Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Angel Heart ❯ Blankets of Onyx ( Chapter 3 )

Title: Angel Heart

Author: Carol “Eternal Spark” Edwards

Pairing: 1+5, but as the story progresses 6x3, 5x2, 1x4 and other pairings.

Disclaimers: They're not mine!! DAMN IT!!! WHY CAN'T THEY?!? --;;; Anyway…Just using the characters, folks. I'm not getting paid a damn cent. Just love to manipulate the characters.

Warning: Drama, NCS, Angst, Consensual sex as the story progresses.

Rating: Overall PG13-NC17

Comments?: Email: dreamersisle@yahoo.com

Achived: Yes, but please ask first. I love to know where my story is going.

Hosted at: Dreamer's Isle - www.geocities.com/dreamersisle

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Chapter three: Blankets of Onyx

 

Friday night: 10 pm at the Maxwell's home.

 

“Come on, Duo!! It's your turn!”

 

Duo rolled his eyes as the little pipsqueak greatly resembling his older brother but with curly crimson locks rather than Treize's wavy hair and bright blue eyes. It was a wonder the almost seven-year old wasn't a loan shark the way the girl played poker.

 

Trieze chuckled, looking up from his reports on the pair. He had warned his little brother how precocious his daughter was. Each turn of the season, young Marie's intelligence level increased and because of this she was placed in a special program for gifted children. The main goal of the program was to concentrate on the child, keeping the child a child and not a machine. “What was it about the intelligence in his family?” Trieze thought silently. “And what happened to his father in that department?

 

Duo smiled, knowing he had his niece hands down with his hand. Getting up from his chair in slow motion, with the grace of a dancer, he slammed his cards on the table yelling his battle cry! “YES! FLUSH!!!” The feeling of winning surged through his blood, finally beating this little genius of a girl!! There was no way in hell Marie could beat him…the only way would be having a royal flush and recognizing every card that passed before them there was no way she could have one. Energy flowed through him as he danced around the coffee table not giving a damn who saw him.

 

But this victory would be short lived. Marie smiled up at her uncle's back as he shook his butt in front of her face, shaking her head as she gracefully placed her hand squarely on the table. “Uh…Uncle Duo. I'm sorry to tell you this but...Royal Flush.”

 

Lightening clashed in the room as the smile on Duo's face evaporated causing him to turn around millisecond by millisecond. Treize laughed his head off, his blue eyes filling with tears watching his only child get up from the table from her squatting position to symbolically lift Duo's face off the floor. Violet eyes squinted at his young adversary in disbelief but his expression changed when he noticed something fall from the little girl's side pocket onto the hard wood floor. Poor Marie didn't notice until she caught Duo's line of sight, staring at the fallen cards on the floor. With teeth beaming sheepishly at her uncle, she replied, “Oops?!” and bolted from the table, running directly to her father.

 

Violet eyes turned dark as night as the intensity of his anger was flaring by the seconds. The minx tricked him and she was going to pay. “MARIE!! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!”

 

“DADDY?” Marie whined, tugging on her father's sleeve, trying to hide from her rapidly approaching uncle whom had death written across his face. Marie screeched even louder. “DADDY!!! YOU'VE GOT TO HELP ME!” She nearly got caught as she ran circles around Treize's desk trying to dodge hands. Hiding behind her father again, she pleaded her case. “It was a joke!” She put on her best baby doll face, blinking big blue eyes trying to get her way.

 

“Princess…” the ginger haired man quietly replied, his blue eyes lifting momentarily to chastised his cheating daughter. “What did Daddy say when you were wrong?”

 

Mariemea blinked her eyes, knowing automatically her father was not going to aide her in this fight. Pouting adorably, her face scrunched up. “Accept the consequences and apologize.

 

Duo just stood there, his lithe arms crossed over his Limp Biskit t-shirt while trying to control his anger. One of the rules he tried to enforce to Marie was to never cheat at cards. Since it was all in good fun but cheaters never win. It was just as bad as lying, a family rule highly enforced in their house. Dewy eyes looked up at Duo momentarily expressing their sorrow within its depths.

 

“I'm sorry, Duo. I was only joking. I didn't mean for you to get upset.”

 

A smirk magically changed Duo's angry face into one of love as he bend down picking up the little girl. “Now listen, Meme. You know how your dad and me feel about lying and cheating. But as long as you know to never do it again, I won't punish you.”

 

“Punish me?!” The little girl's large eyes blinked in suspicion, “For cheating at cards?”

 

Duo nodded, smirking. “Yup!”

 

“But I'm only six?! We do stupid stuff like that. Man, you guys are too serious for your own good!”

 

Duo and Treize looked at each other, both wondering how a grown person got stuck in a little girl. Looking at his watch, Treize noticed it was way passed Marie's bedtime. “Okay, young lady.” Grabbing his daughter from the younger man. “It's time for bed.”

 

“Arn Daddy! It's Friday. What can't I stay up like you and uncle Duo.?”

 

“Because...” He began gently brushing a lock of hair from her eyes, “we are going to the zoo tomorrow and I don't want to hear `Daddy I'm too tired to walk. Please carry me like you did the last time. So you are going to sleep and if you are good, maybe we'll go to that new restaurant they opened on Starett Blvd.” Treize watched as his daughter's eyes bubbled with excitement. She loved spending time with him and every weekend the three of them would have outings. Last week, Duo met them at the museum later that day and then they went roller-skating. It was so funny watching Duo teach Marie how to roller-skate. His poor baby limped after her falls but the expression on her face was priceless. Now she begged for a pair of skates for Christmas.

 

Treize sighed, carrying his precious bundle to bed as she laid her head on his shoulder. He loved his little family…just him, his brother and his daughter. Though Duo was older and yearned for his independence, he respected the boy when he somehow met them even when he hung out with classmates at the mall. But Treize knew the real reason. Duo needed someone, someone other than him and Marie. Someone his own age that could relate to the problems of being a teenager and open up the young man lost inside this child. Studying all the time was not cool in his book for the boy. He still regretted his leaving the basketball team.

 

But it all boiled down to one thing. Duo needed a girlfriend. The frown of Treize changed that way of thinking. A boyfriend would be more appropriate judging from all the playgirl magazines hidden in the far back of the teenager's closet. He had come full circle with his bisexuality after his therapy with Dr. Po. The pain of his past was recognized and in his healing he moved on. Finding out you have mental blocks about your childhood because you were sexually abused was something Treize could now come to cope with. That was one of the reason he was still single. His life was too much focused on the angel in his arms and the shy one in the living room cleaning up. He still didn't confront Duo about the phone call he received from his counselor concerning his missing credits and he wouldn't press the issue waiting patiently for his younger brother to tell him.

 

Standing before Marie's door, he opened it and silently entered. Marie's room, covered with walls of pink and white roses, was a mess. Dolls and stuffed animals were scattered all over the floor, out of the authentic play chest that was her mothe's, saved for Marie. Books were opened and spilled across the floor, thrown precariously on her book bag and under the uniform the little girl didn't want to see until Monday. He kissed her delicate auburn curls. “You know this room is going to be cleaned before we go anywhere tomorrow?”

 

Nodding in agreement, Marie yawned in her father's arms. She wasn't that tired but the moment her daddy picked her up, she felt so safe and comfortable. The warmth from his body always seemed to sooth her, like the father swan at the zoo. The majestic bird always gathered his children to him under his great wings. Such security…her daddy made her feel like that, warm and protected. Laying her down in her bed, Treize arranged her teddy bears around her, while pulling the covering up to her chin. He kissed her forehead as he always did each night. “Goodnight princess.”

 

“Goodnight Daddy…”

 

He kissed her again, leaving the room and prayed all her dreams were filled with teddy bears and red roses.

 

Meanwhile, downstairs in the living room, Duo had just finished straightening up. He was placing the throw pillows back on the couch when the sounds of his brother's footsteps alerted him. Smiling at Treize, he pushed his braid back over his shoulder, smiling as Treize sat back at his desk.

 

“Is the brat sleep yet?”

 

“Yes. But that's what you get for teaching her poker, Duo.”

 

“Hell…I didn't teach her to cheat. Must be that Discovery channel. They had a show about gambling and the secrets of the cards. I bet she recorded it.”

 

Treize giggled, ginger eyebrow rising at his brother in suspicion. “Just admit it. You were just as bad when you were her age! Mom would teach us cards and you had the uncanny knack to always win.”

 

Duo just stuck his tongue out at him, violet eyes twinkling mischievously. “Could I help it? I'm just naturally adorable.”

 

“You are hopeless, little brother.” Treize shook his head and looked down on his work.

 

Giggling, Duo waited for Treize to sit back down, coming around the desk pulling up a chair, and turning it around so the chair's back rested against the table. He smiled, as he looked over his elder brother's shoulder downward at the papers catalogued across the desk. “So…how that coming along?”

 

“Fine. Just have to go over last year's numbers and import them into the formula.”

 

Duo watched the pencil glided across the paper in his brother's hands. Treize was a genius yet because of their position, he wasn't supposed to make himself attract too much attention. So even though he could own the company, he preferred to be a simple consultant and work from his home. The job, in itself, was paying lovely and everyone wanted the bright man yet…he was only cutting himself short and Duo knew it.

 

“Niisan?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Dr. Noin told me I had to take some extra classes. I'm missing some credits.”

 

Treize knew this was coming. “It's because of the hospital right?”

 

Nodding, Duo continued to tell him how he would have to attend school on Saturday. “I guess that messes up our family days this year.”

 

Treize shook his head in disagreement. “Nonsense. We'll just have to have them on Sunday. Your education is more important, Duo.” The face on Duo still didn't reassure him. “Duo…is anything wrong?”

 

“Treize…I'm seeing him in my dreams again.”

 

Treize sighed. The nightmares, the fear of their father coming after them. He motioned his brother to move his chair over, draping an arm over him trying to reassure him. Whenever one of these episodes occurred, Duo had to speak out what he was feeling. Holding in the pain for so long was not good on the boy so Duo was told by his therapist to express his feelings all the time. That was the reason for his hyper activeness, the happy go luck boy with the irreplaceable charm.

 

“He's not going to hurt us anymore, Duo.”

 

“I know that.” He exclaimed. Chestnut bangs covering his violet eyes. “But the dreams were different somehow.”

 

“Someone protecting me…saving me Niisan…like an avenging angel. Everytime, Dad reached out to touch me, another hand slaps him back. Its weird and when I turn to thank the person, all I see is black. Is this a premonition, Niisan?

 

Treize blinked at the boy. “Maybe…or maybe you just need to get some…”

 

Duo frowned at his older brother. Since turning seventeen, Duo guarded himself against any type of intimate relationship other than his immediate family and Dr. Noin. He had finally gotten to grips with his past and not ready for one. Sure girls and guys left him tiny gifts of appreciation in his lockers but to him they only wanted him because of his looks and body. Why couldn't someone like him because he was smart? Anyone could have violet eyes or chestnut colored hair mixed with blonde and auburn.

 

That's why he always let any interested person down telling some excuse of not dating because he was too busy. Until a true savior, the one from his dreams appeared before him…he thought he would remain single for the rest of his life. But this person in his entity in his dreams…who respected his mind first, constantly protected his dreams. Could he be real? It was going to be a tall feat to revert to born again virgin when he knew about sex since the age of six. Poor him. Even the urge to jerk off sent him fleeing to the bathroom, terrified of spiritually calling his father and alerting him of their whereabouts.

 

“Don't joke around like that, Treize. Anyway, my classes start tomorrow and I have to be with the sultan and the dragon.”

 

“Eh?” Treize questioned, raising an eyebrow.”

 

“Oh…Quarte Winner who I can't believe is from Arabia. That boy is too smart for his own good and his older brother Zechs…damn that boy is fine. And then there is the dragon. Mr. Wufei Chang or rather the appropiate way of his name is Chang Wufei. I call him dragon because even though he's a bookworm, he's on the martial arts team. Looking at him he doesn't seem the type though.”

 

“Isn't that Xi-Shin's little brother?”

 

“Xi-Shin?”

 

“Mr. Chang, he's one of our associates. Just went on leave today for two weeks because his wife went into labor this afternoon. He told me he has a little brother going to your school. Might be the same one.”

 

“Could be. Wufei's smart. What I wouldn't do for a mind like that?”

 

“You seemed impressed with this young man.”

 

“Who wouldn't be? Dr. Noin told me he's gotten straight A's since preschool. Talk about pressure. School work must come easy for him.”

 

A yawn signaled Treize of his fatigue. “Well I `m exhausted. Don't stay up too late, Duo. I'll set your alarm okay. Good night.” And he got up going up the stairs to his bedroom.

 

“Night Niisan. Sweet dreams.” Turning back towards the 27 inch television off the side, he started flipping the channels searching from something to watch. HBO was showing “What lies beneath” again so he kept it at that station. He didn't even realize how sleepy he was until a yawn escaped his mouth. Grabbing the throw cover weaved by his deceased mother when he was a baby, he covered his lithe form settling into its warmth. Very soon the television was watching him.

 

The dreams began as usual. He would be in his bed, covered by his favorite Robotech blanket safe and warm. The little robot night light, covered with the violet and black shade stood as his beacon on his little desk guiding him in his dreams. He loved that nightlight. Though six months had passed since his beloved mother's death, he still felt the security of her warm arms. To a child, a mother was always near them even when they lost their physical form.

 

But then, as Duo's eyes began to flutter, shifting beneath their lids he felt the dark man began to come into his room. Even though he cowered underneath the covers, he could still hear his bedroom door slowly being pushed open when he could have sworn he locked it.

 

Footsteps light but firm coming closer, approaching his small form lying in the platfoom bed.

 

He could feel the dark gaze travel up and down his body. His body shivering beneath his comforter, praying the man would just leave him alone tonight.

 

The games. He was tired of the games. Why couldn't the dark man be normal and treat him like his son instead of the sick play toy the evil man desperately wanted? And why did he always say he loved him? Is this pain an act of love? Did he really love him or just a way to pacify the sin he was doing to him? He prayed to his mother, prayed that dark man would leave him alone…but the evil always wanted to play and little Duo always had to play, always touched in ways a child his age shouldn't be touched.

 

The callused hand reached closer to his blanket, gripping a corner from the floor about to tug the protection off his small body when something or rather someone entered.

 

What was to happen next was still a mystery to the young child.

 

Screams. Loud screams began bouncing off the dark blue walls striking fear and terror into the dark man's soul. Little Duo did not believe it as he lowered the covers slowly from his eyes. The fight before him was nothing he had seen in any of his dreams. His large violet orbs caught view of his savior. Long hair like his yet sleek and black as night and judging from his back it appeared to be an angel because from his back spurt wings, large white wings blocking his form from the evil that was his father. He could still hear the man struggle for breath yet the intruder just stood there crossing his arms over his chest defying any further advancement.

 

And then it was over as the remains that were his father hissed into smoke. Duo looked down…gazing at his form. No longer was he a child but as he was now. The angel remained where he was yet he would not turn around feeling the human orbs gazing at this back. Before Duo could ask him anything, the angel spoke.

 

“I will protect you, my angel.”

 

Duo blinked in his dreams. “Angel? I'm not an angel. Who are you?”

 

The entity giggled, shaking his head black hair swaying from side to side. “You will know soon enough, my eternal one. But you must first begin to open your heart, Duo. Release the locks and I will come to you.”

 

Duo sat on his bed confused. “You scaring me. What are you talking about?”

 

“Shhhh…sleep.” Large wings opened, brushing over Duo and caressing him to the point of falling into a deep sleep. Darkness covered the room but thousand of feathers fell over the sleeping boy in the dream while the real one was sighing in relief to finally have someone on his side.

 

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Author notes: Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you noticed, Duo's father is like a demon in his dreams and Duo apparently has a guardian angel protecting now. Is it real or Duo's subconscious battling itself? Continue reading and your questions will be answered.