AWFUL SWEETNESS

[amadeo]

CONTINUED FROM 'SUNRISE, SUNSET'.

'Marius de Romanus?' the man had said, and the smirk on his face had made Amadeo want to cry. 'Never heard of him. And I highly doubt he's anywhere around here-' That was what Amadeo had feared, and now it was a certain fact. A fact that would be very hard to accept, Amadeo already knew. With every curl of blond hair he saw, he knew his gaze would dart to the person's face, trying to find the endless blue eyes and straight nose and full, generous mouth of Marius. Every swirl of red fabric he would expect to be the luxurious length of Marius's cloak. And every time someone muttered his name, he'd first hear his Master's voice. Over and over again his hope would be crushed only to grow again and be torn apart once more.

Amadeo couldn't have said no to this human even if he wanted to. And he didn't want to. He needed this kindness, he needed to be taken care of. He needed someone in the wake of his absolute loss. Yes, it was absolute; his home was gone, burned to the ground. Those he loved were dead or captured. And the Master that had taken care of him for years now, and who had made him into this creature, was nothing more than a pile of blackened, ash-covered bones. The mortal wasn't kind like Marius had been, wasn't gentle in the least, but if he hadn't shown up on the beach, Amadeo would have remained laying in the sand, motionless and defeated until the sun came up and claimed what was left of his life. Maybe the fact that Amadeo went with this man so willingly meant that he still had a little bit of hope, a little bit of the will to live. Maybe the fact that Amadeo had immediately obeyed when the simple, ;Follow me, then,', was uttered meant that the young vampire's life would go on, if only he had one person to cling to.

The soft velvet slippers on Amadeo's feet were silent as he walked behind his savior, the boy's pace slow compared to what he could do. It was strange, that Amadeo followed this man so closely: this mortal man who had half a vampire's strength and speed, and who Amadeo could probably kill if he just dug deep and found the strength that Marius had told him he now had. Amadeo had the ability to fight, to survive, but he was lacking the desire. He had relied on the kindness of his Master for far too long and had lost the ability to be absolutely independent. His strength was latent and he was sure it would be difficult for him to draw it out. The speed, though, that he retained. So with hardly any effort at all, he went ahead, turned around and faced the blond man, essentially blocking him from walking any further. This had happened in only one of the human's steps, and with that gesture a bit of the fascination that Amadeo had initially felt toward his new being resurfaced. But it was soon gone again.

"You haven't told me who you are," Amadeo said, his voice soft. The man was taller than he was, and Amadeo had to look up to meet his gaze. "Where we're going... or what this place is." The more he spoke, the more nervous he got. Hopefully this little show of defiance didn't turn this man away from him entirely. What would he do if that happened? Return to the beach to burn, as he had originally planned? "My name is Amadeo," he added quickly. He had averted his eyes, as if the two of their gazes meeting was somehow disrespectful of him. Where was the boy that had been able to be so defiant toward Marius, when the situation had called for it? Where was the boy that had asked so many questions, that had made so many demands, and had made Marius love him so completely? Amadeo was so scared of being abandoned that those aspects of his personality had fled to God only knew where.

[/justify][/blockquote]

[liquid]

Before Liquid could blink the boy was in front of him. It actually took Liquid a second or two to fully register what had just happened. From what he had observed so far, the boy had appeared week and feeble, but now he was demonstrating agility that Liquid hadn’t even seen in all his military training. Now Liquid was just impressed; he could have use for someone with a skill like that. He wondered what other talents this mysterious boy could possess. Liquid, himself, was very skilled and intelligent in the ways of warfare. He was also able to admit when someone may have skills that surpassed even his own. In these cases, he just had to convince the subject to, sort of, work for him. See, Liquid was a leader and as much as he loved combat, he didn’t particularly enjoy getting his hands dirty, so it benefited him to have skilled warriors around who were willing to do his biding. This boy obviously had some talent, and yet, still he persisted with all his silly questions.

“You may call me Liquid,” he said after a bit of a pause. “I’m afraid that’s all you’re going to know about me for now.” Liquid’s true identity had been the highest of secrecy in his world and didn’t plan on changing things now. “I’m taking you to my apartment since I’m assuming you have no where else to go. And as for what this place is, quite frankly, I’m still trying to figure that out myself. I will explain more later.” If he wanted this boy to reveal other powers to him he was going to have to get the ginger to trust him; answering all the boy’s annoying questions seem to be the simplest way of doing so. Still he couldn’t completely answer the questions just yet because he needed to give an incentive to continue following him.

Amadeo. If Liquid wasn’t mistaken, it was an Italian name. That would make sense as the boy’s attire was giving Liquid a very Italian Renaissance feel. The clothing also revealed something else about this boy; his master, judging by the fine clothing Amadeo was wearing and the velvet slippers, had obviously pampered him. Liquid feared that he might have to do the same in order to get Amadeo to do what he wanted. Of course, he’d have to find out whether or not Amadeo was going to be any use to him first.

“Well, Amadeo,” he said as he took a step toward the boy. Liquid kept his guard up; he didn’t know what else the boy was capable of and he was obviously very good at hiding his powers, “you cry blood and the agility you have just demonstrated is beyond that of even the most talented of humans. So, what exactly are you?” Liquid didn’t want it to seem like he was threatening Amadeo , but he still wanted to remain dominate in the situation. It was entirely possible that Liquid was not as fast or as strong as the strange boy so he didn’t want to pick a fight he couldn’t win. Liquid was a tactical warrior; he had to know his enemy before engaging in battle.

After moments of critical thinking, Liquid realized what he was going to have to do in order to get Amadeo to trust him. “I assure you that I mean no harm,” he said, forcing himself to sound gentle. This situation seemed to call for a bit of softness. Liquid understood that he wasn’t going to get anywhere with this boy by trying to intimidate him. “There are people on this island that may want to hurt you for being different. I, on the other hand, don’t feel that way. If you come with me, I can protect you.” Liquid had to make Amadeo feel like he needed him so that he’d be obedient. If Amadeo ended up being clingy and disappointment, Liquid would simply have to figure out a way to get rid of him.

[amadeo]

Liquid, the man had told Amadeo to call him. What an odd name. The young immortal boy furrowed his brow, a troubled expression darkening his face. Such mystery. Had Liquid asked, Amadeo would have spilled his deepest and darkest secrets, if only to feel close to a being as he was used to. But it was obvious this mortal man wouldn't trust Amadeo as Amadeo would, no doubt, trust him. Yes, that troubled the vampire, made him feel nervous and slightly shut-out. "Liquid," Amadeo repeated, shaping the name carefully. It didn't roll off his tongue as the Italian language did, but it wasn't entirely unpleasant. Amadeo's savior continued speaking, mercifully answering the questions that had been posed to him instead of totally abandoning Terra's newest arrival. 'I'm taking you to my apartment since I'm assuming you have nowhere else to go.' Amadeo let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, and even felt the beginnings of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. It didn't grow into a genuine smile, though, as he was still too curious about the man in front of him to feel happy about his fate.

Apparently Liquid wasn't a permanent inhabitant of this place. He seemed just as informed as Amadeo was. Maybe a little more, but not much more, and that was all the more frightening to Amadeo. What did this all mean? He had come from a place where science was hardly advanced, where the kinds of powers that had created this place just didn't exist. He couldn't even begin to understand what was happening, and he doubted any sort of explanation from Liquid would help him. Still, he nodded, that troubled look returning after it had been chased away momentarily by the promise of a place to stay.

'Well, Amadeo,' Liquid said, and then stepped forward. Amadeo wasn't entirely unused to people advancing on him; back in the Veneto he had often been admired by men and women alike, of every station in life. So he held his ground and simply looked at Liquid as he continued to speak. '...what exactly are you?' he asked finally, and immediately Amadeo struggled to find words to explain. Was there a one name for what he was? If it existed, he wasn't aware of it. He was new to this life, after all, and despite the lessons Marius had given him, he wasn't entirely informed. Liquid said more, assuring Amadeo that no harm would come to him, but even that was unnecessary, as Amadeo was already planning on answering Liquid's question as well as he possibly could. God knew Amadeo had learned that not everyone in the world was trustworthy, but he was so desperate to find someone he could hold onto that the idea of Liquid being villainous didn't even enter his mind.

And if there was anything that ensnared Amadeo entirely, it was Liquid's last few words. 'If you come with me, I can protect you.' That was what he craved. That was what he needed. That was what he had clinged to so urgently in Marius, especially after being made into this blood-drinker. And this man, who had been so severe before, even sounded gentle and kind. Oh, yes, Amadeo was caught. The boy looked thoughtful, choosing his words with care. "I was given the blood of my Master," he answered finally. "The Magic Blood." He took a breath, looked faintly frustrated that he couldn't better describe what he was. "It made me this way. Strong and fast..." He held up a hand, which practically glowed in the moonlight. "Pale-skinned. I survive on the blood of the evildoer."

Amadeo's hand dropped back to his side, and he looked slightly defeated. His chin dropped and he lowered his eyes to the ground, his red curls gently falling over his forehead. "I hardly know what I am," he added softly, more to himself than to Liquid. "I'm not even a year into my immortal life yet." A flare of anger made Amadeo pause, made blood rush to his cheeks and mar them with a blush. Santino had taken away Amadeo's Master, his teacher, his lover. Santino had taken away everything, and had left Amadeo without the slightest inkling of his own identity. If he could have gotten his hands on that disgusting excuse for a creature of the night, he'd rip the thing limb from limb.

[liquid]

The creature that Amadeo was describing himself as only existed in Liquid’s world in stories, bad movies, and possibly even laboratories. Pale skin and a thirst for blood, along with the fangs that Liquid was just noticing as the boy opened his mouth to speak more, only pointed to one possible being; a vampire. He almost couldn’t believe that was the conclusion he had come to. The absurdity of actually meeting a vampire was almost laughable for Liquid; it was almost like meeting Frankenstein’s monster or a werewolf. It was laughable and utterly delightful at the same time. On top of drinking blood, vampires had other abilities like those that Amadeo had described such as heighten agility and strength. These powers were something Liquid could use to his advantage. Amadeo had to potential to be something of a minion and a bodyguard to Liquid, with the proper training of course. This really was the first bit of joy Liquid had felt since coming to Terra; all the other inhabitants he had met so far did not have near the potential that Amadeo did. The boy had admitted he hadn’t been a vampire for very long and it certainly seemed so as the boy didn’t even know what he had become. Perhaps his ‘master’ had just worked very hard to hide what a monster Amadeo had become. Liquid would not do the same; Amadeo as a monster was far more useful to him than Amadeo as meek, pampered boy. The young vampire was just going to have to be trained by Liquid, both physically and mentally.

Liquid himself, had no desire what so ever to become a vampire. He was already exceptionally fast and strong, though perhaps not as much as a vampire. The strength and immortality that vampirism provided wasn’t enough to out weight the face that he could be weakened or killed by something as simple as sunlight. And without the fear of death on the battlefield, what thrill was there in war? Liquid was already the result of scientific manipulation; he refused to be altered further by any means other than his own intellect and training.

Liquid had to further gain the boy’s trust by showing the he understood what Amadeo was. “In my world,” he began, “you would be known as a ‘vampire’, but such beings only exist in folklore where I come from. But, I’m not going to assume that you fit the full description of such a being by my world’s standards. Are you weakened by sunlight or fire? What about religious iconography and blessed objects like crucifixes and holy water?” Liquid knew the boy’s strengths; those could be tested later, but weaknesses were more important right now as Liquid wanted to know what steps he would need to defend himself if Amadeo decides to turn on him. He also didn’t want to overwhelm the boy with questions just yet.

Liquid was just about to suggest that they continue on to his flat when he noticed a change in Amadeo. Despite the cried blood on Amadeo’s face, Liquid could still tell that something made the boy’s checks redden. Curious, the boy seemed to be going from emotion to emotion like he had so type of bipolar disorder. Well, he couldn’t have Amadeo being emotionally unstable, that simply wouldn’t do in a warrior. “Is something the matter?” he asked “There’s no need to get upset about not being able to fully answer my question.” He assumed the boy was upset because he was displeasing Liquid by not knowing much about his being. Liquid, of course, was smart enough to fill in the missing pieces on his own so he wasn’t upset by Amadeo’s lack of knowledge.

[amadeo]

Amadeo really should have been ashamed of himself. In the short amount of time he'd had with Marius after his change, he had been told that it was essential for him to keep what he was a secret. Yet the moment he was away from Marius his lips parted and every last secret fell from them, without a second of hesitation. Could Amadeo really be blamed, though? This entire situation was far away from anything that he could have even dreamed of. His Master hadn't prepared him for this. So, yes, it was understandable that Amadeo might forget that secrecy was an important thing in the blood-drinker's life. And despite his chilly first impression, Liquid seemed to be kind enough. And curious, but not in a way that suggested he wanted to harm Amadeo. Protection. That was what the young boy had been promised. That was why he was divulging everything he knew of himself to this mortal man.

But apparently the man knew more about what Amadeo was than Amadeo himself did. 'In my world, you would be known as a vampire,' Liquid revealed. And Amadeo's eyes widened slightly. There was a word for what he was? And how many others, he wondered, of these vampires existed. "Vampire," Amadeo repeated in a hushed voice. He furrowed his brow as Liquid continued, describing all of these possible weaknesses. Amadeo added his reply quickly and eagerly, even taking a step toward Liquid. Perhaps it was just a habit that Amadeo had brought with him, this desire to be close to a person he was having a somewhat intimate conversation with. "As my Master told me," he said, looking up at Liquid, "the only weaknesses I have are the rays of the sun and a fire's flames. Those are the two things that can destroy me utterly. Anything else, I can survive." He shook his head slightly, red curls bouncing with the movement. "I'm not an enemy of God," he said slowly. "Why would these things weaken me? No, the only weakness I've felt in a church came from seeing it anew with these eyes." He raised a hand, gesturing toward his wide, brown eyes. His mind rushed back to the first time he had set food in a church after being turned, when he had seen the art, and it had struck him in a way that he would never be able to forget. He felt a familiar tightening in his chest at the thought, and he wished so badly he could be back there now.

He needed to stay in the present, he reminded himself. There were more questions to be asked, and more for him to answer. Liquid had noticed the small change in Amadeo's mood when the disgusting Santino had entered his mind, and the fresh thought made Amadeo grimace. "That's not what's upsetting me," Amadeo said. If Liquid was listening closely, he might notice that the young vampire's voice was getting stronger, smoother, a little bit like its old self the more the two were in each other's company, and the more the shock of being in this place wore off. Maybe Amadeo wasn't entirely weak after all. "I don't have all the answers, and that's something I accept. I was never made to know them all." A pause, and he continued with some difficulty. "It was my Master's job, to have all the answers. And after so many centuries alive, he had most every one of them." He trailed off. Would it always be this way? he wondered. Would he always fall into these memories whenever they surfaced, every part of him consumed by them until they slowly passed?

"Before I came here," Amadeo continued, returning to his explanation. "My Master's house was being attacked by others like myself. Other-" He glanced at Liquid with a questioning expression, as if he wasn't sure he was saying it correctly. "-vampires. They burned everything." Amadeo's expression darkened. "Even my Master, who I love more than any other thing." Keep the anger, Amadeo thought scornfully, willing the tears that threatened to surface to retreat again. Don't succumb to sadness. "If I could get my hands on them now, I'd show them the strength my Master gave me by ripping them apart." There was a bit of the monster in his voice, then, a bit of the ruthlessness that he had possessed even as a mortal. After a moment's silence, Amadeo glanced away. "That's what I was thinking of."

[liquid]

It seemed that Liquid’s knowledge of Vampires was only half correct in Amadeo’s case. There were certain things that he had left out when questioning Amadeo, such as garlic and wooden steaks. Those things just seem to far-fetched to even be true on Terra. But, it was slightly alarm how few Amadeo’s weaknesses are. In a worse case scenario, how was Liquid supposed to defend himself against the boy? If he wasn’t being attacked during the day, that significantly diminished his level of defense and It wasn’t as if he could just carry fire with him at all times just in case. At least with a cross or holy water he would have been able to keep it with him at all times. A lighter just didn’t seem like it would be enough in a emergency situation. It seemed ridiculous that Liquid may have to defend himself against a child, but Amadeo was no ordinary teenager. “No, I suppose there’s no reason for such things to weaken you,” said Liquid flatly, “I was just curious to find out the truth about your race, versus the folklore from my world.”

Liquid had once been in Amadeo’s position; he too had once not understood fully what he was and had the truth kept from him. Though, the need for answers seemed more pressing in Amadeo’s case; a weakness to sunlight and fire seemed like need to know information. Liquid was changed at birth, still he was human, not a completely normal human, but a human at that. Amadeo, on the other had, was turn into something later in life, he had been fully conscious of this change. Had Liquid been in Amadeo’s, he would have been very frustrated at the lack of answers.

So, Amadeo’s master had been lost. Naturally, he would be needing a new one. And hopefully, given Amadeo’s new found anger, the boy won’t require so much. . . physical comforting. The way that Amadeo spoke of his former master made it seem like they were a little more than friends. Liquid, on the other hand didn’t even like the idea of friendship. He was purely an independent person who needed no relationships beyond that of professional ones. However, he could see himself wanting this boy around for other reasons. Liquid, of course, had moments of physical desire like most men, he simply lacked the emotional capacity to love another being. He loved certain things, like explosions, C4, Russian gun ships, machine guns, and Pantine Pro-V.

Mainly, it was being in control of this boy’s powers is what Liquid desired. He would be willing to fill Amadeo’s role of a master if it meant that his powers could be used at Liquid’s disposal. Of course, there was still the matter of teaching Amadeo how to control his powers, as it seems his last master had not. The hatred in the boy’s voice brought a bit of warmth to Liquid’s heart; Amadeo’s anger at his attackers and his master’s murder seemed like the perfect catalyst to encourage that boy to strengthen his power.

“Amadeo, I don’t think it was entirely wise of your master to keep so many things from you, though I’m sure he had his reasons,” Liquid added so it wouldn’t seem like he was trying to insult Amadeo’s old master, “I think it left you with a certain weakness where you would rely too heavily on him for protection and other things. Had he been more honest with you, you may have been able to defend him, though, again, that may not have been his wish. I may not fully understand your powers, but I think with some observation, I could help you master them. You’d like that wouldn’t you? To have the power to defend the people you care about? To not feel so weak and helpless when your being attacked? I want you to hold on to the anger and hatred that you’re feeling right now, it could be your greatest asset in combat.”

“Now then”, he continued with a much lighter air, “we should probably continue on to my flat; I believe the sun will be rising soon and I would hate for you to be destroy during your first day here.” Liquid stepped around Amadeo and continued walking, expecting the young boy to follow. “Tomorrow I will go to the butchers and get you some animal blood. I know you would prefer the blood of humans, but I don’t think it wise to go around killing people on Terra just yet. Plus many of the people here know how to defend themselves, even against someone like you.” Liquid added over his shoulder as an extra incentive for Amadeo to follow.