned and set up his regular routine after arranging a workers permit with the town sheriff.

 Heero watched the boy play to the audience, dancing a silly jig with girl after girl, juggling whatever
they asked him to, flirting with all of the crowd. The vampire didn't like it.

 Twin laughed and slipped, landing on his back. "Come one come all and watch me fall!"

 The crowd ate his antics up like honey! They laughed and clapped as he performed flips and
cartwheels grinning and smiling with those maddening violet eyes sparkling for all they were worth.
Wh

en the act was over he bowed and took off his cap, "A penny m' ladies and m' lords so this fool may
eat and greet the dawn for another day."

 Most just left but more than enough stayed and Twin was delighted, "Heero we eat fine tonight! And
we can even afford a true bed!"

 A little tug on his trousers made Twin look down. A child smiled up at him. He sat on the curb and
patted his lap. She oblidgingly climbed into it. "Can I try on yer hat?" She asked sweetly.

 "O'course." Twin smiled and plopped the large thing over her head.

 "So big!" She giggled and peaked out from under it, "an' it smells funny."

 "That," Twin smiled, "is the sweet smell of sweat and laughter."

 The child giggled, "Yer funny! Do you have a lady?"

 Twin winked and moved in to whisper, "You see that beautiful boy over there? With oceans fer eyes
and ebony fer hair."

 "Aye?"

 "That is my lord. Close to a lady as I'll ever need."

 "Does ‘e know tha'?"

 "No." Twin grinned and tapped her nose with his finger, "But soon perchance."

 She smiled and nodded then skipped on her way. Twin froze when she stopped by Heero.

 "M'lord?"

 "Hn?" Heero looked down at her in question.

 She reached into her pocket and pulled out a fistful of bright ribbons, "Here."

 "What are these?"

 "You tie them into love knots, like this." She demonstrated and smiled, "In the hair of the one you
treasure."

 "Why are you giving them to me?"

 "You need them."

 "Aa?"

 She just giggled and nodded then ran off to her waiting parents.

 Twin walked up and looked at the ribbons questioningly.

 "Don't ask." Heero growled.

 He laughed and took the vampire's hand, "Come on, let's get something to eat! I saw an ale cart
over there and those cakes smell decadent!"

 "Do you ever shut up?"

 "Never!" Twin cried like a war call and charged through the fair, soaking it all in and dragging Heero
along for the ride.

 After Twin was finished reveling in the festivities, they rented a room for the night and settled in.
Twin ordered up a bath and sank in up to his neck, sighing with pleasure. Heero sat on the bed
watching the boy's shadow play behind the bath screen. He felt a tell tale twinge in his groin area and
groaned.

 "Mmm. Feel's so good! Heero, pass me that ball of soap I bought."

 The Vampire stood slowly and walked over to the bath. He handed Twin the soap over the screen
to avoid seeing anything tempting but Twin's next words threw that idea out the window.

 "Would you do my back?"

 Heero sighed and licked his lips, coming around the screen he knelt behind the boy and lathered his
hands, massaging them over Twin's tensed muscles, kneading them until they relaxed.

 "Aaa, Heero that feels great." Twin sighed and slid up against him, "Do that again. Oooh. Heaven!"

 The vampire took the soap and lathered Twin's hair with it carefully, massaging his scalp and neck
gently and rinsing it clear of the roads dust. As his fingers played over Twin's neck and paused. He
bent to look closer at found two indentations, like pock marks on his neck. //I never bit his neck.
Even if I had the wounds would have healed.// "Twin, where did you get these marks?"

 "Those?" He smiled and looked up at Heero, "I've had them all my life, why?"

 "When a vampire chooses a true lover, and loves them, they carry his mark throughout all of there
lives after. These marks, the pattern in them is a tear drop shape."

 "So?"

 "This is -my- mark." Heero turned the stunned boy to face him. "Do you realize what that means?"

 Twin looked confused, "You mind telling me?"

 "Your soul. . . I had wondered but. . ."

 "But?"

 "You are my Duex!"

 "ME?!"

 "Please, just let me try to restore what you've forgotten."

 Twin looked nervous, "uhuh. How?"

 Heero climbed into the bath with him.

 "Woah! Heero!"

 "Shh." The vampire soothed, "hush."

 "I. . ."

 "Please Twin."

 His violet eyes shot to the vampire's and he gasped, "You . . . you asked!"

 Heero nodded and Twin closed his eyes and tilted his head so that the marks were assessable.
When the vampire's fangs slid into the marked sheaths, memories came with the feeling. Flooding
through him. Memories of painting and music, memories of love and passion, memories of flames and
tears, all of the memories filled with Heero's face and their deep devotion to each other.

 "H. . . heero."

 When the vampire pulled away tears were coursing over Twin's face. "What is it? Did I hurt you?
Did I take too much? I am sorry! I. . ." Slim fingers covered his babbling lips and a violet gaze much
more deep than Twin ever had met his hopeful eyes. "Twin?"

 The boy nodded and slowly his smile widened, "But you can call me Duex."

 "Duex!" Heero leapt on him and covered his face in kisses and the floor with water. Duex giggled
and wrapped his arms and legs around his vampire lover. "Duex! Oh Duex I love you! I am so sorry
that I. . ."

 "Shh." He smiled and kissed his beloved deeply, "I knew the risk and accepted it. Because I love
you."

 "Duex." Heero buried his face in the crook of Duex's neck and sobbed, "I missed you so much!
Don't leave me again! Please don't leave me again!"

 "Shh." He smoothed Heero's hair and smiled, "I would never leave you if I could help it. But Heero,
humans die."

 "You don't have to! I could turn you!"

 "Then who would feed you?"

 "I could. . ."

 Duex smiled and shook his head, standing slowly and pulling Heero up, "You need to get out of
these clothes, you're soaked!"

 Heero allowed Duex to strip him of his wet garments and then fell to the bed with him, cuddling
under the covers and nuzzling him lovingly, relearning his feel and smell.

 "Heero. I can't believe I forgot you."

 "No one really recalls what happened in a past life until they are reminded."

 "I'm glad you found me."

 "Aa."

 Duex smiled and cuddled closer, "When they were burning me all I could think about was that I
hoped you got away."

 "I couldn't save you. My superstition bound me to tightly."

 Duex shook his head and smiled, "You're here now Heero. That's all that matters."

 "Let me turn you Duex, then I will never lose you again."

 Duex shook his head, "You need a food source. Can't have you ravaging young damsels all over the
countryside." He lowered his voice to a sensual purr and grinned, "I'd get jealous."

 "But. . ."

 "Shh." Deux smiled and kissed his vampire lord deeply, reveling in the smell and taste of him. "No
more talk tonight."
 
 

~tbc~