A/N: Writing scenes that don't match your mood are hard. I was all bouncy while writing this chapter, something that was not helpful, though it may have been the sadistic glee at torturing my favorite muses. ::Innocent face:: But otherwise, I hope you enjoy the new chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing, Hellsing, or Dracula. I'd like to, but I don't. So read, enjoy, and leave a nice review on your way out the door or you'll make the kitsune sad. Also, I've been told to add "That if you make the Kitsune sad... Said girlfriend will come hunt you down." And that is a direct quote from the lovely girlfriend, unaltered in any way, shape or form. I feel loved. (There are no threats intended from the author.)

"Violet Turned Red"

Chapter Eight

Son of Draculae

Duo stared at him, shocked, before anger rolled in and the look of disbelief turned into a glare. "Do not mock me by telling me lies like that. Never again!"

"What cause would I have to lie to you, child?" Alucard asked, watching him. The boy's reaction confused him.

"Shits and giggles? Cruelty? How the fuck should I know?" Duo growled, nearly spitting out the words. "I don't have any blood family, and I never have. I made my own family."

The older vampire smiled with what someone could almost call approval. He'd only spoken to him briefly and fought with him for nearly the same amount of time but could already see that he would be a magnificent nosferatu when he grew into his power. The fiery young man was certainly beautiful, made immortal at the height of his splendor.

"What are you staring at?" Duo asked, bristling.

"You're lovely, just like my brothers were," the older vampire said. "Though, I would say you look more like my elder brother than you do my younger."

"And that's what makes you think I'm related to your crazy family?" he asked incredulously. "Because I'm pretty?"

Alucard laughed. "It was the taste of your blood, child. Draculae blood is very distinctive."

"Draculae... So you are, or at least were, the Dracula," Duo said, rolling the thought over in his mind. "Guess Stoker got a few things wrong in the end of his book then."

"The foolish man got many of his facts wrong, the ending of his tale the least of them," Alucard said.

Duo sank back into the coffin, which he figured must have been Alucard's, as he'd thought earlier. Despite his humor, the other vampire sounded serious about his claim of kinship.

He looked at him through his bangs. "If I ever find out that you're lying to me, I'm coming after you with blessed silver and cutting your balls off."

Alucard grinned darkly at the threat. "You'll do, child. Though, we'll need to do something about your name."

"What's wrong with my name?" Duo asked, eyes narrowing.

"No kin of mine will be using the name Maxwell."

He growled. "I earned the Maxwell name, buddy. Through blood and tears and death."

"You don't know the true meaning of death, little one," Alucard said, leaning over him with his hands braced on the sides of the coffin.

Duo glared up at him. "I am death."

-

Wufei could hear soft voices when he woke. The fifth pilot was disoriented for a moment. He hadn't fallen asleep on his bed, had he? But why hadn't he... He looked around the bedroom. Everything seemed to be in place. Almost. Where was Duo?

Then the previous day hit him and he choked back a sob. Duo.

"Wufei, are you awake?" Quatre's voice asked quietly through the door.

He quickly tried to scrub the evidence of his tears off of his face, sitting up in the bed. "Yes, I am."

Quatre pushed the door open slowly, peeking through before opening it enough to slip through. He looked at Wufei with sad eyes, his own grief barely disguised by his concern for the Chinese man.

"Are you hungry?" he asked. Wufei was glad that the blonde had sense enough not to ask if everything was alright. They both knew that it wasn't, and that it wouldn't be for a long time.

Wufei gave him a nod, his reply barely audible. "I could eat."

Quatre tried to give him a smile before slipping back out of the room, most likely towards the kitchen. He could hear tinkering from the room, the whispers returning for a short time before falling silent again. Trowa must have been there as well.

"It's simple, but we didn't think you'd want anything with much flavor to it right now," Quatre said, nudging his way through the door with a tray. "Do you mind if Trowa comes in as well? We didn't want to crowd you right away."

"Thank you." They'd been right; he didn't think that he'd be able to handle much more than the toast and tea Quatre brought him. "I wouldn't mind having his company as well."

The clown had clearly been listening at the door because he came in without Quatre having to signal him in any way.

"Heero will be stopping by later," Trowa said. "I doubt you'll have much choice in the matter knowing him."

Wufei shook his head. "Thank you for warning me."

The couple stood awkwardly at his side as he ate, unable to find anything to say that wouldn't seem insensitive or out of place. While it was alright at first, the silence began to get to them.

"Either say something or go," the Chinese mans said softly. "This silence is unbearable."

"I'm sorry," Quatre said, eyes closed. "I suppose we're all used to Duo filling any quiet moments."

Wufei's voice was bitter, but not towards the blonde. "We're going to have to get used to the idea that he won't be anymore. Never again."

Quatre leapt forward to wrap him in a hug as much for Wufei's comfort as his own. It was a moment before a second pair of arms encircled the man as Trowa joined the embrace.

Hidden from the world by both walls and his comrades, he allowed himself to cry, wretched sobs echoing in the formerly happy room. The blonde whispered soft comforts in Arabic, running his hand over black hair while his lover was a warm presence against his back, arms wrapped snugly around his shoulders.

"Wufei, do you want us to arrange the funeral?" Quatre asked as the crying died out.

Still shaking, Wufei lifted his head from the blonde's shoulder. "No, I want to. It's one of the last things I can do for him."

Swallowing, the Arabic man nodded, not letting his friend go. And Wufei didn't fight him. He needed the comfort as he rarely did in the past. They stayed there until he dropped back into sleep, exhausted.