Tuesday night
Dark World
Chapter 9
By: Lady Saffir
Rating:PG/PG-13
DISCLAIMER:I do not own any characters associated with the Gundam Wing universe.
*sigh* This chapter was very hard to write, till the end. Lots of explaining to do, and very little action. There's still more explaining to do, but hopefully that can be spread out. And look! Someone is being helpful!
"I have always argued that change becomes stressful and overwhelming only when you've lost any sense of the constancy of your life. You need firm ground to stand on. From there, you can deal with that change." Richard Nelson Bolles
I found myself numbly staring at the contents of the refrigerator, having been led to the kitchen by Heero after our little 'discussion.' "You should eat. I'll be back in a few hours, then we will talk further," had been his next words, as if we had been discussing the weather instead of my life being turned upside down. I stared at the shelves stocked with an over abundance of food, unable to make even the simplest of decisions at that moment. What had I gotten myself in to?
"Relena."
Should I have a ham or turkey sandwich?
"Relena."
Or perhaps a salad?
"Relena."
Or maybe there was something in the freezer I could warm up? Was I even really hungry?
/Relena/
With a yelp I whirled around, losing purchase on the tile floor as I placed my full weight on my injured leg. I skidded and caught myself on the edge of the island, glaring at Wufei as he lounged in the doorway.
"Don't do that!" I scolded, glaring at the smirking Chinese man. "I hate that."
Wufei shrugged, not moving from his spot of holding up the wall.
"I said your name three times, it isn't my fault you weren't paying attention." The slight taunt in his voice had me jerking my shoulder in irritation.
"So sorry, I'll be sure to pay attention to your dulcet tones in the future," I tossed back, turning to once more peruse the fridge.
"You should eat some protein," Wufei suggested, moving to reach past me to snag a drink. I could hear him take a seat at the table, and I gave up my perusal of the fridge to turn and face him.
"Can you do that?" I tipped my head at his drink. "Or is it something to make me feel more at ease?"
Wufei raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his chair.
"We can drink - for that matter, we can drink as much alcohol as we want, and almost never be affected. We can eat, but only small portions, and usually only when in the company in humans. We prefer to drink though," Wufei finished, tipping his glass in my direction.
"Why?" I asked curiously, taking a seat across from him. "I mean, if you don't need it to survive, then why do it?"
"We do it to try and forget about the blood, Relena," Wufei said evenly, meeting my gaze and ignoring my flinch. "The stronger the flavor of the drink, the easier to forget about the taste of blood. It's a constant hunger, a low grade need, like humans who smoke."
"Oh," was the only think I could think to say. I was surprised when Wufei stood, and opening the refrigerator, began to pull out an assortment of items.
I watched him move about the kitchen, silently wondering why he suddenly felt the need to cook when he had just told me he didn't need to eat.
"Because you need to eat," Wufei replied, not bothering to look at me as he skillfully chopped veggies into bite sized bits.
"Stop reading my mind," I snapped.
Wufei turned in surprise, a frown marring his features. "I wasn't. You were the one that decided to use other means to ask what I was doing."
"No, I didn't. I don't like the way it feels in my head."
My bewildered expression convinced Wufei of the sincerity of my words.
"And why are you so gung-ho about feeding me?"
Wufei's eyes narrowed. He set down the knife he had been using to slice veggies and just looked at me, as if I were a particularly dimwitted child.
"Did Heero tell you nothing?"
I snorted. "Basically it was, 'me big bad vampire king, you lowly human female, do as I say'. Supposedly I know everything I need to know in order to make a choice, but I'm not seeing any choice other than what Heero thinks is the correct choice," I muttered.
"He's an idiot," Wufei muttered. His eyes went unfocused for a brief moment, then with a sigh turned back to the stove. "Fine, fine, leave it all to me," he muttered to himself.
He began to talk as he added ingredients to the skillet.
"The vampire/Companion relationship can basically be explained as a give and take relationship. For the most part the energy flow is unconsciously done, but, like Heero demonstrated – in rather poor taste - the decision to give or pull power from the Companion can be made. And since you're still basically human, your metabolism has sped up, in an effort to stay on top of things, as it were."
"This if fine and dandy for explaining Duo, but not me. I'm not a Companion," I interrupted, only to be treated by a condescending look.
"You've two of the three steps completed, Relena. Stop hiding from the facts and face reality."
I could feel my blood pressure shoot up at that statement.
"You know, that's the second time I've been told to suck it up and live with it, and I'm getting tired of that attitude. I have only known Heero for four days now. I think I should be cut a little slack while I try to figure out what the hell is going on."
Wufei stopped what he was doing to turn and give me a reproachful look.
"That isn't what either of us said. Feel free to rant and cry if you want. It's a lot to deal with. And I know this wasn't the best way to approach you about it. But acting like a spoiled and petulant child won't help Heero right now."
I couldn't help but snort. "Heero doesn't need my help. He doesn't WANT my help. All I would do is get in his way and be a distraction."
Wufei cast his eyes heavenward, muttering something under his breath. Stepping away from the stove, he made his way over to the table, placing both palms on the table top and leaning towards me.
"You are a distraction to him right now. He's worried about how you'll react to everything, so he's trying to walk on eggshells around you and make everything perfect. Except things keep happening outside of his control so he can't handle it as he should because he's running around cleaning up messes. Duo, Trowa and myself are worried how you'll react, and how Heero will react, so we're walking on eggshells around you both. And that distracts us from making sure another attempt against Heero doesn't succeed. So we're going to do everything we can to get you to understand the situation as fast as possible, even if that means tossing you in the deep end and hoping like hell you're a good swimmer."
It was delivered so matter of factly that I stopped to actually consider the havoc that was being wreaked not only on my life, but those around me.
"I...I don't know what to do, Wufei," I whispered, eyes cast down to stare at the wood grain of the table. I also couldn't believe Wufei was the one I was having this talk with. "The Heero I met was wonderful, and I could almost say I'd agree to this with little hesitation. But there's this new Heero, who's a total jerk. I won't be someone's toy. I am my own person, and I have plans and goals for my life. I won't change everything for someone who can't let me be myself."
A plate of food was placed before me, and I looked up to find Wufei settling into the seat across from me.
"You have to understand, Relena, in our world, Heero's word is law. As two of his advisors, Trowa and I have some leeway but we can't go against a direct order," Wufei sighed, tugging on his ponytail. "As his Companions, you and Duo have some leeway as well. Heero can be that man you first met. But," here he raised a finger in warning, "there are times when he has to be King, and that means acting with all of his power and expecting obedience. You'll both have a fine line to walk."
Silence passed between us as I tasted my food and thought over his words. "It's very good," I said, privately wondering how a vampire could cook so well.
"Practice," Wufei smiled, ignoring my glare.
"Woman, if you don't want us hearing your thoughts, stop thinking so loudly and learn to shield. Please, please learn to shield," Wufei smiled, taking the sting out of his words. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take Duo some food."
He was almost out the door before I gathered the courage to ask what I figured was probably a very personal question.
"Wufei?"
He stopped with his back to me, head slightly turned to the side.
"Do you have a Companion?"
What I could see of his face hardened into something that was frightening.
"No."
Alone with my thoughts, I carefully considered everything Wufei had said - and the things Heero had tried to say. Could I do this? What would happen if we grew tired of each other? And what about Duo? Could Heero have two Companions at once?
There was too much of this new world I didn't understand and I didn't know who I could talk to about it that could give an as unbiased opinion as possible about everything. My thoughts anything but decisive, I decided to wait until I could sit down and talk with both of them.
It was now nearing midnight as I sat on the couch, idly flipping through the TV channels. I had seen neither hide nor hair of Duo or Wufei, and I was beginning to wonder when Heero and Trowa would be home, and exactly what type of business had them out this late. Was this even late for vampires? Or was it the equivalent of a breakfast meeting? The mental picture of how a breakfast meeting for vampires would go had me both shuddering and giggling at the ridiculousness of it. My attempts to text Quatre had been futile as well. Not that I could have told him any of this, but having someone to talk to would have been nice.
The more I thought about my current situation, the more intrigued I became. To live hundreds of years, seeing all of the advances in technology that humans would discover. To maybe one day live in an era where space travel was the norm. To see diseases eradicated and the arts of healing honed to the point lives would not needlessly be lost.
It was very tempting.
Add Heero to the mix, and the intensity between us, and, well...
It was extremely tempting. But would it last?
I would not rush into anything, I promised myself. I would give myself the luxury to think over every consequence, to talk not only with Heero and Duo, but with other vampires, and their Companions. What was it like to watch all that was familiar fall away with the changes of time? It wouldn't be all roses and sunshine, I cautioned myself, then laughed. Very little sunshine, as far as the vampires were concerned.
Amused with myself, I felt my smile fall a bit as a car came up the drive. That would be Heero, which meant it was time to see if I could do this or not. A second car came into view, and a feeling of dread swept over me.
Squaring my shoulders, I consciously reached out to Heero. I was afraid that I wouldn't know how to intentionally communicate mind to mind, but it felt as if something just clicked into place, and I knew without being told how to 'speak' with Heero.
/Heero?/
Nothing. Okay, I'm feeling a bit stupid now. Maybe I wasn't talking with him at all and just thinking his name in my head?
/Heero?/
A faint flicker caught my attention, and I tried one more time.
/HEERO!/
/HEERO/
/HEERO/
My attention snapped back to my surroundings with the blow to my cheek. I opened eyes I didn't remember closing to find Wufei gripping my arms, dark eyes full of concern. "Relena..."
"I can't feel him, Wufei. I tried to talk to him, but I can't get him to answer. Why isn't he answering?!" I wrenched myself out of Wufei's grasp, my breathing hard and loud in the silence.
"Something's wrong," I whispered, my eyes closing in fear when Wufei nodded acknowledgment. He had known, then, that there was a problem. Would I always be one step behind?
The sound of the door leading into the house from the garage being slammed open galvanized Wufei and me into action. Wufei led the way, quickly leaving me behind as he moved with supernatural speed.
My vision narrowed into a tunnel as we ran into the kitchen. The man from the other night, Zechs, stood there, practically carrying a barely conscious Heero into the house. One of Heero's arms was thrown about the other man's neck, and Zechs had a supporting arm at Heero's waist. His other arm was hanging at his side, bent at an unnatural angle. Heero was making an effort to walk, but he was unable to fully lift each foot.
"Heero," I whispered, and started forward.
Wufei was already there, barking out questions to Zechs and trying to guide the two men down the hallway and to the stairs when he caught sight of me.
"Help get Trowa into the house and to his room, then come to Heero's room. I'm going to need your help."
With that he was gone, helping to carry Heero between himself and Zechs. I turned back to the door, determined to do my task.
"I will not cry," I whispered, hastily blinking as the sound of footsteps echoed closer.
Their voices reached me before I could see either of them, and I stopped, eyes going wide in disbelief and any thought of crying gone.
"Trowa, must you work out so often? You're hard to handle when you're practically dead weight," the exasperation in the voice I knew so well had me shaking my head, wanting to deny what I was about to see.
"S...sorry," Trowa's voice, soft and full of pain. "Must...tell..." the painful gasp had the other voice chiding the injured man for trying to speak.
"Whatever it is, you can tell me later," Trowa was assured, and then the two men stepped into the kitchen.
I squared my shoulders, determined to deal with this rationally.
"He's trying to tell you about me," I said.
Blue eyes widened in shock.
"Relena?"
I nodded, stepping forward to help take some of Trowa's weight.
"Hello, Quatre."