Wings of Blood and Flame

Then We Tear Our Hearts Apart

Rubedo stares at chaos, speachless. His mouth falls open, and he's torn between hurling, kissing the fucker, or crying bloody murder. Fortunately fro the both of them, the Durandall's main computer butts in with the last option. "WARNING! Hostile Federation forces are approching. Repeat: Hostile Federation forces are approaching. All hands to battle stations."

chaos looks at Rubedo in confusion. "Arn't we supposed to be allied with the Federation?"

"We are! ...Were... the last time I looked. C'mon! I wanna know what the hell's going on." So saying, he takes off for the bridge, chaos trailing discreetly behind.

* * *

"So you're telling me that they think _we_ blew up the Federation ship 'Woglinde'?" Rubedo asks in disbelief.

"They've done a pretty good job doctoring the video..." Mary replies.

"I don't believe it... What's our combat status?"

One of the innumerable 100-series Realiens staffing the bridge replies. "Repairs from the confrontations with the U-TIC and Gnosis forces are 23% complete. Structural integrety of the Durandall has been restored to 73%, however the main weapon system's power reserves have only recovered 43% above minimum."

"Even if we wanted to fight," Shelly cuts in, "they'd take us out before we could complete seperation from the colony. And we can't open fire from in here..."

"How much longer do we have on their ultimatum?"

"Less than half an hour."

"Perfect." Rubedo gives a flourish with one os pis pistols. "I've got one last idea before we give in to their demands. But if time runs out, I want ya to surrender. No point getting ourselves needlessly killed ."

Mary nods in confirmation. "Alright, lil' Master. Good luck..."

* * *

"So what't the big plan?" chaos inquires, struggling to keep up with Rubedo's blistering pace.

"They're probably attacking us to reclaim the Zohar Emulators. I say we use those things against them." He gives a short laugh. "It seems that just one of these guys was powerful enough to make an entire planet simply vanish. Think of what it could do to the Fleet..."

"Do you have absolutely any idea how to use those things like that?"

Rubedo flashes his signature devil-may-care grin. "Nope. Not a clue. But I've the sneaking suspicion you might."

He takes the ensuing silence as assent.

Moments later, they arrive at the quarinteen hanger where the Zohar Emulators are kept sealed. Met inside with pitch darkness, chaos makes his way to a console, turning on the lights. And finding himself face-to-chest with a scowling Gaignun.

"Heh...I should have guessed that you'd be involved with him..." Gaignun scoffs. "But I think that you should should stay out of things that arn't your concern. For your own good." Out of nowhere, he smashes chaos with a double-fisted strike, the unnaturally strong blow sending chaos flying against the far wall, sliding down behind a Zohar container.

"He got you too, huh?" inquires a voice from behind chaos. Rolling over painfully, he finds himself face-to-knee with Tony. "Shit! Did he ever!"

Shocked by chaos' bloody face, Tony grabs the towel he has lying on the back of his neck, and begins wiping chaos off. After all this excitement, chaos is quite willing to simply curl up against Tony, as he strokes the youth's face and chest with the towel. Laying his head softly on Tony's lap, he simply gazes into Tony's hard green eyes.

* * *

<<What is going on inside of that head of yours?>> demands Gaignun telepathically. <<I can barely sense you at all, and what I do get feels...tainted. Just like...Albedo...>>

<<You think that I've fallen under U-DO's power as well?>> Rubedo laughs maniacally. "You've got it all wrong. I haven't been 'contaminated' by the Song of Nephilim. I have become it!" Seeing the look of horror in Gaignun's eyes, he presses on. "You don't have tory ary about a thing. Just let me be. I'll take care of the Federation fleet. I'll even deal with U-Do, afterwards. I'll have the power to grant you whatever you desire! Just name it!"

"Stop it!" Gaignun shouts in distress. "Can't you see anyting anymore? I don't care about any of that. I never have! I'm worrried about you." He chokes, pausing before yelling out, "I want you, Rubedo!" He breaks off, before realizing what he'd just said, appending lamely, "I want you...to be 'normal' again. I don't want to lose you again... Not like Albedo..."

Rubedo's eyes soften, filling Gaignun with renewed hope. Running to embrace him, Gaignun lifts the boy into the air, hugging him. "Jr., Jr. I'm so glad to have you back. I..." he trails off, feeling Rubedo tense.

Suddenly, Rubedo explodes into flame, a fiery aura that throws Gaignun back, while keeping Rubedo suspended in the air. "You haven't changed one bit, have you, Negredo? I thought that you'd repented, but I guess old habits grow back."

Gaignun climbs to his feet, a flickering field of light having shielded him. "I thought that you were stronger that that...thing. You can fight it! I'll be with you, this time. I don't want to lose you again!"

Again, Rubedo can do naught but laugh, the cold sound slicing through Gaignun sharper than any sword. "Answer me this, Negredo!" His flames expand into a fiery orb, pressing fiercly against Gaignun's much weaker barrier. "You were manipulating us all the whole time, weren't you? You drove them all away from me! You even convinced Albedo into abandoning me for that girl. And made me fight him because of that. All the while playing my faithful companion. All the while twisting your traitorous knife deeper and deeper inside me!"

"No!" Gaignun shouts, his barrier strengthening, though still unable to press Rubedo's back. "You've got it all wrong! I was only looking out for you..."

"Looking out for me?" Rubedo exclaims in disbelief, his fire inching its way towards Gaignun. "Is that why you abandoned me in the end? All alone...in the chaos... Of course I ran away! I didn't abandon them. They abandoned me! All because... You betrayed me!" Fueled by pure rage, his blazing aura encrochces upon Gaignun, collapsing his defenses entirely.

"I...It's true." Gaignun admits, breaking down. "I made them all leave you. None of them were worthy of you. In the end... I realized that I wasn't, either. I'm s...sorry, Jr. I only meant to..." He collapses to his knees, sobbing.

Rubedo's flames die out, and he decends to the ground. Walking up to Gaignun, he embraces him. A tear in his eye, Gaignun hangs his head, returning the embrace about Rubedos' butt, burying his face in the redhead's crotch. His cock pressing backm Rubedo pulls Gaignun tighter. "Just like old times, eh?" A spark of fire passes through his eyes, unnoticed, as does the pistol held in his left.

Meanwhile, Gaignun begins nuzzeling about Rubedo's boxers, eventually finding the slit in the fabric. Nosing inside, Rubedo's painfully erect cockcticctically falls into Gaignun's waiting mouth. Deep-throating him, he begins rocking Rubedo into him, the slow, rhythmic sensation setting Rubedo alfame. Caught up in the experience, he barely notices Gaignun's hand slip down the back of his shorts. Only when his hole ingites with pain does Rubedo notice Gaignun's dual attack.

An instant later, Gaignun's penetrating finger reaches the prostate. Cliging to Gaignun's head with his right hand, Rubedo drops his head back, a deep howl of pleasure ripping out from within. The motion throws him further into Gaignun, the entire line of stimulation, from the tip of his cock to the rim of his anus connect in a line of unbearable sexual pleasure, inundating his entire body with waves of pure bliss. As Gaignun continues to thrust into his ass, and to thrust his cock into mouth, Rubedo feels his shaft inexorably flood with semen, his muscles contrating tightly, yet unable to more than slow the approaching tide. At the last minute, Rubedo pulls out, causing Gaignun to look up in surprise. Connecting the odd light in Rubedo's ee with his extatic, feral grin, a feeling of dreed sweeps through the larger man. At the same instant, Rubed cums, his seed spilling arcrss Gaignuns' fancy suit. An instant later, the discharge of another gun tears through the darker man's skull.

* * *

The sound of a gunshot tears through the room, inturrupting Tony as he was gently stroking chaos' smooth, white hair.

Lifting his cheek off of Tony's comforting erection, he smiles wistfully. "That's my cue." Without a glance behind, he leaves their little refuge to the main part of the hanger.

Staring after him, Tony sighs to himself. "Damn, that kid's hot. Geeze! I just wish that he was gay..."

Shrugging off circumstances beyond his control, he turns to those which are within them. Images of chaos dance through his head, as he jerks himself off in solitude.