:edge away: Uh...yeah...I'm afraid to even come close to my fanfiction account now, or my Inbox for that matter. The wrath of readers frightens me so. For the most part, the plot has returned with a vengence and the story in general now still reminds me of a soap opera mixed with a bad episode of Gravitation. You know...with the whole Tacky Taki part...PS: Thank you lulo16 for getting me out of my writer's block stupor:heart:
Chapter 11: Crimson Phoenix
Gino laid on the couch of the den, eyes closed and rapier laying on his chest like a holy cross being held by a knight. His skin was pale as moonlight, even in the golden glow of the winter day. He wore pure black and the teen looked as if he were dead. But he wasn't. His mind was alive with thoughts and emotions that relfected the night before.
I love Ian...Gino thought, feeling the warm sun from a nearby window kiss his cheek. He knows I do...but why...Why did he betray me like that and hurt me? Why...did he rape me? Did I hurt him without realizing it? Did I anger him? What...what did I do to hurt him?
Gino thought, feeling the warm sun from a nearby window kiss his cheek."You...existed..."
Gino's eyes flew open at the words and he quickly sat up, rapier falling to his side. Color drained further from his face as he found the source of the voice. A transparent Johnny Gambino stood before him, glaring at the teen. Gino knew it couldn't be real, but as much as he denied his father's presence, the deceased Gambino continued to loom before him.
Finally, words stuttered from Gino's lips. "F...Father? What do you mean...I 'existed'?"
"Your presence is loathing," Johnny growled. "You are a Gambino. Your mere existance brings out the evil in all of Gaia, including yourself and the ones you claim to love."
Gino mustered a glare at the specter. "I love Ian!"
"Ha!" Johnny Gambino laughed a deafening, roaring laughter. "You know nothing of the word you speak! No Gambino has every truely loved and never will be loved. Do you think Ian truely loves you? He only wanted you for your power and beauty!"
The blonde teen bowed his head, knowing the ghost spoke the truth. A wave of betrayl, sorrow, and shattered emotions swept over Gino and broke him to tears. Burying his face in his hands, Gino sobbed, unable to escape Johnny's words in his mind. He couldn't reason with himself, couldn't convince his soul that his father was wrong and Ian truely did love him.
There was a sudden tenderness in Johnny Gambino's voice. "The pain can end now...The pain...the suffering...the sorrow...It all can end as swiftly as it began..." Gino's eyes peered from between fingers at the gleaming rapier. He could feel its thirst for his blood. The blonde looked at his father, frightened. Johnny Gambino took his hand, a smile of rare kindness on his face. "Join me, my son...End your sorrows and pain and join me..."
"Father..." Gino felt the tears in his eyes begin to burn as he took the rapier in his hand and aimed the point at his wrist. "I am...not afraid..."
Slowly, the rapier danced along Gino's forearm and drew a ribbon of red down the pearl skin.
"You did what!"
Ian's eyes went to the floor as he sat on the sofa at Liam's. The Aekean was pacing, and had been all morning for some reason or another. A bad feeling had been plaguing him since he felt Ian leave his bed and side at midnight the night before. And now, Liam's fears were beginning to come to surface.
"I raped Gino last night," Ian said solemnly. "I don't know what I was thinking...I just..." He shook his head. "He said he would still love me...even if I raped him...and something in me just lost it..."
"Do you realize what affect this willh ave on Gino!" Ian gave Liam a confused look, as if not understanding what he meant. The Aekean continued speaking, "Gino has been hurt in the past, pushed away by his own father and half of Gaia. And just when the kid has a break in life, the one he loves rapes him of his innocence!" The brunette sat stunned, eyes wide and all color washed from his face. Liam didn't end his attack there, his voice a whisper and eyes betraying his inner turmoil of the torn Gino and Ian bond. "You took from him his last strand of humanity and naivete that makes him Gino and not just a copy of his father..."
"What have I done?" Ian whimpered.
"Ian..." Liam sat on his knees before him, holding his shoulders. The brunette looked into his eyes. "There's still time...You can still be forgiven by him...There is still love in his heart if his words are true."
The shopkeeper shook his head. "I don't deserve it, but I will ask for Gino's forgiveness..."
The Gambino mansion had an eerie quiet to it when Ian and Liam arrived. The air was cold and had the scent of copper in it, even in the presence of the mansion's heaters, the early afternoon sun pouring in through windows, and rich flowers and perfumes hiding in the air. Ian shivered. "Gino..." He whispered.
Liam ran. His heart pounded with fear in his chest as he bounded up marble steps toward Gino's room. His skin crawled as the scent of blood became stronger. Gino...Liam thought as he entered the bedchambers. Please...still be alive...The shopkeeper froze when he saw Gino laying on the floor in the deen, bleeding from his forearm.
The Aekean ran to the fallen blonde. "Gino!" Liam knelt beside him, picking up the teen. "Gods above...Gino, please answer me!"
"Uhn..." Amber eyes fluttered halfway open. "F...father?"
"No...Gino, it's me...Liam..." The shopkeeper tore his own shirt and wrapped Gino's wound.
"Ian..." Gino whimpered, pain filling his arm and mind.
"I know..." He hugged the blonde to comfort him, feeling Gino begin to shake. "Shh...it's okay..."
"It hurts..." The blonde began to sob. "He...hurt me...Why...Why did Ian hurt me?"
Ian heard this as he started to enter and stopped in the doorway. His heart sank as he saw the bleeding, dying teen in Liam's arms, as he heard Gino's convicting words, as he listened to their conversation.
"He was confused...angry...lost..." Liam struggled to explain. "I had taken advantage of him nights ago...He wasn't mine to take, but I made love to him...I confused him...I hurt him..." Liam bowed his head. "Gino...this is my fault...please...Don't suffer for my sins...Don't abandon Ian like this...Don't abandon me..."
Gino weakly lifted his wrapped arm to touch Liam's face, a weak smile glowing on his own. Liam pressed Gino's hand to his cheek, then kissed the cool palm. "Give me your strength, Liam..." Gino whispered. "Give me your strength to go on with a purpose..."
"You don't need my strength," Liam answered. "You have the strength to rise, Gino. You have the power to lift yourself from the ashes of your past, to rise to a greater glory than the VonHelsons and your father...You've spat in death's face in the past, Gino...You can do it again..."
"I'm...going to faint now..." Gino whispered before amber eyes closed softly, and he went limp in Liam's arms.
Liam sighed and carefully lifted the blonde's body from the ground. He didn't carry Gino to his bed, but to a guestroom nearby of the same size. Ian watched as the Aekean lay Gino in the bed and covered the teen for warmth; watched as Liam took bandages and gauze from a first aid kit and delicately rewrapped Gino's wound.
"You love him, don't you?" Ian broke the silence.
The Aekean didn't hesitate in his answer or in wrapping Gino's arm. "Yes. I love Gino." Liam turned after laying Gino's dressed arm beside his body. "Please...don't make me choose between the two of you...It would kill me if you made me choose..."
A light smile crossed Ian's face as he hugged Liam's shoulders. "I don't mind sharing..." He told the Aekean. "I would never make you choose...because I know...it would kill me if I had to choose between you and Gino...And I'm sure Gino would say the same thing."
"I'm sure he would, too..." Liam agreed, holding Ian's arms in place. "I'm sure he would..."