Kemeno: Yes, Lucian's scarier now. x3 Watch out!
Enjoy this chapter!
22
The day before Oyan broke into Acuna, the other Group was preparing themselves. Sheridan had finished the armors in time, luckily. Everyone thought it would be like the Casket Armors but surprised when the man took out a single piece suit. The material was similar to the spandex but when he made Nish put it and tell Aaron to shot him (Nish was completely scared at this point, not really liking the idea at all), they cried in joy when the bullet bounced on the suit and then disappeared in the air as result. There were enough suits for everyone, but Lucian and Dumas didn't want one, as they trusted the ones they had underneath the armor they wore.
They traveled to the Hideout, carrying the cardboard boxes filled with this suit to everyone that was hiding there. In total, they could reunite around one thousand of people, perhaps just a quarter of what Oyan's army was. But the number, in this case, wasn't a winning card. The vampires were much stronger and agile than humans, even during the day. It's true humans would work better during sunlight, but vampires wearing that suit would be safe from the Sun during the day, giving them a high advantage over Oyan.
In the Hideout, Ernest, Kay and Bea were training the ones willing to fight, explaining the plan and everything. They stayed with their family and friends, hoping to come back from the first fight alive. If not, they would keep them in their hearts, always remembering them, knowing once the fight is finished, they will have a better place where to live. Lucian seemed touched by those words, by those ideas, by that hope. He knows how it was to fight for something and failing miserably, how it was to want to change something and being impossible to succeed, how it was to lose someone of your friends or family in that fight and not being able to fulfill their dream. He knew despair, he knew anger, he knew sadness, he knew each of the negatives feelings a human or a vampire could feel in its entire life. He knew them well and didn't want to feel them again. But it was impossible, not when you have friends to take care for, or a mate to love with all your being that is also taking part of this fight. Aaron refused completely to stay in the Hideout. Ha had fought with Lucian several times about it, and most of the times you could hear them yell at each other because of it.
In the end, Ernest had to take a decision and allowed to Aaron to participate, at a minimum. Of course, Aaron didn't like the idea, but Lucian said it was better than nothing. He knew Oyan was behind him and yet he was going directly to him. Aaron had to conform to that and agreed to hide in some houses near the battlefield with Tove to help the wounded ones. After that discussion, he refused to talk with Lucian for several days. The vampire was starting to get mad at him due to this infant behavior. He only wanted to protect him; he couldn't bear the idea of losing, once more, his loved one.
"But you are jailing him.", said Dumas when Lucian came to him to talk. He couldn't do it with Ernest, since he would defend the boy and say he was wrong in everything. "You can't keep him locked up in a room or in a basement or even here, because the boy is naturally a carefree. It's like putting in a cage a bird that has to naturally be free."
"Aaron doesn't think a strategy; he doesn't… see the danger. He hadn't fought alone!", screamed Lucian, his eyes shinning in a bright red. "He always had someone looking for him; at first it was Ernest, then me. How is he going to survive if he doesn't know how to fight by himself? That's what I fear. It is not that I don't trust his abilities, because hell I know how good he is."
"Well, at that I can't say much since you are right, just there.", Lucian frowned and growled. "Take it easy. You said that Aaron doesn't know how to fight alone, right? Then, how is he going to learn if you are constantly watching over him?", the vampire opened his mouth, but closed it afterwards. "Do you see now?"
"But…", he crossed his arms over his chest, leaning on the wall. "I know that."
"Why are you so scared? It's not the first time he goes in a rampage like this. Remember four year ago, with Edgar and Virginia. You weren't exactly watching his back that time.", said Dumas with a mischief smile. Lucian had to admit he was right. "What is it, then?"
"…I can't… talk about it now.", replied, looking the wall, avoiding Dumas' eyes. "I can't say it. I can't."
"Is related to your past?", Lucian nodded. "I see."
Dumas suggested he relaxed a bit with him, not talking about the subject concerning both of them. He and Rymer used to stay together until battle started, barely talking, just enjoying their presence. Lucian said he would try it. When Aaron's angry, he could kick him out and not let the man get near him the whole day. Because of that, he didn't go right away. He wanted the boy to calm down a bit.
As for Aaron, he had been practicing what Dyango taught him. In secret, of course. He couldn't let the others know about this new dark power he was developing thanks to Lucian. During that week, he was able to make stronger needles that pierced through the walls, metal and wood. That was one of his most amazing progresses. Besides doing that, he could finally create a small bat with the shadows and make it fly and go wherever he wanted to. The flames grew stronger too, becoming raged black and purple flames that burn everything down, orbs that hit and broke anything in front of them and ropes made from his own powers and blood, as he soon discovered he could mix both elements to create a strong bond with it. The only side effect of this last attack is that if he loses a lot of blood he could pass away.
He and Dyango could keep talking even when he was in the Hideout thanks to his progresses. The bats were perfectly well done, as Dyango had said, and could travel everywhere. Several times, he felt that they were destroyed as the energy returned to him, having to make them again and tell them to choose another route to reach the young man. Aaron had asked the man to finally join them before they went into fight, but Dyango kept rejecting him, saying it wasn't them time. The boy was getting mad at him now. It almost seemed he was behaving like Lucian at some point and that was something he wasn't tolerating anymore. This continued several days until, doing what Dumas told Lucian to do, Aaron was completely out of his mind. But the incessant ways of the vampire in calming the boy finally made effect, as Aaron was now hugging Lucian, face buried in his chest, not saying anything while his mate rubbed his back and played with his hair.
"Are you better now?", asked the man, kissing Aaron's forehead. He received a grunt for response that made him laugh. "Good."
"I'm stressed, can't you see?", came the boy's voice as he put his ear on Lucian's chest. He barely heard his heartbeats. They were too irregular and very, very low. But it was still beating and that pleasant sound will always lull him to sleep, either loud or low. "And the discussion we had didn't help at all."
"I know.", whispered the man, kissing him again. "I can't help myself sometimes."
Aaron lifted his head, looking straight into Lucian's ones.
"Well, it would help if you could tell me some stuff about you, to begin with.", the man suppressed a sigh, or it was a low growl, he didn't know. "Don't give me that bullshit of excuse that you can't talk about it, because that's not true.", he put both of his hands over his face, not letting him look away from him. "I want to know what happened to you before you joined the Guild with my father. I want to know about your family…", at this time, Lucian closed his eyes and sighed, but Aaron made him open them again. A painful expression was written on his face. "I'm here to ease your pain as you do with mine, and I want to because I love you.", he kissed Lucian's lips, the man answering to the soft gesture.
"I would love to tell you about it.", said the man in a whisper, so only Aaron could hear. "But this war is making me remember the things I don't want to, and I'm not exactly… good right now.", his arms gripped the boy tightly and bring him closer. "I admit I put excuses before, but I didn't want you to… think different from me after all I have done."
"Why would I ever think different from you?", he smiled. "You are you, you are Lucian, you are my mate, my partner's life.", Lucian blushed softly like did the boy, burying his face on his neck. "The things you have done in the past will not affect me, because thanks to them you have become the one you are now.", the boy kissed his neck, tangling his fingers into his hair.
"I love you.", whispered Lucian into his ear, sighing happily, rubbing Aaron's back softly.
"Me too.", answered the boy, closing his eyes, hearing Lucian's soft heartbeats.
That night everyone was too nervous to get some sleep. Even Dumas was. Nish tried to calm him down but it was useless, so they stayed most of the night awake playing some card games or chess, before they could lay on the bed and rest for a few hours. Ernest was also nervous, he couldn't stop talking but Bea and Kay deled with him. Lucian was rather calm. He was excited more like nervous. He couldn't wait to start the fight, he wanted to kill. Those thoughts surprised the man, as he didn't know how aggressive he could get. But then again, it was probably because Full Moon was close and being a vampire, was feeling the effects already.
Aaron managed to sleep half of the night before waking up around five in the morning. Lucian was still besides him, one arm around him, holding him tightly, in a possessive way, resting his head over his. The Hideout wasn't prepared to stay for several days and didn't have ovens to warm up the place. The vampires staying there obviously didn't need as they couldn't feel the change in temperatures, but they brought sheets and blankets from their houses for the humans staying with them. Aaron received the ones that covered his body from the family that Lucian saved long ago, saying they were in debt with him from all he had done and the man said they would pay him if they would bring the blankets to his mate, who was at that time curling besides him trying to stay warm. Now, he was better than before, comfy under them and using Lucian as this one was a bed, not that the man minded.
The vampires put the suits on even when they weren't to fight yet. Around nine in the morning, Ernest phoned Alice to see which were going to be Oyan's moves. Luckily, they managed to find a computer in good shape in where Alice was sending the maps she had in the satellite, giving instructions to Ernest about the gunslingers. At eleven, Hër, the boy that was going to drag Vanargandr, and Jin, who was holding Jormungandr with both hands, listened to the leader carefully. When the gunslinger entered Acuna, they would come out from the shadows and let them hear that they weren't alone in the city. After encountering them, they would leave both weapons on the street and then Lucian would summon both Beasts to see if they could kill Oyan right away and finish with the fight in an instant.
They waited an hour before Alice told Bea the gunslingers were already in Acuna. Everyone gathered around the computer. Ernest gave his seat to Lucian and the man watched how the group of near five-hundred men was marching down Acuna's principal street. The Terrennials were outside, guarding the entrance of the Hideout and some of them were in Acuna. It was ten past twelve in midday. Hër and Jin where already out, under the Sun, not feeling anything thanks to the suit and the cap they were wearing. Lucian told them to start walking, hearing that annoying screech sound from both weapons, but they all wondered why they suddenly stop and started shooting, as they couldn't see anything but a strong razor wind pass by them. Every ignored it, watching how the gunslingers continued their walk.
Everyone smiled when after twenty minutes Oyan finally heard the sound. He divided its group in two, one kept going forwards and the other took another route. Lucian told Jin where he needed to go as the gunslingers were actually walking away from him, and that wasn't what they wanted. Finally, both vampires found both groups, leaving both weapons on the street and disappearing in their own shadows at Lucian's command.
"Are you sure this is going to work?", asked Ernest, watching how Oyan and some of his group approached Vanargandr. The other group was doing the same with Jormungandr.
Lucian smiled, shrugging.
"If it doesn't they can't do much with my weapons as they eat anyone that touch them, if it's not me.", he grinned when everyone turned their back to them. "Now, watch…"
The man started to sing in a low voice an ancient language that no one could understand, except for the vampires. As it grew louder, they could see how both weapons started to glow in red and levitate, releasing Dark Matter around them. The gunslingers attacked, but with a single snap of his fingers, a shield appeared around them, blocking the solar bullets but absorbing the high damage from the grenades. But Lucian wasn't worrying. Just as they were going to break, both Beasts finally emerged from the weapons, still protected. Jormungandr attacked right after it was summoned, but Vanargandr took its time before doing it.
All the fun finished when the humans came. Vanargandr was confused. Its master told him only to kill the gunslingers but, what about the humans? The wolf retreated as they started to splash water on him, whimpering at the burning sensation. Jormungandr, seeing that its partner was running away, decided to follow, both of them disappearing.
"Well, at last they managed to kill a few of them.", came Alice's voice from the audio connection.
"How much?", asked Ernest.
"Half of them.", answered the girl.
"Good.", said the tanned man. "Tonight we will be able to probably kill the remaining ones. Hopefully, we will kill Oyan too."
Bea was left with her cousins in charge with Alice. The rest of the afternoon, they spent it in training before Ezra showed up, with an urgent message from Alexander. Lucian and Dumas heard it, glad to see the Terrennial was safe even in the enemy's hands, still wanting to know how Oyan believed him when he 'renounced' to them. The three of them explained the situation to the rest and everyone understood that they haven't to kill a man with the Terrennial's human features. After this only incident, they returned to their works. Aaron was helping Tove with the medical boxes, checking that they had everything in there. They also were taking one filled with medical blood inside Ezra's ice to prevent the blood to root for the vampires that needed to get their strength back.
Working in here and this, the afternoon become evening. And with it, it brought the dark night and the bright Moon over the sky. There were no clouds over it, only stars and the protector of all night creatures. The first group was prepared. Lucian was going out that night. He was discussing the last minutes details. Aaron was already worrying for his mate, having everything in the house for him and Tove. The clock bells rang. It was time to go.
"Don't get in troubles.", said Lucian to Aaron, hugging him tightly. The vampires hugged their families and friends before leaving.
"You either.", the boy's eyes were watering, but he was fighting back the tears that wanted to roll down his cheeks. He felt his mate's lips on his own and returned the kiss deeply, pulling Lucian's hair with force.
The vampire chuckled as he kissed the boy's forehead. He turned around and walked away with the rest of his group. Aaron whimpered. His love was leaving, part of him was leaving. What if it didn't come back ever?
"Oh, Heavens…", he whispered, feeling Nish's arms around him. "I can't let him go…", said with hoarsen voice. "Heavens, I can't!!", he buried his face on Nish's chest, sobbing loudly.
"It's alright, kid.", tried the albino, rubbing the boy's back. "He will be alright. You can't bring Lucian down that easily, not now that he is a full vampire."
But it was useless. Aaron cried and cried as never did in his whole life, not even when his father died.
Tove and the boy carried the boxes with Hër's help in the underground tunnels. Vampires used them to escape from any possible gunslinger or vampire hunter that wanted them dead. They were done by them and each tunnel connected to other house, possibly a friend's or relative's one. The tunnels were lighted with fire torches, but Hër knew the path from memory and didn't had to look up some strange labels on the walls. A few minutes later, they finally reached their destiny. They went upstairs and Hër pushed a scuttle, getting inside the empty house. He put the boxes on the floor and helped Tove and Aaron to get in too, closing the scuttle and hiding it under the carpet. Grabbing again the boxes, they went to the basement in where they prepared everything; the bandages, the needles if they needed to sew the wound, alcohol, soap, the boxes of latex gloves. Hër asked Tove if Aaron was capable of working with them, and the Terrennial said that yes, he was. After defeating Polidori at the Vambery, the boy had learned from him the healing process and was able to practice medicine as a nurse, if he wanted to.
For the first thirty minute there was nothing to do. The three of them waited patiently, Aaron moving around, not being able to stay quiet. He was deeply thinking of Lucian, who was out there, fighting, getting hurt, cursing but above all, enjoying it. Enjoying the killing, the smell of blood, the fear in the enemy's eyes, the flesh on his hands, the texture of the blood on his tongue. The boy shivered. The idea of his mate feeling that excitement excited him too. He didn't know why, but he wanted to go out just to see him killing, to massacre their enemies. Aaron bit his lips as a moan dared to escape his mouth, his cheeks blushing softly. How he could be thinking something like that in those moments? The boy got mad at himself for that. He was there to help, he had discussed with Lucian about it. And now, all he could do is daydream?
The door opening was what distracted him from his thoughts. A bleeding vampire entered, being carried by his partner. He left him into Hër's hands and returned to the fight, closing the door behind him. Tove and Aaron put the gloves on and started to work. Hër cleaned the wounds while the Terrennial was putting some cream over the open and deep ones to make the zone numb before closing it with needle and line. The vampire hissed in pain, he could feel the needle stick into his skin, the line following behind. The anesthesia hasn't made effect fast enough and didn't numb the skin and muscles. But when Tove finished, the vampire could feel the anesthesia doing effect a few minutes after, calming the pain a bit. Aaron made it swallow some painkillers as they made him sat against the wall. Hër grabbed one of the medical blood bags and tossed it to the man, who happily took it, thanking the blue haired boy.
More wounded vampires came shortly after the first, and the boys were working hard. The ones that only needed a little rest drank the potions and left quickly, while the severe ones stayed. It didn't really pass a lot of time when Máximo appeared, shouting, freezing over the doorway. Spinning around fast, Aaron took his Knight out and started to shot, not caring if it was foe or an ally. Máximo hid behind the boxes, trying to explain his situation. Aaron didn't trust him at all, but if he was there wasn't because he found the house just empty and wanted to hide, since he was a foreigner in the East cities. The only one that knew about the place was Lucian and the vampires fighting, but he doubt they would give out the location of the hideout that easily. When Máximo crawled away from the boxes, Tove noticed Alexander's necklace and it was when Aaron knew Lucian has sent the boy. He didn't understand why, though.
After tying the gunslinger, they left him near the door, with the weapon away from him, returning to their unfinished work. From time to time, Hër would lift up his head to see if the gunslinger wanted to try some sort of escape, but it surprised him and the others that he wasn't even trying. Did he really wanted to die, or he just got lost? Hër was already thinking that they could feed from him if no one knew what to do with him. Once they finished with the wounded ones, they took a little rest and a few minutes later, Lucian came, holding some of the North gunslinger in his hands. Again, Máximo yelled, crawling backwards when the vampire stepped in the basement and tossed the half dead men to the floor, the vampires jumping on them as soon as they hit the floor, hungry as hell.
Lucian flopped next to Máximo, grinning, as the boy was still alive. He had thought that Aaron might have killed him. Alexander would get mad, but he couldn't blame the boy for protecting the vampires from getting killed or harmed.
"Why you sent him here?", asked Aaron, on his mate's lap once Tove had left with Máximo.
"You saw the necklace?", the boy nodded. "That thing is an object that Alexander uses when he wants to protect someone. For us, it's a sign that says 'Don't kill him'.", explained the man. "He is a warrior, like us, but Oyan's ways of bringing it out aren't exactly the best."
"He trusts him?"
"Apparently. If not, then he wouldn't give such treasure to such boy."
Around midnight they returned to the Hideout. Lucian and Hër helped the ones that couldn't walk by carrying them on their backs, while Tove and Aaron leaded the way back. The torches were lighted on, still, and it was the only light illuminating. Aaron looked back softly, eyeing his mate. Lucian was covered with blood, but didn't know if it was his or from the gunslingers. There were cuts and scratches on his arms and face, and the armor too. That armor had already eleven years old, he didn't know how much longer it was going to endure the threat the vampire was giving to it. Perhaps he could go and see Sheridan and ask him if he could fix it. Not making it completely new, but extending its life use. But Lucian will not let him go outside without someone who watched over him. Maybe he could talk with Ernest. He could convince him about that and while Lucian rested, he was going to see Sheridan. It was a good plan.
When they arrived, they laid the injured ones over blankets on the floor, resting their heads over pillows. Aaron helped Lucian with his wounds before the vampire went to rest a bit. The boy run to Ernest and talked about his idea, but the man said how in hell he was going to grab the vest if Lucian was wearing it all the time.
"He is going to take a shower.", said Aaron.
Ernest blinked.
"How do you know that? I saw him lying on the floor, resting."
"He will. He hates being dirty.", explained Aaron. "When he does, I will steal the armor and leave."
"If you say so."
The man wasn't that convinced but had to take back his words when, half and hour later, Lucian disappeared in the bathroom to take a bath as Aaron said. Taking advantage of the situation, the boy sneaked in and grabbed the clothes, telling Lucian that he had new clothes lying on the toilet. The vampire didn't notice that his mate stole the armor as he only thanked him. Aaron, smiling while closing the door behind him, took the Knigth, put some warm clothes and the vampire's jacket over all, he told Ernest where he was going if Lucian asked, stole Bea's scarf and stepped outside the Hideout.
It was cold outside. The winter was going to be harsh that year, as it was only beginning. In two months from that night, he was going to turn seventeen and was kind of exited about that. Lucian didn't exactly liked birthdays but, only because it was him, he joined him and the others. His gifts were simple, but with meaning. Aaron loved them. Three years ago, not knowing what to buy, he simple bought a box of chocolate bonbons. Bea got jealous of the boy, because she was waiting for Ernest to do that for her, and tried to steal one, but Aaron protected them firmly. He enjoyed eating them, one per day, thinking how lucky he was to receive them. He liked that Lucian was like that.
But he didn't know Lucian's birthday, exactly. A few months later the last war was over, they were lying under the fresh shadow of a tree, talking about themselves. Aaron asked, but the vampire said he couldn't remember, but the boy knew it was a lie, it was an excuse. Even not knowing, Aaron always gave him something in a particular day of the year, just to celebrate it. For some reason he choose the first of June and, for the last four years, they had been celebrating it that day. Lucian often said that it wasn't the first of June, but Aaron didn't care. He did it anyway, and the vampire was happy about that, deep inside.
The trip was safe. There were no gunslingers out that night. The forest was quiet, no sound came from it. Even the usual undead weren't seen. Some creatures howled, startling Aaron from behind, making him take his gun out and shot several times before noticing there was no one with him. It made the boy angry as he was wasting energy that couldn't replace since he didn't have the Sun and forgot his Eclipse Goggles in the Hideout to charge under Moonlight.
Carmilla opened the door and smiled to Aaron when she saw him. Letting him in, she told him to wait as she went to bring Sheridan. The boy sighed as he finally made it. The trip was longer than he thought of, perhaps because he was alone and hadn't anyone to talk with, and was a bit tired. He let the armor over the floor and sat on one of the chairs, waiting. The alchemist didn't take too long in coming, and was happy to see the boy again, alive. Sheridan asked why he would come in such late hours and Aaron explained him the armor's situation. The professor told him to come to the lab, Carmilla helping the boy with it, and put it on a table, taking it out from the bag. Sheridan started to examine it and said it will take a couple of hours to fix it, but that he could do it.
"It's strange to see you alone.", said Sheridan, grabbing the materials he needed. Each of them was put on the table next to the armor. "Did you sneak out?"
"No, I told Ernest I was leaving to see you.", answered Aaron, walking around the laboratory and eyeing most of the stuff there. "I don't know how Lucian is going to react, since I told him nothing about this."
Sheridan laughed.
"Ah, he's going to be pretty pissed, right?", the boy nodded. "How things are going?"
"Good. At noon we could defeat half of Oyan's men, and some time ago we reduced it even more.", said with joy the boy. "Though Ernest made me stay helping Tove and another vampire with the medical supplies."
"You are not allowed to fight?", asked the man, surprised.
"As far as I know, no.", Aaron sighed, sitting on a strange spinning chair. "They are worried that Oyan might capture me and they think that locking me up will help, but I just get more stressed seeing I can't do anything to help them."
"That must be pretty hard."
"Indeed it is.", the boy looked how Sheridan mixed the materials in a circular vase, not so high. There he put also the armor; the thin vest, the chestplates and the boots. "I feel useless and so impotent when Lucian comes all hurt from the battles, thinking I could have protected him like he did when we were together...", there was a soft blue light inside the vase that didn't leave right away. Sheridan put a top on it and left it work.
"I don't know why they worry about that.", said the man, sitting next to the boy. "You have become a powerful gunslinger; you know how to take care of yourself. Lucian had taught you a lot."
"I guess it's because they wouldn't know what to do if Oyan ever captures me.", answered the boy. He saw some funny swirls appeared inside the vase. "Lucian... would freak out, making it easier to capture or kill him."
"I think he doesn't know how he would react if Oyan captures you.", said the man. "Lucian is still adapting to his new form and from what I heard when you and the others stayed, is that he doesn't know what he capable of is."
"It could be.", agreed Aaron, not so convinced yet.
"Lucian doesn't doubt about your powers. He and Ernest know very well how good you are, but they fear about your clumsiness. You are young and you feel you should go right straight to the opponent and attack it, seeing if you can kill it in the first shot.", Aaron giggled. Sheridan was right, though. "You aren't capable of thinking before doing an action, and that in a fight will probably cost your life. I think that's why they don't let you go out."
"Well, I would know how if they only teach me."
"They have been trying all these years and you haven't heard a single word of it.", replied Sheridan, making Aaron to avoid his gaze. Again, he was right. "You can't pretend learning without listening first."
"I know, I know---"
"And you also grow anxious. You want things right away and you can't. Teaching is something that takes time, and learning is something that takes years."
"Isn't teaching and learning the same, though?", asked Aaron, watching the swirls inside the vase.
"Not at all.", said Sheridan, smiling. "I teach you the theory, while you learn the practice. This is the process that takes more time."
Maybe it was right. He was a hot-headed boy and would react at the first insult. He doesn't think a way to reply to that and make the other bit his own dust, like Ernest or Lucian does often. But he had this impulse, to feast his fists, to walk towards the enemy, to rise his hands, to hit him. Maybe it was something inherited from Trinity. He made a mental note of asking Ernest once he returned.
They stayed talking the two hours the armor needed to absorb all the materials. When it finished, it was shinning and all scratches, hits and other harm were gone. Even the thin vest seemed new and was a bit more flexible than before. Aaron thanked Sheridan's hard work and left with the new armor. It was near two in the morning, but he wasn't tired yet. The habit of the vampires was slowly getting into him. Just when the Sun was rising from the horizon, he would feel sleepy, tired. His eyes were slowly adapting to the darkness of the Night, and sometimes bright lights would make his eyes ache and shed tears. If he continued like this, his skin would soon lose some color and was going to live entirely by night.
"Good evening.", said a soft voice from above and Aaron already knew who it was. "Why up so late at night?", asked Dyango from his usual spot on the same tree. As always, the hat and the cloak were on his body, keeping his body warm. The bag of belonging was under his head, serving as a pillow.
"I took Lucian's armor to Sheridan. It needed some reparations.", said the boy, approaching the plant. "Why are you still here? Weren't you hosting in Acuna's Inn?"
"Well, with all this happening with the North Gunslinger the owner closed it, and I'm here, not having a place where to go.", he laughed. "But I don't mind. I have been living in the outside for many years now. I'm already used to it."
"Wouldn't you want to come with me to the Hideout?", tried one last time the boy. He liked Dyango very much to just leave him like that. Besides, the young man said he was going to help and, until now, he hadn't. "We might not have beds, but at last you will have some sheets and blankets rather than an old and dirty coat like that."
Dyango made a face and the boy could see he was offended.
"You just insulted my clothes?", said the man. Aaron understood now and giggled. Dyango smiled, showing his fangs. "Patience, little one. It's not the right time."
Aaron sighed heavily.
"You sound a lot like Lucian...", admitted the boy, turning around to leave. But that phrase awaked Dyango's curiosity.
The young man took his bag and jumped from the tree, landing and following Aaron close behind.
"I am?", asked, putting his bag over his right shoulder.
"Yes, pretty much. He always puts a stupid excuse to not tell me about his past.", said lightly angry.
Dyango seemed surprised.
"He hasn't told you anything?"
"Just what we both know; how he used to be a gunslinger, how he fought with Dumas and such.", answered the boy. "Everytime I ask about his family or his childhood, he refuses to tell a single word.", a group of crows took fly from a nearly tree, making the leaves move and create a soft sound. "Toasty is the one that tells me bits of it, but not enough to betray Lucian's trust on him."
"Well, he has his reasons if he is not telling you."
"But I'm his mate!", yelled the boy. "Isn't that enough for him?"
Dyango sighed, showing a sad face.
"Sometimes it isn't.", Aaron looked at him, not believing him. "Sometimes we had suffered a lot in our past that the last thing we want is to revive it."
Aaron opened his mouth lightly, not knowing what to say. He did thought of that, but knowing Lucian he would say it was an excuse. What if he really meant it? What if Lucian's past really hurt him a lot that the single idea of telling it would make it worst? He had told him that this war was making him remember things he didn't from his past and yet Aaron was trying to force him to tell him. He was a bit selfish there, but he had a right as not a mere mate or lover, but as a person who was going to be, hopefully, with Lucian the rest of his life. In the boy's eyes, it was unfair for him. He wanted to help him but seemed that the vampire didn't want his help at all. He wanted to talk with him, but the vampire refused to say a thing. How he was going to work it out if Lucian was so closed to him?
He can understand that he had lost a lover, that he didn't want it to happen again and because of it, he was behaving a bit overprotected. He could understand his sudden changes of moods when he tried to talk with him about fighting. He could understand that he couldn't leave him alone. But what he couldn't understand was if Lucian trusts and loves the boy so deeply, why he couldn't trust him his own past? Wasn't something important for both of them? If Lucian could speak up, Aaron will understand certain things about the vampire he currently didn't. Every vampire had a very aggressive side, but Lucian was at the limit of being a sadist. Not even Dumas was like that, not now not back then when he still ruled as a Duke. Being cruel creatures by nature, they liked to inflcit pain in other living beings, but Lucian just loved to torture. It wasn't just physical pain like most night creatures would do. The Dark Swordsman would use anything at his hand to make it worst; needles, knives, chains, whips, hot metals on the skin, tearing the prey limb by limb, insulting, cursing, humiliating, anything to make the prey go into a unhealthy state of mind. Aaron didn't know if it was 'normal'. He knew that some people, including vampires, loved to do that, but Lucian's tastes were beyond 'normal'.
He was also very masochist, as he loved the pain he felt when they had sex; pinching his nipples was something Lucian adored and would do anything to get more of it. Several times he had cried to his young mate to use whips, knives or anything that would inflict more pain and more pleasure to him, but Aaron refused to do so. He couldn't hurt his mate, even if Lucian felt good by it. Lucian could get lightly angry if someone else that wasn't Aaron inflicted pain or humiliated him, but still felt good and didn't complain. Again, the boy knew some people liked it, but his mate was beyond that. He wanted to understand those behaviors that even Dumas couldn't decipher.
"Is it normal for a vampire to be extremely sadist or masochist, or both things at the same time?"
Aaron's question took Dyango off guard. He blinked, confused. They were walking besides Acuna's limits now, but it was calm. There were no gunslingers patrolling the area due that the survivors were tired, hurt or both.
"Why do you ask?"
"Because I have been thinking how Lucian reacts and Kay said that he was a sadist when he listed in the Guild, and that was over eleven years ago.", explained the boy.
"There isn't anything weird about that.", said Dyango. "Most vampires are quiet sadist or masochist, sometimes both. I don't know why you seem surprised or worried about that."
"I feel like Lucian's tastes go far away from the usual liking.", he looked up and saw the stars. The Moon was slowly becoming a full circle, and Aaron asked how the phase was going to react on Lucian and the rest of the vampires. "All vampires in the Hideout were nervous, scared before the fight, but Lucian seemed anxious. He had been trembling but not from fear."
"You say that Lucian has a strong appetite of making others suffer?", Aaron nodded. "Well, I don't know him at all so I wouldn't know where it comes, but probably is because of something that happened to him when he was either a child or a teen."
"You see? It's all related to his past!", said the boy with frustration.
Dyango smiled sadly.
"Have patience, he will tell you in time.", not letting the boy reply, he returned to the subject that feed his curiosity. "How strong is Lucian's appetite?"
Aaron arched his eyebrows.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Both ways; sexually and about this new thing I just discovered from him.", the boy blushed deeply.
"W-Well... Sexually he is very... His appetite is quiet large.", he cleared his throat. "In Full Moon nights there is nothing to do to stop him from, well, taking me.", his face shaded in a deeper red. "Not that I mind since I can have my way on him, too."
"And about this sadist and masochist thing?"
"...I wouldn't know, but I guess it's as strong as his sexual appetite."
"It doesn't surprise me, seeing that pain and pleasure goes hand by hand.", Dyango yawned.
"Tired?"
"A bit. I haven't been sleeping well these days."
The rest of the trip was in silence. Aaron kept thinking about Lucian, but also in Dyango. Some of his actions were too similar to Lucian's, but couldn't figure out why. There were people that could have familiar things, but not behave completely the same. Dyango's smirks were similar too, the way he smiled too, some hand gestures... But looking at him closely Aaron saw he wasn't exactly physically similar to Lucian at all. They had different color of hair, their bodies were different, their skin was different, their eyes were different. They were completely the opposite and the boy couldn't relate them as some sort of distant relatives, even though some of their gestures were very similar. But it couldn't be possible. Dyango hadn't seen Lucian ever, just two or three times before going to the Hideout, and he didn't know anything about him either, unless the young man was lying. If Dyango had been lying all the way, what for? He didn't doubt he was a writer but, why lie about something like that? There was something Dyango didn't want Aaron to figure out, and perhaps it was the reason why he hadn't joined the fight yet.
He couldn't relate if Lucian's excuses were because of this too, but thinking again, he had been doing it before he met Dyango, so it wasn't possible it was for the same reason as the young man. Then, what was for? Even if their reasons weren't the same, Aaron knew both of them had something that related them closely. He just needed to figure it out.