fic - Magic in D Minor - Part Two
Title: Magic in D Minor - Part Two
Author: ralphiere
Pairing: 1x2
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Don’t own them.
Warnings: language, sexual situations, minor violence, AU, changing POV, possible OOC-ness
Notes: I don’t usual dabble in Fantasy, so forgive me. This is part two of not too many, although things are quickly spiraling out of my control. I strive to post weekly, as long as RL behaves ^___^
Thanks to bleedtoblue for the beta!!
Magic in D Minor
Part Two
After listening to Heero’s fading footsteps, Duo took a deep, shaky breath, and closed his eyes. Just having the man stand there had been painful. Every cell in his body had screamed for him to cross the room and fall to his knees in supplication. That alone went against everything Duo was. He’d made it this far in his life answering to no one and he didn’t intend to start now.
He glanced angrily down at the tented sheet that hid his erection. That wasn’t the only part of him that ached - his whole body ached, longing for the touch of the sadistic bastard holding him prisoner. Throwing the sheet aside, Duo lurched up, and stalked across the room towards the bathroom. He would not beat off with that man’s name dancing on the tip of his tongue. Fucker. Filling the bath with ice cold water, Duo forced himself into it. He shuddered violently when the water touched his heated skin, but he didn’t stop until his chin was touching the surface. It took a horrifically long time for the unwanted desire to ebb.
Once he felt himself again, he stood, shivering. Reaching for a towel, he glanced in the mirror noting the alarming blue of his lips and the dark circles under his eyes. He was a mess. Wrapping the towel around his shoulders, he stepped out onto the mat, and ignored his reflection. After briskly drying his reddened skin, he wound another towel around his hair and went back into the bedroom.
Early afternoon sunlight streamed into the room through the window and he immediately walked over to stand in it, letting it warm him. He could see out the window, looking down at the rolling hills that surrounded the house. There was nothing that remotely suggested civilization for miles from this vantage point. Where the hell was he? A fleeting moment of helplessness washed over him, but he pushed it aside as quickly as it had come. Duo Maxwell was not helpless, even now.
His stomach rumbled and he turned towards the tray of food Heero had left on the bed. It didn’t surprise him that he had an appetite after all that had happened. His mother used to tease him that he’d be eating a three course meal on his deathbed, something he didn’t doubt. Dropping the damp towels carelessly on the floor, Duo grabbed the quilt off the bed and was just wrapping it around his shoulders when something on the floor caught his eye. Just inside the door there was a neat pile of clothes and a hardbound book.
Tossing the quilt back on the bed, Duo went to examine the clothes. He picked them up cautiously, his fingers tingling slightly when he touched the fabric. Without thinking he drew them to his face and inhaled. He knew without a doubt that Heero’s scent was on the clothes, but instead of sending him spiraling in another fit of desire, the masculine smell triggered an indescribable feeling of security. He was hard pressed to choose which emotion made him more uncomfortable.
A stubborn part of his mind wanted to toss the clothes on the floor and stomp on them, refusing to accept the kindness, but the practical part pushed him to step into the lightweight flannel pajama pants. They were too long in the leg and inches too large in the waist, but luckily there was a draw string he could cinch tight. The white t-shirt was remarkably soft against his skin and at least two sizes too big. Regardless, Duo felt more in control now that he was dressed.
Bending over, he picked up the book. Catch-22. Duo found it in him to smile at the choice - at least the guy had a sense of humor. His stomach rumbled again, reminding him that there was food to be eaten, and he returned to the bed. Sitting crossed legged, he pulled the tray closer, and picked up half of the sandwich without hesitation. If Heero was going to do him in he was pretty sure it wasn’t going to be via ham sandwich.
Duo forced himself to eat slowly, alternating bites of sandwich with potato chips and pieces of fruit. At least his captor wasn’t stingy with the food. While he ate he opened the book, thumbing through the pages without really seeing them. He couldn’t stop his mind from returning again and again to the man who currently held his fate in his hands. What right did any man have to be so fucking beautiful? It was seriously wrong. A man like that could get anyone he wanted, so why was Duo even there?
Pushing aside the empty tray, Duo stretched out on the bed, looking up at the flawless blue sky out the window. Now, with his belly full, Duo felt a bit more in control, and he needed to figure a way out of this mess.
“Alright, Maxwell, what do you know?” Duo asked aloud, reaching his hand out and stirring the dust motes floating in a sunbeam. What did he know?
“Heero didn’t do this to me.” Duo didn’t know why, but he was confident that Heero was innocent in his abduction. “So if it wasn’t Heero, who was it?”
Duo rolled over onto his stomach, propping himself up on his elbows. “Someone Heero must’ve pissed off royally. Or not. If you were pissed at someone would you give him a living, breathing blow up sex doll?” Duo laughed, flipping onto his back. “Blow up sex doll … I wonder if I could put that on my resume?”
The knowledge that Heero hadn’t taken advantage of the situation wasn’t lost on him. Oh, the man was still a total sadistic bastard, but he seemed to have at least a wee bit of honor. Duo thought of those chilling blue eyes in that beautifully sculpted face. Heero was powerful, that much was painfully obvious, but was he really as dangerous as he appeared? Duo tried to be realistic, knowing he wouldn’t be able to use force to get out of this place, no matter how hard he tried. What did that leave him? Lies? Seduction? It left a sour feeling in his belly just thinking about it.
“Who would be seducing whom?” Duo asked the ceiling. “He’d touch me and it would be over before it began. Of course if I could get out of this room and keep him from touching me …” The spell couldn’t be as strong as Heero suggested, could it?
~*~
Heero had spent the rest of the day in his library searching for answers. As the hours passed the realization grew that he wasn’t going to be able to handle this without help. He was loathe to go to Zechs, that would be his last resort, but there may be others who could help him. Running a hand through his already mussed hair, Heero sighed. With the aide of the protection spells he’d embedded in Duo’s skin he could feel Duo upstairs. Duo’s body called to him like a beacon. Add to that the devious spell Zechs had woven … what a clusterfuck.
He didn’t doubt his ability to maintain control, he’d had the last one hundred years to practice, but it wasn’t going to be easy. He’s not here by choice, remember that. “Oh, I’ll remember that,” Heero muttered to himself. “But will he?” Heero’s control wasn’t limitless.
Glancing at the grandfather clock, Heero noticed it was almost midnight. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten, but he remembered the last time he’d brought food to Duo and inwardly kicked himself for losing track of the time. Although he still required sustenance, he didn’t require it as often as natural men, and it wasn’t unusual for him to go days without eating.
Without bothering to turn on lights as he went, Heero moved silently through the house towards the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator and peered inside. Feeling slightly bad about providing only sandwiches, Heero decided to prepare a meal. He didn’t do it often, but he liked to cook, and the mundane task relaxed him. With a snap of his fingers the overhead lights went on, and music came through concealed speakers. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d listened to music, but he must’ve been channeling quite the bit of aggression because the room was filled with the sounds of Nine Inch Nails. After a moments hesitation, Heero let the music play. Like he was feeling any less aggressive now.
Moving around the kitchen, Heero made a simple pasta primavera along with warm, crusty garlic bread. He ate as he cooked, sampling the vegetables and bread as he sang along with Trent Reznor. It wasn’t until the heavy beat of Closer filled the kitchen that he remembered exactly what it was that he was doing. With a frown he snapped his fingers and the music was replaced with an eerie silence. He was cooking a meal for a man that he was holding prisoner. He could have anyone he wanted, yet he was trapped with the one man in the world he couldn’t allow himself to touch. The one man you wouldn’t mind touching.
Closing his eyes, he reached out without thinking. He could feel the steady beat of Duo’s heart and see the furrow of Duo’s brow as he read the book Heero had provided. The masculine angle of Duo’s jaw was covered with a day’s growth of stubble and Heero didn’t deny he felt a desire to touch it. Seeing Duo sitting there in his clothes made Heero’s chest feel awkwardly tight. What would Duo say if he knew that part of the spell also included his immortality? Would the man change his mind if he knew he’d never get older, never die? Would staying with Heero be so horrible?
“You have no right to entertain such thoughts, Yuy,” Heero said bitterly to himself. “Love without free will isn’t love at all.” Love? Where the hell had that come from?
Angrily pushing aside such thoughts, Heero made up a tray. He knew he should just send the tray along, but he couldn’t deny wanting to see the man in the flesh. Against better judgment, he carried the tray upstairs.
Standing outside the closed door, he mentally reached towards Duo to find a small smile on the man’s face as he looked towards the door. What the fuck was Duo thinking? Did the man truly have no idea the danger he was in? Heero had obviously been lax in getting this point across, something he needed to remedy.
When he slammed open the door he didn’t miss the way Duo flinched, his eyes showing a brief flicker of fear before closing up tight. The smile appeared forgotten. Good.
“Feeding you is a chore I don’t enjoy.” Heero set the tray on the bed, feeling the lie settling uneasily in his belly.
“Let me out of this fucking room and you won’t have to worry about it anymore.” Duo slid up against the headboard, wrapping his arms around his legs, and pressing his face into his knees. Heero could feel the charge growing in the room. He could smell the sexual responses in Duo’s body to his presence.
“Food would be the least of your worries.” Heero stepped closer, watching Duo’s body jerk as he held himself tighter. Heero hated himself for doing it, but walking in to find Duo so relaxed had set something off in him. Duo needed to fear him like he’d never feared anything before. “Do you have any idea what I’m capable of?”
“Get out!” Duo screamed without lifting his head.
There was strength in that scream, but it wasn’t enough. Heero reached out and forced Duo’s head up. “Open your eyes and look at me,” Heero commanded in a low voice.
Duo’s eyes shot open. His pupils were huge and he was gasping for breath. “Don’t!”
Heero lowered his face until there was barely an inch between them, holding Duo’s chin firmly in one hand. He was inwardly pleased with Duo’s fight, but knew he needed to push it farther to make his point. “I could have you begging for me to degrade you before you could remember why you were here. Slowly everything you are would bleed away until nothing existed but your desire for me. Is that what you want?” Heero tightened the grip on Duo’s jaw, hoping the bruises would be a reminder. “Never relax your guard around me, do you understand? Never mistake me for a compassionate man.”
“Fuck you,” Duo rasped out, even as he leaned closer. A look of horror flickered through Duo’s eyes.
Heero let his eyes drop to the fullness of Duo’s lips for a second before he let go and turned away. God, how close he was to giving in to the darkness that had been trying to consume him for the last hundred years. He wouldn’t give Zechs the satisfaction.
Slamming the door harder than he’d intended, Heero ran down the stairs, desperate to increase the distance between them. Grabbing his coat and the keys to his car, Heero stepped out into the night.
~*~
“Fuck!” Duo screamed so loud it tore painfully at his throat. He sprang up from the bed and launched himself at the door. Grabbing the knob, he futilely tugged, as fury washed over him. “Let me the fuck out!”
The door wouldn’t so much as rattle in the jamb. It was sealed tight. With a frustrated growl, Duo hammered the door with both fists, not stopping until blood was flowing freely from his split and swelling knuckles. Initial numbness gave way to fiery pain. The pain managed to clear his mind, relieving him of the effects of having Heero so close, and leaving him alive with anger. With one last strike, Duo turned away from the heavy oak door and staggered towards the bed.
Duo perched on the edge of the bed and cradled his hands against his chest. Blood was quickly soaking into the thin cotton of the t-shirt, staining it bright red. Looking down at the mess he’d made of his hands, Duo laughed bitterly. “Good going, fucktard. Getting out of here will be so much easier without fucking hands!”
Taking a deep breath, he held out his hands and tried to flex them. Searing pain flared up to his elbows, making his stomach roll sickly. Keeping them still, he looked them over with a grimace. At least three fingers were broken, badly seeing the unnatural angles, and there was a good chance he could use a few stitches.
“Good going, Maxwell,” Duo whispered hoarsely as the pain kicked up another notch. He forced his gaze to the closed door, taking in the large bloody smears across the previously smooth surface, and wished silently for it to open. Closing his eyes, he listened hard for Heero, but heard nothing. Not that he would lower himself to call for help. Nope, he could take care of himself just fine.
With another deep breath he stood, walking unsteadily towards the bathroom. Using his elbow, he turned on the cold water tap, and hesitated for a brief moment before thrusting his hands under the water. Clenching his jaw, he hissed between his teeth as the water stung and burned his wounds. The cold slowly numbed his bruised and swollen flesh and after several minutes Duo nudged the tap closed.
If he hadn’t been in so much pain, Duo would’ve found the situation pathetically funny, as he used his teeth, knees, and countertop to wrap his hands in clean white towels. By the time he was holding his wrapped hands tightly against his chest and walking back into the bedroom he was sweating profusely. Unable to remove the soiled t-shirt, he tried to ignore the tacky sensation as the blood stuck the adhered the shirt to his skin.
Sitting on the bed, he scooted himself up against the headboard and closed his eyes. What the fuck had just happened? “You underestimated him, you dumb fuck,” Duo chastised himself out loud. But what exactly had he done? Duo thought back over what had happened. Sure he’d been planning to play nice in hopes of getting out of his fucking cell, but he hadn’t even gotten the chance when Heero had stormed in and went all hard ass. What had he said?
Never relax your guard around me, do you understand? Never mistake me for a compassionate man.
How the fuck did Heero get all that from one look? Okay, Duo had tried to look relaxed and accepting, but he’d hoped that was what Heero had wanted. Never mistake me for a compassionate man. Duo snorted. He wasn’t sure what kind of man Heero was, but he was pretty sure the guy was either capable of some level of compassion or he was a complete sociopath.
Duo hoped it wasn’t the latter.
Not that it mattered what kind of man Heero was. If Duo had learned anything from their previous encounter it was how strongly he was now reacting to Heero presence. Looking back, even if Heero hadn’t come in with his panties in a twist, Duo doubted he’d have managed to get very far. It took every ounce of self control he had to keep his hands to himself. At the end he almost lost it, wanting to close the distance between their faces and beg to be touched. His cheeks flushed with humiliation as he remembered how close he’d been.
Heero's voice kept echoing through his mind. Never mistake me for a compassionate man. “But you didn’t take advantage. I could see that flash of interest in those furious eyes, but you still held back.”
Duo snapped his mouth shut, hating the strained sound of his voice as he talked to himself. His hands throbbed inside the towels. The pain was getting worse, a hot itch flaring from the inside out. He started panting, ignoring the tears leaking from his eyes in response. Fuck, it hurt!
Raising a hand, Duo tore open the towel with his teeth, and looked. Sucking in a breath, the scream stuck for a moment before tearing free of his throat. He was losing his fucking mind.
~*~
He was holding the steering wheel in a white knuckled grip. He was shaking with anger, anger that he grudgingly admitted was more towards himself than Duo. It wasn’t like him to lose his calm composure, yet around Duo that’s all he did. He hadn’t missed the horrific look in Duo’s eyes when they’d been so close. Why did such a little thing sting so much? He was well aware of the situation, yet the thought that Duo’s mind wanted nothing to do with him chafed more than a little.
“Fuck it.” Heero reached down and turned on the stereo, turning the volume up and filling the car with discordant strains of death metal. The rapid, heavy beat pulsed against him. He’d go into town and relieve some pressure. He couldn’t touch Duo, but there were many he could touch, and right then Heero just didn’t care about the repercussions.
Heero had made it three miles along the winding roads near his house before he felt Duo’s terror. Slamming on the brake, he stopped, flicked off the stereo, and opened his mind wide to listen. The spells he’d embedded into Duo’s skin called out to him. He was too far away to see Duo, but he could sense the pain and smell the blood. Cursing loudly, Heero pulled a sharp u-turn and sped back towards home, his anger and frustration forgotten.
Two days ago he would’ve been confident that his house was impenetrable, but after finding Duo in his subbasement Heero knew this was not true. Of course he’d strengthened the wards protecting the house after the breech, but Zechs’ actions had left him felling unbalanced. He was glad he’d bothered with the protection spells, although it made him a bit uneasy to have such a connection with a man he was trying to get rid of.
The first protective spell would keep Duo safe from abduction, as Heero would always know where he was. Reaching out Heero was positive that Duo was safely in his room. The second would keep Duo safe from spells cast by any sorcerer that meant to do him harm. That didn’t appear to have happened. The third should keep him safe from bodily harm, unless it was self inflicted.
Fear snaked through Heero’s belly at the thought. It had never dawned on him that Duo might inflict harm upon himself. The man was vibrant, willful, and strong. A man like that wouldn’t … Heero couldn’t finish the thought. He forced the Viper to move faster.
Tearing up the driveway, Heero was out of the car a split second after he put it in park. He could feel Duo’s frantic heartbeat from the driveway and that was enough to send him sprinting into the house. His own heart was beating painfully in his chest as he mounted the stairs two at a time. He didn’t waste time, nor energy, to look in the room before he reached the door.
The metallic smell of blood filled his nose as he opened the door. Heero stopped short when he saw Duo sitting on the bed staring at his hands in horror. He’d expected much, much worse, and found himself hesitating a moment as he tried to figure out exactly what was happening. When Heero stepped closer, Duo lifted his gaze from his hands to Heero’s face, a mixture of relief and anger in his eyes.
“What did you do to yourself?” Heero asked, his tone unusually soft. He looked down at Duo’s hands, which were swollen, discolored, and smeared with blood. It only took a second for him to note that the flesh had already started to knit itself back together.
“Me?” Duo croaked before clearing his throat. “What did I do? What the hell did you do? What’s happening to my hands?”
Reaching out without thinking, Heero tried to brush away the strands of loose hair stuck to Duo’s sweaty forehead, but stopped when Duo flinched away. Even through the obvious pain the man was experiencing, he was still fighting. Good.
“Your hands are healing,” Heero said, matter of fact. “Although the bones haven’t been set properly and they’ll heal wrong if we don’t remedy this.” Heero frowned. “How did this happen?”
“It must be something you’ve done to me, I don’t usually heal this fast!” Duo snapped, inching slowly towards the far side of the bed.
“Your healing abilities weren’t what I was asking about, although I assure you that wasn’t my doing,” Heero said, slightly exasperated. “How did you mangle your hands?”
“Trying to get out of this fucking room,” Duo muttered before gasping painfully. Heero watched a drop of sweat dripping slowly down Duo’s temple and was reminded of the intense pain the man must be in.
“Maybe next time you should keep your temper in check,” Heero said tonelessly. Before Duo could move any farther away, Heero reached down and grabbed Duo by both wrists.
Duo groaned deep in his throat and shut his eyes tight. “Don’t touch me.”
“Sorry, but this time it can’t be helped.” Heero forced himself to ignore the way Duo’s body called out to him in blatant invitation. “Lie back and hold as still as you can.”
Heero wasn’t sure if Duo was actually doing as he was told by choice, but Duo managed to stretch out on his back and hold completely still to let Heero work. Letting go of one wrist, Heero traced the bones on the opposite hand lightly. Although he kept his voice low, the healing spells rang clearly through the room. Slowly bones moved into their proper positions, swelling receded, and skin was knitted back together. It was a painful process, but Duo managed to remain silent while he worked. Heero was impressed.
When he was done, Heero examined both hands to make sure they were completely healed. He’d been so lost in the spell that he wasn’t immediately aware of the strong effect he was having on Duo now that the pain was gone. Turning his attention away from Duo’s hands, he realized what his close proximity and touch was doing to the man on the bed. Duo’s entire body was visibly quivering as his back arched slightly. His sizable erection tented the material of the sleep pants and Heero had to jerk his gaze upward towards Duo’s face. Duo’s eyes were squeezed shut tight and he was biting his lip so hard Heero was surprised there was no blood.
“Please,” Duo said through gritted teeth.
“Please, what?” Heero asked, his voice surprisingly raspy. Duo’s body was virtually singing to him. He swallowed hard and tried to remember what he was supposed to be doing there.
“Please, let go.” Heero realized he was stroking the soft skin on the inside of Duo’s wrist with his thumb and forced himself to stop. He released his hold and took a step back towards the door. This was quickly turning into a dangerous situation.
“Do your hands feel better?” Heero asked, taking another step towards the door.
He saw Duo swallow hard before nodding. “Why…?” Duo grimaced, his freshly healed hands tightening into fists.
“It’s all part of the spell that brought you here.” Touch me … fuck me… Holy god, he needed to get out of there.
“I’ll heal? No matter what?”
“Yes.” Heero had his hand on the doorknob. He could feel his own cock stiffening in response to Duo. The magic linking them was viciously trying to draw them together.
Struggling for a moment, Duo opened his eyes and looked at him. Heero could see so many unasked questions in their depths, questions that Heero didn’t want to answer. Before Duo could say a word, Heero had opened the door and stepped into the hall.
“Try not to injure yourself further while I’m gone.” Once the door was closed between them Heero felt he could breathe again.
“Where are you going?” Duo called out, his voice already stronger.
“To find a way to rid myself of you.” Heero managed to sound cold, even if he didn’t feel it.
He resisted the urge to look back, hardening himself against his captive. This was not the time to let his emotions cloud his judgment. Emotions he shouldn’t be fucking feeling to begin with!
Once he reached the first floor landing, he retrieved his car keys from his pocket and went outside, locking the door behind him. Previous thoughts of finding physical release were replaced with a newly sparked determination to find a way to release Duo. Despite the late hour, he needed to drop in on an old friend and see if he could find some answers.
TBC
Author: ralphiere
Pairing: 1x2
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Don’t own them.
Warnings: language, sexual situations, minor violence, AU, changing POV, possible OOC-ness
Notes: I don’t usual dabble in Fantasy, so forgive me. This is part two of not too many, although things are quickly spiraling out of my control. I strive to post weekly, as long as RL behaves ^___^
Thanks to bleedtoblue for the beta!!
Magic in D Minor
Part Two
After listening to Heero’s fading footsteps, Duo took a deep, shaky breath, and closed his eyes. Just having the man stand there had been painful. Every cell in his body had screamed for him to cross the room and fall to his knees in supplication. That alone went against everything Duo was. He’d made it this far in his life answering to no one and he didn’t intend to start now.
He glanced angrily down at the tented sheet that hid his erection. That wasn’t the only part of him that ached - his whole body ached, longing for the touch of the sadistic bastard holding him prisoner. Throwing the sheet aside, Duo lurched up, and stalked across the room towards the bathroom. He would not beat off with that man’s name dancing on the tip of his tongue. Fucker. Filling the bath with ice cold water, Duo forced himself into it. He shuddered violently when the water touched his heated skin, but he didn’t stop until his chin was touching the surface. It took a horrifically long time for the unwanted desire to ebb.
Once he felt himself again, he stood, shivering. Reaching for a towel, he glanced in the mirror noting the alarming blue of his lips and the dark circles under his eyes. He was a mess. Wrapping the towel around his shoulders, he stepped out onto the mat, and ignored his reflection. After briskly drying his reddened skin, he wound another towel around his hair and went back into the bedroom.
Early afternoon sunlight streamed into the room through the window and he immediately walked over to stand in it, letting it warm him. He could see out the window, looking down at the rolling hills that surrounded the house. There was nothing that remotely suggested civilization for miles from this vantage point. Where the hell was he? A fleeting moment of helplessness washed over him, but he pushed it aside as quickly as it had come. Duo Maxwell was not helpless, even now.
His stomach rumbled and he turned towards the tray of food Heero had left on the bed. It didn’t surprise him that he had an appetite after all that had happened. His mother used to tease him that he’d be eating a three course meal on his deathbed, something he didn’t doubt. Dropping the damp towels carelessly on the floor, Duo grabbed the quilt off the bed and was just wrapping it around his shoulders when something on the floor caught his eye. Just inside the door there was a neat pile of clothes and a hardbound book.
Tossing the quilt back on the bed, Duo went to examine the clothes. He picked them up cautiously, his fingers tingling slightly when he touched the fabric. Without thinking he drew them to his face and inhaled. He knew without a doubt that Heero’s scent was on the clothes, but instead of sending him spiraling in another fit of desire, the masculine smell triggered an indescribable feeling of security. He was hard pressed to choose which emotion made him more uncomfortable.
A stubborn part of his mind wanted to toss the clothes on the floor and stomp on them, refusing to accept the kindness, but the practical part pushed him to step into the lightweight flannel pajama pants. They were too long in the leg and inches too large in the waist, but luckily there was a draw string he could cinch tight. The white t-shirt was remarkably soft against his skin and at least two sizes too big. Regardless, Duo felt more in control now that he was dressed.
Bending over, he picked up the book. Catch-22. Duo found it in him to smile at the choice - at least the guy had a sense of humor. His stomach rumbled again, reminding him that there was food to be eaten, and he returned to the bed. Sitting crossed legged, he pulled the tray closer, and picked up half of the sandwich without hesitation. If Heero was going to do him in he was pretty sure it wasn’t going to be via ham sandwich.
Duo forced himself to eat slowly, alternating bites of sandwich with potato chips and pieces of fruit. At least his captor wasn’t stingy with the food. While he ate he opened the book, thumbing through the pages without really seeing them. He couldn’t stop his mind from returning again and again to the man who currently held his fate in his hands. What right did any man have to be so fucking beautiful? It was seriously wrong. A man like that could get anyone he wanted, so why was Duo even there?
Pushing aside the empty tray, Duo stretched out on the bed, looking up at the flawless blue sky out the window. Now, with his belly full, Duo felt a bit more in control, and he needed to figure a way out of this mess.
“Alright, Maxwell, what do you know?” Duo asked aloud, reaching his hand out and stirring the dust motes floating in a sunbeam. What did he know?
“Heero didn’t do this to me.” Duo didn’t know why, but he was confident that Heero was innocent in his abduction. “So if it wasn’t Heero, who was it?”
Duo rolled over onto his stomach, propping himself up on his elbows. “Someone Heero must’ve pissed off royally. Or not. If you were pissed at someone would you give him a living, breathing blow up sex doll?” Duo laughed, flipping onto his back. “Blow up sex doll … I wonder if I could put that on my resume?”
The knowledge that Heero hadn’t taken advantage of the situation wasn’t lost on him. Oh, the man was still a total sadistic bastard, but he seemed to have at least a wee bit of honor. Duo thought of those chilling blue eyes in that beautifully sculpted face. Heero was powerful, that much was painfully obvious, but was he really as dangerous as he appeared? Duo tried to be realistic, knowing he wouldn’t be able to use force to get out of this place, no matter how hard he tried. What did that leave him? Lies? Seduction? It left a sour feeling in his belly just thinking about it.
“Who would be seducing whom?” Duo asked the ceiling. “He’d touch me and it would be over before it began. Of course if I could get out of this room and keep him from touching me …” The spell couldn’t be as strong as Heero suggested, could it?
~*~
Heero had spent the rest of the day in his library searching for answers. As the hours passed the realization grew that he wasn’t going to be able to handle this without help. He was loathe to go to Zechs, that would be his last resort, but there may be others who could help him. Running a hand through his already mussed hair, Heero sighed. With the aide of the protection spells he’d embedded in Duo’s skin he could feel Duo upstairs. Duo’s body called to him like a beacon. Add to that the devious spell Zechs had woven … what a clusterfuck.
He didn’t doubt his ability to maintain control, he’d had the last one hundred years to practice, but it wasn’t going to be easy. He’s not here by choice, remember that. “Oh, I’ll remember that,” Heero muttered to himself. “But will he?” Heero’s control wasn’t limitless.
Glancing at the grandfather clock, Heero noticed it was almost midnight. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten, but he remembered the last time he’d brought food to Duo and inwardly kicked himself for losing track of the time. Although he still required sustenance, he didn’t require it as often as natural men, and it wasn’t unusual for him to go days without eating.
Without bothering to turn on lights as he went, Heero moved silently through the house towards the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator and peered inside. Feeling slightly bad about providing only sandwiches, Heero decided to prepare a meal. He didn’t do it often, but he liked to cook, and the mundane task relaxed him. With a snap of his fingers the overhead lights went on, and music came through concealed speakers. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d listened to music, but he must’ve been channeling quite the bit of aggression because the room was filled with the sounds of Nine Inch Nails. After a moments hesitation, Heero let the music play. Like he was feeling any less aggressive now.
Moving around the kitchen, Heero made a simple pasta primavera along with warm, crusty garlic bread. He ate as he cooked, sampling the vegetables and bread as he sang along with Trent Reznor. It wasn’t until the heavy beat of Closer filled the kitchen that he remembered exactly what it was that he was doing. With a frown he snapped his fingers and the music was replaced with an eerie silence. He was cooking a meal for a man that he was holding prisoner. He could have anyone he wanted, yet he was trapped with the one man in the world he couldn’t allow himself to touch. The one man you wouldn’t mind touching.
Closing his eyes, he reached out without thinking. He could feel the steady beat of Duo’s heart and see the furrow of Duo’s brow as he read the book Heero had provided. The masculine angle of Duo’s jaw was covered with a day’s growth of stubble and Heero didn’t deny he felt a desire to touch it. Seeing Duo sitting there in his clothes made Heero’s chest feel awkwardly tight. What would Duo say if he knew that part of the spell also included his immortality? Would the man change his mind if he knew he’d never get older, never die? Would staying with Heero be so horrible?
“You have no right to entertain such thoughts, Yuy,” Heero said bitterly to himself. “Love without free will isn’t love at all.” Love? Where the hell had that come from?
Angrily pushing aside such thoughts, Heero made up a tray. He knew he should just send the tray along, but he couldn’t deny wanting to see the man in the flesh. Against better judgment, he carried the tray upstairs.
Standing outside the closed door, he mentally reached towards Duo to find a small smile on the man’s face as he looked towards the door. What the fuck was Duo thinking? Did the man truly have no idea the danger he was in? Heero had obviously been lax in getting this point across, something he needed to remedy.
When he slammed open the door he didn’t miss the way Duo flinched, his eyes showing a brief flicker of fear before closing up tight. The smile appeared forgotten. Good.
“Feeding you is a chore I don’t enjoy.” Heero set the tray on the bed, feeling the lie settling uneasily in his belly.
“Let me out of this fucking room and you won’t have to worry about it anymore.” Duo slid up against the headboard, wrapping his arms around his legs, and pressing his face into his knees. Heero could feel the charge growing in the room. He could smell the sexual responses in Duo’s body to his presence.
“Food would be the least of your worries.” Heero stepped closer, watching Duo’s body jerk as he held himself tighter. Heero hated himself for doing it, but walking in to find Duo so relaxed had set something off in him. Duo needed to fear him like he’d never feared anything before. “Do you have any idea what I’m capable of?”
“Get out!” Duo screamed without lifting his head.
There was strength in that scream, but it wasn’t enough. Heero reached out and forced Duo’s head up. “Open your eyes and look at me,” Heero commanded in a low voice.
Duo’s eyes shot open. His pupils were huge and he was gasping for breath. “Don’t!”
Heero lowered his face until there was barely an inch between them, holding Duo’s chin firmly in one hand. He was inwardly pleased with Duo’s fight, but knew he needed to push it farther to make his point. “I could have you begging for me to degrade you before you could remember why you were here. Slowly everything you are would bleed away until nothing existed but your desire for me. Is that what you want?” Heero tightened the grip on Duo’s jaw, hoping the bruises would be a reminder. “Never relax your guard around me, do you understand? Never mistake me for a compassionate man.”
“Fuck you,” Duo rasped out, even as he leaned closer. A look of horror flickered through Duo’s eyes.
Heero let his eyes drop to the fullness of Duo’s lips for a second before he let go and turned away. God, how close he was to giving in to the darkness that had been trying to consume him for the last hundred years. He wouldn’t give Zechs the satisfaction.
Slamming the door harder than he’d intended, Heero ran down the stairs, desperate to increase the distance between them. Grabbing his coat and the keys to his car, Heero stepped out into the night.
~*~
“Fuck!” Duo screamed so loud it tore painfully at his throat. He sprang up from the bed and launched himself at the door. Grabbing the knob, he futilely tugged, as fury washed over him. “Let me the fuck out!”
The door wouldn’t so much as rattle in the jamb. It was sealed tight. With a frustrated growl, Duo hammered the door with both fists, not stopping until blood was flowing freely from his split and swelling knuckles. Initial numbness gave way to fiery pain. The pain managed to clear his mind, relieving him of the effects of having Heero so close, and leaving him alive with anger. With one last strike, Duo turned away from the heavy oak door and staggered towards the bed.
Duo perched on the edge of the bed and cradled his hands against his chest. Blood was quickly soaking into the thin cotton of the t-shirt, staining it bright red. Looking down at the mess he’d made of his hands, Duo laughed bitterly. “Good going, fucktard. Getting out of here will be so much easier without fucking hands!”
Taking a deep breath, he held out his hands and tried to flex them. Searing pain flared up to his elbows, making his stomach roll sickly. Keeping them still, he looked them over with a grimace. At least three fingers were broken, badly seeing the unnatural angles, and there was a good chance he could use a few stitches.
“Good going, Maxwell,” Duo whispered hoarsely as the pain kicked up another notch. He forced his gaze to the closed door, taking in the large bloody smears across the previously smooth surface, and wished silently for it to open. Closing his eyes, he listened hard for Heero, but heard nothing. Not that he would lower himself to call for help. Nope, he could take care of himself just fine.
With another deep breath he stood, walking unsteadily towards the bathroom. Using his elbow, he turned on the cold water tap, and hesitated for a brief moment before thrusting his hands under the water. Clenching his jaw, he hissed between his teeth as the water stung and burned his wounds. The cold slowly numbed his bruised and swollen flesh and after several minutes Duo nudged the tap closed.
If he hadn’t been in so much pain, Duo would’ve found the situation pathetically funny, as he used his teeth, knees, and countertop to wrap his hands in clean white towels. By the time he was holding his wrapped hands tightly against his chest and walking back into the bedroom he was sweating profusely. Unable to remove the soiled t-shirt, he tried to ignore the tacky sensation as the blood stuck the adhered the shirt to his skin.
Sitting on the bed, he scooted himself up against the headboard and closed his eyes. What the fuck had just happened? “You underestimated him, you dumb fuck,” Duo chastised himself out loud. But what exactly had he done? Duo thought back over what had happened. Sure he’d been planning to play nice in hopes of getting out of his fucking cell, but he hadn’t even gotten the chance when Heero had stormed in and went all hard ass. What had he said?
Never relax your guard around me, do you understand? Never mistake me for a compassionate man.
How the fuck did Heero get all that from one look? Okay, Duo had tried to look relaxed and accepting, but he’d hoped that was what Heero had wanted. Never mistake me for a compassionate man. Duo snorted. He wasn’t sure what kind of man Heero was, but he was pretty sure the guy was either capable of some level of compassion or he was a complete sociopath.
Duo hoped it wasn’t the latter.
Not that it mattered what kind of man Heero was. If Duo had learned anything from their previous encounter it was how strongly he was now reacting to Heero presence. Looking back, even if Heero hadn’t come in with his panties in a twist, Duo doubted he’d have managed to get very far. It took every ounce of self control he had to keep his hands to himself. At the end he almost lost it, wanting to close the distance between their faces and beg to be touched. His cheeks flushed with humiliation as he remembered how close he’d been.
Heero's voice kept echoing through his mind. Never mistake me for a compassionate man. “But you didn’t take advantage. I could see that flash of interest in those furious eyes, but you still held back.”
Duo snapped his mouth shut, hating the strained sound of his voice as he talked to himself. His hands throbbed inside the towels. The pain was getting worse, a hot itch flaring from the inside out. He started panting, ignoring the tears leaking from his eyes in response. Fuck, it hurt!
Raising a hand, Duo tore open the towel with his teeth, and looked. Sucking in a breath, the scream stuck for a moment before tearing free of his throat. He was losing his fucking mind.
~*~
He was holding the steering wheel in a white knuckled grip. He was shaking with anger, anger that he grudgingly admitted was more towards himself than Duo. It wasn’t like him to lose his calm composure, yet around Duo that’s all he did. He hadn’t missed the horrific look in Duo’s eyes when they’d been so close. Why did such a little thing sting so much? He was well aware of the situation, yet the thought that Duo’s mind wanted nothing to do with him chafed more than a little.
“Fuck it.” Heero reached down and turned on the stereo, turning the volume up and filling the car with discordant strains of death metal. The rapid, heavy beat pulsed against him. He’d go into town and relieve some pressure. He couldn’t touch Duo, but there were many he could touch, and right then Heero just didn’t care about the repercussions.
Heero had made it three miles along the winding roads near his house before he felt Duo’s terror. Slamming on the brake, he stopped, flicked off the stereo, and opened his mind wide to listen. The spells he’d embedded into Duo’s skin called out to him. He was too far away to see Duo, but he could sense the pain and smell the blood. Cursing loudly, Heero pulled a sharp u-turn and sped back towards home, his anger and frustration forgotten.
Two days ago he would’ve been confident that his house was impenetrable, but after finding Duo in his subbasement Heero knew this was not true. Of course he’d strengthened the wards protecting the house after the breech, but Zechs’ actions had left him felling unbalanced. He was glad he’d bothered with the protection spells, although it made him a bit uneasy to have such a connection with a man he was trying to get rid of.
The first protective spell would keep Duo safe from abduction, as Heero would always know where he was. Reaching out Heero was positive that Duo was safely in his room. The second would keep Duo safe from spells cast by any sorcerer that meant to do him harm. That didn’t appear to have happened. The third should keep him safe from bodily harm, unless it was self inflicted.
Fear snaked through Heero’s belly at the thought. It had never dawned on him that Duo might inflict harm upon himself. The man was vibrant, willful, and strong. A man like that wouldn’t … Heero couldn’t finish the thought. He forced the Viper to move faster.
Tearing up the driveway, Heero was out of the car a split second after he put it in park. He could feel Duo’s frantic heartbeat from the driveway and that was enough to send him sprinting into the house. His own heart was beating painfully in his chest as he mounted the stairs two at a time. He didn’t waste time, nor energy, to look in the room before he reached the door.
The metallic smell of blood filled his nose as he opened the door. Heero stopped short when he saw Duo sitting on the bed staring at his hands in horror. He’d expected much, much worse, and found himself hesitating a moment as he tried to figure out exactly what was happening. When Heero stepped closer, Duo lifted his gaze from his hands to Heero’s face, a mixture of relief and anger in his eyes.
“What did you do to yourself?” Heero asked, his tone unusually soft. He looked down at Duo’s hands, which were swollen, discolored, and smeared with blood. It only took a second for him to note that the flesh had already started to knit itself back together.
“Me?” Duo croaked before clearing his throat. “What did I do? What the hell did you do? What’s happening to my hands?”
Reaching out without thinking, Heero tried to brush away the strands of loose hair stuck to Duo’s sweaty forehead, but stopped when Duo flinched away. Even through the obvious pain the man was experiencing, he was still fighting. Good.
“Your hands are healing,” Heero said, matter of fact. “Although the bones haven’t been set properly and they’ll heal wrong if we don’t remedy this.” Heero frowned. “How did this happen?”
“It must be something you’ve done to me, I don’t usually heal this fast!” Duo snapped, inching slowly towards the far side of the bed.
“Your healing abilities weren’t what I was asking about, although I assure you that wasn’t my doing,” Heero said, slightly exasperated. “How did you mangle your hands?”
“Trying to get out of this fucking room,” Duo muttered before gasping painfully. Heero watched a drop of sweat dripping slowly down Duo’s temple and was reminded of the intense pain the man must be in.
“Maybe next time you should keep your temper in check,” Heero said tonelessly. Before Duo could move any farther away, Heero reached down and grabbed Duo by both wrists.
Duo groaned deep in his throat and shut his eyes tight. “Don’t touch me.”
“Sorry, but this time it can’t be helped.” Heero forced himself to ignore the way Duo’s body called out to him in blatant invitation. “Lie back and hold as still as you can.”
Heero wasn’t sure if Duo was actually doing as he was told by choice, but Duo managed to stretch out on his back and hold completely still to let Heero work. Letting go of one wrist, Heero traced the bones on the opposite hand lightly. Although he kept his voice low, the healing spells rang clearly through the room. Slowly bones moved into their proper positions, swelling receded, and skin was knitted back together. It was a painful process, but Duo managed to remain silent while he worked. Heero was impressed.
When he was done, Heero examined both hands to make sure they were completely healed. He’d been so lost in the spell that he wasn’t immediately aware of the strong effect he was having on Duo now that the pain was gone. Turning his attention away from Duo’s hands, he realized what his close proximity and touch was doing to the man on the bed. Duo’s entire body was visibly quivering as his back arched slightly. His sizable erection tented the material of the sleep pants and Heero had to jerk his gaze upward towards Duo’s face. Duo’s eyes were squeezed shut tight and he was biting his lip so hard Heero was surprised there was no blood.
“Please,” Duo said through gritted teeth.
“Please, what?” Heero asked, his voice surprisingly raspy. Duo’s body was virtually singing to him. He swallowed hard and tried to remember what he was supposed to be doing there.
“Please, let go.” Heero realized he was stroking the soft skin on the inside of Duo’s wrist with his thumb and forced himself to stop. He released his hold and took a step back towards the door. This was quickly turning into a dangerous situation.
“Do your hands feel better?” Heero asked, taking another step towards the door.
He saw Duo swallow hard before nodding. “Why…?” Duo grimaced, his freshly healed hands tightening into fists.
“It’s all part of the spell that brought you here.” Touch me … fuck me… Holy god, he needed to get out of there.
“I’ll heal? No matter what?”
“Yes.” Heero had his hand on the doorknob. He could feel his own cock stiffening in response to Duo. The magic linking them was viciously trying to draw them together.
Struggling for a moment, Duo opened his eyes and looked at him. Heero could see so many unasked questions in their depths, questions that Heero didn’t want to answer. Before Duo could say a word, Heero had opened the door and stepped into the hall.
“Try not to injure yourself further while I’m gone.” Once the door was closed between them Heero felt he could breathe again.
“Where are you going?” Duo called out, his voice already stronger.
“To find a way to rid myself of you.” Heero managed to sound cold, even if he didn’t feel it.
He resisted the urge to look back, hardening himself against his captive. This was not the time to let his emotions cloud his judgment. Emotions he shouldn’t be fucking feeling to begin with!
Once he reached the first floor landing, he retrieved his car keys from his pocket and went outside, locking the door behind him. Previous thoughts of finding physical release were replaced with a newly sparked determination to find a way to release Duo. Despite the late hour, he needed to drop in on an old friend and see if he could find some answers.
TBC