(no subject)
Pairing(s): 13x6x13 (pre-established), 1+2+1, 3+4+3
Warnings: language, innuendo, ... craziness, the usual...
Link to Prologue
Link to Part I
Link to Part II
Link to Part III
Link to Part IV
Link to Part V.i
Link to Part V.ii
Part VI (edited)
Treize rolled his eyes and walked on, tossing over his shoulder. “Just don’t get yourself killed.”
Well… I think I can do that, fairly easily. Duo Maxwell, your time has come. Everything is in place. All I need now is you. Heero’s expression was verging on the predatory. Quatre looked a little bit off-balance and uncertain. Trowa… was expressionless, as he tended to be.
Wufei eyed Heero warily. “If you choose to taunt Maxwell as such, I’m staying out of it. He tends to be particularly sadistic towards me.”
“Maybe that’s because you’re so rigidly moral, Wufei.” Heero smirked.
“I may be moral-bound, but I am not rigid.” Wufei was glaring at Heero for all he was worth. It merely bounced off of Heero’s raised eyebrow.
“Suuure, you aren’t.”
Quatre, about to intervene in order to stave off the imminent bloodshed, was saved the effort by the sound of the bathroom door opening. He smiled brightly and sweetly at the other three men, and sauntered into the now freed bathroom, but Trowa was the only one that noticed in time to protest.
“Quatre… That wasn’t fair.” Trowa’s voice rang out softly, barely audible over Heero’s bickering and Wufei’s sniping.
Quatre winked at him. “I blame Duo’s timing.”
Trowa snorted, and the door closed behind Quatre. That was when the two squabbling men finally realized that they’d missed their chance to shower… and that Duo had escaped scotch free.
Wufei grumbled, “Nice, Yuy. You let him get away.”
“I let him get away? I didn’t see you do anything to stop him.”
Trowa tuned them out. I wonder why it is that those two can’t seem to get along without the in-fighting. I thought the whole point of this was for us all to make friends. Hmph. Ironic twist, that.
~+~
Wandering into the kitchen to grab a bite to eat and begin preparing dinner, Treize missed the moment when Duo slipped past him and up the stairs into the master bedroom he and Zechs shared. Duo, for his part, had mischief in mind, as usual. He stole silently up the stairs and into the master bedroom, noting that the shower was on, and smirked evilly. What better way to cause mayhem than to play the master thief? I’ll just set up a treasure hunt, of sorts.
Duo snatched up a couple of small items from the dresser, noting after he’d picked them up that they appeared to be a keyring and a silver charm necklace that matched the one he wore. He’d given Treize and Zechs each one of the charm necklaces as a token of friendship years ago, and was touched that they had apparently kept them.
Shaking off his pensive mood, he grinned, and quietly opened the bathroom door, stealing Zechs’ robe and all the towels in sight, then reclosing it, barricading it from the outside with a chair.
Pleased with his handiwork, he moved on to his usual guestroom, assuming his things had been put there, to find some clothes to put on. Wandering around in nothing but a pair of boxers and a towel was not too practical for what he had in mind.
As it turned out, his guess had been right. He pulled out a pair of worn black jeans and a dark grey tee, then pocketed the things he’d already stolen. I’ll make my announcement at dinner once I’ve hidden these things. Let’s see. Now, where would Treize put the others…? Perhaps the two doubles on the first floor?
Duo crept back down the stairs, grinning at a wet, bewildered-looking Quatre as he wandered past, obviously looking for his room.
“Uhm… Quat?”
“Yes, Duo?”
“… Where are you going?”
“I was looking for my room.”
The grin widened. “It’s not upstairs. Your room is one of the doubles on the first floor, I’d bet. Mine is the one upstairs opposite the master bedroom. There aren’t any others upstairs.”
“Oh. Well, lead the way then, if you would be so kind.” Quatre’s voice held a light hint of dry sarcasm.
“Sure thing, Quat.” Duo replied brightly.
Quatre looked amused, and gave Duo a gentle shove away from the foot of the stairs. “You’re not fooling me, Duo. Walk.”
With an exaggerated mock-pout, Duo acquiesced. “Fine, fine. And here I thought you might appreciate it if I played the gentleman.”
Quatre snorted. “You? Gentleman? Those two words are polar opposites. The day they appear in the same sentence with any validity will be the day Hell freezes over, and the world ends.”
Duo staggered melodramatically, almost swooning in his attempt to prove his point. “You wound me, kind sir. Wouldst mayhap prefer I expired of shock and the effects of this blow to mine honor?!”
Quatre laughed outright at that. “Duo…” he shook his head sadly, “the day you star in a theatre production would be a sad day indeed for Shakespeare and thespians everywhere.”
“Oi!! That was mean.”
Quatre said nothing more, but motioned to Duo to take the lead. Still grumbling a bit, Duo did so, knowing that not to accede to a request Quatre made could have dire consequences far out of proportion to the transgression itself. Damn, now how am I gonna put my plan into action with him watching my every move? … Hm. I wonder… Maybe if…
“Hey, Quat?”
“Hm?”
“Were my eyes deceiving me, or were you oogling Trowa during that paintball game?”
Quatre sputtered. “What?! No!”
Duo smirked. Caught. Red-handed. “Oh? Why were your eyes glued to his ass, then?”
“They weren’t. I wasn’t oogling… I was appreciating the view, and for that matter, so was everyone else.” Quatre grinned back at Duo, knowing that line would shock his friend speechless. After a moment’s pause he added, a little smugly, “Several times. And what a sight it was. After all, it’s not like it was our fault, either. As I recall you were the one that stuffed us into the spandex suits.”
Duo just gaped at him for a long moment, stunned. “Quatre?! You… but…” Duo shook his head. “Damn your innocent angelic looks. They make even me forget your wickedness at times.”
“That’s the point. If you’ve got something that gives you an edge, use it, I say. No one expects the innocent-looking ones to be the most wicked. It works every time… usually to my advantage.” Quatre winked.
Shaking his head, but smiling, Duo quipped. “And you play the part of the innocent to the hilt, don’t you?”
“Of course!” Quatre was back in his persona, guileless eyes shining up at his friend. “How not? Why not?” He walked down the hallway a few steps, and paused. “Well, Duo? Where is my room?”
“Huh? Oh, right.” Duo absently gave directions, just staring at the slightly shorter blonde. “Down the hall to the right, the last door on the left side.” How in the Hells does he manage to keep doing this to me?! I know he can. I know he will. How does he always manage to surprise me with the timing?
Quatre had meantime opened the door and caught sight of two sets of bags. One his, and one unfamiliar. I wonder whose those are…
His musings were cut off by shouting from the second floor.
“Damn it, Duo! What the hell! Open the damned door!”
Duo snickered. “Think I should, Quat?”
“Is that a rhetorical question?”
“Purely so.”
“Then why should I answer?”
“There was no need for one.”
Any further comment was forestalled by the sound of more shouting.
A moment later, Duo grinned. “I suppose I’d better disappear for a few minutes. You never saw me, O Innocent One.”
With that he was gone. Just… gone. Quatre blinked. “What the…? Where did he go? He can’t have just disappeared into thin air.”
He jumped about a foot, when said air spoke in Duo’s voice. “Sure I can.”
A hand tapped him in the shoulder. Turning so quickly he nearly wrenched his back, he found Duo lounging in the doorway.
Duo laughed and then pushed away from the doorway… then pulled the same trick again, vanishing into the hallway.
And, Quatre noted, it was not a moment too soon. As he turned to walk back into his room, Zechs came storming down the stairs in a pair of jeans… and nothing else. Dripping.
Quatre stared.
Catching sight of Quatre at the end of the hall, Zechs stalked over, projecting menace from every pore. “Have you seen Duo?”
Quatre didn’t answer immediately, staring. “What did he do to you this time?”
“The demonspawn from hell? Only stole every towel in the bathroom while I was showering, barricaded the door from the outside with a damned chair, then made off with my keys.” Zechs was breathing heavily by the end of his tirade.
Quatre’s eyebrows rose. “I see. I saw him briefly a moment or two ago. I have no idea where he is now.”
Zechs eyed the other blonde, not quite sure whether to try to call him on that vague answer, or to just take the reply at face value. After a moment he gave in and just stalked off, growling obscenities under his breath.
Treize, drawn by the racket, stuck his head out of the kitchen door, and regretted it. Zechs was in a murderous mood. Duo again, I’d wager, by the looks of things. One of these days Zechs will just throttle him. That much is almost certain. What remains to be seen is how long Zechs’ patience will stretch unless Duo mellows out a bit.
~+~
After listening to Heero and Wufei bicker for a bit, Trowa interjected mildly, “Don’t you two think maybe it might be a better idea to just agree to disagree and stop the in-fighting?”
Wufei rolled his eyes. Heero looked almost disappointed.
“But Duo would be disappointed in us if we didn’t bicker.” Heero replied.
Trowa considered this for a moment. “True, but why waste the energy? You could just as easily try to stop Duo from making overly much mischief.”
Wufei snorted. “That’s a waste of effort if I’ve ever heard of one.”
As they stood, now discussing, rather than taking shots at each other as they had been for most of the afternoon, Quatre opened the door, and stepped out, wearing nothing but a towel.
The blonde smiled brightly at them. “Who’s next?”
Trowa stared, seemingly transfixed.
Heero snorted and poked Trowa in the ribs.
Wufei ignored them both and slipped into the bathroom while they were preoccupied.
~+~
[Quatre POV]
Fascinated, I watched the non-expression on Trowa’s face turn to appreciation as I walked out of the bathroom in his towel, and then shift into startlement and chagrin when Heero poked him. Hmm… interesting. I wonder if Trowa might possibly… I’ll have to sleep on it.
“Either of you know where our rooms are?”
Heero shook his head no and then nudged Trowa again, jolting his taller friend out of his semi-entranced state.
“No, I don’t either,” Trowa added, seeming distracted.
Shrugging, I wandered off to go find one of our hosts to ask where we were being put up for the night.
Seeing no one during my search, I gave up and headed for the stairs, assuming that if most houses were designed similarly, the bedrooms ought to be on the first floor.
I was startled out of his musings on architecture by Duo’s voice.
“Uhm… Quat?”
“Yes, Duo?”
“… Where are you going?”
“I was looking for my room.”
I watched apprehensively as Duo’s perpetual grin widened.
“It’s not upstairs. Your room is one of the doubles on the first floor, I’d bet. Mine is the one upstairs opposite the master bedroom. There aren’t any others upstairs, though.”
“Oh. Well, lead the way then, if you would be so kind.” Why do I get the feeling he’s up to no good, slinking down the stairs like that? My mouth went on autopilot for a moment or two while I considered the ramifications of Duo’s secretive manner.
The sheer melodrama he projects is astounding. I wonder why he didn’t go into acting? ... For that matter, what does he do? Now that I think about it, I don't know. Is it possible that I just missed it? ... No. I don't miss details. I can't afford to. Not when I run my own business. And speaking of missing details, letting my mouth run on without paying attention to what I say will likely get me into trouble if I'm not careful. Better put that to a stop now.
“Oi!! That was mean.”
I motioned to Duo to take the lead in lieu of continuing the conversation while I was so distracted. What did I say?! ^$#@. -sigh- Somehow this strikes me as typical. Once I finally manage to win a verbal battle against Duo 'Motormouth' Maxwell, I'm not paying attention. Still grumbling a bit, Duo led the way back along the corridor.
Does it maybe have something to do with the strange way he was acting last time he came to visit? Hm. Come to think of it, he’s been acting more like normal since we got here… his pranks are more exaggerated and outrageous, though.
“Hey, Quat?”
“Hm?”
“Were my eyes deceiving me, or were you oogling Trowa during that paintball game?”
I sputtered. “What?! No!”
I will not blush, I will not blush…
Duo smirked. “Oh? Why were your eyes glued to his ass, then?”
“They weren’t. I wasn’t oogling… I was appreciating the view, and for that matter, so was everyone else.” I grinned back at Duo, knowing that line would shock his friend speechless. After a moment’s pause he added, a little smugly, “Several times. And what a sight it was. After all, it’s not like it was our fault, either. As I recall you were the one that stuffed us into the spandex suits.”
Duo just gaped at me for a long moment, stunned. “Quatre?! You… but…” Duo shook his head. “Damn your innocent angelic looks. They make even me forget your wickedness at times.”
“That’s the point. If you’ve got something that gives you an edge, use it, I say. No one expects the innocent-looking ones to be the most wicked. It works every time… usually to my advantage.” I winked at him. "Besides... life's more fun when you're not bored, ne?"
Shaking his head, but smiling, Duo quipped. “And you play the part of the innocent to the hilt, don’t you?”
“Of course!” I was back in his persona, looking up at him, radiating innocence. “How not? Why not?” I walked down the hallway a few steps, and paused. “Well, Duo? Where is my room?”
“Huh? Oh, right.” Duo absently gave directions, just staring at me. “Down the hall to the right, the last door on the left side
I had meantime opened the door and caught sight of two sets of bags. One mine, and one unfamiliar. I wonder whose those are…
My musings were cut off by shouting from the second floor.
“Damn it, Duo! What the hell! Open the damned door!”
Zechs?! But…
Duo snickered. “Think I should, Quat?”
“Is that a rhetorical question?”
“Purely so.”
Of course. “Then why should I answer?”
“There was no need for one.”
Any further comment was forestalled by the sound of more shouting.
Duo grinned. “I suppose I’d better disappear for a few minutes. You never saw me, O Innocent One.”
With that he was gone. Just… gone. I blinked. “What the…? Where did he go? He can’t have just disappeared into thin air.”
I must have jumped about a foot, when said air spoke in Duo’s voice. “Sure I can.”
A hand tapped me on the shoulder. Turning so quickly I nearly wrenched my back, I found Duo lounging in the doorway.
Duo laughed and then pushed away from the doorway… then pulled the same trick again, vanishing into the hallway.
Is it possible? Could my suspicions have been right?! No ordinary person could just disappear like that. That trick would have easily made Houdini jealous.
And, I noted, he used it not a moment too soon. As I’d turned to walk back into his room, Zechs came storming down the stairs in a pair of jeans… and nothing else. Dripping.
I stared.
Wow. Damn. If they’re together as I suspect, Treize is one lucky bastard.
Catching sight of me at the end of the hall, Zechs stalked over, projecting menace from every pore. “Have you seen Duo?”
I didn’t answer immediately, still staring. “What did he do to you this time?”
Remind me to thank him for the view.
“The demonspawn from hell? Only stole every towel in the bathroom while I was showering, barricaded the door from the outside with a damned chair, then made off with my keys.” Zechs was breathing heavily by the end of his tirade.
My eyebrows rose. “I see. I saw him briefly a moment or two ago. I have no idea where he is now.” That is strictly true, at least. Oh, the joys of keeping promises to Duo. I hesitate to even dare wonder what he’ll pull next and expect me to cover for.
Zechs eyed me, obviously a bit put out that he'd missed Duo by inches. After a moment of fuming silently, he gave in and just stalked off, growling obscenities under his breath.
Treize, drawn by the racket, stuck his head out of the kitchen door.
~+~
Heero glared at the closed bathroom door once he realized he’d missed a second opportunity. He growled. “Damn.”
Trowa looked amused. “You’ll survive another five minutes or so without a shower. Relax.”
Heero raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps. But maybe you won’t.”
“You think so? Why not?”
Heero smirked at him and merely glanced down meaningfully. “That’s why not.”
“What has that to do with survival?” Trowa gave him a look.
“Nothing, really. But if you want to survive the next few hours you might want to take a cold shower.”
“Oi! Heero!” Trowa wore an exaggerated expression of hurt. The snicker he was trying to stifle ruined the look’s intended effect.
Heero’s smirk widened. “Who’s that for? Quatre?”
Trowa gaped at him. “… What?! Watch yourself, Heero, I haven’t much patience for such matters.”
“Fine, fine.”
“And what was with that comment about stealing Duo’s towel earlier?”
To Trowa’s utter astonishment, Heero blushed lightly and mumbled something.
“What was that? I didn’t understand a word you just said.”
“Good.”
“Hmph. You like him don’t you?”
“And if I do?”
“I’d have to wish you luck and much patience. Duo tries even the most easy-going of souls.”
As if to underscore that, a shout rang out from above them.
Trowa looked amused again. “Case in point.”
“Hn.”
[A minute or so later...]
“Psst!”
Heero and Trowa turned to look around at the sibilant call.
“Who’s there?” Trowa demanded. Heero had reflexively fallen into a defensive stance.
“It’s me. You’ve gotta hide me. Zechs is out for blood.”
Heero raised an eyebrow. “No doubt he has reason.”
Trowa snickered. “Of course he does.”
Duo rolled his eyes. “Fine then. I’ll leave you to it.” With that, he disappeared, flitting down the corridor, silent as a shadow, and seemingly as insubstantial.
Heero blinked. “Did you see that?”
Trowa nodded.
“That should be humanly impossible.”
Trowa nodded again.
“What is going on then?”
“I have no idea, Heero.”
“Seeing ghosts, gentlemen?” Zechs walked up, his hair still dripping slightly.
Trowa shrugged. “Is the house haunted?”
Heero scowled. “There are no such things as ghosts.”
“Think what you’d like, Heero, but I personally do think this house is haunted.” Zechs interjected. Then muttered to himself, “I’m looking for one of them.”
Overhearing the low-voiced comment, Trowa raised an eyebrow. “Looking for a ghost, Zechs?”
“Hm? Not exactly. That was, perhaps, a poor choice of words on my part. I’m looking for Duo… he can be as elusive as a ghost, at times, though.” Then, after a heartbeat, Zechs added, “Most often just after he’s pulled a prank.”
Trowa nodded sympathetically. “He manage to catch you unawares in the shower?”
Zechs sighed. “He stole every towel in the place, and my clothes, then barricaded the door from the outside, and stole my keys on top of everything else.” Wearing a pained look, he continued in his search. “When I get my hands on the demon…”
As Zechs turned back towards the corner he’d turned whilst on the warpath, something in his bearing changed, becoming sharper, clearer. He reminded Trowa of a hunting dog that had scented prey… But there was no one to be seen.
“Oh, Duo,” Zechs nearly purred, forgetting his audience, “there you are…”
There was a startled ‘eep’ and then Duo could be seen running up the hallway, in the direction of the door and beyond that, the grounds, obviously hoping to escape capture and subsequent revenge.
Heero and Trowa exchanged looks.
It was Trowa that gave voice to what they were both thinking. “What the fuck?”
Heero mused aloud, “Hn. Demon indeed. Though you were right, Trowa, ghost might be more appropriate. … But, if supernatural beings exist, and Duo’s one of them, why aren’t we dead yet?”
Trowa couldn’t help but laugh. “So they do exist. Well. I guess this requires an adjustment of your earlier statement, about the nonexistent nature of ghosts.”
“Hn. He’s no ghost. A ghost is not solid, and Duo most definitely is.”
Trowa quirked an eyebrow. “I don’t want to ask what you’re thinking, do I? … Nope. Forget it. Just one thing.”
“Hn?”
“If Duo’s not a ghost, then what is he?”
Heero shrugged and didn’t answer.
Trowa rolled his eyes. “I guess we just ask Duo?”
“Hnnn. Point. We ask at dinner.”
“We?”
“We. You wanted to know too.”
“Yeah. What has that to do with anything?”
“No way in hell I’m putting myself in the line of fire for your curiosity.”
At that, the bathroom door opened, and Wufei walked out, looking around cautiously to see what had caused their stunned expressions.
“What happened to you two?”
Heero shrugged. Trowa answered.
“We saw a ghost.”
Wufei’s eyebrows shot up, and he gave Trowa a disbelieving look. “A ghost.”
Heero nodded. “Hn. Well, sort of.”
“Sort of?”
“It wasn’t strictly a ghost.”
Wufei’s patience had been stretched to its limit. “Will you two stop with the cyptic comments?!”
“Hn. We sat here waiting for you to finish showering, and Duo crept up behind us, asked us to hide him from Zechs, then Duo disappeared into thin air, Zechs appeared, and saw Duo in the thin air he’d vanished into, then Duo made a run for it, reappearing, and Zechs followed him, bent on rending him limb from limb.”
Wufei’s puzzlement and astonishment grew with every word. Not only is Duo causing trouble, but Heero exceeded his word quota for the day, and the two people here that I thought were the most rational and grounded of all are seeing things. Great.
With a sigh Wufei shook his head and walked off to find his Treize and subsequently, his room.
Trowa and Heero watched him go, and then stared at each other. Then, both spoke at the same time.
“I don’t care, you first.”
Heero blinked. Trowa snickered.
Heero looked Trowa over. “You’ve got more paint on you. Go shower.”
Trowa gave him a mock salute, and followed his ‘orders’.
Heero lounged against the wall, and considered passing the time by wandering, then thought better of it. If I wander Duo will find me, and try to use me as a human shield. So, no. I would rather use my body for something other than just shielding his… Wait. Heero blinked. What did I just think?! Ooookhay. Freudian moment, I guess. At least I didn’t say that out loud.
“Are you sure?” Treize stood not two meters from him.
Did I? Argh, this is why I hate it when people get me to second guess myself. “Hn. How did you get there?” Waitaminute! How in the hell did he know to answer a question I know I didn't voice?! This place is getting weirder by the moment.
“I walked.”
“Alright, let me rephrase. How did you get there without me noticing?”
A shrug. “I don’t know. I thought you had noticed.”
“Hn. Whatever.” He paused momentarily, then added, “Oh, and if you would be so kind as to tell me where Trowa and I are sleeping?”
“Ah. Right. Go left down the hallway just there,” Treize pointed a short ways down the hall toward the kitchen, “and yours is the last door on the right. Quatre and his roommate have the room across the hall. The four of you can work out who sleeps in which room, if things are not to your satisfaction, of course.”
Heero nodded. “Works for me. Was there something you wanted to tell me? You did seek me out…”
Treize shrugged. “Only that dinner will be prepared in about 15 minutes.”
Just then, Trowa randomly started singing one of those Jrock songs he loved so much, to Heero’s eternal annoyance.
“Tsubasa o hiroge sora e habataite / Yakareru mae ni taiyou ni nare / Kaze yo fuke... sora e michibiite / Kimi no subete o ubawareru mae ni…” [1]
Heero gave the bathroom door a venomous glare, and heard Treize chuckle in the background. “Why does he persist in singing lyrics in a language he doesn’t understand?”
Treize shrugged. “Perhaps because he thinks they sound cool? Zechs is similarly enamored of German punk rock.”
Heero raised an eyebrow in a silent request for a little more detail.
Treize snickered. “Rammstein.”
Heero blinked, trying to shake off the mental image that conjured.
Treize started laughing almost hard enough to be doubled over. Heero was confused. I didn’t say anything, why is he suddenly about to collapse to the floor in laughter?
Slowly calming, the taller red-headed man sighed. “That was a sight worth seeing.” With that cryptic comment, he walked back down the hall to the kitchen, leaving Heero to muse over the implications of the odd remark.
Trowa opened the door soon afterwards, and caught sight of Heero, staring, utterly perplexed, into the kitchen.
“… Heero?”
Shaking himself out of his daze, Heero told Trowa where the rooms were, and that dinner was going to be ready in about ten minutes, then he walked past Trowa into the bathroom to take his long-awaited shower.
As he stood under the warm spray, amazed that there was any hot water left at all, Heero mused over that odd exchange with Treize.
He appeared as silently as Duo did. Are they both the same? Whatever the hell they are… Is that how they know each other? That seems plausible enough. Reaching for the shampoo, he poured a glob into his hand and began massaging it into his hair. That doesn’t answer the question of Treize’s odd fit of laughter, though. And it doesn’t explain the fact that his voice sounded multitonal. That was positively eerie. And impossible. Rinsing his hair out mechanically, Heero just stood there for a moment, letting his mind go blank, knowing that he’d be more likely to puzzle it out that way than if he’d worried at it actively for hours.
A thought struck him, and his eyes widened. Masaka. It couldn’t be. He couldn’t be… Such things don’t exist. Heero snorted. I take that back. I’ve already been made to eat those words once today.
I’ll just have to wait and see. We’re having dinner in … two minutes anyways. I should go dress.
Turning off the shower, he grabbed for the last towel, which he’d seen as he walked in… and grasped empty air. Opening his eyes, Heero noticed that not only was the towel gone, so were his clothes, and in their place was a note.
“Argh! Duo! I’ll get my revenge, you’ll see…”
~+~
Five minutes later, clean and dressed, everyone was sitting in the dining room, exchanging idle chatter as they served themselves. ... Well, Duo, Quatre, Treize and Zechs were exchanging idle chatter, whilst the rest seated themselves silently and communicated with looks, gestures, and more silence.
Treize had somehow managed to create a masterpiece of pineapple chicken served over rice, along with a salad, and a second dish of meat lasagna was heating in the oven as they spoke, intended for those who were still hungry.
Quatre for one was vocal about how excellent the food was. The others? Duo was chattering, Zechs was still glaring at him, and the remaining three were mostly silent due to force of habit. Treize smiled urbanely at all of them and tried repeatedly to draw them into the conversation, nudging Zechs in the side in an attempt to jolt him out of his sour mood.
Eventually Treize hit on a topic that would pull a couple of the others out of their taciturn silence.
“Hey, Wufei, you promised to tell us how you knew Heero.”
“What? No I didn’t.”
“Yes, you did, Wufei,” Quatre spoke up, curious. “I heard it too. Quit trying to get out of it.”
~+~
[Duo POV]
With a sigh, Wufei gave in. “Fine, fine.” Giving Heero a look that asked, ‘You-OK-with-this?’, and getting a shrug in return, he started speaking. “It was before I quit working with the police force.”
Why does it not surprise me that you were a part of the police force, Wu?
“I was a private detective to begin with, but I was called on for help because someone in the department recommended me.” Wufei rolled his eyes, “They were trying to crack some kind of drug ring based in Toronto and New York.”
Yeah, so?
“At the time, Heero was with some blonde… I forget her name.”
Wait, what?! I thought he was … My thought was interrupted as Heero helpfully provided the bitch's name, and Wufei concisely detailed the remainder of the story. … What the hell? That made me jealous?! Hell. What is wrong with me. He's been openly accepting of me, so why should I be jealous of some idiot blonde who's not even around? Is it 'cause she got to call him her boyfriend?
“Dorothy. She was a pain in the ass, and we were together in name only.”
Together in name only, eh? I guess I’ll have to pry this out of him later. That ‘pain in the ass’ crack … Duo fought to keep from laughing out loud at his own mental ramblings and jokes.
Wufei nodded his thanks, and continued, “But it turned out she was somehow connected with the leader of the drug ring, and Heero tipped me off, managing to evade her suspicions.”
By not speaking, perhaps?
“Eventually we arrested most of the drug ring, and Dorothy was among them. There, Heero and I parted ways, figuratively speaking. The two of us had never once actually met during the case.”
What happened after the case?
The others looked at me. Oops. I hadn’t meant to blurt that out.
“Well? You going to tell me? Or do I have to play Twenty Questions with you?”
Heero looked at me oddly. “Nothing interesting. I went back to my work, Wufei went back home to Canada, and the two of us lived in peace until we met you.”
Treize snickered. “He’s got a point, Duo. You are something of a troublemaker.”
I grinned back. “Of course. I have to keep you lot on your toes so you don’t get overly fat and lazy.”
Treize looked hurt. “Fat?”
I could feel my grin widen and take on an evil cast. “I’m sure you would be if you and Zechs weren’t constantly burning the calories back off in the bedroom.”
That got me a twinned shout.
“Duo!!”
I tried to look innocent. “What? You know it’s true.”
Treize and Zechs were red and staring at me, Trowa was laughing, Quatre was in shock, probably because of my bluntness, Heero looked blank, and Wufei snickered.
Damn, I was hoping for more of a reaction from Geek-Boy. … Wait, was that Wufei that snickered? Maybe that was worthwhile afterall. … I wonder if Heero didn’t react, ‘cause he knew I wanted a reaction, or just ‘cause he didn’t get the joke. … It’s gotta be the former. He’d have to be really dense not to get it after everyone else around him started sputtering, and since I know he has a sense of humor buried deep in there somewhere. He couldn’t stop ribbing me when I last visited.
“What’s the matter, Quat? Still not used to me?”
“… Should I be? Or, more to the point, why would I want to be?”
At that, Heero spoke up. “Hn. I think you mean, ‘Who would want to?’, Quatre.”
“Oi! I resent that.”
“Thank you, Duo, for proving my point.”
“Huh?! What is that supposed to mean?”
~+~
[Heero POV]
I smirked. Hook, line, and sinker. “Only that by protesting your innocence, you just biased everyone here towards my side of the argument.”
Duo rolled his eyes. “I doubt it.”
Zechs, still seeking revenge for his earlier embarrassment, interjected, “I’m with Heero.”
“My vote follows Zechs’,” Treize added, “since I don’t particularly want to be cut off from ‘burning the calories back off in the bedroom’, as you put it, Duo.”
Wufei’s eyes gleamed. “Not agreeing with Heero would be a miscarriage of justice. You’ve teased, pranked, and tortured everyone here at least once.”
I could feel my smirk widening. “You’re outvoted any way you turn it, Duo.”
Duo sighed, trying to look piteous, and buried his head in his hands. “Typical. I try to get my friends to be nice to each other, and they gang up on me.”
“You invited it on yourself, Duo, tempting the Fates as you did.” Trowa replied. “Pranking both Heero and Zechs in the span of the same hour was not the smartest move you could have made.”
“Oh, but it was oh-so-damn-much-fun!”
Quatre raised an eyebrow. “Being chased around the house by a dripping six-foot-something blonde qualifies as fun?”
“You’re just jealous that you didn’t get to chase me yourself, Quat.”
Quatre’s other eyebrow rose. “Riiight. One thing, though, while we’re on the subject of the chase…”
Duo’s expression or amusement faded into humor tinged with wariness. “Yes?”
“How is it that you managed to pull that disappearing act, and just fade into thin air?”
Zechs gave Duo a look. “Fade into thin air? What did you do, Duo?”
“Eeehhehehe… nothing? I was running from you.”
Treize fixed Duo with his own intensely blue stare. “Duo… answer the question.”
I felt like an intruder on a private scene, sensing that there was an undercurrent of tension here now that I wasn’t sure I entirely understood. What is going on here?!
“All I did was fade into the background. How was I to know he’d be able to sense it?!”
Who sensed what?!
“You’re supposed to keep those abilities hidden. Now it seems we have no choice.”
Zechs nodded. “You always were just that little bit too impulsive, Duo.”
Wufei cleared his throat a little tentatively. “If I might ask what the hell is going on?”
Duo turned to him with a wry smile. “Well… We three are vampires.”
~+~+~+~
[1] - Props to anyone who can name the song. (I know you can, Val. Shh.)
Comments welcomed, as always. Hell, I don't care what you say, just tell me what you liked, what you thought could be better, if you found any typos, whatever. Mostly, it's just nice to know someone is actually reading the stuff I post.
Warnings: language, innuendo, ... craziness, the usual...
Link to Prologue
Link to Part I
Link to Part II
Link to Part III
Link to Part IV
Link to Part V.i
Link to Part V.ii
Part VI (edited)
Treize rolled his eyes and walked on, tossing over his shoulder. “Just don’t get yourself killed.”
Well… I think I can do that, fairly easily. Duo Maxwell, your time has come. Everything is in place. All I need now is you. Heero’s expression was verging on the predatory. Quatre looked a little bit off-balance and uncertain. Trowa… was expressionless, as he tended to be.
Wufei eyed Heero warily. “If you choose to taunt Maxwell as such, I’m staying out of it. He tends to be particularly sadistic towards me.”
“Maybe that’s because you’re so rigidly moral, Wufei.” Heero smirked.
“I may be moral-bound, but I am not rigid.” Wufei was glaring at Heero for all he was worth. It merely bounced off of Heero’s raised eyebrow.
“Suuure, you aren’t.”
Quatre, about to intervene in order to stave off the imminent bloodshed, was saved the effort by the sound of the bathroom door opening. He smiled brightly and sweetly at the other three men, and sauntered into the now freed bathroom, but Trowa was the only one that noticed in time to protest.
“Quatre… That wasn’t fair.” Trowa’s voice rang out softly, barely audible over Heero’s bickering and Wufei’s sniping.
Quatre winked at him. “I blame Duo’s timing.”
Trowa snorted, and the door closed behind Quatre. That was when the two squabbling men finally realized that they’d missed their chance to shower… and that Duo had escaped scotch free.
Wufei grumbled, “Nice, Yuy. You let him get away.”
“I let him get away? I didn’t see you do anything to stop him.”
Trowa tuned them out. I wonder why it is that those two can’t seem to get along without the in-fighting. I thought the whole point of this was for us all to make friends. Hmph. Ironic twist, that.
~+~
Wandering into the kitchen to grab a bite to eat and begin preparing dinner, Treize missed the moment when Duo slipped past him and up the stairs into the master bedroom he and Zechs shared. Duo, for his part, had mischief in mind, as usual. He stole silently up the stairs and into the master bedroom, noting that the shower was on, and smirked evilly. What better way to cause mayhem than to play the master thief? I’ll just set up a treasure hunt, of sorts.
Duo snatched up a couple of small items from the dresser, noting after he’d picked them up that they appeared to be a keyring and a silver charm necklace that matched the one he wore. He’d given Treize and Zechs each one of the charm necklaces as a token of friendship years ago, and was touched that they had apparently kept them.
Shaking off his pensive mood, he grinned, and quietly opened the bathroom door, stealing Zechs’ robe and all the towels in sight, then reclosing it, barricading it from the outside with a chair.
Pleased with his handiwork, he moved on to his usual guestroom, assuming his things had been put there, to find some clothes to put on. Wandering around in nothing but a pair of boxers and a towel was not too practical for what he had in mind.
As it turned out, his guess had been right. He pulled out a pair of worn black jeans and a dark grey tee, then pocketed the things he’d already stolen. I’ll make my announcement at dinner once I’ve hidden these things. Let’s see. Now, where would Treize put the others…? Perhaps the two doubles on the first floor?
Duo crept back down the stairs, grinning at a wet, bewildered-looking Quatre as he wandered past, obviously looking for his room.
“Uhm… Quat?”
“Yes, Duo?”
“… Where are you going?”
“I was looking for my room.”
The grin widened. “It’s not upstairs. Your room is one of the doubles on the first floor, I’d bet. Mine is the one upstairs opposite the master bedroom. There aren’t any others upstairs.”
“Oh. Well, lead the way then, if you would be so kind.” Quatre’s voice held a light hint of dry sarcasm.
“Sure thing, Quat.” Duo replied brightly.
Quatre looked amused, and gave Duo a gentle shove away from the foot of the stairs. “You’re not fooling me, Duo. Walk.”
With an exaggerated mock-pout, Duo acquiesced. “Fine, fine. And here I thought you might appreciate it if I played the gentleman.”
Quatre snorted. “You? Gentleman? Those two words are polar opposites. The day they appear in the same sentence with any validity will be the day Hell freezes over, and the world ends.”
Duo staggered melodramatically, almost swooning in his attempt to prove his point. “You wound me, kind sir. Wouldst mayhap prefer I expired of shock and the effects of this blow to mine honor?!”
Quatre laughed outright at that. “Duo…” he shook his head sadly, “the day you star in a theatre production would be a sad day indeed for Shakespeare and thespians everywhere.”
“Oi!! That was mean.”
Quatre said nothing more, but motioned to Duo to take the lead. Still grumbling a bit, Duo did so, knowing that not to accede to a request Quatre made could have dire consequences far out of proportion to the transgression itself. Damn, now how am I gonna put my plan into action with him watching my every move? … Hm. I wonder… Maybe if…
“Hey, Quat?”
“Hm?”
“Were my eyes deceiving me, or were you oogling Trowa during that paintball game?”
Quatre sputtered. “What?! No!”
Duo smirked. Caught. Red-handed. “Oh? Why were your eyes glued to his ass, then?”
“They weren’t. I wasn’t oogling… I was appreciating the view, and for that matter, so was everyone else.” Quatre grinned back at Duo, knowing that line would shock his friend speechless. After a moment’s pause he added, a little smugly, “Several times. And what a sight it was. After all, it’s not like it was our fault, either. As I recall you were the one that stuffed us into the spandex suits.”
Duo just gaped at him for a long moment, stunned. “Quatre?! You… but…” Duo shook his head. “Damn your innocent angelic looks. They make even me forget your wickedness at times.”
“That’s the point. If you’ve got something that gives you an edge, use it, I say. No one expects the innocent-looking ones to be the most wicked. It works every time… usually to my advantage.” Quatre winked.
Shaking his head, but smiling, Duo quipped. “And you play the part of the innocent to the hilt, don’t you?”
“Of course!” Quatre was back in his persona, guileless eyes shining up at his friend. “How not? Why not?” He walked down the hallway a few steps, and paused. “Well, Duo? Where is my room?”
“Huh? Oh, right.” Duo absently gave directions, just staring at the slightly shorter blonde. “Down the hall to the right, the last door on the left side.” How in the Hells does he manage to keep doing this to me?! I know he can. I know he will. How does he always manage to surprise me with the timing?
Quatre had meantime opened the door and caught sight of two sets of bags. One his, and one unfamiliar. I wonder whose those are…
His musings were cut off by shouting from the second floor.
“Damn it, Duo! What the hell! Open the damned door!”
Duo snickered. “Think I should, Quat?”
“Is that a rhetorical question?”
“Purely so.”
“Then why should I answer?”
“There was no need for one.”
Any further comment was forestalled by the sound of more shouting.
A moment later, Duo grinned. “I suppose I’d better disappear for a few minutes. You never saw me, O Innocent One.”
With that he was gone. Just… gone. Quatre blinked. “What the…? Where did he go? He can’t have just disappeared into thin air.”
He jumped about a foot, when said air spoke in Duo’s voice. “Sure I can.”
A hand tapped him in the shoulder. Turning so quickly he nearly wrenched his back, he found Duo lounging in the doorway.
Duo laughed and then pushed away from the doorway… then pulled the same trick again, vanishing into the hallway.
And, Quatre noted, it was not a moment too soon. As he turned to walk back into his room, Zechs came storming down the stairs in a pair of jeans… and nothing else. Dripping.
Quatre stared.
Catching sight of Quatre at the end of the hall, Zechs stalked over, projecting menace from every pore. “Have you seen Duo?”
Quatre didn’t answer immediately, staring. “What did he do to you this time?”
“The demonspawn from hell? Only stole every towel in the bathroom while I was showering, barricaded the door from the outside with a damned chair, then made off with my keys.” Zechs was breathing heavily by the end of his tirade.
Quatre’s eyebrows rose. “I see. I saw him briefly a moment or two ago. I have no idea where he is now.”
Zechs eyed the other blonde, not quite sure whether to try to call him on that vague answer, or to just take the reply at face value. After a moment he gave in and just stalked off, growling obscenities under his breath.
Treize, drawn by the racket, stuck his head out of the kitchen door, and regretted it. Zechs was in a murderous mood. Duo again, I’d wager, by the looks of things. One of these days Zechs will just throttle him. That much is almost certain. What remains to be seen is how long Zechs’ patience will stretch unless Duo mellows out a bit.
~+~
After listening to Heero and Wufei bicker for a bit, Trowa interjected mildly, “Don’t you two think maybe it might be a better idea to just agree to disagree and stop the in-fighting?”
Wufei rolled his eyes. Heero looked almost disappointed.
“But Duo would be disappointed in us if we didn’t bicker.” Heero replied.
Trowa considered this for a moment. “True, but why waste the energy? You could just as easily try to stop Duo from making overly much mischief.”
Wufei snorted. “That’s a waste of effort if I’ve ever heard of one.”
As they stood, now discussing, rather than taking shots at each other as they had been for most of the afternoon, Quatre opened the door, and stepped out, wearing nothing but a towel.
The blonde smiled brightly at them. “Who’s next?”
Trowa stared, seemingly transfixed.
Heero snorted and poked Trowa in the ribs.
Wufei ignored them both and slipped into the bathroom while they were preoccupied.
~+~
[Quatre POV]
Fascinated, I watched the non-expression on Trowa’s face turn to appreciation as I walked out of the bathroom in his towel, and then shift into startlement and chagrin when Heero poked him. Hmm… interesting. I wonder if Trowa might possibly… I’ll have to sleep on it.
“Either of you know where our rooms are?”
Heero shook his head no and then nudged Trowa again, jolting his taller friend out of his semi-entranced state.
“No, I don’t either,” Trowa added, seeming distracted.
Shrugging, I wandered off to go find one of our hosts to ask where we were being put up for the night.
Seeing no one during my search, I gave up and headed for the stairs, assuming that if most houses were designed similarly, the bedrooms ought to be on the first floor.
I was startled out of his musings on architecture by Duo’s voice.
“Uhm… Quat?”
“Yes, Duo?”
“… Where are you going?”
“I was looking for my room.”
I watched apprehensively as Duo’s perpetual grin widened.
“It’s not upstairs. Your room is one of the doubles on the first floor, I’d bet. Mine is the one upstairs opposite the master bedroom. There aren’t any others upstairs, though.”
“Oh. Well, lead the way then, if you would be so kind.” Why do I get the feeling he’s up to no good, slinking down the stairs like that? My mouth went on autopilot for a moment or two while I considered the ramifications of Duo’s secretive manner.
The sheer melodrama he projects is astounding. I wonder why he didn’t go into acting? ... For that matter, what does he do? Now that I think about it, I don't know. Is it possible that I just missed it? ... No. I don't miss details. I can't afford to. Not when I run my own business. And speaking of missing details, letting my mouth run on without paying attention to what I say will likely get me into trouble if I'm not careful. Better put that to a stop now.
“Oi!! That was mean.”
I motioned to Duo to take the lead in lieu of continuing the conversation while I was so distracted. What did I say?! ^$#@. -sigh- Somehow this strikes me as typical. Once I finally manage to win a verbal battle against Duo 'Motormouth' Maxwell, I'm not paying attention. Still grumbling a bit, Duo led the way back along the corridor.
Does it maybe have something to do with the strange way he was acting last time he came to visit? Hm. Come to think of it, he’s been acting more like normal since we got here… his pranks are more exaggerated and outrageous, though.
“Hey, Quat?”
“Hm?”
“Were my eyes deceiving me, or were you oogling Trowa during that paintball game?”
I sputtered. “What?! No!”
I will not blush, I will not blush…
Duo smirked. “Oh? Why were your eyes glued to his ass, then?”
“They weren’t. I wasn’t oogling… I was appreciating the view, and for that matter, so was everyone else.” I grinned back at Duo, knowing that line would shock his friend speechless. After a moment’s pause he added, a little smugly, “Several times. And what a sight it was. After all, it’s not like it was our fault, either. As I recall you were the one that stuffed us into the spandex suits.”
Duo just gaped at me for a long moment, stunned. “Quatre?! You… but…” Duo shook his head. “Damn your innocent angelic looks. They make even me forget your wickedness at times.”
“That’s the point. If you’ve got something that gives you an edge, use it, I say. No one expects the innocent-looking ones to be the most wicked. It works every time… usually to my advantage.” I winked at him. "Besides... life's more fun when you're not bored, ne?"
Shaking his head, but smiling, Duo quipped. “And you play the part of the innocent to the hilt, don’t you?”
“Of course!” I was back in his persona, looking up at him, radiating innocence. “How not? Why not?” I walked down the hallway a few steps, and paused. “Well, Duo? Where is my room?”
“Huh? Oh, right.” Duo absently gave directions, just staring at me. “Down the hall to the right, the last door on the left side
I had meantime opened the door and caught sight of two sets of bags. One mine, and one unfamiliar. I wonder whose those are…
My musings were cut off by shouting from the second floor.
“Damn it, Duo! What the hell! Open the damned door!”
Zechs?! But…
Duo snickered. “Think I should, Quat?”
“Is that a rhetorical question?”
“Purely so.”
Of course. “Then why should I answer?”
“There was no need for one.”
Any further comment was forestalled by the sound of more shouting.
Duo grinned. “I suppose I’d better disappear for a few minutes. You never saw me, O Innocent One.”
With that he was gone. Just… gone. I blinked. “What the…? Where did he go? He can’t have just disappeared into thin air.”
I must have jumped about a foot, when said air spoke in Duo’s voice. “Sure I can.”
A hand tapped me on the shoulder. Turning so quickly I nearly wrenched my back, I found Duo lounging in the doorway.
Duo laughed and then pushed away from the doorway… then pulled the same trick again, vanishing into the hallway.
Is it possible? Could my suspicions have been right?! No ordinary person could just disappear like that. That trick would have easily made Houdini jealous.
And, I noted, he used it not a moment too soon. As I’d turned to walk back into his room, Zechs came storming down the stairs in a pair of jeans… and nothing else. Dripping.
I stared.
Wow. Damn. If they’re together as I suspect, Treize is one lucky bastard.
Catching sight of me at the end of the hall, Zechs stalked over, projecting menace from every pore. “Have you seen Duo?”
I didn’t answer immediately, still staring. “What did he do to you this time?”
Remind me to thank him for the view.
“The demonspawn from hell? Only stole every towel in the bathroom while I was showering, barricaded the door from the outside with a damned chair, then made off with my keys.” Zechs was breathing heavily by the end of his tirade.
My eyebrows rose. “I see. I saw him briefly a moment or two ago. I have no idea where he is now.” That is strictly true, at least. Oh, the joys of keeping promises to Duo. I hesitate to even dare wonder what he’ll pull next and expect me to cover for.
Zechs eyed me, obviously a bit put out that he'd missed Duo by inches. After a moment of fuming silently, he gave in and just stalked off, growling obscenities under his breath.
Treize, drawn by the racket, stuck his head out of the kitchen door.
~+~
Heero glared at the closed bathroom door once he realized he’d missed a second opportunity. He growled. “Damn.”
Trowa looked amused. “You’ll survive another five minutes or so without a shower. Relax.”
Heero raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps. But maybe you won’t.”
“You think so? Why not?”
Heero smirked at him and merely glanced down meaningfully. “That’s why not.”
“What has that to do with survival?” Trowa gave him a look.
“Nothing, really. But if you want to survive the next few hours you might want to take a cold shower.”
“Oi! Heero!” Trowa wore an exaggerated expression of hurt. The snicker he was trying to stifle ruined the look’s intended effect.
Heero’s smirk widened. “Who’s that for? Quatre?”
Trowa gaped at him. “… What?! Watch yourself, Heero, I haven’t much patience for such matters.”
“Fine, fine.”
“And what was with that comment about stealing Duo’s towel earlier?”
To Trowa’s utter astonishment, Heero blushed lightly and mumbled something.
“What was that? I didn’t understand a word you just said.”
“Good.”
“Hmph. You like him don’t you?”
“And if I do?”
“I’d have to wish you luck and much patience. Duo tries even the most easy-going of souls.”
As if to underscore that, a shout rang out from above them.
Trowa looked amused again. “Case in point.”
“Hn.”
[A minute or so later...]
“Psst!”
Heero and Trowa turned to look around at the sibilant call.
“Who’s there?” Trowa demanded. Heero had reflexively fallen into a defensive stance.
“It’s me. You’ve gotta hide me. Zechs is out for blood.”
Heero raised an eyebrow. “No doubt he has reason.”
Trowa snickered. “Of course he does.”
Duo rolled his eyes. “Fine then. I’ll leave you to it.” With that, he disappeared, flitting down the corridor, silent as a shadow, and seemingly as insubstantial.
Heero blinked. “Did you see that?”
Trowa nodded.
“That should be humanly impossible.”
Trowa nodded again.
“What is going on then?”
“I have no idea, Heero.”
“Seeing ghosts, gentlemen?” Zechs walked up, his hair still dripping slightly.
Trowa shrugged. “Is the house haunted?”
Heero scowled. “There are no such things as ghosts.”
“Think what you’d like, Heero, but I personally do think this house is haunted.” Zechs interjected. Then muttered to himself, “I’m looking for one of them.”
Overhearing the low-voiced comment, Trowa raised an eyebrow. “Looking for a ghost, Zechs?”
“Hm? Not exactly. That was, perhaps, a poor choice of words on my part. I’m looking for Duo… he can be as elusive as a ghost, at times, though.” Then, after a heartbeat, Zechs added, “Most often just after he’s pulled a prank.”
Trowa nodded sympathetically. “He manage to catch you unawares in the shower?”
Zechs sighed. “He stole every towel in the place, and my clothes, then barricaded the door from the outside, and stole my keys on top of everything else.” Wearing a pained look, he continued in his search. “When I get my hands on the demon…”
As Zechs turned back towards the corner he’d turned whilst on the warpath, something in his bearing changed, becoming sharper, clearer. He reminded Trowa of a hunting dog that had scented prey… But there was no one to be seen.
“Oh, Duo,” Zechs nearly purred, forgetting his audience, “there you are…”
There was a startled ‘eep’ and then Duo could be seen running up the hallway, in the direction of the door and beyond that, the grounds, obviously hoping to escape capture and subsequent revenge.
Heero and Trowa exchanged looks.
It was Trowa that gave voice to what they were both thinking. “What the fuck?”
Heero mused aloud, “Hn. Demon indeed. Though you were right, Trowa, ghost might be more appropriate. … But, if supernatural beings exist, and Duo’s one of them, why aren’t we dead yet?”
Trowa couldn’t help but laugh. “So they do exist. Well. I guess this requires an adjustment of your earlier statement, about the nonexistent nature of ghosts.”
“Hn. He’s no ghost. A ghost is not solid, and Duo most definitely is.”
Trowa quirked an eyebrow. “I don’t want to ask what you’re thinking, do I? … Nope. Forget it. Just one thing.”
“Hn?”
“If Duo’s not a ghost, then what is he?”
Heero shrugged and didn’t answer.
Trowa rolled his eyes. “I guess we just ask Duo?”
“Hnnn. Point. We ask at dinner.”
“We?”
“We. You wanted to know too.”
“Yeah. What has that to do with anything?”
“No way in hell I’m putting myself in the line of fire for your curiosity.”
At that, the bathroom door opened, and Wufei walked out, looking around cautiously to see what had caused their stunned expressions.
“What happened to you two?”
Heero shrugged. Trowa answered.
“We saw a ghost.”
Wufei’s eyebrows shot up, and he gave Trowa a disbelieving look. “A ghost.”
Heero nodded. “Hn. Well, sort of.”
“Sort of?”
“It wasn’t strictly a ghost.”
Wufei’s patience had been stretched to its limit. “Will you two stop with the cyptic comments?!”
“Hn. We sat here waiting for you to finish showering, and Duo crept up behind us, asked us to hide him from Zechs, then Duo disappeared into thin air, Zechs appeared, and saw Duo in the thin air he’d vanished into, then Duo made a run for it, reappearing, and Zechs followed him, bent on rending him limb from limb.”
Wufei’s puzzlement and astonishment grew with every word. Not only is Duo causing trouble, but Heero exceeded his word quota for the day, and the two people here that I thought were the most rational and grounded of all are seeing things. Great.
With a sigh Wufei shook his head and walked off to find his Treize and subsequently, his room.
Trowa and Heero watched him go, and then stared at each other. Then, both spoke at the same time.
“I don’t care, you first.”
Heero blinked. Trowa snickered.
Heero looked Trowa over. “You’ve got more paint on you. Go shower.”
Trowa gave him a mock salute, and followed his ‘orders’.
Heero lounged against the wall, and considered passing the time by wandering, then thought better of it. If I wander Duo will find me, and try to use me as a human shield. So, no. I would rather use my body for something other than just shielding his… Wait. Heero blinked. What did I just think?! Ooookhay. Freudian moment, I guess. At least I didn’t say that out loud.
“Are you sure?” Treize stood not two meters from him.
Did I? Argh, this is why I hate it when people get me to second guess myself. “Hn. How did you get there?” Waitaminute! How in the hell did he know to answer a question I know I didn't voice?! This place is getting weirder by the moment.
“I walked.”
“Alright, let me rephrase. How did you get there without me noticing?”
A shrug. “I don’t know. I thought you had noticed.”
“Hn. Whatever.” He paused momentarily, then added, “Oh, and if you would be so kind as to tell me where Trowa and I are sleeping?”
“Ah. Right. Go left down the hallway just there,” Treize pointed a short ways down the hall toward the kitchen, “and yours is the last door on the right. Quatre and his roommate have the room across the hall. The four of you can work out who sleeps in which room, if things are not to your satisfaction, of course.”
Heero nodded. “Works for me. Was there something you wanted to tell me? You did seek me out…”
Treize shrugged. “Only that dinner will be prepared in about 15 minutes.”
Just then, Trowa randomly started singing one of those Jrock songs he loved so much, to Heero’s eternal annoyance.
“Tsubasa o hiroge sora e habataite / Yakareru mae ni taiyou ni nare / Kaze yo fuke... sora e michibiite / Kimi no subete o ubawareru mae ni…” [1]
Heero gave the bathroom door a venomous glare, and heard Treize chuckle in the background. “Why does he persist in singing lyrics in a language he doesn’t understand?”
Treize shrugged. “Perhaps because he thinks they sound cool? Zechs is similarly enamored of German punk rock.”
Heero raised an eyebrow in a silent request for a little more detail.
Treize snickered. “Rammstein.”
Heero blinked, trying to shake off the mental image that conjured.
Treize started laughing almost hard enough to be doubled over. Heero was confused. I didn’t say anything, why is he suddenly about to collapse to the floor in laughter?
Slowly calming, the taller red-headed man sighed. “That was a sight worth seeing.” With that cryptic comment, he walked back down the hall to the kitchen, leaving Heero to muse over the implications of the odd remark.
Trowa opened the door soon afterwards, and caught sight of Heero, staring, utterly perplexed, into the kitchen.
“… Heero?”
Shaking himself out of his daze, Heero told Trowa where the rooms were, and that dinner was going to be ready in about ten minutes, then he walked past Trowa into the bathroom to take his long-awaited shower.
As he stood under the warm spray, amazed that there was any hot water left at all, Heero mused over that odd exchange with Treize.
He appeared as silently as Duo did. Are they both the same? Whatever the hell they are… Is that how they know each other? That seems plausible enough. Reaching for the shampoo, he poured a glob into his hand and began massaging it into his hair. That doesn’t answer the question of Treize’s odd fit of laughter, though. And it doesn’t explain the fact that his voice sounded multitonal. That was positively eerie. And impossible. Rinsing his hair out mechanically, Heero just stood there for a moment, letting his mind go blank, knowing that he’d be more likely to puzzle it out that way than if he’d worried at it actively for hours.
A thought struck him, and his eyes widened. Masaka. It couldn’t be. He couldn’t be… Such things don’t exist. Heero snorted. I take that back. I’ve already been made to eat those words once today.
I’ll just have to wait and see. We’re having dinner in … two minutes anyways. I should go dress.
Turning off the shower, he grabbed for the last towel, which he’d seen as he walked in… and grasped empty air. Opening his eyes, Heero noticed that not only was the towel gone, so were his clothes, and in their place was a note.
“Argh! Duo! I’ll get my revenge, you’ll see…”
~+~
Five minutes later, clean and dressed, everyone was sitting in the dining room, exchanging idle chatter as they served themselves. ... Well, Duo, Quatre, Treize and Zechs were exchanging idle chatter, whilst the rest seated themselves silently and communicated with looks, gestures, and more silence.
Treize had somehow managed to create a masterpiece of pineapple chicken served over rice, along with a salad, and a second dish of meat lasagna was heating in the oven as they spoke, intended for those who were still hungry.
Quatre for one was vocal about how excellent the food was. The others? Duo was chattering, Zechs was still glaring at him, and the remaining three were mostly silent due to force of habit. Treize smiled urbanely at all of them and tried repeatedly to draw them into the conversation, nudging Zechs in the side in an attempt to jolt him out of his sour mood.
Eventually Treize hit on a topic that would pull a couple of the others out of their taciturn silence.
“Hey, Wufei, you promised to tell us how you knew Heero.”
“What? No I didn’t.”
“Yes, you did, Wufei,” Quatre spoke up, curious. “I heard it too. Quit trying to get out of it.”
~+~
[Duo POV]
With a sigh, Wufei gave in. “Fine, fine.” Giving Heero a look that asked, ‘You-OK-with-this?’, and getting a shrug in return, he started speaking. “It was before I quit working with the police force.”
Why does it not surprise me that you were a part of the police force, Wu?
“I was a private detective to begin with, but I was called on for help because someone in the department recommended me.” Wufei rolled his eyes, “They were trying to crack some kind of drug ring based in Toronto and New York.”
Yeah, so?
“At the time, Heero was with some blonde… I forget her name.”
Wait, what?! I thought he was … My thought was interrupted as Heero helpfully provided the bitch's name, and Wufei concisely detailed the remainder of the story. … What the hell? That made me jealous?! Hell. What is wrong with me. He's been openly accepting of me, so why should I be jealous of some idiot blonde who's not even around? Is it 'cause she got to call him her boyfriend?
“Dorothy. She was a pain in the ass, and we were together in name only.”
Together in name only, eh? I guess I’ll have to pry this out of him later. That ‘pain in the ass’ crack … Duo fought to keep from laughing out loud at his own mental ramblings and jokes.
Wufei nodded his thanks, and continued, “But it turned out she was somehow connected with the leader of the drug ring, and Heero tipped me off, managing to evade her suspicions.”
By not speaking, perhaps?
“Eventually we arrested most of the drug ring, and Dorothy was among them. There, Heero and I parted ways, figuratively speaking. The two of us had never once actually met during the case.”
What happened after the case?
The others looked at me. Oops. I hadn’t meant to blurt that out.
“Well? You going to tell me? Or do I have to play Twenty Questions with you?”
Heero looked at me oddly. “Nothing interesting. I went back to my work, Wufei went back home to Canada, and the two of us lived in peace until we met you.”
Treize snickered. “He’s got a point, Duo. You are something of a troublemaker.”
I grinned back. “Of course. I have to keep you lot on your toes so you don’t get overly fat and lazy.”
Treize looked hurt. “Fat?”
I could feel my grin widen and take on an evil cast. “I’m sure you would be if you and Zechs weren’t constantly burning the calories back off in the bedroom.”
That got me a twinned shout.
“Duo!!”
I tried to look innocent. “What? You know it’s true.”
Treize and Zechs were red and staring at me, Trowa was laughing, Quatre was in shock, probably because of my bluntness, Heero looked blank, and Wufei snickered.
Damn, I was hoping for more of a reaction from Geek-Boy. … Wait, was that Wufei that snickered? Maybe that was worthwhile afterall. … I wonder if Heero didn’t react, ‘cause he knew I wanted a reaction, or just ‘cause he didn’t get the joke. … It’s gotta be the former. He’d have to be really dense not to get it after everyone else around him started sputtering, and since I know he has a sense of humor buried deep in there somewhere. He couldn’t stop ribbing me when I last visited.
“What’s the matter, Quat? Still not used to me?”
“… Should I be? Or, more to the point, why would I want to be?”
At that, Heero spoke up. “Hn. I think you mean, ‘Who would want to?’, Quatre.”
“Oi! I resent that.”
“Thank you, Duo, for proving my point.”
“Huh?! What is that supposed to mean?”
~+~
[Heero POV]
I smirked. Hook, line, and sinker. “Only that by protesting your innocence, you just biased everyone here towards my side of the argument.”
Duo rolled his eyes. “I doubt it.”
Zechs, still seeking revenge for his earlier embarrassment, interjected, “I’m with Heero.”
“My vote follows Zechs’,” Treize added, “since I don’t particularly want to be cut off from ‘burning the calories back off in the bedroom’, as you put it, Duo.”
Wufei’s eyes gleamed. “Not agreeing with Heero would be a miscarriage of justice. You’ve teased, pranked, and tortured everyone here at least once.”
I could feel my smirk widening. “You’re outvoted any way you turn it, Duo.”
Duo sighed, trying to look piteous, and buried his head in his hands. “Typical. I try to get my friends to be nice to each other, and they gang up on me.”
“You invited it on yourself, Duo, tempting the Fates as you did.” Trowa replied. “Pranking both Heero and Zechs in the span of the same hour was not the smartest move you could have made.”
“Oh, but it was oh-so-damn-much-fun!”
Quatre raised an eyebrow. “Being chased around the house by a dripping six-foot-something blonde qualifies as fun?”
“You’re just jealous that you didn’t get to chase me yourself, Quat.”
Quatre’s other eyebrow rose. “Riiight. One thing, though, while we’re on the subject of the chase…”
Duo’s expression or amusement faded into humor tinged with wariness. “Yes?”
“How is it that you managed to pull that disappearing act, and just fade into thin air?”
Zechs gave Duo a look. “Fade into thin air? What did you do, Duo?”
“Eeehhehehe… nothing? I was running from you.”
Treize fixed Duo with his own intensely blue stare. “Duo… answer the question.”
I felt like an intruder on a private scene, sensing that there was an undercurrent of tension here now that I wasn’t sure I entirely understood. What is going on here?!
“All I did was fade into the background. How was I to know he’d be able to sense it?!”
Who sensed what?!
“You’re supposed to keep those abilities hidden. Now it seems we have no choice.”
Zechs nodded. “You always were just that little bit too impulsive, Duo.”
Wufei cleared his throat a little tentatively. “If I might ask what the hell is going on?”
Duo turned to him with a wry smile. “Well… We three are vampires.”
~+~+~+~
[1] - Props to anyone who can name the song. (I know you can, Val. Shh.)
Comments welcomed, as always. Hell, I don't care what you say, just tell me what you liked, what you thought could be better, if you found any typos, whatever. Mostly, it's just nice to know someone is actually reading the stuff I post.