Author: Merula
Pairings: 1x2
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Yaoi, wizards, seers, were beasts, .
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine.
“We’re going to get an interesting one this afternoon,” Sally said as Heero walked by her desk in the storeroom.
“One for Wufei?” He smiled as he found the box he needed. “He gets a lot of the interesting ones.”
“Nope.” His boss grinned at him and tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder. “You’re the only one who’ll be able to help this poor customer.”
“When you say it like that, I start to worry. I remember the last one only I was able to help. That haunted toaster?” Heero rolled his eyes. “If it’s like that, I am not doing it.”
“It’s not like that,” Sally reassured him, and then she smiled. “In fact- I can promise you that you’ll really enjoy at least part of it.”
Heero wasn’t sure he liked her smile. Still, it wasn’t smart to argue with a psychic. So he just took his box and went back out. Wufei was lounging behind the counter, a magazine spread out in front of him.
“Sally says we have an interesting one coming in this afternoon.”
“Good,” Wufei puffed out a bit of smoke and flipped a page. “One more lady looking for a book on how to read tea leaves and I think I might just scream. Is this customer for you or me?”
“Me,” Heero said and Wufei sat up.
“Really? Your interesting customers are always very interesting.”
“That’s what worries me.” Heero put the box down and started restocking the jars that stood behind the cash register. “Why are we going through so much wormswort? You haven’t been telling customers it’s an aphrodisiac again, have you?”
“It is if they use it right.”
“According to you anything is an aphrodisiac if you use it right.”
“Exactly.”
Heero didn’t have time to retort, the bell over the front door jingled and a young man stepped into the shop. He looked apprehensive, but also determined. It was a combination Heero had seen many times before.
“Can I help you?” He said as the man approached the counter.
“Um- I hope so,” the man replied softly with a smile that made Heero’s heart do a strange skip. “I have a… very serious problem and one of my friends told me that maybe there were some people here who could help me.”
Heero glanced at Wufei, who frowned and tugged on his ponytail. Ask Sally, he meant, but before either one of them could stir a step, her voice echoed from the back room:
“Hilde sent him! He’s fine!”
The young man blinked in surprise. “It’s our boss,” Heero explained. “Sally.”
“The psychic?”
“Ah, so Hilde told you that?” Wufei smiled and Heero saw their customer blink at the sight of Wufei’s sharp teeth. “Then she does trust you. I’m Wufei Chang and this is Heero Yuy. How can we help you?”
“I’m Duo.” The man bowed his head a little and Heero noticed the braid swinging down his back. It was unusual, but not more unusual than his eye color- Heero wondered if they were contacts of some kind. “I- have a curse.”
“What sort of curse?” Wufei asked and Duo pushed up his sleeve. Silk, Heero noticed, and then his eyes widened as the mark on Duo’s upper arm became visible.
Curse marks were usually small, easy to get rid off. This one was huge, encircling the whole of Duo’s upper arm, the pattern seeming to twist and shift even as Heero looked at it. If it was that big, then-
“That’s a serious curse,” he said. “Those sorts usually require that you pass them on to someone else- someone who accepts the curse.”
Duo turned pale. “So I can’t get rid of it without cursing someone else? Where would I find someone who would want to be cursed?”
“Depends what the curse does,” Wufei said, blowing out another whiff of smoke. “You’d be surprised what people are willing to put up with for money. What does yours do?”
Duo looked around the shop. “Are we alone here?”
Heero moved around the counter to flip the lock closed and pull the shade. “Now we are.”
“It does this,” Duo said and closed his eyes.
A moment later, large black wolf, in a silk shirt and what were more than likely designer pants, sat on the floor looking up at them.
“A were curse!” Wufei breathed. “Damn, those are rare.”
“Well, that gives us someplace to look.” Heero headed for the bookshelves. “Can you turn back right away?” He asked and ran his finger along the shelves, looking for the book he needed.
“Yes,” Duo answered, apparently already having done so. “I can change at will.”
“And you want to get rid of this curse?” Wufei asked incredulously as Heero found the book he needed and yanked it off the shelf. “Most people would kill for one of those.”
“I have to get rid of it.”
“Why? Do you have a fiancé who’s allergic to dogs?”
Duo shook his head and reached into the top of his shirt, pulling out a necklace with an intricate-looking pendant. “Because of this.”
Wufei blew a smoke ring in surprise and Heero nodded as the pieces fell into place. “You’re Pride.”
“Exactly. I can already shift forms. And the wolf isn’t mine.” Duo dropped the necklace back into his shirt and shivered. “It feels- wrong- and the rest of the pride won’t accept me unless I’m in my true form.”
“Do they know about this?” Heero asked.
“Yes. I have until the next full moon to get rid of the curse or they’ll outcast me.” His desperation was obvious and Heero nearly reached out a hand to comfort him.
Squashing the impulse, he turned back to the book. “Two weeks then. Who cursed you? Do you know?”
Duo shook his head. “I’m related to some of the higher ranking members of the pride. My grandmother says she thinks that’s why I was cursed.”
“To cause shame to your family?” Wufei snorted. “How dishonorable of this unknown enemy.”
“Well, it shouldn’t be hard to find someone who wants this sort of curse,” Heero continued flipping pages. “The were curses are highly valued. You could possibly even sell it off.”
“No-“ Duo protested. “To do that I’d have to advertise and I can’t do that to the Pride. My grandmother was very specific- I have to keep this quiet. That’s why Hilde sent me to you. I’m willing to pay to have someone take it from me - I just need it gone.”
“Do you know anyone who would want one?” Heero asked.
“I only know Pride. No one wants a different shape than their own.”
“Among your people- but there are humans who would value it,” Wufei assured him, “silly things that they are.”
“Keep a civil tongue in your head, lizard.” Heero frowned. Wufei blew a smoke ring at him.
“How- how are you doing that?” Duo asked.
“He’s a dragon,” Heero said before Wufei could reply. “He just likes messing with people.”
Duo blinked. “But- you look human. Well, except for the teeth…”
“My dragon form is a bit large to fit in a place like this.” Wufei told him. “It’s always better to know how to camouflage oneself.”
Heero snorted and stopped on a page. “Let me see the mark again.” Duo obediently rolled up his sleeve. “What do you think, Chang?” He turned the book towards Wufei.
“Hmmm. It looks like the diagram. Amazing- we actually have a curse that’s listed in that damn book. Does it say how to get rid of it?”
Heero scanned the page quickly and felt his face turn a flaming red. No wonder Sally had said it was ‘his’ customer. He was tempted to go back there and strangle her.
“Just do it, Heero!” She hollered from the back.
“Just do what?” Wufei snatched the book and scanned the page. “Oh my…”
“This is usually your area,” Heero told him and Wufei shook his head.
“I can’t take this curse- I have an alternative form already, remember?” He gestured at himself. “This one. So it has to be you.”
“What is it?” Duo leaned over the counter and Wufei helpfully pushed the book his way. Heero was glad that at least the client looked as embarrassed as he felt.
“This- this means what I think it means right? All this stuff about ‘becoming one’ and fooling the curse into switching bodies?”
“Yes,” Heero said and took the book back, not willing to meet Duo’s eyes. “That’s why it would be really helpful if you knew someone…?”
Duo shook his head. “Like I said, I only know Pride- and none of us are magicians. The book says it needs to be a magician who takes the curse.”
“Heero’s one of the best in the city,” Wufei smiled. “I usually do the sex magic jobs, but he’s really good at curse removals. I’m sure he can handle it- and the were form would be really helpful for him with some of the work we end up doing.”
“Wufei!”
“I would be very grateful if you could help me,” Duo turned the force of his gaze on Heero pleadingly. “I’ll pay you- whatever sum you ask-“
Oh bloody hell. Heero shook his head. “I couldn’t take money for this-“ Not without feeling like he was taking huge advantage of Duo. Bad enough he was attracted to him…
“The curse itself is valuable,” Wufei came to his rescue. “That will be enough payment.”
“Is that okay?” Duo asked, his eyes still on Heero.
“The curse would be very valuable to me,” Heero admitted. “But- maybe you’d like us to find someone else? I know some nice female magicians-“
“Heero, just agree!” Sally called. “You are messing up the timeline!”
“Messing up the timeline?” Duo repeated.
“She always says that,” Heero rolled his eyes. “It just means by presenting alternatives, we’re giving her a headache.”
“You three were recommended to me- I’d prefer one of you. The dragon says he cannot. Can the lady?”
“She’s not a magician,” Heero frowned. “Which is a good thing, because then she’d rule the world.”
“So it has to be you. Unless-“ Duo paused. “Unless you are not free? Do you have someone who would feel uncomfortable about you doing this with me?”
“He’s very free,” Wufei smiled toothily. “Heero’s too prickly for most of his fellow humans.”
“Shut up, lizard.” Heero sighed and grabbed a card from the small stack in the front. He knew when he was beat. Flipping the card over he wrote quickly on the back. “This is my home address. I should have everything we need there by-“ he paused a moment to consider- “Friday. If you still want to do this on Friday, come by at seven.”
Duo took the card and tucked it into a pocket. “Friday at seven,” he repeated and smiled, making Heero’s heart do that skip again. “Thank you. I know this makes you uncomfortable, but you can’t imagine how much you are helping me.”
Heero nodded and moved around the counter to unlock the front door. “I’ll see you on Friday, then,” he said and opened the door. Duo stepped out to the sidewalk and then turned to give Heero a shy smile. He was slightly pink, Heero noted, which made him feel a little better about the whole thing.
“Look- I know you only have our word that this is how we can get rid of your curse. If I were you I’d check in with some of the other guys. Winner is right down the street- he can give you a …” Heero searched for the right word, “…second opinion.”
Duo shook his head. “I trust you Mr. Yuy. I’ll see you on Friday.” He headed down the street towards an expensive looking black sports car.
Heero sighed and headed back into the shop. Sally had joined Wufei at the counter. She looked up and grinned at him.
“You could’ve given me a slightly better warning,” he told her.
“And wreck all the fun?” She smiled at him. “Besides, why are you complaining? You’re finally getting a were form! Do you know how many other jobs we’ll get because of that?”
“But think of what I have to do to get it-“
Wufei rolled his eyes. “Sleep with a drop dead gorgeous shifter. You’ve seen some of the ones I’ve gotten stuck with- I have no pity for you.”
Heero sighed and went to pick up the book on curses. Maybe he’d be able to find an alternative spell by Friday.
“You won’t,” said Sally.
**
Heero triple checked the drawings, one little mistake and who knew what would happen. He couldn’t afford to make a mistake. Bad enough he was already nervous about this whole thing. His attraction to Duo worried him- it felt all too much like he was taking advantage of a person in need- and he didn’t like that feeling...
“Relax,” said Wufei, leaning over his shoulder. “They’re right.”
“I know,” Heero gave him a faint smile. “Don’t want to mess up and have to do it twice is all.”
Wufei chuckled, but didn’t make the obvious reply, for which Heero was somewhat grateful. He gathered up the drawings, a small bag of supplies and headed for the door.
“Good night Sally!” He called.
“Everything’s going to go fine!” Was her reassuring reply.
Stepping out on the sidewalk, he blinked. Duo was standing there, hands in his pockets, obviously waiting.
“I’m sorry,” he said with a smile. “I know you said seven, but-“ He lifted a shoulder. “Well, it’s been a hard couple of days. I wanted to make sure everything was still going okay.”
A hard couple of days? Heero wondered what that meant. “Just fine. I was about to go home and get set up- you can come help if you like.”
Duo’s face lit up. “I’d love to.”
They walked down the street and Heero noticed that Duo kept scanning their surroundings. Was he worried about an attack? If someone had set a curse on him it was possible that they’d attack as well. Or was it just Pride behavior? Heero hadn’t spent a lot of time around shifters, other than Wufei. Were they all so jumpy?
“I’m very grateful that you’re willing to do this for me, Mr. Yuy.”
“Heero,” he corrected quickly. “Any changes in the curse since you came to us?”
Duo shook his head. “No- does that happen sometimes?”
“Sometimes- especially if the person who did the cursing knows that their victim is taking steps to get it removed.”
“Nothing’s changed that I can tell.” Duo rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ll just be happy to have it gone.” He cast a wary look around again. “I know you don’t know our ways, but I am low in the Pride ranks. Having this curse has made this time very difficult for me- even though it is not my fault, it is seen as a weakness.”
That did make sense, given what Heero knew about animal behavior. No wonder Duo was jumpy- and maybe that was what he meant about having a hard time.
“I can understand that. Here we are.” Heero led Duo into his building and up to his apartment. Duo looked around the room and then smiled at Heero.
“It wasn’t what I was expecting,” he said and Heero nodded.
“I know. No black walls or skulls on the mantelpiece- believe me, several of my friends have given me a bad time about that. A magician’s apartment should look the part, or so they tell me.”
“But if it’s not what you’re comfortable with, then you shouldn’t.”
“That’s what I keep telling them- if you’ll follow me we can get the workroom set up.”
His workroom was the reason he’d rented the apartment- it was a small empty room with concrete floors and walls. He wasn’t sure what it had been used for originally, but it was perfect for his work.
“What are the marks on the floor?” Duo asked.
“Protections. I’ll activate them before we start. First though I have to draw these diagrams on the walls.” Heero found his box of chalk. “How are you at copying?”
Duo took the paper he offered and a piece of chalk. “I can do this. Where does it go?”
“Back wall- it doesn’t need to be big. Just put it in the middle.”
Duo nodded and got to work. Heero picked up another diagram and got started on the side wall. This was odd, he told himself. He’d never had a client actually help with the set up before. Then again, Duo seemed to be really worried about getting rid of the curse. If helping Heero set up eased his fears, then it was a good thing.
“How long have you worked with Miss Sally?”
“For a very long time. When I was about thirteen my guardian dumped me off in the middle of town. Sally’s mother found me and took me in.”
“Dumped you off?” Duo repeated.
Heero frowned at his diagram; one of the lines was too thick. He thinned it down with a fingertip. “He was scared of me,” he said bluntly. “Once I was old enough that the social services back home would believe I ran away, he dropped me off here.”
“Was he related to you?”
“Stepfather. My mother died before I could remember her. Never knew my father.”
Duo was silent for a moment, as if unsure how to take this information. Heero mentally cursed himself. It wasn’t like him to talk about his background- but then he was nervous too.
“I didn’t know my parents either.” Duo’s voice was soft. “But I had the Pride to take care of me. That was horrible of your stepfather.”
“It was- but I can’t blame him. Magicians aren’t easy to raise. I’m sure you’ve heard the stories.” He caught Duo’s nod out of the corner of his eye.
“So- Miss Sally’s mother took you in- and trained you?”
Heero shook his head. “Sally’s mother was psychic- just like Sally. Wufei did the training. He’s a lot older than he looks.”
“It must have been a little intimidating- having a dragon for a teacher.”
“No kidding.” Heero laughed. “I think he threatened to eat me once or twice if I messed up a spell.”
“I’ll bet that made you learn fast.”
“You have no idea.”
“I think I’m finished.” Duo stepped back from the wall and compared his drawing to the diagram. “What do you think?”
Heero joined him and did the same. “Perfect. Here’s the one for that wall.”
The work went quickly with another pair of hands to help him. Heero stood by the door and surveyed the finished room. “I think we can get started.”
“Where-“ Duo cleared his throat. “Where are we going to…?”
“Oh-“ Heero tried not to turn red. “In the middle.”
“Can we…” Duo paused again and Heero noted the pink on his face. “Can we get some blankets or something? The floor looks hard.”
Heero mentally smacked himself. “Of course. I’ll go get some. I’m sorry- like I said in the store- I don’t do these types of jobs- I didn’t even think-” Well, it was more like he’d been trying not to think, but it was close enough.
Duo smiled, his relief evident. “That’s okay- I’ve never done this before either. We’ll be new together. How does it- I mean, what do we do next?”
“Well, I’ll get the blankets and then we’ll put a few things on your mark to encourage it to feel like moving. In fact-“ Heero turned to his bag of supplies and pulled out two tiny jars. “If you could put these on your mark- cover it completely—while I go get the blankets?”
“Of course- does it matter what order they go on in?”
“No. I’ll be right back.”
Heero’s mouth went dry when he came back into the room. Duo stood in the center of the floor, his clothes gone, his hair loose. He looked up from smoothing the balm over his mark and smiled impishly at Heero.
“I thought it would be easier to just get it over with.” He said and stepped aside so Heero could put the blankets down.
“Ah,” Heero managed and told himself to focus as he arranged the blankets in the center of the room. Then he carefully checked the mark to make sure Duo had covered it completely, keeping his eyes fixed on Duo’s arm. When he looked elsewhere, he got distracted.
“I think we can get started.” Duo nodded and dropped gracefully down onto the blankets. Heero took a deep breath, focused and called his protections into place. Duo’s eyes widened and Heero wondered if he could see the energies swirling around the room.
He sat down on the blankets next to Duo. “Ready for the next part?”
“I think so.” Duo was that light pink color again. “Like I said- I’ve never done this before.”
Of course he hadn’t-- how many people sleep with strangers to get a curse removed? Still, it was nice of him to say it, Heero thought and relaxed a little. “Like I said, it’s the same for me,” Heero assured him. “Wufei usually does these. But I promise you that I will do my best to rid you of the curse.”
Duo’s smile reappeared and he leaned over to kiss Heero lightly on the lips. “I know you will.” He leaned back onto the blankets and Heero had to remind himself to breathe. “Come here.”
**
Heero woke up the next morning with a sore back. Sleeping on the floor was never a good idea. He sat up, one hand clutching his head and squinted at his arm. The curse mark swirled around his bicep and he smiled. At least it had worked.
He was alone in the blankets- not a huge surprise. He remembered a soft whisper of thanks in his ear right after everything had- well, after the spell completed. He squashed the feeling of disappointment and got to his feet. Shower first.
As he waited for it to warm up, he leaned against the sink and studied his arm again in the mirror. He’d have to test it out sometime- but it would be better to do it in the shop under Wufei’s eye, in case anything went wrong.
The shower soothed his aches away, and after he was clean, dry and dressed, he went to go clean up his workroom.
Picking up the blankets, he caught a sudden whiff of something that smelled like musk and trees- Duo’s scent.
Stretched out beneath him on the blankets, head tilted back, his hair spread out around him-
Heero shook his head, banishing the image. He was a client. One Heero would more than likely never see again. There was no use in feeling disappointed about it, he chided himself, that was how these things went.
How the hell did Wufei manage all the time? Of course the lizard would say he didn’t have all the hang-ups humans did.
Once the workroom was clean, he ate breakfast and headed down to the shop. It was going to be a regular day, he told himself. Just like all the others.
Luckily, Wufei was not working today. Heero didn’t think he could take the ribbing Wufei would most likely give him.
He opened the door and blinked. Duo was standing beside the counter, a stern-looking female next to him. Sally stood behind the counter, her expression guarded.
“There you are, Heero,” she said calmly. “Lady Une and her grandson have been waiting to see you.”
Grandson? She didn’t look old enough to be his mother. Then again, Pride supposedly aged differently.
“You are the one who removed my grandson’s curse?”
Why did he have a sudden urge to cover his throat? “Yes-“ Heero glanced back and forth between the two of them, puzzled. “Didn’t it work?”
The Lady nodded. “It did. However, there is another issue.”
Heero wondered what it was. He’d gotten rid of Duo’s curse, what else was wrong?
“Duo is one of our gifts. Orphaned at an early age, he was chosen to make a match advantageous to the pack.”
Heero nodded, still confused.
“That means that they may not mate with anyone other than the one chosen for them.”
What?
“Since Duo had to mate with you to rid himself of the curse, he is now yours. I trust you will take good care of him.” The Lady got to her feet and Heero’s mouth dropped open.
“What? But- He-“ Heero tried to think of where to start.
“Yes. What’s wrong? Don’t you like him? Duo didn’t say that you complained.” She shot a glance at her grandson.
“That’s not the point! I had to do it to remove the curse. I didn’t know-”
“I realize that. However, he still slept with you and the law is the law. He’s yours now.”
“But- he didn’t tell me-“
“Of course not. I ordered him not to when I put the curse on him.”
Heero’s jaw dropped open. “You put the-“
“Of course- and I had to pay a lot to have it crafted for us, but it was worth it.”
“Worth it?” Heero repeated, his head starting to hurt.
“You are one of the best magicians in the city. You are known to be unattached and difficult- but you are always willing to help. The Pride needs a connection with a magician. Knowing that you are my grandson’s mate will help us.” Lady Une turned away from him and focused on her grandson. “Be a credit to me, Duo.”
“Yes Grandmother.”
She swept out of the store and Heero glared at Sally. “What?” She said. “The Pride connection will bring in lots of jobs. It’s perfect for us. Besides, we need more help in the store- Duo will be a big help.”
“You could’ve warned me!”
She smiled. “And have you try and get out of it? Give up Heero- it was fated to be.”
“I hate when you use that excuse.”
Her smile widened and she vanished towards the back of the store. “Just get ready to open, will you?” Heero closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead.
A gentle hand touched his shoulder. “I’m really sorry about this-“
Heero looked up into Duo concerned gaze. “They really did curse you just to get to me? Would they have thrown you out if I hadn’t removed the curse?”
Duo nodded. “Grandmother doesn’t like failure.”
Heero opened his mouth to argue more, to tell Duo he really didn’t have to stay, he’d help the Pride out no matter what- Duo didn’t have to be stuck with him...
Sally forestalled him.
“Heero- get to work! Duo’s staying with you! Just accept it and open the damn store!”
Duo burst out laughing. “I can see that it will never be dull around here.”
“That’s an understatement. All right, if you are staying, why don’t you be helpful and go organize the back room?”
Duo leaned over and dropped a kiss on Heero’s cheek. “Thank you,” he said and headed towards the back.
Heero watched him go, his heart doing that funny skip again and wondered what he’d gotten himself into…
“You have to be the luckiest bastard in the world, you do know that, right?”
Heero looked up from the crystal balls he was polishing and lifted an eyebrow at Wufei. “I thought you just came in to get that book from Sally- and then you had to run right back home again.”
“I got it,” Wufei waved the book at him. “But then I asked her why it looked like we had a new employee.“ He tilted his head towards Duo, who was listening patiently to a customer tell him why she needed a different tea-leaf book than the five she already had. “I was thinking that you must’ve had a really good night-“
Heero dropped his gaze, willing himself not to turn red.
“And she told me about the visit you had this morning.”
Heero sighed and looked down at the cloth in his hands. “It was a surprise-“
“I’ll bet it was, but damn, how lucky can you get? He’s gorgeous, he’s patient with the customers- and he’s yours.”
“Yeah, I may be lucky, but he’s not. The situation sucks for him, don’t you think?” Heero said softly. “Handed off to some stranger just to make a connection for your family? Not having any choice in the matter?” He dropped his voice further. “And to have your first time be- well, in that sort of situation?” He’d been thinking about it all day, once he’d recovered from the shock of suddenly acquiring Duo. “Maybe I should figure out a way to let him go- no matter what Sally says.”
His new mate looked over his shoulder at the magician and the dragon, his eyes narrowing slightly, before he turned back to the customer with a smile. Heero wondered what was wrong- Duo couldn’t have heard any of the conversation, could he?
Wufei rolled his eyes. “Humans used to do it all the time,” he informed his former student, blowing out a whiff of smoke. “You can’t blame the Pride for doing the same. Besides, he doesn’t seem unhappy. Sally says he’s been having a good first day- a natural with the customers- even learned the trick with the register the first time around. So unless you really screwed up the sex part…”
Heero glared at him. “It still doesn’t seem right to me, and I’m not sure how fitting in here means anything-but-“
Sally chose that moment to appear. Without even looking at Heero she smacked the back of his head and frowned at Wufei. “Your customer is going to be mad if you’re late- and if you don’t leave in the next minute…”
“I have plenty of time,” Wufei countered, but he still slid around the counter and headed for the door. “See you tomorrow!”
“Not until almost noon,” Sally smirked and then turned to Heero. “Nearly done or have you been thinking too hard to work?” Duo was leading the customer back towards the register, a small pile of books in his arms.
“Of course I am,” he said and gestured at the stack in front of him. “Just two more.”
“Good. Once you’ve finished, you can go home. I can handle the rest of today.”
“Not a lot of customers coming in? Usually we’re busy-”
Sally shook her head. “It’s going to start raining in about an hour. You’ll want to get home before it starts. Go ahead and finish up and then the two of you can leave. Remind Duo to get his bag, too, okay?”
She vanished into her office and Heero went back to his task. The customer took their package from Duo and left cheerily predicting that she was going to be back next week for more. Heero watched her go, knowing that she would be. The woman was one of their regulars.
He nearly dropped the crystal ball he was holding when Duo breathed in his ear: “I had a choice.” He turned his head slightly and found Duo beside him. How had he moved that fast?
“What?” Had Duo somehow heard his conversation with Wufei?
“I said I had a choice. Grandmother had several files- she said I got to choose which one she was going to give me to.”
Heero’s eyes widened. “And you chose me?”
Duo rolled his eyes. “Don’t look so surprised!” He poked Heero gently in the ribs. “I did. Grandmother said there was going to be some complications- and to be honest I thought I was supposed to get the curse removed as a means of introduction- and then try to court you. But Grandmother is not very patient sometimes. I didn’t know about how the spell was supposed to be removed until you showed me- and then I knew what her plan was.”
“And she’d made you promise not to tell me about your, uh, status.”
Duo nodded. “I truly am sorry.” He leaned against Heero’s back. “It’s just- you looked- like you might need someone.” That statement made something in Heero’s chest tighten a little and he had to take a breath before he could reply.
“None of the others needed someone?”
“Doubtful. All the others were already mated several times.”
“Several times?”
“They had multiple spouses.” Duo smiled at his surprise. “It’s not uncommon among the Pride.”
Another surprise. “All the others were Pride?” Duo hadn’t wanted someone from his own people?
“Yes.” Duo rubbed his cheek against Heero’s shoulder. “Are you very upset with me?”
“No,” Heero managed, still trying to assimilate all this new information. “I just- I’m still sort of getting used to all of this.”
Pulling away, Duo smiled. “I can understand that. Did Miss Sally say we could go home when you were finished?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” Duo’s voice dropped to a purr. “I’m looking forward to a repeat of last night- without the removing the curse part.”
Heero was glad there wasn’t anything too flammable around him, because he was sure his face would’ve ignited it.
“Duo-“
“I’ll get my bag.”
Heero finished and put his cleaning supplies away. He could hear the soft murmur of Duo and Sally’s voices in the back, but since he didn’t want Sally to smack him again, he just waited for Duo to finish.
Was he really taking Duo home with him? For good?
“Yes!” Sally called from the back.
Heero refrained from smacking his head into the wall. Why did he even try?
Duo was smiling when he appeared, bag in hand. “Ready?”
“Yes,” Heero headed for the door, Duo a step behind him. “I usually walk- I know you had a car before-?” He wasn’t sure what he was going to do about that. His building didn’t have many spaces.
“It wasn’t mine. I borrowed it- and the clothes- from one of my cousins.” Duo grinned. “Grandmother wanted me to look like I could pay a lot for the removal, though she said you weren’t known to be greedy.”
“Ah, sounds like she did some research-“ Heero wasn’t sure what he thought of that. “Um, you really are sure about this-?”
Duo nodded and reached out to take Heero’s hand. “Yes. I told you. If anyone should be having doubts or getting mad it’s you.”
“I-“ Heero thought about it. Maybe he should be mad. But it was really hard to get mad with Duo looking at him like that.
“Let’s go home,” Duo tugged his hand. “We can talk more there. Miss Sally said it’s going to rain. Is she ever wrong?”
Heero groaned. “Not that I’ve ever seen. I wish.” He followed Duo down the street, noting that his new mate still was doing that scanning of the area thing. It was enough to almost make Heero jumpy. Did Duo expect something to leap out at them?
They were almost home when a couple of young boys walked past, looked at their linked hands and muttered something only half under their breaths. Before Heero could react, Duo had turned around and snarled at the youths.
Who promptly turned pale and fled down the sidewalk.
Heero didn’t blame them. It wasn’t a sound you expected to hear from a human throat. It was a sound from the jungles, something that made your shoulder blades itch and your guts turn to water. He filed away the thought that perhaps it would never be a good idea to argue with Duo.
Duo was still wearing a satisfied smirk when they entered the apartment.
“Dinner?” Heero asked after he kicked off his shoes. “I think I have something I can make. Frozen pizza maybe?”
“I’ll do it,” Duo left his bag by his shoes and headed for the kitchen. Heero shook himself and went to check his messages. Duo was on the couch when he finished, studying at the bookshelf beside it.
“Fifteen minutes,” he told Heero.
“Thanks. I was thinking,” Heero sat down on the other end of the sofa, “that I’d let you have the bed. This couch turns into a sleeper, and I can sleep here.” Duo frowned and slid down the sofa towards him. “I know where all the bad springs are-“ Duo dropped into his lap and Heero had to take a breath.
“I told you. I’m sleeping with you.”
“You don’t have-“
“I do.” Duo put his cheek against Heero’s. “I’m your mate. I sleep where you do.” He laughed softly. “I want to try it when we don’t have to stop in the middle to remove a curse-”
“We should’ve stopped right afterwards-“
“I didn’t want to. Don’t you remember?” Before he could think of a response, Duo moved closer still and whispered in his ear: “Let me remind you? Please?”
If the timer for the pizza hadn’t gone off thirteen minutes later, Heero wasn’t quite sure what would’ve happened. As it was, somehow his shirt had mysteriously moved to the other side of the room...
“I’ll get it!” Duo slid out from underneath him with a mischievous grin.
Heero put his head down on the sofa and groaned. What was he doing? Why did all his common sense fly out the window the moment Duo smiled at him?
Shaking his head, he got up from the sofa and made sure his jeans were securely fastened before heading for the kitchen. Duo was carefully pulling the pizza onto a cutting board.
“I wasn’t sure which plates you use- the real ones or the paper?” He said as he placed the cutting board on the counter.
Heero smiled as he opened the fridge to pull out a few sodas. “Whichever are fine, I usually just eat over the sink.”
“Less cleanup works for me,” Duo laughed.
As they stood companionably eating their dinner over the sink, Duo eyed the curse mark that circled Heero’s arm. “How is it?” He asked and Heero shrugged.
“Don’t know yet. I wasn’t going to try it out until Wufei had a minute to watch- just in case something happened when we did the transfer.”
“I am glad it’s not on me, I much prefer my own shapes.” Duo shivered a little.
“Did the Pride really give you a bad time?”
Duo nodded. “Of course. Like I said- I’m already low in the ranks. Any sign of weakness is a bad thing.”
“Why are you low in the ranks? Is it an age thing? You have to work your way up over time?” He wondered how old Duo really was- his Grandmother hadn’t looked more than 25…
That made his mate laugh. “No. Well, you do, but in my case, I’d never get very far up the ranks.”
“Why not?” Heero swallowed his last bite of pizza and searched for something to do that didn’t involve going back to the couch. “Want to grab your bag and get settled in?”
“All right.” Duo finished his can of soda and tossed it at the recycling bin. “I’d never get very far up the ranks,” he said as he followed Heero back into the living room, “Because I have the wrong shape.”
“But we got rid of the wolf.”
Duo laughed and picked up his bag. “Not that shape. My normal shape.”
“Okay, I’m confused.” Heero led the way back to his bedroom. “Go ahead- I there’s space in the closet- and the bathroom is across the hall.”
“Thanks.” Duo opened his bag and started to unpack. “How much do you know about Pride?”
“Practically nothing. Sometimes we have one come in the store, but that’s really the extent of it. Wufei has done a few jobs, I think, but he’s never said much.”
“Well, think of big cats. What’s the best one?”
Heero frowned. “A tiger?”
That made Duo laugh. “No. Though I’m sure those Pride members who have that shape would agree with you. Pride considers lions to be the best.”
“Ah. So if you have a lion shape, then you’re already high in the rankings?”
“Exactly. Lions are the main body of the Pride- thus the name. Those of us who have other cats as our shape are automatically lower than they are.”
“That doesn’t really seem fair- it’s not like you can control it-“
“Sure you can. If you’re a lion, you breed with a lot of other lions and have lots of lion babies. Other cats will also try to breed with you in order to have lion children. Thus the multiple spouses thing- it’s the lions that have them.”
“They don’t just end up half and half?” Heero remembered that all the other matches he had been offered had multiple spouses. Why had Duo turned down a match with a lion?
Duo laughed. “In a normal cat population, sure, but we’re shifters. My mother was a lion- but my father wasn’t- and I got his genes.”
“So what do you turn into?”
Smiling over his shoulder, Duo asked: “Want to see?”
“Sure.”
Heero had to swallow hard as Duo began pulling off his clothes. “It’s easier to shift without getting tangled in the fabric,” he said with a grin when he finished- and changed.
Sitting down on the bed, Heero studied the large cat in front of his closet. “A jaguar?” He said after a moment, and Duo leaped up on the bed beside him. Carefully, he touched the rosette markings on Duo’s coat, letting his fingers sink into the soft fur. “Amazing.”
A moment later, human Duo was beside him again, Heero’s fingers tangled in his hair. “Not too bad?” He asked softly and Heero shook his head.
“Not bad at all. I’m wondering what the big deal about lions is.” Duo laughed and tackled him down onto the mattress.
“Now that we’ve had dinner, and my things are put away- maybe we can go back to what we were doing on the couch?”
Heero opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Duo’s lips covered his.
And he was lost again…
**
The phone rang.
Heero opened an eye and glared at it.
It rang again.
Duo groaned and buried his head against Heero’s chest. “Who would call so early?”
“There’s only one person I know of-“ Heero reached for the phone. “Sally,” he said into the receiver. “What is it?”
“We have a job,” his boss said brightly.
“This early? You couldn’t have warned me yesterday?”
“Nope, because then you would’ve used getting up early as an excuse for not doing what you did.”
“Sally-“
“Just hop in the shower and get dressed, will you? Bring Duo, you’re going to need him- but don’t take the shower with him- I need you down here faster than that.” She chuckled in his ear and hung up.
“We have a job?” Duo asked, yawning.
“We do.” Heero threw the covers back and sat up. “And I have a feeling it’s not going to be one of the easy ones…”
His mate yawned, his eyes still half-closed despite the cold shower he’d taken less than twenty minutes ago- not to mention the icy rain that dripped off the edges of their umbrella. Duo made a mental note that his mate was not at his best early in the morning and moved closer to carefully slip an arm around his waist. Heero accepted the caress, giving his mate a sleepy smile.
“I hope Sally made coffee,” he said and leaned a little into Duo’s side.
Happy that his mate seemed to be getting more comfortable around him, Duo smiled, adjusting the umbrella a little. “If she didn’t, I will. Is the customer there too? Did she say?”
Heero shook his head. “She didn’t say. I would bet she either has an early appointment scheduled with the customer, or she’s expecting them to drop by.”
“Did she say what kind of job it was?”
“No,” Heero rolled his eyes and smothered a yawn. “I’ll be lucky if she tells me when we get there. She likes to keep me on my toes.”
“Is it dangerous?”
A shrug. “Don’t know. Sally usually doesn’t take those ones, unless there’s some sort of reason we have to do it.”
“It would have to be a good one to put yourself in danger.” Duo didn’t like the idea of Heero going off on dangerous jobs. He didn’t know enough about this business yet to be able to watch Heero’s back effectively.
He had a lot to learn, Duo thought with a sigh, in order to be a good mate for Heero.
“Here at last,” Heero opened the door of the shop. The smell of fresh coffee drifted from the back room and Heero perked up immediately. Duo made another mental note. His mate was clearly a caffeine addict.
Sally was at her desk, a large book in front of her. “There you are,” she said and waved her hand at the coffee pot. “You’re late.”
“You didn’t give me a time,” Heero protested as he poured himself a cup of coffee. He sat down on the battered sofa carefully and glared amiably at his boss. Duo curled up against his side, being sure to give Heero enough room to move, but close enough that another Pride member would know Heero was his.
Not that he expected one to show up this morning, but it made him feel better. Heero didn’t protest and Duo relaxed a little. Sally grinned at him and he wondered how much she knew about Pride.
“We’re supposed to meet the client in about thirty minutes. I wanted to give you some time to put a kit together.”
“And what kind of kit am I putting together?” Heero lifted an eyebrow at her. “Spit it out- it’s not another demon-possession is it?”
Duo made a faint sound of dismay. Demon-possession?! Heero patted his arm absently.
“No, no,” Sally waved her hand in the air. “Just a haunted house.”
Just a haunted house? Duo blinked at her. That didn’t sound good either, in his opinion.
Heero just sighed. “And I need a kit for that?”
“Well-“ Sally shrugged. “It’s really haunted. Supposedly the spirits are getting a bit violent…”
“Or maybe the owners are just pissing them off?” Heero leaned forward to put his coffee cup on the low table in front of him. “Which is it, Sally? What are we in for?”
“That’s just it- I’m not sure. There’s something we have to do- and hell if I know what it is yet- and so we’re either going to get in, get it done and be out or-“
“Or?” Heero prompted.
“Or Duo and Wufei are going to have to come pull us out.”
What? No, he needed to be with Heero! Before Duo could protest, Sally spoke: “I need you in the shop this morning, Duo. I truly do. Wufei isn’t going to be here until noon. If we’re not back a half hour after he gets here- then the two of you are going to have to come get us.”
He wanted to argue- but technically she was his boss- and Heero’s too. He couldn’t go against her authority. Biting his lip, he turned to Heero.
His mate looked surprised. “You really are having trouble seeing which way it’s going to go?”
“Sorry,” Sally lifted a shoulder in apology. “You know how it goes. Sometimes things get blocked- I think it’s because what we have to do is dependent on something else-“
“Right.” Heero got to his feet and headed for the store. “I’ll get a kit together. Anything I need to put in?”
“Just the usual.”
“Got it.” Heero vanished into the store and Duo looked at Sally.
“So if you aren’t back a half hour after Wufei gets here- then we go get you? Does Wufei know what to do?”
She nodded. “It won’t be the first time he’s pulled us out- and if the two of you do show up, then we’ll be okay. I do know that.” Sally gave him a reassuring smile. “More than likely though, we’ll be finished and back here before he shows up for work. So don’t worry, okay?”
“I’ll try not to.”
Tilting her head, she waved at the door. “Go on out and help Heero. Remind him to pack the book, will you? He knows which one and he nearly always forgets.”
His mate was digging through a battered looking knapsack when Duo joined him. “Got that, need to grab some more of those…”
“Sally said to take the book- you’d know which one.”
Heero snapped his fingers. “Right. I hate that thing, but if we need it.” Turning to one of the locked cases behind the counter, he produced a ring of keys. “Now where did I stick it…”
A moment later, he unlocked a case and pulled out a small book covered in what looked like leather. Duo was close enough to smell it though, and it didn’t smell quite right…
“Human skin,” Heero said as Duo wrinkled his nose. “Isn’t that lovely?” He tucked the book in the side of the knapsack and brushed at his fingertips. “Makes my skin crawl.”
“Why do you need it?”
“Despite the cover- done for the sheer theatrical joy of it, I’m sure- the damn thing does have some spells that are very useful.” Heero fussed with the contents of the sack for a few more minutes under Duo’s worried eye.
“Almost ready?” Sally called from the back.
“Yes, yes, I’ll be right there.” Heero closed the knapsack and smiled at Duo. “Don’t look so worried. We’ll be okay. Are you sure you feel comfortable running the shop this morning?”
“Of course,” Duo managed a smile back. “Just be- really careful, all right?”
“Of course,” Heero echoed as he slung the knapsack over his shoulder. “I’ll see you when we get back.” He paused for a moment, looking faintly puzzled as if he was wondering if there was something he forgot.
Duo took advantage of the opportunity and leaning forward, kissed his mate quickly. Heero’s puzzled look turned into a softer expression. “We’ll be okay,” he said again and brushed his fingers over Duo’s cheek. “Don’t look so worried. We do this all the time.”
Easy for him to say, Duo thought as Heero headed towards Sally and the back door. Still, he was a magician, and powerful enough that Grandmother had gone through a lot of trouble to tie him to the Pride. He needed to remember that.
Shaking himself, he looked at the clock. The store wasn’t due to open for another hour- and Duo didn’t feel like curling up on the couch until then. He went looking for cleaning supplies, hoping that he’d be able to keep himself too busy to worry.
**
Duo leaned against the counter. He’d cleaned everything he could think
of- except the things in the locked cases- he had a bad feeling about some of
them. He’d opened the store on time, helped the customers that came in,
and tried not to think about how much time was passing.
It was nearly noon. Sally had said that if all went well, she and Heero would beat Wufei back to the store.
For some reason, Duo had a feeling things were not going well. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The dragon would be here soon.
Heero would be okay. Sally had assured him of that- but then this morning she had admitted that at times she was blocked. Had she been and lied to Duo to keep him calm? He didn’t want to lose his mate.
Back when Grandmother had shown him the files, Duo hadn’t thought that he’d be lucky enough to get someone like Heero. He knew what his kind was usually meant for and as Grandmother had put each folder down, he’d felt his heart sink lower and lower. Thinking back, he wondered if she hadn’t been manipulating him- she had to know how he felt about some of those who had offered for him…
Heero’s folder had been the last.
“This one isn’t Pride. He’s a magician- one I want to bring closer to the Pride. He hasn’t offered for you- you’ll have to chase him, but I know how you are on the hunt. I think you can catch him with my help.”
He’d looked at the picture on the cover- the man was walking down the street, head down, by himself in a crowd of people. Beautiful- but so lonely looking that his heart ached.
“Does he have someone?”
“No one at all. No other spouses- you know how humans are. As far as my sources can tell, he is unattached, and dedicated to his work. Do you like him, Duo?”
That was easy to answer. “Yes.”
“He might be difficult to win.”
“I don’t care. I want to try.”
The bell over the door jangled and Duo snapped out of his reverie with a jolt. Wufei stood by the door, shaking the rain out of his hair.
“Duo!” He said warmly. “Those two didn’t stick you with the front, did they?”
“They’re on a job,” Duo told him. “Sally said if they weren’t back a half-hour after you got here, then we were supposed to go pull them out.”
The dragon blew a startled puff of smoke in the air. “That bad?”
“I guess so- Sally said they’d more than likely be back before you, but-“ Duo trailed off unhappily. Wufei’s reaction hadn’t been reassuring.
“What sort of job?” Wufei reached the counter, pulling off his coat.
“A haunted house.”
Much to Duo’s relief, Wufei seemed to relax a little. “Figures. Those ones are notoriously unpredictable. I’m amazed Sally even takes those jobs. Well, let me get some coffee and we’ll wait- and the moment a half hour is up, we’ll head out. All right?”
“All right.”
Wufei tugged on the end of Duo’s braid. “Relax. Did she mention a hospital stay? Injuries? Did she remind Heero to take the first aid kit?”
Duo shook his head.
“Then it should be okay.” Wufei assured him and headed for the back room.
The bell chimed again and Duo turned toward the door, expecting customers but hoping for Sally and Heero-
And felt his stomach lurch at the sight of the two men who sauntered in.
Not them! Not now!
“Duo,” the taller one with red hair smiled at him. “Here you are. Une said she’d mated you to some human, but I didn’t believe it.” His companion flicked blond hair over his shoulder with a smile and Duo fought not to show his teeth. He didn’t stand a chance in a fight with these two.
“And yet here I am,” Duo said instead, keeping his head slightly bent. “Grandmother had the good of the Pride in mind.” That sounded pretentious, but when dealing with these two…
“Still, a human? Why?”
“She didn’t tell you?” Duo’s eyebrows shot up, thankfully hidden by his bangs. Treize was one of his Grandmother’s favorite spouses. Why hadn’t she confided in him?
“Obviously not,” Treize’s companion leaned against the counter and Duo took a careful step back. “Otherwise, why would we be here?”
“Zechs, behave.” Treize ordered absently. “We’d be here to offer Duo and his new mate our congratulations of course. Where is this mate of yours?”
“He’s not here,” Duo said, suddenly very grateful that Heero was late. “He had a job this morning.”
“And he left you here alone?” Zechs raised an eyebrow and Duo willed himself not to growl. “Unprotected?”
They wouldn’t dare…
“Hardly,” a warm voice drawled behind him. “Duo was left here with me. I assure you, I am very able to protect him from any threat.”
Duo turned just enough to see Wufei lounging in the doorway behind him, coffee cup in hand, smoke drifting up from his nostrils.
“Who are you?” Treize asked.
“This is Chang Wufei, one of my mate’s associates.” Duo said, moving a little closer to the dragon. “This is Treize, one of my Grandmother’s spouses- and Zechs, one of his.”
“Must make things complicated at the family reunions,” Wufei smiled, showing all of his teeth. Duo was gratified to see Zechs move a bit closer to Treize.
“A little. So Duo’s new mate considers you adequate protection?” Treize feinted.
“Are you questioning my ability?” Wufei glided towards the counter and Duo could feel the heat that radiated off of him- and the scent of smoke that always hung around Wufei seemed to intensify. “My family has acted as guardians for thousands of years,” the dragon hissed, blowing out a stream of smoke that made the two Pride males back up a little.
Duo glanced at the clock- only five more minutes. Heero and Sally needed them. They couldn’t waste time with these two for much longer… Could Wufei scare them off? Or eat them? That would be good too.
“Not at all,” Treize backed off. “It’s just- well, Duo is a jaguar, you know, and most of them are not allowed to go anywhere without their mates.”
“And why is that?” Wufei asked, heat still rolling off of him in waves.
“Because,” Zechs smiled, showing his own impressive canines, “the jaguars are too warm-blooded to be trusted. They need to be confined for their own good, or they will be unfaithful to their mates…”
It was harder to hold the snarl this time. Of all the lies the lions used to keep the other cats under their control- this one was the worst- and the most unfair...
“That doesn’t sound good,” a familiar voice said behind Duo and relief rushed through him. Turning, he nearly threw himself in Heero’s arms.
Safe. He was safe.
Heero’s hand stroked over Duo’s braid. “Then again, perhaps their mates just don’t know how to win their loyalty,” his mate added and Duo nearly laughed at the other two’s expressions.
“You are Duo’s mate?” Treize asked, one eyebrow arching up.
“I am. Who are you?”
“I am one of Une’s spouses. She told me that she had mated Duo to some human- I came to see for myself.”
“Did she tell you why?” Heero asked and Wufei snorted.
“I doubt it, Heero. Otherwise he wouldn’t be here.”
“You realize that you have to be able to face the challenge of the Pride members who feel Duo should’ve gone to one of them?” Zechs asked and Duo finally realized why exactly they were here.
“Like you?” Heero smiled. “I’m not worried.”
Zechs leaned over the counter. “You should be, human.” He snarled.
Heero moved quickly, one hand catching Zechs’ wrist where it lay on the counter. “Any one who tries, will have to deal with this,” he said and spoke a few words that Duo didn’t understand.
Zechs pulled his hand free and Duo’s eyes widened at the dark mark on his wrist. “What’s this?”
“A curse mark,” Heero smiled pleasantly. “I may be only human, but I am also a magician.”
Treize drew in a deep breath as Zechs look at the mark on his arm with dismay. “So that’s why Une gave Duo to you. She wanted a tie with a magician.”
“That’s what she said.”
“What is this?” Zechs was rubbing at his wrist.
“I think the best thing to do is just to let you discover what it does. It will wear off eventually, but anyone who seriously challenges me will be stuck with a permanent one.” Heero’s smile turned to something a little less pleasant. “Or worse.”
Treize’s eyes widened. Then, much to Duo’s surprise, he smiled. “I see why Une chose you as fitting mate for one of ours.” With a slight bow he took Zechs by the arm and led him out of the store.
As the door closed behind them, Wufei turned to Heero with a smirk. “Nice curse there. He’s going to hate you for the next few days.”
“I hope so,” Heero laughed. “It was the first thing that came to mind.”
“What was it?” Duo asked, tightening his grip on Heero, relieved and grateful.
“Impotence.” Wufei chuckled and Duo nearly choked. “Where’s Sally?”
“Upstairs. She has a terrible headache.” Heero grimaced. “It was one of those jobs that turned into a psychotherapy session with the ghosts-“
“But they all agreed to move on?”
“Eventually.” Heero sighed. “Looks like your day was more exciting.” He frowned at the door. “Which reminds me that I need to check my own curse.”
“I wondered when we’d get around to that.” Wufei gestured at the back room. “Go ahead, I can watch from here in case a customer comes in.”
Duo followed Heero and perched on the couch. He hoped Heero’s curse worked- if any of the other Pride members did show up to challenge him, the wolf might help as much as Heero’s magic.
Heero pulled off his shirt and Duo frowned at the array of bruises on his mate’s side. Those had not been there this morning. “What happened?”
“The ghosts tossed me around a little,” Heero winced as he touched the bruises. “I hadn’t realized…”
“You never do,” Wufei snorted and looked at Duo. “When he comes back from a job you need to check him carefully for injuries. He tends to ignore them.”
Duo made yet another mental note about his mate. “Does anything else hurt?” He demanded and Heero shook his head.
“No, I don’t think so,” he said and Duo silently vowed to check for himself as soon as possible.
Heero touched the curse mark on his upper arm. “All right. Let’s give this a try,” he said and closed his eyes.
He shifted.
Duo’s eyes widened and Wufei made a startled sound.
Heero… wasn’t a wolf…
Heero squinted down at his paws. Granted, he wasn’t totally comfortable with the vision of this shape- but they didn’t look right. They looked- sort of splotchy.
And damn, no wonder Duo stripped before changing. Pants did not go well with a tail.
He looked up as Wufei made a sound and opened his mouth. Ah, right, he couldn’t talk in this form- and judging from Wufei’s expression, there was something wrong. He tried to look over his shoulder at his torso.
Oh. That would account for the something wrong.
He looked back at Wufei.
“Yeah, we’re surprised too,” Wufei drawled. “Can you change back?”
Heero was relieved to find that he could, though it made his skin itch. “Huh, what do you think caused that to happen?”
“If I knew, I’d tell you.” Wufei snorted. “It looks like you might have to do some research, student of mine.”
“Obviously.” Heero frowned at the mark on his arm. He hadn’t noticed a change in it, but there must’ve been at least one. “I’ll look through the book- maybe even go talk to Winner.”
“Good idea.” Wufei turned slightly as the door chime rang. “Good afternoon!” He called out, before turning back to Heero. “But put your shirt on first- and have Duo help you put something on those bruises.”
He vanished from the doorway and Heero felt a gentle touch on his bruised side. “What happened? You were a jaguar- like me! Why didn’t you turn into a wolf?”
“A glitch.” Heero turned to face his worried looking mate. “Something went wrong in the curse and changed the result. It happens sometimes.”
“So what do you do now?”
“I need to figure out why there was a glitch. In this case, it could’ve been a mistake I made in the transfer. Or it might have been the way the curse was made- for all I know your Grandmother had it built in to suit her own purpose.”
Duo frowned. “I hadn’t thought of that. It would be like her. What are you going to do? Can you remove it?”
“No,” Heero shook his head. “I can pass it on, but not take it off.” He headed towards the small washroom. “Not that I think I will. It’s still a valuable curse- I just need to make sure that it doesn’t have any other side effects or problems.”
“And how do you check something like that?” Duo closed the door as Heero opened the medicine cabinet and took out a small jar.
“Well, I check the book. If that doesn’t work I go to the other curse expert in town and ask him.” He faced the mirror and studied his bruises. “They aren’t that bad…”
“Let me,” Duo took the jar and opened the lid. “Is he more familiar with this type of curse?”
Heero shook his head and hissed a little as Duo began to spread the ointment on his bruises. “No- but knowing now that it was your Grandmother who bought the curse in the first place- unless she went out of town to do it- Winner is more than likely the one who made it. Do you know?”
“No,” Duo’s fingers gently massaged the ointment into his skin. “Grandmother didn’t tell me where she got it.” He stopped when he reached the waistband, his free hand tugging on the button.
“What-?”
“The bruising looks like it goes down your side,” Duo neatly squashed Heero’s escape attempt by pulling down his zipper and slipping his hand inside Heero’s pants. “If you’ll just take these off…”
“I’m really okay!“
Duo snorted and yanked Heero’s pants off- another piece of clothing following along for the ride.
“Thought so- it goes all the way down your leg!” Duo dropped down on his knees and Heero inhaled sharply. “What happened?”
“Like I said- they threw me around a little,” Heero managed. He focused on the opposite wall, doing his best to ignore what Duo was doing. Didn’t he have any self control at all? Duo was just taking care of some bruises! So what if his touch seemed to warm Heero’s skin from the inside out? So what if he could feel Duo’s breath against his thigh?
“Am I hurting you?” He looked down in an automatic response to find Duo looking up at him with worried eyes.
“No-“
“Are you sure?” Duo traced the line of his thigh with gentle fingers. “You went all tense. Does something else hurt?”
Not yet, Heero thought and shook his head. “No, no. I’m really okay.”
Duo got to his feet, his hand smoothing the ointment back up Heero’s side. “Relax,” he said with a faint smile. “I’m not going to start something here at work- no matter what those lions said.”
Heero blinked at him. What had the lions said? Something about the jaguars being too hot blooded to be left alone? Did Duo think that he believed those two idiots? It was obvious they’d just been trying to rile Duo.
“It’s me I’m worried about,” Heero told him honestly and Duo’s smile brightened. He leaned into his mate, touching his mouth to Heero’s.
“What if I gave you something to tide you through until we’re safely home?”
There was only so much temptation Heero could take. Pulling Duo closer he took shameless advantage of the offered mouth.
Several minutes later, he managed to regain enough of his senses to pull back a little. “If we don’t stop, Sally is going to kill me for doing this when I should be working…”
“You were working pretty hard,” Duo countered, but he let his mate go. “I’ll go see if I can help Wufei.”
Heero reached out and smoothed a strand of Duo’s hair back into place. “I’ll be out as soon as I can.”
“Promise we can continue this later?”
“If you-“
“Want? Oh yes.” Duo leaned in for one more quick kiss. “Very much so.” He slipped out the door, leaving Heero to pull himself together.
**
“Anything yet?” Wufei asked.
“Nothing,” Heero flipped another page. “Not a damn thing. If something had gone wrong then the curse should’ve just not worked- or trapped me in the wolf form. There’s nothing in here that applies!”
“You know what this means, right?” Wufei smiled and Heero groaned. Duo lifted his eyebrows and poked Heero with a French fry.
“Does this mean you have to go talk to the other magician? Is he unfriendly?”
Wufei roared with laugher and Heero contented himself with crumpling up one of the wrappers from his finished lunch and tossing it at the dragon.
“Hardly,” he said in response to Duo’s puzzled look. “Winner is very friendly. In fact, he’s a very good friend of Wufei’s. So much so that I think-“
“Oh no,” Wufei shook his head. “You can go ask him.”
At that moment, the phone rang. Wufei scooped it up. “Greymalkin’s, how can I help you?” He paused for a moment and then started to chuckle. “Well, how fortunate. Heero has a question to ask of you- perhaps a trade of services?”
Heero shook his head and rolled his eyes. “Figures,” he murmured to Duo.
“Of course, I’ll send him right down.” Wufei grinned at Heero. “Love to. Definitely. See you at nine.”
“Dare I hope he wanted you instead?” Heero asked as Wufei hung up the phone.
“Hardly. I got invited to dinner. You are asked to go down and look at something that showed up in their latest shipment. Winner says it gives him a bad feeling, but he can’t pinpoint it- and it’s cold iron.”
“And yet he bought it?”
“He buys that stuff in lots, you know he does.” Wufei made a shooing motion. “Go on, they’re waiting. Take Duo with you.”
Heero frowned. “I’m not sure-“
Wufei laughed again. “Relax. He’s your mate, they aren’t going to touch him.” Wufei turned his smile on Duo. “You might want to keep an eye on Heero though. The ladies are fond of him.”
“Right. After I made whatshername cry? Hardly.” Heero grabbed his coat out of the back room and handed Duo his. “Is it still raining?”
“Yes,” Duo put his coat on, giving Heero a questioning look. “Should I go?”
“You should,” Wufei nodded. “I think it would be a good idea for more people in the magician’s circle to meet you.”
“Good point,” Heero’s expression lightened. “I hadn’t thought of that.” He grabbed the umbrella out of the rack and opened the door. “If we’re not back in an hour, send for help.”
“Ha ha.” Wufei blew a smoke ring. “More like I’ll be calling Winner and asking if he needs any.”
Once outside Heero opened the umbrella and smiled at Duo. “Ready?”
“Are you sure?” Duo asked hesitantly, and Heero mentally kicked himself. He really wasn’t good at this communication thing.
“Yes,” he said, and reached out to pull Duo under the umbrella with him. Sally had made a point of reminding him that Pride acted a lot like their animal counterparts. Touch was important- not only for affection, but also for acceptance and reassurance. “I should’ve explained in there, I’m sorry. It’s not that I don’t want you with me- that wasn’t what I meant at all. I’m just- well, worried about taking you in there with me.”
Much to his relief, Duo snuggled into his side as they started down the street. “Why? Is it dangerous? Wasn’t he the one you told me to go see for a second opinion?”
“He was- and he’s not dangerous. Not at all. In fact, he’s known Wufei for a long time. A very long time- they have this little rivalry thing going on…”
“But he’s going to dinner…”
“It’s not a blood feud- and believe me, Winner and Barton- that’s his partner- are very fond of Wufei. But, like I said, there is this little desire to ‘one-up’ each other- you know what I mean?”
Duo nodded, still looking puzzled. “So why are you worried?”
“It’s just-“ Heero cast a glance around. “They’re fae. They have a very different way of looking at things.” Duo still looked confused and so Heero plowed on: “And since you’re beautiful- they’ll be going out of their way to charm you-“ He bit his lip- he was doing this all wrong. He sounded like a jealous idiot- and after only knowing Duo for less than a week.
Duo’s expression cleared and he slipped his arm around Heero’s waist. “I’m your mate.”
“I know-“
“After what Zechs said I know it’s hard to believe- but I swear to you, we’re not like that- I’m not like that. It’s a lie.”
Heero mentally kicked himself. Damn it. He hadn’t meant to imply Duo was anything of the sort. “I didn’t think-“
“The lions use that excuse to keep the jaguars under their paw,” Duo’s voice dropped to a growl. “If they keep us chained with lies then their power is safer-“
Heero blinked, a terrible thought popping into his head, and then pulled Duo over to the side, taking refuge in the opening of an alley. “Wait- when you say chained- you mean literally chained?” Hadn’t the blond one said something about being confined?
“Imprisoned any way that their spouse desires,” Duo answered, his eyes nearly ablaze. “Not all of them, but many of the lions feel it’s important.”
“What?! All because you’re too hot blooded?”
Duo snorted. “Hot blooded? More like unable to fight back if another Pride member finds you.”
Heero’s blood ran cold.
“And even unchained- the lions aren’t above making sure the others are aware of their dominance- even if you aren’t their mate.”
“That’s rape-“
“Not to the Pride.” Duo’s eyes met his. “And if you are with someone other than your mate- well, that’s the jaguar’s fault isn’t it? For being hot blooded?”
“No! That’s the worst thing I’ve ever heard-“ Heero closed his eyes and shook his head. Then a thought hit him. “Wait a minute- those two that came into the store today-“
“I’m glad Wufei was there.”
Heero pulled his mate close and took a deep breath. “So am I.” He tugged Duo back onto the street. “Let’s go get this done with- then we are going back to the shop and looking into some protections for you.”
“Protections?” Duo repeated, speeding up his steps to match Heero’s.
“Some things that are going to make any lion think twice before going near you.” He took a deep breath. “And Duo- I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply that I thought you were anything like they said. I didn’t when they said it- I thought they were just trying to provoke you.”
“They were,” Duo frowned. “I knew I’d have trouble once I was given to someone- but I didn’t think it would follow me here. I am sorry-“
“They’re the ones who will be sorry,” Heero missed the pleased look that Duo gave him. “Here we are.”
“This doesn’t look like a store,” Duo said as they mounted the steps.
“It’s not- it’s a tea room. Winner’s sisters do psychic readings.” Heero gave him a quick smile. “It’s like being with a roomful of Sallies.”
Duo's eyes widened. “Maybe I should’ve stayed at the shop.”
This was a teahouse? Duo looked around the hallway in surprise. It was more like stepping into a forest- the walls were hung with fabric cut to look like leaves; the carpet was a deep brown and springy underfoot. Here and there were sculptures of trees, spreading leafy canopies overhead. His mate smiled at his reaction.
“They like to play to people’s expectations.”
“Heero.” A voice said from the shadows behind the door. “Welcome.”
“Trowa,” Heero replied. “This is Duo. Quatre should be expecting us.”
Duo blinked as a man pulled himself out of the shadows. A fall of dark hair covered one half of his face. His visible green eye studied Duo for a moment.
“You are welcome here, Duo of the Pride.”
“Thank you,” he managed.
“Quatre is waiting for you in his office.” Trowa smiled slightly and vanished back into the shadows. Heero gave a little tug on Duo’s arm and headed down the hallway. They passed several curtained alcoves and a few rooms. In each one golden haired woman sat bending over crystal ball or their client’s’ palm. The murmur of voices filled the air.
“Course he loves you.” “She has another lover.” “Don’t trust the one armed man.”
They passed one of the golden-haired women in the hallway. She was carrying a teapot and a stack of cups. Heero nodded at her and she smiled back warmly. Very warmly. Duo remembered what Wufei had said about the ladies being fond of Heero, and moved closer to his mate. She just grinned at him and continued on her way.
Duo realized that the hallway was a lot longer than he’d first thought- but had the building been this long? This seemed nearly double the size of what he’d seen outside…
“Heero- the building-“
“It’s bigger on the inside than the outside.” Heero rolled his eyes. “Like I said, they enjoy all the little enchantments- and it’s a good draw for the tourists. ”
Finally, they reached the last door in the hallway. There was a large face carved into the surface, and much to Duo’s surprise, Heero spoke to it.
“Please tell Quatre we’re here.”
The eyes opened and the face smiled. “He already knows. Please come in.” The door swung open and Duo followed Heero into the room.
Where the hallway had looked like a forest, this room looked like a tent. The walls were hung with silks and a small brazier blazed in the corner of the room. Small tables were scattered around the room beside large silken pillows. Duo half-expected to see harem girls lurking in the corners.
“I see you redecorated,” said Heero to the blond man lounging beside the center table.
“One gets tired of the same old things,” the man replied with a dazzling smile. Duo blinked- seated on a cushion behind the blond man was the other man from the front door- Trowa. How had he gotten down the hallway before they did?
Trowa winked at him.
“Please, have a seat.” The blond gestured to the pile of cushions across from him. “It’s always good to see you, Heero,” he said with a look that made Duo want to growl. Then he turned that look on Duo, and the urge to growl turned into the urge to blush. “And who is this?”
“Thank you,” Heero sat down on one of the cushions, tugging Duo down beside him. “This is Duo- my mate. Duo, this is Quatre Winner.”
Duo couldn’t help the small skip his heart made to hear Heero refer to him as his mate. Quatre’s smile widened. “Wufei said you had managed to win a gorgeous shifter as a mate- I’m glad to see he wasn’t exaggerating for once. Pleased to meet you Duo.”
“The pleasure is mine,” Duo returned automatically.
“Oh, it could be.” The blond lifted an eyebrow at him and then turned to Heero before Duo could react. “So, Heero, how can I help you today?”
His mate looked annoyed. “Quatre- you’re psychic, why do I have to explain it? You know already.”
“Sally really has made you lazy. There’s nothing wrong with observing the forms. Besides, unlike Sally and the girls, it’s an effort for me to do that sort of thing.”
“And you’re calling me lazy?”
“Ha. You know I don’t exert myself unless I think I should. Besides, you always have such interesting problems- it’s fun listening to you explain them.”
“Oh, then this should be amusing. Duo came to me because someone had cursed him with a were-shape. A wolf, to be precise. I took it off of him-“
“So you have the curse? Bet that’s useful.”
“Yes- except it’s not a wolf shape now.”
“It’s not?”
“No. I have Duo’s form- it turns me into a jaguar.”
“Can I see the mark?”
Heero shrugged out of his coat and rolled up his sleeve.
“You could just take your shirt off.”
“You can see it fine this way.”
“Spoilsport.” Quatre leaned over the table and examined the mark on Heero’s arm. “Odd. The mark is still the same. Just like I drew it out. Nothing changed that way.”
“So you are the one who made this?”
“Of course.” Quatre said matter-of-factly. “You know perfectly well only that you or I could cast that sort of thing around here.”
“You could’ve warned me.”
“Why would I do that? Wufei’s been saying for years that you needed to- what was his phrase- ‘get laid more often’? It seemed a perfect opportunity.” He smiled cheerfully at Heero.
“I’m going to kill that dragon.”
“Why? Do you not want your kitty? I’ll happily take him.”
“Quatre-“ Duo was impressed. He didn’t know his mate could growl like that.
“Kidding. Anyway, the curse shouldn’t have altered itself- that’s nothing I did. I’m not even sure there is such a thing as a were-jaguar curse.”
“Well, there is now.” Heero pointed out.
“Good point. I’m going to have to go look and see if any of my books have an answer for you. While I do that, maybe you can deal with our little artifact?” Quatre got to his feet.
“Where is it?”
“Over on the table there- under the cloth. I had to shield it here, of course. I can’t tell what exactly it does, but it came in with a bunch of charm rings.”
“I’ll take a look.”
A moment later, they were alone in the room. Duo blinked. “Do they do that often?”
Heero nodded. “Of course.” He got to his feet and moved over to the other table. “Stay there- not that I think this thing is going to do anything bad, but you never know.”
“All right.” Duo stayed where he was, but kept his eyes on Heero. He hoped whatever it was Heero was examining wasn’t that dangerous. His mate unfolded the cloth and started muttering under his breath- Duo couldn’t make out all the words. Maybe he was trying spells on the thing?
“Do you like him?” The voice in his ear made him jump. He turned to find Trowa beside him. Where had he come from? Duo would’ve sworn that he vanished with Quatre.
“Sorry,” the fae smiled, his voice still soft. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“It’s okay.” Duo tried to calm his pounding heart.
“Don’t worry, Heero can’t hear you. We cast a spell to make sure he couldn’t.” Trowa patted his shoulder. “So you can be totally honest. Do you like Heero?”
Duo was a little worried. Cast a spell so Heero couldn’t hear? And Heero had been nervous about bringing him. He felt himself tense, even as he tried to answer casually.
“I like him very much.”
“Why?”
Duo blinked. “Why?”
“Yes. Why do you like him?”
Duo had to think about it for a moment. Of all the strange questions! “There’s lots of reasons- but the main one is that he’s kind to me.”
“That’s good,” said another voice on the other side of him, and Duo managed not to jump. One of the golden-haired women was perched on the table, smiling at him. “You aren’t used to kind people, are you?”
That was true enough. “There aren’t many in the Pride, no.”
“If you could leave him- without having to worry about going back to the Pride, would you?” Trowa asked.
How did they know he didn’t want to go back?
“Psychic, remember?” The woman winked at him. “I don’t blame you- I wouldn’t want to go back there either.”
“So, if you didn’t have to worry about it- if for example, we offered you sanctuary here,” Trowa continued, “would you stay with Heero anyway?”
Sanctuary? Here? Duo wasn’t sure he’d like that. He felt much happier in the shop or at Heero’s home than he felt here. Were they trying to get him to leave Heero? Why? Was this why Heero had been worried about bringing him here? There were lots of stories about the fae spiriting people away. He shifted, just a little, ready to defend himself. But- what if they used magic?
“I want to stay with Heero.” He answered and hoped they didn’t take offense.
“Why?”
He said the first thing that came into his head. “Because I’m happy with him- and I think he needs me.” Would that discourage them? Would he be able to get away? Why didn’t Heero turn around?
“Ah. So you like him, he’s kind to you- and you’ve already realized that he needs you. A very good start!” The woman looked pleased.
“It is?” He asked, completely at a loss. Maybe they weren’t planning on trying to steal him?
“Oh yes,” she tapped her nose. “Wondering why we’re so nosy?”
“Well, yes,” he admitted and she chuckled.
“We’ve been worried about him.” Quatre had reappeared behind the table, a book in his hands. He smiled at Duo. “Don’t worry- we aren’t going to harm either of you- and I have no intention of taking you away from him. We just needed to talk to you without him listening.”
“Why?”
Quatre put the book down on the table and sighed. “It’s just- well, you know that not all magicians are good, right? That some of them- well, go bad?”
Duo frowned, wondering what Quatre was getting at. “Right. Magicians that grow up in places that don’t understand them- mistreated as children-”
“Right- that’s one way for a magician to turn to dark magic. And we- the fae- we usually try to find those children- but we don’t always succeed. Some slip through our searches. Heero was one of those- we didn’t know about him until he showed up in the city.”
“But- Heero’s not evil-“
“No. But not all magicians turn only as children. Other ones turn later
in life. Heero- and Sally can affirm this too- Heero is one of the ones that
had the possibility of turning in his future.”
“No-“ Granted, he hadn’t known the man for long, but he couldn’t
even imagine it.
“I’m afraid so.”
“But- he’s not like that. Heero wouldn’t-“
“I hope not- and the possibility of him turning has just decreased significantly. As of two days ago, in fact.”
“Why?”
“Because of you.”
“Me? But-“
“You. That’s why I agreed to help your Grandmother. It’s why Sally didn’t warn Heero about your status. We knew that he needed you. There were other ways you could’ve met- but this was the only way to get you firmly into his life.”
“So- it was all a set up?”
Quatre laughed. “No. It was simply a series of events that we didn’t try and stop.”
Duo considered it for a moment. “But- why tell me?”
The fae shrugged. “Because you need to know.”
That wasn’t really an answer. But before Duo could say anything more, Heero turned around. His eyes narrowed slightly, but his tone was mild.
“It’s a charm ring- just like the others you usually get. It’s iron of course- and it’s already been imprinted with the spell.” He stood up, balancing the ring on his fingers. “You shouldn’t have a problem selling it- or I can take it back to the store and sell it there for you.”
“What’s the spell?” Quatre asked in the same sort of tone.
“It’s a sleep spell. The wearer can cast a sleep charm with a ten-foot radius around them.” Heero sat down next to Duo, still with that wary look in his eyes. He nodded at the woman. “Hello Irea.”
“Heero. Good to see you,” she smiled back innocently.
“Hm. Well, I wish I could say I was as successful as you, but all I found was a reference to a similar spell being cast on a shifter. Apparently shifters don’t usually get curses to turn them into animals-“
“It would be sort of redundant,” Trowa agreed, from his space behind Quatre’s shoulder. Duo wondered when he’d moved.
“Right- but the same sort of thing happened- somehow the curse took his shape and passed it on instead of the one the magician intended. This writer speculates that shifters have an odd effect on the were curses- since they sort of have one naturally- their ability warps the curse to match.”
“But then wouldn’t the curse just stop working on them?”
Quatre shook his head. “No, the author surmises that the adjustment takes place when the curse is moved- since the moving spell makes the curse fluid for those few moments- and vulnerable to being tampered with.”
“Hn. So I wouldn’t have to worry about this curse then?”
“I shouldn’t think so.” Quatre tapped the book. “No ill effects were reported.”
“Thank you.” Heero got to his feet, and Duo hastily followed. “We should get back to the store. What would you like me to do with the ring?”
Quatre’s eyes met Heero’s. “Consider it a gift. I am sure you can think of someone who could use that sort of protection- but I wouldn’t count on it being the only one they need.”
Heero’s expression softened a little. “Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome.”
Duo followed Heero down the long hallway and back outside. Heero took a few steps away from the front door and then turned, pulling Duo close. “Are you okay?”
“Fine.” Duo was surprised to see that Heero looked worried. He was even more surprised when Heero reached out and touched his fingers to Duo’s forehead, muttering something under his breath. “What is it?”
Heero took a deep breath and moved his hand away. “It’s nothing. Just- checking. Here.” He dropped the iron ring into Duo’s palm. “Put that on- it should bind itself to you. We need to get back. I’m glad it stopped raining.” He turned on his heel and started off down the sidewalk.
Duo slipped the ring on his finger and hurried down the street after his mate. “Heero? What-?”
“Just twist it around your finger once quickly to activate the charm. Since you put it on, no one should be able to take it off you.”
Oh. Duo blinked down at the ring. That would be very useful if one of the Pride tried something. But what was wrong with his mate? He didn’t like the expression on Heero’s face at all. “Thank you-“
“It’s not my gift,” Heero cast a quick look at him. “Quatre meant it for you. I still think we need to look into more protections for you- the ring is too easy to get around.”
“What do you mean?”
“If you were knocked unconscious- or they caught your hands somehow-“
Duo shivered. “Good point.” He moved closer to Heero, matching his pace. He could feel tension rolling off of his mate. “Are you all right?”
“Fine,” Heero gave him a smile that didn’t reach his eyes and Duo knew he was lying.
__________________________________
Wufei looked up from his book when they walked in. “How was it?”
Heero rolled his eyes and pulled his coat off. “Fun as always. Winner says I don’t have to worry about the curse.”
“Well, that’s good.” Wufei smiled at Duo. “I see you brought your mate back, despite your idiotic notions.”
“Hn,” Heero went into the back room to hang his coat up. Damn it- he knew he’d felt some sort of spell snap when he’d turned away from the ring. He’d thought they’d done something to Duo- but there hadn’t been any spell-trace on him. And if it hadn’t been one put on Duo- then what was it? Granted, the fae had spells all over that place, but it had been one in that room.
And the ring- Quatre had told Wufei that something had felt odd about it- but it was just an ordinary charm ring. Granted, it was cold iron, but that shouldn’t have given the fae a bad feeling- it just meant he wouldn’t be able to tell what sort of charm it held. Had he just used it as an excuse to meet Duo?
What had they been doing to Duo?
Heero forced himself to take a deep breath, tried to get the knot in his chest to ease. He was leaping to conclusions. The fae might not have been doing anything at all to Duo. They might just have been talking to him- they were very curious. They weren’t anything like the Pride after all. But- had he been so deep in casting that he hadn’t heard their voices?
“Heero?” Duo stood in the doorway, his coat over his arm. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Course,” he said and tried to smile. Duo was looking worried for some reason. “Just thinking.”
Duo frowned a little and glided closer. He reached out to put a hand on Heero’s face, his fingertips tracing one of Heero’s eyebrows. “Can I help?”
Heero very nearly asked him what had happened when he’d had his back turned. But he couldn’t quite work up the courage. Duo had said he was okay. It would be rude of him to pry for more.
“No, it’s nothing.” He moved away from Duo’s touch before he grabbed his mate and demanded answers. “I’d better get started-“ He turned, trying to ignore Duo’s hurt expression. “Wufei- where is the book of protection charms?”
“Third bookcase, bottom shelf. What do you need protecting from? Was Winner that bad?”
“Shove it,” Heero moved to the bookcase and bent down, searching for the book. “It’s not for me. Duo needs some protections- don’t you think?”
“Not a bad idea- did Winner suggest it?”
“Heero did,” Duo replied before Heero could. “After that visit I had this morning.”
“It is a good idea. What sort of protections were you thinking of?”
Heero found the book he needed and returned with the book to the counter. “Well, Winner gave him one of the charm rings- it has a sleep spell on it.”
Wufei snorted. “Rings are chancy. A good touch charm is what you need.”
“What is a touch charm?” Duo asked.
“A protection that will be set off if someone touches you with ill intent. You don’t set it off- you can even be unconscious and it will still work.”
Heero flipped through the pages. “If you’re done with the lesson- any suggestions?” He just wanted to get the protections set before there was a need for them.
“There’s one for fire-breathing in there,”
Heero stopped and snapped: “How will that help?”
“I’ve always found it useful.” Wufei gave him a Look. “You are wound tighter than a bowstring, Heero. You aren’t usually this cranky. What the hell happened? Winner doesn’t usually have this effect on you.”
“Nothing happened. I’m fine.”
Wufei lifted his eyebrow. “Right. You cast a spell in this state and you’ll be the one breathing fire. Go calm down.”
“I’m-“
“Now, student.”
Heero slammed the book closed. It was pointless to argue with the dragon- as he knew from experience. Instead, he turned on his heel and made for the store’s workroom.
Once inside with the door closed, he sank down onto the floor and closed his eyes. Control, he told himself firmly. Magicians who lost control ended up dead. Think it through logically.
Why am I angry?
Something happened in that damned teahouse today. What was it? It hadn’t been a spell on Duo-
Of course, he mentally groaned and cursed himself for an idiot.
Placing his fingers against his own forehead he murmured the words.
And there it was- a broken cone of silence.
So- was it something they didn’t want him to hear- or had they just wanted to indulge their curiosity without disturbing him?
Either way- they hadn’t done anything to Duo. He closed his eyes and forced himself to inhale, and then exhale slowly. So that worry was groundless. Maybe Winner or Barton had propositioned Duo? It would be like them. They were a devoted couple- and had been for hundreds of years- but they still invited Wufei over ‘for dinner’ often. Or it could’ve been one of the sisters-
Again, nothing for him to be angry over. It wasn’t fair to want to keep Duo tied to him when he’d never seen anything outside the Pride. And the fae were beautiful- and powerful enough to hide Duo.
He dug his fingernails into his palms and winced.
He’d only known Duo for less than a week. Only been his mate for two days. What did it matter to him if Duo looked elsewhere? They were practically strangers, he reminded himself.
So why did the thought of Duo with someone else hurt so much already?
For the usual reason, he reminded himself. He knew why. His father gone before he could remember, his mother dead- and that man…
“Time to go, boy…” The shove out onto the wet pavement, falling as he tried to regain his balance, the rev of the car’s engine as his stepfather drove off…
Anger rose up and he let it. Let it wash over him. Reminded himself that just because one man had abandoned him didn’t mean that every other person would.
He lay on the cool stone floor, feeling the heat leach out of his body and forced himself to relax. There was nothing to be upset about. There was nothing to be hurt over. Duo had come back with him; he hadn’t indicated a desire to stay with the fae. Nothing to worry about.
At least, nothing to worry about yet.
He shoved that thought away and concentrated on regaining his balance. He needed to be calm. He needed to be able to focus. If he tried to put a protection on Duo in this state it was all too likely that something would go wrong. And Duo needed that protection.
The door creaked open. “Heero?”
“Yes?” There was a slight clang as the door shut again.
“Wufei said to tell you that he found something that might work.” There was a rustling beside him. “But he wants you to look at it first.”
Heero opened his eyes and turned his head just enough to confirm that Duo had indeed sat down on the floor next to him. “Did he tell you what it is?”
“No. But he said you might be feeling mean enough to cast it.”
“Mean enough?” Heero levered himself up into a sitting position. “Must be bad.”
“Heero, this can wait.” Duo said quietly. “There’s no rush. In fact I would bet that Zechs is no doubt still trying to figure out what you did to him this morning- and that Treize has told the Pride that you cursed him somehow.”
He looked so worried that Heero managed a smile for him. “I’m fine. It’s just been a very long day.” Duo smiled back, sliding a little closer.
“I’m glad to hear you say that. I was wondering if all of your work days were like this.”
“Oh no.” Heero reassured him. “Most days it’s just the tea leaf book sort of customers.”
“Good.” Duo moved closer still, but he didn’t touch Heero. “Are you still- upset?” His voice was soft, but Heero could hear the concern clearly.
“I’m better now.” It wasn’t a lie, but the line between Duo’s eyebrows deepened. Heero reached up without thinking to smooth it away. Leaning into the touch, Duo closed his eyes, turning enough to kiss Heero’s wrist.
“Truly?” His mate opened his eyes and gave Heero a searching look. “The fae set my nerves on edge too, but it was because of all that damn popping in and out. And they were really nosy.”
“Nosy?”
Duo leaned closer, the warmth from his body easing the chill of Heero’s. “They asked me all sorts of odd questions. I was glad when you finished.”
That made Heero chuckle, the tight knot in his chest finally easing. “Worse,” he said, getting to his feet and offering his hand to Duo. “Let’s go see what Wufei has found.”
*
Sally was standing beside Wufei, leaning over his shoulder and studying the book that Heero had pulled off the shelf earlier.
“Feeling better?” Heero asked her.
“Much. Remind me never to take that sort of job again- all that arguing!” She rolled her eyes and grimaced. “Why can’t they just go quietly into their goodnight, or whatever?”
“Most do,” Wufei reminded her. “You just get to deal with the rest.”
“Yay me.” Sally looked back at Heero, her gaze narrowing a little. “You look exhausted.”
“It’s been a long day.” He pointed out.
“Hmm.” She picked up the book and dropped a ribbon on the open page. Closing it she offered it to Heero. “Take this and Duo and go home. Eat, sleep and relax. Both of you take tomorrow off.”
He blinked at her for a moment. “It’s not my day off tomorrow.”
“I know.”
“You usually only reschedule my days off when you know something is going to interfere with my usual time off.”
She smiled angelically at him. “I know.”
Great. “What is it?”
“Nothing you have to worry about for a few days. So shoo.”
Heero thought about arguing. But he was tired and it had been a long day.
Sally grinned at him. “Exactly- which is why you should take my offer and go.”
His coat appeared in his vision. Duo was holding it out to him. When had he gone to get it?
“The minute I said go home.” Sally shook her head. “I think he’s smarter than you.”
“Thanks,” Heero took the coat from Duo and the book from Sally. “Just- is it going to be really bad?”
She shook her head. “Nah, I think you’ll enjoy it actually.”
He slipped on the coat, put the book in his pocket and took Duo’s elbow. “In that case- we’ll see you the day after tomorrow.”
**
“How is your side?” Duo asked once they were out on the sidewalk. “Does it still hurt?”
“Aches a little,” Heero admitted. “But not too bad.” Before Duo could question him more, he decided to change the subject. “Should we get take-out? I’m not sure I have much left in the fridge.”
“Okay,” Duo gave him a look that clearly said he knew what Heero was doing. “What did you have in mind?”
“There’s a place not too far away.” Heero headed for the crosswalk, tugging Duo along with him. “They’re fast and good- as long as you like noodles?”
“Of course.” Duo followed him across the street, and Heero saw his eyes widen at some of the shops they passed. He made a mental note to show Duo this area of the city tomorrow and introduce him around.
He saw Duo blink at the sign over the noodle shop. “Corny I know,” he said with a smile, “but they are really good.”
“Hey Mr. Yuy!” The pink-haired girl behind the counter grinned at him. “Knew we’d be seeing you soon. Two specials, right?” Two takeout cartons popped into being over the counter and landed with a soft thump.
“Right,” Heero agreed and pulled out his wallet. The girl winked at Duo as she put the cartons into a bag. “We put extra meat in yours, Mr. Maxwell,” she said and Heero had to hide his smile at Duo’s surprise.
“Here you go,” he said and handed her the money. “Keep the change.”
“Thanks Mr. Yuy! Mr. Maxwell! Come again soon!”
“More psychics?” Duo asked as they left.
“They say no,” Heero nodded at the logo on the bag. “Ninjas.”
“Really?”
Heero shrugged. “I can’t feel any magic when I go in there- so it could be. Somehow they know you’re headed that way, they can guess what you’d order- and it’s ready when you get there.”
“And she knew my name.”
“I would bet most of the district knows about you by now.”
Duo smiled. “More magic?”
“Wufei. He’s a terrible gossip.”
Duo laughed.
**
Once they reached their building, Heero felt the tiny little warning from his wards. He stopped in the foyer, frowning.
“What is it?”
“Someone was here today- looking for me. Someone unfriendly.”
Duo moved closer to his side. “Who? Are they still here?” He was taking deep careful breaths, his eyes half-closed.
“No, they left. I can’t tell from here who it was…” He hurried towards his apartment, Duo on his heels. Reaching his door, he put a careful hand on it. “They didn’t break in- but they knocked- and tried the handle-“ Heero focused, asking his wards to show him the visitor. He frowned at the answer.
“Zechs?” Duo snarled before Heero could speak. Heero blinked in surprise.
“That’s right- how did you know?”
“I can smell him. Why was he here?”
“Don’t know,” Heero moved his hand away from the door. “It was a few hours ago- and he didn’t try to break in- but he wasn’t happy.”
“Maybe he discovered what his curse did?” Duo suggested and Heero chuckled as he unlocked the door.
“It’s possible- but why come here and not the shop?” As they stepped inside, Heero checked the rest of his wards- no other disturbances. Closing the door, he made sure that the wards were secure. He had no intention of being caught off guard.
“If he tried when we were at the teahouse? Or he might have been trying to catch you away from Wufei?” Much to his surprise, Duo stalked through the apartment, checking the windows. “It doesn’t look like he tried anything-“ He called from the bedroom.
“The wards would’ve stung him if he had.” Heero put the take-out down on the table and pulled the book out of his pocket. Duo might need those protections sooner than even he’d anticipated.
Duo appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, nearly radiating tension. He paced around the table, and Heero frowned at him. “Eat- and then we are going to put those protections on you.”
His mate sat down and picked up his fork, still clearly unhappy. Heero watched him poke at his food for a few minutes before reaching out to grasp Duo’s hand in his. “Duo, it’s okay. I’m not going to let him near you.”
“It’s not that.” Duo’s fingers tightened on his. “It’s just- I never meant- I didn’t want to cause trouble for you…”
“This isn’t trouble. This is one idiot. Trouble is ghosts tossing you downstairs or demon possessed children. Trust me, this is nothing.” Heero squeezed Duo’s hand and then let go.
“Okay,” Duo poked at his food a little more, still clearly unconvinced. After a few minutes, Heero got to his feet, picked up the take out containers and put them in the fridge. Grabbing the spell book and his mate, he took both to the sofa.
He meant to open the spell book and read the page that Sally had marked. But once they were on the couch, Duo curled up tight against his side, still radiating unhappiness. Heero couldn’t help putting his arms around Duo and pulling him close. Duo curled tighter against him, lifting his head up and putting his cheek against Heero’s.
Heero heard the soft indrawn breath, and knew Duo was going to apologize again. Turning his head, meaning to say something to stop the apology, his mouth brushed over Duo’s skin. He felt Duo shiver, and then Duo turned his head just enough to meet Heero’s lips with his own.
A few moments later, Duo pulled Heero down onto the cushions, the book tumbling to the floor, forgotten.
Duo purred as his mate’s lips brushed against his throat, tilting his head back farther in response to the unspoken request. He slipped his hands under the edge of Heero’s shirt, tracing the lines of his back. Heat was curling through him, but so was relief. When Heero had turned away from his touch at the store earlier, Duo had been sure the magician was going to cast him aside, that somehow he’d angered his mate. After Heero had gone to the workroom, Duo wondered what he should do- and Sally had come to his rescue.
“Heero’s in one of his moods,” she’d said. “He’ll
get over it. He’s not mad at you- and you have to remember that he’s
not Pride. He didn’t mean anything by not returning your touch- and he’d
be upset to know it worried you. So don’t worry, okay?”
But he had. He couldn’t help it. Something had upset his mate. Something that had to do with Duo- and he couldn’t figure out what it was. What had he done? It had to have been something with the fae, but he didn’t know what.
When Wufei had sent him to fetch Heero, Duo had half-expected the magician to tell him to go away, but he hadn’t. Heero had seemed tired, not angry, and he hadn’t pushed Duo away again, much to Duo’s relief. Things had fallen back into place- until they had come home to find Zechs’ scent lingering in the hallway.
Duo bared his teeth for a moment and then caught Heero’s lips with his own. He didn’t like the idea of Zechs prowling around, looking to start a fight with Duo’s mate.
Carefully, he grabbed hold of his mate tumbling him off the sofa and gently onto the carpet. Heero didn’t protest the change in position.
“I promised you something earlier,” he said against Heero’s mouth, his fingers slipping down to find the fly of Heero’s jeans. His mate’s lips curved under his.
“I was hoping you’d remember,” he said as he tugged at Duo’s buttons in return. “But it was a long day.”
Before Duo could reply, even before he could do more than tug Heero’s zipper down, there was a thunderous knock at the door.
They both froze for a moment, startled. “Who the hell…?” Heero started and the knock came again.
Duo took a deep breath and snarled. There was a familiar scent on the other side of the door- several of them. “Zechs- and he’s not alone this time.” He shook himself, trying to hold onto his human shape. The jaguar wanted out- wanted to take a bite out of lion hide, dominant or not, suicidal or not…
Heero snorted and pushed Duo gently to the side. He stood up, his clothes in disarray and strolled to the door. Putting one hand against the fragile wood, he took a deep breath. “What is it?”
Duo hurried to his mate’s side. He wasn’t going to let Heero face these three alone!
“Let me in magician!”
“I’m sort of busy at the moment.” Heero drawled and Duo gaped at him. “And I don’t believe we have an appointment.”
“I order you to let me in and take off this damn curse!”
“You got the curse because you challenged me. Are you challenging me again?”
Zechs was silent for a moment and Duo moved even closer to Heero. If Zechs had been alone, that threat might have made him back down, but he was out there with two of his spouses and he couldn’t lose face in front of them.
“I want this curse taken off me.” A neutral answer. Not a direct challenge.
“Then you will have to be patient. I told you the curse would wear off naturally.”
Another pause- and then something slammed into the door. “That’s not good enough! Reverse this curse, or I swear that the next time I find your mate unprotected-“ Zechs didn’t have a chance to finish his threat. Heero’s hand glowed briefly and the door suddenly flared with light.
Duo blinked, his eyes watering. Heero opened the door and frowned at the three
unconscious figures on the floor of the hallway. “It’s a good thing
the landlady is understanding about this sort of thing.”
“What did you do?”
“Just activated the full power of the wards. They got ‘slapped’, but they should be fine in a bit.” Heero bent down over the curse mark on Zechs’ wrist. He traced something on the skin just above it and Duo’s eyes widened as the curse mark writhed and changed. Then he traced another mark on all three of the unconscious Pride members foreheads.
He stepped back and frowned at them. “Go home.”
Much to Duo’s surprise, they all rose to their feet and stumbled down the hallway towards the exit.
“All done.” Heero tugged Duo back into the apartment. Closing the door firmly behind him, he smiled at his mate. “Don’t look so worried. They’ll get home safe enough.”
“I wouldn’t care if they didn’t.” Duo frowned. “Zechs worries me.”
“I know.” Heero gently pushed Duo down on the couch and picked up the spell book from the floor. “But we are going to put some protections on you- and besides, he’s not going to feel like going out for a bit.”
“What did you do to him? I saw that the mark changed-“
Heero smiled as he flipped the pages in the book. “I just did as he asked- I reversed the curse.”
Reversed? But Zechs still had the mark… Duo’s eyes widened as the implication hit him. Reversed. “You mean instead of impotence…”
“Exactly. He’s lucky, most people would pay a lot for that sort of thing. Especially for as long as it should last.” Heero’s smile turned slightly depraved. “He might be a little sore- and jeans are out of the question- but really, I did what he asked.”
Duo made a mental note. Heero could be very literal at times.
Heero stopped on the page Sally had bookmarked. He studied the page for a minute and Duo noticed that his smile widened a little.
“Perfect. Wufei was right. This should do the trick.” Heero turned the book around to face Duo. “This protection charm will work if you’re awake or unconscious- and you don’t have to do anything to activate it. If someone touches you with the intent to hurt you- be it with bare hands or otherwise- it will make them very sorry.”
Duo looked at the page and read the short paragraph. “I like it.”
“Are you sure? We can look for some other ones.”
“No,” Duo looked up and met Heero’s eyes. “This one is perfect.” If only there was a way to put it on all of his jaguar kin.
“All right then.” Heero stood up. “We won’t need the workroom for this. Let me just go get what I need and I’ll meet you in the bedroom.” His face turned a light pink, much to Duo’s amusement. “It will be more comfortable for you- we have to apply the charm all over your skin.”
“Okay.” Duo headed for the bedroom, pulling off his shirt on the way. He paused over the rest. Heero’s shyness still surprised him. It wasn’t as if he’d hidden anything from his mate, though he knew the Pride was much more casual about clothing than humans were. Still, Heero had said…
He finished undressing, stretched out on the bed face down and waited patiently. Heero entered the room a few minutes later, carrying the book and a small jar. He gave Duo a faint smile. “Ready?”
“Yes.”
Heero sat down on the bed, the book open to the right page beside him. “Just close your eyes and relax. The charm needs you to accept it, and the best way is just by relaxing and staying still.”
“Okay,” Duo closed his eyes obediently. He heard Heero start to chant softly under his breath, and then warm fingers slid down his spine. It was hard not to move, to arch into the touch as those fingers caressed his back, traveled down his arms and legs, swept over his ankles. It was a divine torture to stay still, to feel the warmth spreading across his skin… oh, he was going to jump on his mate when this was over…
Then the fingers nudged him and he rolled over. Now he could watch Heero under his lashes as the magician bent over him, his lips still moving in the quiet chant, his fingers moving over Duo’s skin. There wasn’t an inch of skin that didn’t feel the touch of Heero’s hand and Duo was feeling very warm by the time Heero’s caresses stopped. His mate’s hand rested gently on his stomach, right below his navel. Duo nearly gasped as Heero’s hand grew uncomfortably warm, but he stayed still.
Heero stopped chanting and lifted his hand away. For a moment, Duo would’ve sworn that his skin was glowing, but then he blinked and the glow was gone.
“All finished.” Heero smiled wearily and Duo sat up. Carefully moving the jar and the book to the bedside table, he pulled his mate down onto the bed beside him.
“You look exhausted.”
“A little too much spell casting today,” Heero said and Duo mentally berated himself. He should’ve insisted that Heero hold off on the protection spell.
“Rest,” he said, slipping his arms around his mate and holding him close. Seduction could wait until morning when Heero was rested.
“That sounds good.” Heero smothered a yawn. He put his head down on Duo’s shoulder. “Sorry about the mark, but I wanted the spell tied to both your forms.”
“What mark?” Duo asked and Heero reached down to brush his fingers on the small patch of skin below Duo’s navel. By tilting his head up just enough, he could see a small mark that looked an awful lot like one of the rosettes on his jaguar form’s coat. Duo smiled and nuzzled Heero affectionately. “I like it.”
“I’m glad.” Heero was already half- asleep. “Now you’re safe…”
Duo awoke to the sun shining through the curtains and into his eyes. He rolled over to find himself alone in bed, which surprised him, considering how tired Heero had been the night before. Pulling on his jeans, he wandered out of the bedroom to find Heero.
Heero was sitting on the couch, Duo’s grandmother by his side.
“I’m really sorry, but I just don’t want him here.” Heero said and glanced over at Duo. “He’s just too much trouble.”
Duo’s breath caught in his throat. What was going on?
Une glared at Duo. “You’ve failed me grandson. Three days with your mate and he already wants you gone?”
“Wants me gone?” Duo repeated, stunned. Heero wasn’t looking at him. What had he done?
“Why do you think I’m here? I came to take you back.”
Back? No! Panic rose up in his chest. He rushed to kneel by Heero’s leg. “I can be better- whatever you need me to change, I’ll do it!” Surely Heero would listen to him- he’d been so kind…
“It’s not that,” Heero looked down on him, his eyes cold and hard. “There’s nothing you can do. I just don’t like you.”
It was like being slapped. “But- Quatre- he said you needed me!”
“I don’t need you. Need you to do what? Bring more trouble into my life?”
“Heero-“
“Please- just take him away.” Heero got up and moved away, leaving Duo in a stunned heap on the floor.
“Of course. Treize? Zechs? Can you help?” His grandmother looked towards the door. The two lions stood there, predatory smiles on their lips.
“No! Please no, not them….” He closed his eyes tightly. “Heero, please! I’ll be better…”
“Duo? Duo!” Duo opened his eyes to find his mate leaning over him. “Are you okay? You were calling out in your sleep.”
Relieved, Duo threw his arms around Heero. “Don’t send me away! Please- I’ll do whatever you want…”
“Send you away?” Heero repeated, sounding startled. “Why would I do that?”
“Grandmother-“ Duo started and then stopped as he realized that he was still in Heero’s bed. There was no sun shining through the curtains, the room was still dark. “I… I had a bad dream…?”
“You must have.” Heero settled back down on the pillows, bringing Duo with him. “You were calling out for me.”
“I didn’t mean to wake you.”
Heero’s lips ghosted over his forehead. “It’s all right.”
Duo curled up as tightly as he could beside his mate. “I’m a lot of trouble for you. I’m sorry- I’ll make it up to you...”
“Shh. There’s nothing to be sorry for.” Duo opened his mouth but Heero placed gentle fingers on his lips. “There isn’t. You aren’t trouble at all. Don’t think that way. I’m glad you’re here with me.”
“Really?” The knot in Duo’s chest began to ease.
“Really.” Heero kissed his forehead again. “Very much so.”
Voices woke Zechs. Voices that seemed to come from a long distance away. He hurt. His muscles were cramped and the ache between his legs was enough to make him squirm uncomfortably on his bed.
“This is a disgrace. I won’t have this, Treize. I am the one who chose Yuy for Duo. I approved of the match. If your spouse doesn’t stop this harassment, I will be forced to take matters into my own hands.”
“If you intend to make Yuy part of the pack, he needs to be able to stand up to challenges.” Treize said, a hint of amusement lurking in his voice. “It’s not like he’s done badly so far- I’d say after Zechs and those other two staggered in last night that most of the Pride would think twice before challenging him.”
“It’s still disgraceful. He’s a magician, not Pride, and I don’t want to risk angering him. We’re going to need him and you know it.”
“I do,” Treize sounded more serious now. “So I take it that you want to make an example of Zechs?”
“He’s going to have to prove his worth to the pack somehow. Think of something Treize. Something appropriate. I know you can.”
Zechs suppressed a shiver. He knew how creative Treize could be.
“I will. Perhaps a call to Winner? In the meantime it seems a pity to let Zechs’ state go to waste…”
His state? What was Treize talking about? He felt dizzy, and his eyes wouldn’t open, but what did that have to do with anything…?
He found out soon enough.
*
The phone rang. Heero untangled himself from Duo on the couch and went to answer it. “Hello? Oh. What do you want, Quatre?” He listened for a moment, his eyebrows rising. “The Pride wants you to alter the curse I put on Zechs yesterday? Not take it off? Huh. Alter it to what?”
Much to Duo’s surprise, Heero burst out laughing.
“Go ahead. I’d volunteer, but… yeah. What are you asking for in trade? No! Never mind, don’t answer that. I don’t want to know.”
A moment more and Heero hung up the phone, rejoining Duo on the sofa.
“What happened?”
“I guess your grandmother is very angry at Zechs. They want to modify the curse on him so he can contribute usefully to the Pride.”
“And what curse would do that?”
Heero told him and Duo’s eyes widened. “Guess we won’t have to worry about him for a bit.”
*
Zechs was tired. All his energy seemed to be draining from him. Why had he even gone back that damned sadistic bastard of a magician? How much longer would this curse last?
“So Heero agreed?” Treize said from behind him somewhere.
“Oh yes. I can cast it now if you like.”
“Please.”
A blond man with a smile that Zechs didn’t like leaned over him. “I usually don’t approve of this sort of thing at all, but considering your past, I thought you needed an object lesson.”
Zechs opened his mouth to plead, but the blond shook his head and placed his fingers around Zechs’ wrist. “Just a moment…” he said and muttered something under his breath. Warmth flared through Zechs and he passed out.
He awoke later- how much later he couldn’t tell. They’d moved him- this was Treize’s bed, he recognized the feel of the sheets under him. And the dreadful ache between his legs was gone. He relaxed before he realized that not only was the ache gone… but something else was too.
Sitting up he pulled the sheets to the side and screamed at the sight of his body, his voice spiraling upwards.
“Stop that,” Treize said from the doorway, smiling. “It’s not permanent.”
“I’m a woman!”
“Yes. Une wanted you to contribute to the Pride. We thought this was the best way.”
“Contribute? Like this?!”
“Of course. You’re going to be a wonderful mother….”
___________________________________________
a sidestory, set in the future...
Heero slammed the car door shut. “I knew this was a bad idea, I just knew it.”
“Calm down,” Wufei grabbed his friend’s elbow. “You know that Sally said there was a slight chance of this one going to hell, but she was sure that she and Duo could handle it.”
“Well, it looks like the psychic network went down,” Heero growled under his breath as he charged up the walk. “Are you Mrs. Suarez?”
“Yes,” the woman replied fearfully as Heero glared at her. Wufei stepped in between Heero and the woman and smiled charmingly.
“Thank you so much for calling us. You said that you haven’t heard from Sally or Duo yet?”
She shook her head. “No. Sally told me to call you two if they weren’t out in half an hour. It’s been forty-five minutes now. I opened the door and called for them, but no one answered- and I couldn’t go in…”
“That’s perfectly understandable,” Wufei soothed her as Heero turned towards the house. “Don’t worry about a thing. We’ll go right in-“
Before he could finish, Heero had already left his side and was on the front porch. Wufei rolled his eyes and hurried after.
Stepping inside the house, the two magicians looked around. Everything seemed to be in order. It looked like a normal living room, nothing out of place.
“Sally?” Wufei called. “Duo?”
No answer.
“Duo?” Heero tried. “Answer me!”
Nothing.
“Do you feel that?” Heero frowned. “The temperature dropped… I think we’re being mocked.”
“Maybe the heat’s off.” Wufei snorted moving over towards the stairs. “Sally?”
His voice echoed back to him. “Sally? Ally? Ally?”
“Enough.” Heero snapped and lifted his hand. A moment later a bright blue flame engulfed his fingers. “I know you’re here and I don’t have time for games. I want Duo and I want Sally and I want them now, or you are going to burn.”
The temperature dropped a few more degrees and the front door swung open revealing an anxious-looking Mrs. Suarez on the lawn.
“Oh,” Heero said, as if the house had spoken. “It’s not going to hurt the house- just you.” He put his hand against the wall and the house shrieked.
The hall door popped open. Sally and Duo fell out. Sally was panting, but Duo was unconscious, his eyes rolled up in the back of his head.
“What happened?!” Wufei demanded as he and Heero sprung to their sides.
“The house… shut us in… tried to call… it made the breath stop… in throat… couldn’t breathe… I stopped fighting… but Duo…”
“He’s got protections!”
“Not against spirits!”
Wufei put one hand on the side of Duo’s neck. “He’s breathing now, Heero,” he assured his furious looking partner.
“It dared…” Heero got to his feet, the blue flame exploding around him, haloing him in an eerie light. He slammed his hands against the wall and the flame rushed out, consuming nothing, but covering the walls with its crackling glow.
The house shrieked again. And again.
“Come out come out where ever you are.” Heero turned towards the stairs, his lips pulled back in a snarl.
The fire around him suddenly rushed upwards, vanishing up into the second story, and now the shrieks were smaller. A glowing white figure appeared at the top of the stairs, surrounded by blue flame.
“There he is,” Sally got to her feet and stood at the bottom of the stairs, her hands on her hips. “Just what do you think you’ve been doing, young man?”
“I was just playin’!” The figure wailed. “Hide n’ seek!”
“Tone it down, Heero,” said Wufei in a soft tone.
“Hell no.”
“Heero-“ Sally started, but was saved the effort when Duo struggled to his feet. Heero immediately dropped the flames and went to Duo’s side.
“Mean man,” said the ghost and stuck its tongue out at Heero’s back. “Scarin’ people!”
Sally turned her attention back to the small ghost. “That wasn’t funny- and you’ve been scaring people too! You’re just as mean as he is!”
The ghost’s expression crumpled. “Didn’t mean to! Just wanted to play! It’s lonely!”
That of course, gave Sally the opening she needed. “Of course it is, that’s why you’ve got to go on.”
Heero wasn’t paying any attention to Sally or the ghost. “Are you all right?” He said in Duo’s ear, cuddling his mate close.
“Fine,” Duo stroked Heero’s spine reassuringly. “Just fine. He didn’t mean to choke me like that- I could tell. It was an accident. I’m fine.” He kept repeating the word, Heero felt like a drawn bowstring under his fingers. “Relax.”
“I can’t. I’m going to have a heart attack anytime you go on one of these jobs without me.”
For some reason, that made Duo smile. “Then we’ll be even.”
Heero’s grip got a little tighter for a moment. “You’re really okay?”
“Of course I am.” Duo stepped back a little and looked towards Wufei and Sally. Sally was still talking to the ghost, but Wufei made a little shooing motion with his hand. “Why don’t we go outside and talk to Mrs. Suarez? Tell her things are going better?”
“All right,” Heero agreed and followed Duo outside.
“So, what do you think?” Sally said as she and Wufei watched the ghost grow bright and then vanish.
“About the ghost?”
She punched his arm. “No, about Heero.”
“He’s besotted of course. He’ll realize it soon enough if he hasn’t already. He just needs to get over that stupid ‘Duo could do better’ complex he has going.”
“That’s not quite what I meant.” Sally met his gaze. “Did you see his reaction? What is he going to do if Duo gets really hurt someday?”
Wufei’s expression darkened. “Will he?”
“Too many variables.” Sally sighed. “I never quite understood why the futures that we lose Duo in also ended in Heero turning to the dark… but now I do.”
Blowing out a stream of smoke, Wufei sighed. “Then we’d best make sure nothing happens to Duo.”
“That might be tricky…”
________________________________
Back to the story...
“I know, but we don’t have that far to go.” Heero stood still long enough to let Duo fix his coat, juggling the small case in his hands. “We need to get there early- this close to Christmas, the district is going to be packed- and I don’t want to have to wait-“
“Don’t look now, but there’s already tons of people out,” Duo laughed as he followed Heero down the street, dodging shoppers. “Sally said we’d be busy all day.”
“I know- that’s why she insisted on us doing this now.” Heero sighed. “Plus the customer is paying double the normal fee-“
“Well, with the nightmares the thing is giving her, I’m not surprised. Sally’s sure it’s not haunted?”
“Positive. She tried talking to it repeatedly- not a damn thing.”
“So what can this person we’re going to see do?”
Heero smiled. “Just wait and see.”
Duo held his tongue and kept pace with Heero, wishing he dared reach out and grab hold of his mate. Heero had been so distant lately, ever since that situation with the pack… Why was his mate pushing him away again? He’d hoped they’d be able to spend some of the holiday season together- but things had been so busy… and he still hadn’t found a present for Heero. What did you get a magician that didn’t seem to need anything?
Heero turned sharply, ducking into an alley and crossing another street, stopping in front of a small storefront. Duo squinted up at the sign. Old and faded, he couldn’t make out the name- but the skull and crossed bones gleamed whitely against the dark wood.
Duo’s nose revolted when Heero pushed the door open, the smell of salt and decaying seaweed washing over his senses. He blinked at the interior as he struggled to overcome the scent. Brass gleamed from the walls and dark flags hung from the ceiling. Shelves were filled with spyglasses, compasses, oars- and cheerful tourist junk emblazoned with cartoon pirates. It was quite a contrast.
“Aye! Welcome me hearties- Oh, it’s you.” The dark haired woman behind the counter smiled toothily as she looked up from a faded ledger. “Wasn’t expecting anyone but the tourists today. How are you, Heero?”
“Well enough, Urse. This is Duo- I’m sure you’ve heard about him?”
The woman laughed heartily. “Of course. Nice to meet you at last, Duo.” She winked at him and then turned her attention back to Heero. “What can I do for you?”
“We have a small problem.” Heero lifted the bag up and dumped the contents on the counter in front of Urse. “This is giving one of our customers nightmares- and it’s not haunted. No spirit activity that Sally can sense.”
Urse blinked at the skull for a moment. “Ah, I see.” She looked up and smiled at Duo, her eyes glowing greenly. “Go and lock the door for me, will you dearie?”
Duo did as he was bid, returning quickly. Urse settled the skull carefully on her ledger. “Well now, let’s ask this fine fellow what he thinks he’s doing.” She looked up, catching the expression of surprise on Duo’s face. “Ah- you’re thinking that Sally already asked?”
He nodded and she smiled.
“I’m not a psychic, dear. The sea witch has other ways of asking.” She reached under the counter and pulled out a small jar. “Have to say it’s nice using the old skills. Since I gave up the bad stuff- brewing storms and sinking boats and stuff- there’s not much call for sea magic. Just the fins to legs and that sort of thing.” She put her fingers in the jar and pulled out a pinch of powder. Sprinkling it over the skull, she muttered something under her breath and asked:
“Who be you?”
“I be me,” the skull answered.
“Not helpful. Why are ye sending nightmares to good folk?”
“Nightmares!” The skull snorted. It was a good trick considering that it didn’t have a nose. “Nightmares! They be dreams that lead to a fortune!”
Heero groaned. “Treasure skull. Figures.”
Urse sighed. “Give me a minute. I’ll take him back to my map and see what he does. Will your customer want a copy?”
“I’ll give it to her- but-“
“I know. It’s only an idiot pirate that buries his treasure. Most likely it’s just a ruse. Still-“ Urse picked up the skull and carried it to the back.
“What is a treasure skull?” Duo asked.
“Instead of writing down the location of their treasure on a map, some pirates enchanted skulls to hold the location. Usually they only talk to their owners- or their descendants-“
“Thus the reason the old family heirloom was giving our customer nightmares.”
“Exactly. She’s probably the first sensitive in a few generations- but not strong enough to talk to the skull. Urse, being a sea witch, can talk to any bones.”
“Useful skill.”
“Definitely.” Heero sighed and looked out the window. “The streets are already crowded. Look at that out there.”
“Good for business,” Duo pointed out, leaning into Heero’s side.
“True,” Heero leaned into Duo a little and Duo brushed a kiss over his shoulder. Relax, he thought at his mate. Please- don’t pull away…
Heero smiled and tapped the glass under his finger. “See that?” He said in a soft tone.
Duo peered through the glass. A small ship leaned drunkenly on a stuffed pirate bear. “The ship or the bear?”
“The ship. I had one like that when I was a kid. It belonged to my dad…”
Leaning a little harder into Heero’s shoulder, Duo had to bite his lip
before he asked what happened to it. He could guess…
Urse returned, skull in hand, a rolled up piece of parchment in the other. “All finished,” she said and handed the paper to Heero.
“What charge?” He asked.
“Let me keep the skull?” She grinned at him. “I think I can hang it over the door and enchant it to say something piratical- think the tourists would like that?”
“Like abandon all hope, ye who enter here?” Heero suggested.
“Dead men tell no tales?” Duo tried. Urse’s grin widened.
“Oh, I like that one, laddie. I think it will do the trick!” She shooed them out of the store, unlocking the door and ushering a few customers in with a smile.
Duo followed Heero back down the street, mind whirling. Maybe he had an idea for Heero’s present after all….
Sally wasn’t surprised when he whispered his request to her later- in fact; she manufactured an errand for him.
Urse didn’t seem surprised either when he slipped back into her shop and asked for the boat in the case.
“It’s not cursed or anything?” He asked as she wrapped it up.
“No,” she smiled. “Unless you want it to be? I can still do that too.”
“Better not,” he smiled back and slipped the package under his coat.
“Too bad. I could use the practice. I’d offer to brew you a love potion, but you don’t need one, not a handsome lad like you.”
He thought of Heero, of the distance that he was still trying so hard to close and lost his smile. “You might be surprised.”
Urse shook her head. “No. You don’t.” She met his eyes. “Trust me, dearie. He’s hooked. He just doesn’t realize it yet.”
“I hope you’re right…”
________________________________________
Heero opened his eyes and blinked fuzzily at the light streaming in through the curtains. It was late- how come his alarm hadn’t- ah right, day off. He yawned and blinked a few more times. The bed beside him was empty- where was Duo?
He’d been in bed when Heero had finally gone to sleep last night. Heero had insisted on it. Duo had done so much running around yesterday for the shop- the holiday season was their busiest time and everyone was tired. Heero had stayed up to look up a spell for a customer, but he’d sent Duo to bed right away.
They had today off, though tonight was Quatre’s annual Holiday party. Heero mentally groaned. He usually never went to the damn thing, but this year Sally had roped Duo into her pleading- and Heero couldn’t say no to him.
Closing his eyes, he sighed. It was rapidly becoming apparent to him that he couldn’t refuse Duo anything- and he was becoming too attached to his mate. Duo had only been with him for less than two months and already Heero was acting like an idiot. He’d overreacted badly during that haunted house job- and then that thing with the Pride…
He pushed the memory to the side and got up. If Duo wasn’t in bed, then he had to be up- and if he was awake then he might have had another nightmare. Heero didn’t like Duo’s nightmares- they seemed to be getting more frequent- and he wasn’t sure how he could stop them. Maybe he needed to talk to Sally about them.
The welcoming aroma of coffee greeted his nose as he opened the bedroom door. Duo was curled up on the sofa, under a blanket, a book spread open in front of him. He looked up and smiled as Heero stumbled out of the bedroom.
“You okay?” Heero asked immediately. “Did you have another nightmare?”
Duo’s smile warmed. “Not at all. I just woke up an hour ago and couldn’t go back to sleep. I didn’t want to wake you, so I came out here.”
Duo threw back the blanket and got to his feet. Heero’s brain woke up with a jolt. Duo hadn’t bothered to find clothes this morning. “Come and sit down, I’ll get you some coffee.”
Biting back the comment that he really didn’t need it now, Heero did as he was told, doing his best not to watch Duo walk into the kitchen. He flipped a few pages in the book Duo had left on the sofa. It was one Sally’s mother had given him years ago. ‘You risk tears if you let yourself be tamed,’ he read silently, and wondered what the Pride would make of that statement.
“Coffee,” said his mate, the cup appearing under Heero’s nose.
“Thank you,” Heero took the cup and Duo curled up beside him. He did his best to focus on the cup in his hands and not the warm body next to his. This would not be a good time to spill his coffee.
Duo’s fingers traced patterns on Heero’s knee, playing hell with his concentration. “Are you still tired? You exhausted yourself yesterday.” Heero caught the worried glance that Duo gave him.
“Just fine,” he reassured. “Sleeping always helps. Did you have breakfast?”
“Not yet,” his mate admitted. “Do you want me to make you something?”
“Maybe in a bit. How are you feeling today? I know Sally was running you ragged yesterday.”
“Fine,” Duo’s fingers wandered a little further up. Heero tried to shift away, but he was caught between his mate and the edge of the couch. “Heero?”
“Hm?” Heero sipped his coffee, trying to think of an excuse to get off the sofa.
“Nothing.” Duo’s fingers slid back down to his knee. “What time is Quatre’s party?”
“Eight I think. It usually lasts well into the morning.” Heero smiled. “Or so I have been told. Sally and Wufei usually drag themselves in late- I think there’s been a few years that Wufei just didn’t bother going to bed.”
“Sounds like he should throw it the night before since everyone has today off.”
“I think they tried, but last night is when the fae exchange their gifts and Quatre wouldn’t reschedule around it.”
“Makes sense. The Pride doesn’t exchange gifts- or throw parties.” Duo sighed. “Our big holiday is New Year’s- when the contests start for leadership for the next year.”
“Contests?”
“Fights.” Duo clarified.
“Just the lions I imagine?”
“Of course.”
“Of course,” Heero thought, his mind going back to a week ago,
when Lady Une had decided to drop in to the shop…
********
Heero blinked at Une. Had he heard her correctly? Duo was standing beside him, radiating tension, his eyes fixed on the four people behind his grandmother.
“You want me to what?”
“Punish them. They’ve been unfaithful to their mate one too many times. Nothing we’ve done has worked to curb their behavior. If you can’t come up with something, then we might have to outcast them.” Une lifted an eyebrow. “You are part of the Pride- and this is an official request- are you refusing it?”
Duo tensed even more. Heero glanced at Sally, who gave him a grim nod. Damn it. What should he do?
“Duo,” Sally said gently, putting one hand on Duo’s shoulder. “Will you please take the jaguars to the workroom and wait for Heero there?”
Duo nodded and turned on his heel- at a word from Une, two of the people behind her- a male and a female- followed him.
“What exactly do you want me to do to them?” Heero asked once they were out of range.
“I don’t know. Something appropriate. Something that will stop them from doing it again.”
“Lady-“ One of the men behind her said softly. “I wish you would let me-“
“I know they are your mates, Luel- but you haven’t been able to keep them in line.” She snapped and the man subsided. So their mate didn’t want Heero to punish them. Interesting.
“I told you they were too much for my brother,” the other man said snidely and Une frowned at him.
“No one asked for your opinion.”
Heero looked at Sally again. She made a small gesture with her hand and he nodded. Time to go talk to the jaguars and find out the whole story.
“It might take a bit,” Heero said. “If you will wait here?” Without waiting for an answer, he headed for the workroom.
Pausing at the door, he took a deep breath. What was he going to do? He pushed open the door to find Luel’s jaguars curled up tight against his mate, like children sheltering against an older sibling, their faces miserable. Duo was cuddling them close, obviously trying to comfort them. He looked up at Heero pleadingly.
“It wasn’t their fault!” He said as Heero closed the door behind him. “Please- don’t hurt them too badly-“
It was as if Duo had punched him in the face. What cause had he ever given Duo to think he’d want to…?
His expression must’ve shown something, because Duo made a faint noise and reached out a hand to him.
“What happened?” Heero asked, ignoring Duo’s hand, trying to get past his hurt. “No one said anything out there except that they had been unfaithful-“
The two jaguars cowered down in Duo’s arms, silent. His mate answered for them. “I’ve told you how it is, Heero. The lions keep the jaguars chained… they can’t fight back…”
Heero shook his head, sickened. “And then they get blamed.”
“Luel doesn’t blame us…” The female looked up, her eyes shadowed. “But he can’t stand against his brother… and his brother waits for Luel to go…”
Why were they defending their mate’s behavior? “Then why does he chain you?”
“They made him- after the first time- said we couldn’t be trusted.” The male snarled. “We fight- we do! But…the lions are stronger.”
Heero frowned, fighting down the urge to go back out there and deal some punishment to the lions. “I’ll go tell them I need longer to perform the spell. We’ll call Quatre- he can offer them shelter- we can get them safely away-“
“We can’t leave Luel!” The female protested. The male nodded and Heero looked at them in amazement.
“But he lets it happen! We can keep you safe-“
“We can’t leave Luel! He’s our mate!”
“Duo-“ Heero appealed to his mate. Surely Duo would make them see?
“Luel is a good lion.” Duo gave him a sad smile. “He’s just not good at protecting his mates.”
“Is that why you didn’t choose him, Duo?” The male asked Heero’s mate. “We were hoping you would- I know he asked- you seemed to like him- and us-”
Heero bit down on his lip hard and resisted the urge to pull the other two off of Duo. All the cuddling looked a lot less familial now…
“One of the reasons,” said Duo, and Heero forced down his reaction to that comment. Later, he told himself. Right now he needed to figure something out before Une came back here… His fingernails dug into his palm, creating a sharp pain- and he had an idea.
“How well can you act?” He asked them.
They both blinked at him.
“Act?” The female repeated.
“Can you pretend to be in pain?” Heero tried.
The male’s face darkened. “Of course. We’ve had plenty of practice.”
“All right. Since you won’t leave the damn lion and I don’t have tons of time to convince you- come here.”
They both shrank back against Duo. For a moment Heero couldn’t see why. Then he sighed. “Please come here. I’m not going to hurt you. I promise.”
“Lady Une will be angry if you don’t!” The male protested.
“She won’t know. Come here.” Heero looked at Duo pleadingly. “I’m trying to help-“
Duo got to his feet, pulling the other two jaguars up with him. “It’s okay,” he said softly. “If Heero says he won’t hurt you, then he won’t.”
“But if Lady Une finds out-!”
“No one is going to find out,” Heero growled as Duo nudged the pair closer. “Just like no one is going to touch you unless you want them to. Here’s how it’s going to work…”
He watched Duo’s face as he explained- saw the dawning comprehension- and the joy.
“No one will figure it out?” He asked when Heero finished.
“Not as long as they play their part.” He looked at the jaguars then- and was taken aback by their feral expressions.
“So- you will tell them that we get ‘punished’ if anyone other than Luel touches us. But it won’t hurt? They think they’re giving us a shock- and instead they get the shock? Will it hurt them?” The female looked delighted.
“Oh yes- quite a bit. Like grabbing a live wire. It will hurt too much for them to do anything to you. But you have to pretend it hurts you as well.”
“We can do that.”
“And whatever you do- don’t give the game away!”
“We won’t.” The male showed his teeth. “I swear it.”
“Very well.” Heero reached out and touched the male’s palms with his fingertips. “Let’s get started.”
*********
It had worked, Heero thought, sipping his coffee, his free hand idly playing
with the end of Duo’s braid. Une had wanted a demonstration, so Luel’s
brother had grabbed the female and tried to kiss her. They’d both howled
in pain- though the female had given him a surreptitious wink after.
It wasn’t a solution he was happy with though. If only he’d managed to convince them to leave- get them someplace safe. But they wouldn’t leave their mate- even in that sort of situation.
He looked down at Duo. His mate had apologized to him afterwards- not that he really had anything to apologize for. Once it was over, Heero knew that Duo couldn’t help that first reaction. He couldn’t imagine anyone disobeying Une- couldn’t think that Heero wouldn’t.
Realizing what he was doing, he dropped the end of Duo’s braid. Space, he reminded himself. Distance. The Pride were conditioned to stay with their mates- no matter how bad the situation. Any encouragement from him and Duo would be the same. He needed to let Duo feel free enough to choose his own path, to go if he wanted. Just because Heero was getting attached to Duo didn’t mean the feeling was reciprocated- and the thought that Duo would stay with him, even if he was unhappy, made Heero stick to his resolve.
“So, what would you like to do for the day?” He asked Duo. “Once we have breakfast?”
“What do most people do?” Duo curled a little closer.
“I’m not really sure myself.” Heero smiled. “I used to go over to Sally’s mother’s for presents and breakfast, but after she died Sally began going downtown to hand out presents to some of the shelters instead.”
“Did you ever go with her?”
“A few times- until they found out I was a magician.” Heero sighed. “I can’t fix everything with magic, but people still want you to try.”
Duo patted his knee comfortingly. Then he slid away with a smile. “Stay here then- I have something for you.”
Thank goodness he’d listened to Sally yesterday, Heero thought as Duo went to the bedroom. He got up from the sofa and went to his coat. The package was still in the pocket. He returned to the sofa quickly, slipping the package under Duo’s discarded blanket.
He smiled as he remembered Sally’s surprise yesterday.
“You didn’t get him anything?” She’d asked.
“I don’t know what to get him,” he’d retorted. “And it’s not like I’ve had time to go shopping.”
Sally had rolled her eyes and pointed to the small jewelry case at the end of the counter. “Pick something out of there and I’ll take it out of your check,” she’d told him. “I noticed all the Pride had bracelets on.”
“More than one,” Heero had agreed, remembering the ones on Une’s wrists. Duo didn’t wear anything like he’d seen on the Pride, other than his family’s necklace, but Heero didn’t argue. It was an idea and he needed one.
It was worth it when Duo came out of the bedroom, finally dressed in jeans and a red sweater, a package in his hands, Heero was able to give him one in exchange.
Duo’s smile as Heero gave him the small package was a present in itself. “You first,” he urged, dropping down beside Heero on the sofa.
Unwrapping the present carefully, Heero was surprised to find the model ship he’d pointed out to Duo from Urse’s shop yesterday. He ran his fingers over it, tugging gently on the rigging, noting the way the small portholes swung open.
“Neat, isn’t it son?” His mother's voice echoed in his memory. "Your father left it for you..."
He looked up to find Duo watching him intently, a faint worry line between his eyebrows. “Thank you,” he told his mate. “I… I love it. It’s just like I remember…”
Because the words seemed to be stuck in his throat, and because Duo was still looking at him with that faint worry line, he reached out and pulled Duo close enough to drop a kiss on his cheek.
Distance, he reminded himself tardily, even as Duo’s worry line smoothed out.
“I’m glad you like it.” Duo smiled. “I didn’t know what to get you. Urse offered to put a curse on it for me, but I said no.”
“I’m glad you did.” Heero smiled back. “It’s really perfect just like this. Thank you.”
Duo looked down at the package in his hands, his fingers sliding under the tape.
“It’s not as good as yours,” Heero warned him. “And if you don’t like it, you don’t have to wear it-“ The paper came free and the bracelet rolled into Duo’s hand.
Duo’s fingers tightened around it. His head was bent and Heero couldn’t see his expression. Was it bad? He’d made sure not to pick anything that looked like a chain…
“Duo-?” He tried. “I –“
Before he could finish speaking, Duo launched himself at his mate, his arms going around Heero in a tight embrace. Heero could feel the dampness of Duo’s cheek against his and was filled with dismay.
What had he done?
“Of course I’m going to wear it!” Duo whispered fiercely in Heero’s ear. “I love you too!”
“And if you don’t like it, you don’t have to wear it…” The bracelet dropped free of its wrapping and into Duo’s hand.
His heart stopped.
He tried to open his lips, wanting to tell Heero that of course he was going to wear it, but his voice wouldn’t come- it was swamped by relief.
Heero isn’t going to send me away!
Behind the relief was the sheer joy.
He loves me!
Duo’s fingers tightened around the bracelet. He hadn’t dared hope- not after nights of having Heero come up with every excuse why he couldn’t go to bed when Duo did, of having Heero avoid his touch, do anything to put distance between them…
“Duo?” Heero sounded worried.
Of course he is! Duo scolded himself and flung his arms around Heero, holding on as tight as he could.
“Of course I’m going to wear it!” He forced the words out past the lump in his throat. “I love you too!”
And in that moment, his world turned upside down. Heero froze in his embrace, his breath a sharp hiss of surprise against Duo’s ear.
Idiot! He didn’t know what the bracelet meant! It’s a Pride thing, not a human thing! He was just trying to give you a gift! You overstepped yourself again…
Cursing himself, he moved to pull away- only to be caught by his mate, pulled back into a tight embrace.
“I’m sorry!” He said against Heero’s shoulder. “I’m sorry! I didn’t think- of course you wouldn’t know what this sort of gift means to the Pride! How could you know? I just… I was so happy… I didn’t think… I’m sorry!” He swallowed hard, cursing at himself silently. “Please don’t send me away…” It was his greatest fear after what happened with Luel’s mates…
“Duo!” Heero pulled back just enough to meet his eyes. “I told you- I would never send you back to the Pride-“
“But you might send me somewhere else- with the fae, or Sally or Wufei…” Duo saw the surprise in his mate’s expression and knew he’d guessed correctly. “Please don’t! I know I messed up, but I can do better-”
“You didn’t mess up,” Heero cut him off gently. “I-“
“But- that thing with Luel… I shouldn’t have thought that you were going to hurt Nell and Fyan… I just…”
“Duo, I’m not upset about that. How would you know I’d disobey your grandmother? No one else does, right? And I told you it was okay-”
“It wasn’t okay! Afterwards you started pushing me away! Why would you do that if you weren’t mad at me?” Duo bit his lip. He shouldn’t be saying these things to his mate.
Heero sighed, cuddling Duo closer. “I’m sorry,” he said softly against Duo’s hair. “I truly am.” His fingers brushed over Duo’s face, wiping away the dampness Duo hadn’t realized was there. “I never meant to hurt you like this. I wasn’t mad! I just… I didn’t want you to feel like you were stuck with me- like Luel’s mates. It’s so bad for them and yet they don’t want to leave. I wanted you to feel like you had a choice-“
“I had a choice-“ Duo protested.
“From a file. That’s not the same as living with me. I don’t want you feeling like you can’t leave if you want to-“
“I don’t want to,” Duo tightened his grip a little. “Please don’t make me.” Taking a deep breath, he continued, knowing he was pushing the bounds, but not caring: “Fyan and Nell could’ve left- I know you could’ve helped them. They know it too. But they love Luel. They stayed because they love him. Just like I want to stay because I love you.”
Please believe me! He added silently. Please…
Heero was quiet, his cheek still resting against Duo’s head. Duo wondered what he was thinking. Had he been hoping Duo would want to leave?
He bit his lip. “Do you… do you want me to go? Do you feel like you’re stuck with me?” Duo wanted to look up into Heero’s face, catch his expression- but at the same time, he didn’t want to see what he was afraid was there…
Something coiled around his arm and he looked down just as Heero fastened the bracelet on his wrist. Duo’s breath caught in his throat.
“I want you to stay,” Heero said softly. “But if you ever want to go-“
Duo didn’t let him finish. He lifted his head up, caught Heero’s lips with his. Heero’s lips opened, drawing Duo into a deeper kiss. Greatly daring, relief and joy returning, Duo pulled him down onto the sofa cushions, not breaking the kiss, hoping that Heero wouldn’t pull away, wouldn’t find some reason to stop…
The phone rang.
But Heero didn’t stop.
“Let voicemail get it,” he muttered against Duo’s lips as if he thought Duo was going to leap up to answer it. Duo nearly laughed in relief, sliding his fingers under the edge of Heero’s shirt, tugged on the waistband of his jeans.
“Bed-“ his mate started and lifted up a little. Duo didn’t let him go.
“Here.”
“Not as comfortable-“
“I don’t care.” He tugged again.
“Here,” Heero agreed and let Duo pull him down again.
**
Heero squinted up at the ceiling. Duo was curled up beside him on the cushions they’d scattered over the floor, breathing evenly, one arm thrown possessively over Heero’s chest. The bracelet glinted on his wrist and Heero made a mental note to have a little chat with Sally. She could’ve warned him!
Then again, if she had, he never would’ve given the thing to Duo in the first place- and he wouldn’t have known just how badly he’d been hurting his mate. He’d never thought- never allowed himself to think that Duo would be hurt… In reality, though he’d told himself he was doing it for Duo, he’d been pushing Duo away to protect himself.
Sighing, he leaned over and brushed a kiss over Duo’s forehead, promising his sleeping mate that he’d try to be less of an idiot in the future. Carefully sliding away, he got to his feet, wondering if Duo would want breakfast when he woke up. Lunch, he corrected himself, glancing at the clock.
The blinking message light on the phone caught his eye and he went to lift the receiver, expecting a message from Sally or Wufei about the party. He pressed the button and swallowed a curse as the voice started speaking.
“Yuy, this is Une. I have another little job for you. Please call me back…”
Side story....
Duo leaned on the counter, his eyes on the door. How long was this going to take? When was Heero going to be back?
“Relax,” Sally put a gentle hand on his head as she walked by. “I promise, he’ll be okay.”
“I know,” Duo managed a smile for her. “It’s just- Grandmother- she’s…”
“Untrustworthy,” Wufei filled in as he moved around the store, lighting incense to drive out the musty smell. It had been raining off and on for weeks and since the building was old, it tended to smell damp at this time of year.
“Exactly. And I don’t like that she insisted on seeing him alone…” Duo bit off the rest. Heero could protect himself- but Duo knew what the Pride was like. He wanted- needed to be there to watch his mate’s back.
“He’ll be back soon,” Sally soothed.
“Do you know what she wanted to see him about?”
Sally shook her head. “Not exactly- but he’ll come back in a bit of a temper.”
Duo wondered if she was being strictly honest with him. He’d learned that Sally tended to tell you what she thought you needed to know- but not everything she knew. She said it was too hard for people to know exactly what was coming- and sometimes things changed and went different ways so she wasn’t always sure either.
Still…
“Damn,” Wufei paused by one of the holders. “This is the last stick.”
“We don’t have more in stock?”
“No. We never carry much anyway, not with that smoke shop down the street.” For some reason Wufei was frowning, Duo wondered why.
“I thought smoke shops only carried things that people smoked,” he said and Sally nodded.
“Usually yes. This one sells anything that produces smoke- anything you can burn. Incense, candles, smoke bombs- and all the other stuff too- cigars and that sort of thing. The owner is very literal.”
“Well- then can’t we just go get some incense from them?” He suggested and Wufei glared at him.
“What an excellent idea!” Sally’s smile was mischievous and Duo wondered what he’d wandered into. “Wufei, why don’t you go down there and get some?”
“Are you insane, woman? Send Duo.”
“Do you really think Heero will like me sending Duo? Especially if that red-haired guy is on duty? Why don’t you go? He likes you.”
“Because he’s never on duty when I go down. It’s always that blond demon.”
“There’s a demon in the smoke shop?” Duo asked incredulously.
“No,” Sally laughed. “He’s not a demon- he’s actually-“
“He IS a demon.” Wufei snorted. “I am not going down there.”
“I’ll go.” Duo slid out from behind the counter. “How much should I get?”
“Just a couple of packages.” Sally opened the petty cash drawer. “Wufei knows what to get.”
“I’m not going.”
“You’re going with Duo so he knows what to get next time.” Sally tucked the money in Wufei’s pocket and nudged him towards the door.
“You can go with Duo.” Wufei tried.
“Nope. I need to be here to answer a call.” Sally turned to Duo and winked. “Make sure to take the umbrella and don’t let Wufei get into a fight this time.” The phone shrilled and she sauntered off to answer it.
Duo blinked at her. How the hell was he supposed to stop a dragon from fighting??
Wufei sighed, defeated. “Let’s go.”
*
“So… why is this place so bad?” Duo asked as they headed down the street.
“It’s not always bad, it just depends who is on shift.” Wufei tilted his umbrella back a little and nodded at the small storefront. “Let’s hope the gods are on our side today.”
The front of the store was decorated with colorful banners and cheerful signs; the windows were covered with painted clouds that showed glimpses of the things to be found inside.
Once inside, Duo was overwhelmed by the smells of the goods on the shelves and so it took him a moment before he saw the blond man sitting behind the counter at the back of the store, a cigarette dangling from his lips.
“What the fuck do you want?” He growled and Duo felt Wufei tense beside him.
“Why do the others even let you sit in here? You have no customer service skills.” The dragon retorted. He yanked two bags of incense off a shelf and slapped them on the counter. “We’re out. Sally sent me.”
“With a guard I see. What’s wrong, dragon? Doesn’t she trust you out on your own?” The man blew out a stream of smoke and eyed Duo. “I hope your boss pays you extra for this sort of thing.”
Wufei snorted, smoke curling from his nostrils. “Just ring us up so we can get the hell out of here.”
“In a minute.” The blond man stubbed out his cigarette and then took his time lighting another. Then he inhaled deeply and blew out more smoke. Wufei clenched his fists and smoke poured from his nose. Between the two of them, Duo was sure he’d be coughing from all the smoke soon. What was going on?
The door chimed behind them. “What the hell? Why is it all smoky in here? Did you set the store on fire again?” A voice rang out and Duo turned to see a red haired man- the one Sally had been worried about?- striding in with another man on his heels. “Oh-! Hey Wufei. Long time no see.”
“Gojyo.” Wufei turned slightly away from the blond to acknowledge the greeting. The third man slipped behind the register and picked up one of the packages on the counter.
“Shall I ring you up? Is this all you need?”
“Yes, thank you, Hakkai.” Wufei nodded and turned his glare back to the blond. “At least some people realize that they need to be polite to their customers.”
The blond snorted and picked up a newspaper. “Ignore him,” Gojyo advised. “We do. Who’s your friend?” Gojyo leaned over the counter, letting his gaze wander over Duo.
“Duo- Heero’s mate.” Wufei said shortly and Duo nearly laughed when the red head moved quickly backwards, almost bumping into the blond in his haste.
Hakkai handed Wufei his change and his two packages. “Thank you. Come again.”
“Or not,” the blond muttered and Duo grabbed Wufei’s arm as the dragon’s mouth opened to utter a retort.
“Thanks!” He said and pulled Wufei back towards the door.
Once out in the rain-scented air, Duo drew in some deep breaths, trying to clear the smoke from his lungs.
“What was that all about?” He demanded of the dragon. Wufei snorted and opened his umbrella.
“Ex-boyfriend,” he said quickly and walked down the street.
Duo scurried to follow. “What?!”
“Ex- look. I don’t want to get into it.”
“Well, he was sort of rude- I can see why you dumped him.”
“I didn’t dump him- he took up with this mon- with a younger man.” Wufei snorted again and shook the umbrella.
Duo decided to keep his mouth shut. He followed Wufei down the street and back into the store. Sally was waiting behind the counter- Heero beside her.
“There you are,” he smiled at the two of them. “Have a good time?”
Wufei handed Sally the packages. “I am going to the back and sending in an order for more incense.” He stalked towards the back and Sally bit her lip.
“So, guess he and Sanzo still don’t get along, hm?” She asked Duo and he laughed.
“Oh they get along- like a house on fire.”
“Lots of smoke and noise?” Sally laughed and went to finish filling the rest of the incense holders.
Duo moved around the counter and leaned against Heero’s side.
“What did grandmother want?”
Heero sighed and tugged on the end of Duo’s braid. “She had a little proposal for me. I’ll talk to you about it later.”
Duo felt a chill. “Why not now?”
“Cause I am still trying not to get angry.” Heero put his cheek against Duo’s head for a moment and sighed. “I’m glad you weren’t there.”
Duo didn’t reply, he just brushed a kiss over his mate’s shoulder and wished that he had been. What had his grandmother demanded this time?
________________________
Duo had been patient. He really and truly had been. Heero had gone off to talk to Une- alone- and returned in one piece. Duo should’ve been happy with that.
He wasn’t.
Heero had been like a tightly wound spring ever since he returned. He wouldn’t specify what Une had talked to him about, only that he was trying not to get angry about it. Not that he was taking it out on anyone else- even to the little old ladies and their tea leaf books, Heero had been, as he always was to the ladies, very polite.
But he kept glancing at Duo out of the corner of his eyes, kept finding excuses to linger near his mate, and the tenseness in the set of his shoulders made Duo want to drag him into a quiet corner somewhere and get some answers.
What had his grandmother said to his mate?
Was it possible that she had figured out what Heero had really been doing to the jaguars sent to him as punishment? After Luel’s mates, Heero had been called in repeatedly to ‘deal with’ similar situations. So many in fact that Sally had joked that the money from the Pride commissions was paying their rent through the rest of the year.
Duo didn’t like to think that one of the jaguars had betrayed them, but the lions had ways of making their mates confess any sort of sin- real or imaginary.
“Duo,” Sally tapped him gently on the shoulder. “Why don’t you take Heero home? Stop for pizza on the way?”
Relieved, he gave her an affectionate smile. “Are you sure?”
She laughed and nodded towards the dragon sulking in the back of the store. “Oh yes, one storm cloud is enough around here.”
“Should we take Wufei with us?”
Sally shook her head. “No, the fae are going to call. They’ll snap him out of it. But Heero needs to talk to you. I’ll see the two of you tomorrow- don’t forget- we have that haunted studio to deal with.”
“I won’t.”
Heero got his jacket without a protest when Duo went to tell him that it was time to leave. “Pizza?” Duo suggested as he closed the shop’s door behind them. Heero simply nodded, his eyes scanning the street.
What was he looking for? Duo’s own nerves, already stretched, tightened a little more. What had happened?
The pizza place wasn’t far, and though it was very busy, they managed to find a small table in the corner. The waitress appeared a moment later. “Usual?” She asked them with a grin.
“Yes please,” Duo replied when Heero didn’t. The waitress nodded and vanished back into the crowd. “Heero?”
“Hn?”
“Talk to me. What happened today? What did Grandmother say?”
For just a moment, anger flashed over Heero’s face and Duo reached out to him instinctively.
Then it was gone. Heero gave him a weary smile and squeezed the hand that clutched his arm. “Not here. I’ll tell you- but not here.”
Duo didn’t let go. “I should’ve gone with you-”
Heero squeezed his hand again. “I’m glad you didn’t. She might have…” He stopped, and shook his head. “Never mind that now. Tell me about the visit to the smoke shop- now that Chang is out of range.”
It wasn’t in him to refuse Heero, so he summoned up a smile. “Well, we were out of incense-“
The story got them through the wait for the pizza, discussing the upcoming job got them through the rest of the meal. Heero had relaxed a little, but Duo noted that he still looked over at the door whenever it opened as if he were expecting something unpleasant to show up.
Leftovers packaged up, bill paid, and they were on their way home. Duo always paid attention to his surroundings- you had to if you wanted to survive the Pride- but Heero’s wariness was putting his own nerves on edge.
Duo waited until they were in their apartment, waited as his mate bolted the door and then examined the wards.
“Heero?”
“Just being careful.” Heero turned away from the door and moved towards the sofa, catching Duo’s wrist on the way.
Obediently, Duo sat down on the sofa beside his mate, his gaze focused on Heero’s face. “What happened today? Did she find out about the phony pain spell?”
Heero shook his head and Duo felt a rush of relief. The others were still safe. “No. She called me in today- without you- because she is pleased with me- or was. I doubt she’s as pleased now.”
“Why? What happened?”
Heero slipped his free hand into the hair at Duo’s neck, tugging him forward just a bit and resting his forehead against Duo’s. “She wanted to give me another mate.”
Duo stiffened and Heero caressed the nape of his neck. “I said no.”
“But-“ The words stuck in Duo’s throat. “But- it would mean more status- two mates-“
Heero snorted. “No. Not two mates. She said she was well aware that most humans only had one- and that I had only a small living space. She wanted to take you back and give me a tiger instead.”
What? “But- she can’t! I’m a gift! I’m only supposed to be with you!”
“I know.” Heero’s fingers tightened on Duo’s wrist. “I told her that I was quite happy with you. That status in the pack doesn’t matter to a human magician.” He tugged gently on the bracelet that encircled Duo’s wrist. “I told her I didn’t want another mate.”
Despite the situation, Duo felt a surge of happiness. Heero had been much better since Christmas, much more accepting of Duo’s affection and his determination to stay with the magician, but he still worried that Heero thought that Duo would be better off without him.
“What did she say?”
“That I should think about it. That maybe you would like to have a mate from the Pride-“
“I’m the one that picked you!” Duo slipped away from Heero, began to pace the room. “I don’t understand! I can understand another mate- but it’s against the laws to give me to someone else!”
“I am wondering what her underlying motives are- I doubt that she’d have gotten as angry at me as she did if I was just turning down a reward.”
“How angry was she?”
“She threatened to take you away from me by force. I reminded her that you were rather heavily magically protected and she backed down a little- said she was just reminding me what I owed her.”
Duo stopped and turned to stare at his mate. “Do you think she’ll try something?”
“I don’t know. You are protected- but-“ Heero smiled a little. “I’m afraid I’m going to be sticking a little close to you- and if I can’t- I did talk to Wufei earlier- he’ll keep an eye out too.”
“Something else must be going on,” Duo bit his lip. “Something big if she’s willing to risk breaking the laws.”
“Exactly- and until we know what it is- I want you to be careful.”
Duo dropped back onto the couch beside his mate, curling up against Heero’s side. “That goes for you too,” he said, brushing his lips across Heero’s cheek, his fingers sliding up Heero’s sleeve to trace the curse mark that lay underneath the fabric. “Grandmother is capable of doing anything to get her way-“
“I know.” Heero covered Duo’s fingers with his own. “I know. I’ll be careful too.”
**
Heero squinted up at the sky. It was early, earlier than he liked being up, but Sally had stressed the need for an early start. Not that he had needed his coffee this morning- just stepping out of his apartment this morning had stretched his nerves tight.
Beside him, his mate seemed almost as tense- if Duo had been in jaguar-form, his tail would’ve been lashing, and every hair would’ve been on edge. Heero stroked a hand down Duo’s braid. It wasn’t very likely that Une would confront them in his territory- he half expected another summons.
Not that he would go. Or if he did- he take his own allies with him. Wufei- maybe the fae if he offered a bribe big enough to entice Winner-
Duo nudged him with an elbow in the direction of the alley behind the store. “Sally said she’d wait for us in the back office.“
Heero nodded and followed Duo down the alley. Hopefully Sally had assembled the kit already- she’d know what they’d need-
His mate suddenly stopped, grabbing Heero’s arm. “Lions- I can smell them-“
Heero cursed under his breath and scanned the alley- where were they?
“Well, I see all of your time away from us has sharpened your senses a little,” a voice mocked, and Duo pulled Heero backwards as three shapes leaped out from behind one of the trash bins.
“What are you doing here?” Duo demanded.
“Une wants you. Now.”
“She could’ve called.”
“But she didn’t.” The leader, a sharp-faced man with golden hair, smirked at Duo. “She sent us. We’re to take special care with you-“
The two females beside him growled deep in their throats and shifted.
Heero took a deep breath. Had they forgotten what happened last time with Zechs and his mates? Mentally readying a spell, he waited for the females to get closer.
“Well, well,” another voice spoke from behind him. “Looks like I showed up just in time.”
“Wufei,” Heero didn’t turn around. “Your timing- as always- is perfect.”
“You three are no match for us,” the leader hissed and Heero wondered if Une hadn’t told him anything- or was he just stupid?
“Funny- I was just about to say that,” Wufei remarked dryly, and then there was suddenly a lot less room in the alley. The two female lions backed away- the leader turned white and Heero nearly laughed at Duo’s expression as he looked up- and up some more-
A giant red-scaled claw descended swiftly and pinned the leader to the ground. “I haven’t had breakfast yet,” Wufei growled and Heero did laugh.
“You only need one to take the message back,” he said and the two females bounded quickly away, leaving their male in the grasp of the dragon.
“Crap,” Duo breathed beside him. “I didn’t know he’d be so huge-“
Heero glanced up and then smiled at his mate. “That’s his smaller form- otherwise he wouldn’t fit in the alley.” He moved to stand beside the pinned male. “So- feel like taking a message back to Une or being a dragon’s breakfast? Totally your choice-”
The male was breathing in heavy gasps, his eyes showing white all around. As Wufei bent his enormous head down beside him, his eyes rolled up in the back of his head and he fainted.
A moment later and Wufei stood beside them again in human form, looking down on the passed-out messenger in amusement. “Should we wake him up?”
“Don’t bother,” Sally had appeared in the back door of the shop. “The females are going to have lots to say to Une- she won’t find anyone to send after you for a bit.”
“You could’ve warned us,” Heero pointed out.
“Why? I knew you could handle it.” She stepped to the side and crooked her finger at them. “Come on in- we have a job to do.”
__________________________________________________
Heero finished the spell and picked up the sword on the floor in front of him carefully. Opening the door of the workroom he headed back to the counter where Sally and the customer stood waiting.
“It should be okay now,” he said, handing the sword back to the customer with a smile.
“No more weird nightmares?”
“Shouldn’t be.”
“Thanks!” The customer slipped the sword into the sheath he wore across his back and handed Sally his credit card. As Sally rang up the sale, Heero looked around the store.
No sign of Duo… his heart sped up a little. He checked the backroom. Not there. Where had he gone? Sally wouldn’t have sent him on an errand… not now…
“He’s with Wufei,” Sally called and Heero rejoined her by the registers. “He’s perfectly safe.”
Heero couldn’t argue with that. “Where did they go?”
“Quatre called, wanted to talk to Duo, so Wufei took him down there.”
“What? What for?”
Sally rolled her eyes. “Relax will you? Nothing bad. He just heard about the problems with the Pride. It wouldn’t be a bad thing if he came in on your side. A prince of the fae? And all those sisters of his?”
“Yeah, but what kind of price would he ask for that?”
“Nothing that you wouldn’t be willing to pay to keep Duo safe, I’m sure. They’ll tell us when they get back.” She grinned at patted his shoulder. “Why don’t you go inventory the new shipment? That should keep you occupied enough not to worry.”
Heero snorted in disbelief and headed for the back.
**
Duo eyed the cup in front of him. Quatre had said it was tea, but it didn’t smell like tea, at least not the kind Duo was used to, and he hoped it wasn’t an insult to leave it untasted.
He wondered again why they had been summoned down to the tea shop.
Wufei and Quatre were discussing some play they had both seen, arguing amiably over the lead actor’s ability. He knew that they were making what Sally called ‘polite noise’; it was something some of the customers did in the shop. Wandered around and talked, getting comfortable before getting to the reason they were there.
Duo just wished they’d get to the point. He wanted to get back to the store. Sure, it was supposed to be a simple cleansing, but he’d been reading some of Heero’s books… There were so many things that could go wrong.
He twisted his bracelet around his wrist and told himself to be patient.
“That’s lovely,” Trowa’s voice in his ear nearly made him jump. How did the fae manage to move so silently? “Did Heero give that to you?”
“Yes,” Duo replied, holding it out a little.
“Did he know what it meant?”
“He did afterwards.”
Trowa chuckled. “I’m glad things are going well. Did you give him one in return?”
Duo shook his head. “Not yet.”
“Why not?” Quatre cut into the conversation. “Is his feeling not returned?”
“Of course it is,” Duo protested. “I just… I haven’t found one for him yet. None of the ones at the shop seem right.”
Both the fae seemed to relax. “You’re still happy with him?” Quatre asked.
“Very much so.” Duo’s eyes narrowed a little. “Did my grandmother ask you-“
“No!” Quatre made a sharp gesture with his hand. “No. She did send someone today to ask us for magic help against him.”
Duo tensed. “What did you say?”
“I refused.” Quatre frowned. “I also advised her that it was in her own best interests to stop the game she was playing and apologize to Heero. However, I am not sure that she listened to me.”
“Did she tell you what was going on?”
“No. There is some sort of power struggle in the Pride. You both need to walk wary for a bit- and I would have Heero practice using his leopard form- get comfortable with it. You’re going to need it.”
Duo nodded. “I will do that. Anything else?”
Quatre’s lips quirked into a smile. “Go down the corridor and ask to see my sister Irea. She makes jewelry. She might have something you can give Heero. The more secure he feels in your relationship, the better.”
**
Heero was midway through the second box when something brushed his ear. He whirled, box cutter in hand, to find his mate leaning over him.
“Sorry,” Duo apologized as Heero put down the box cutter.
“It’s okay. I didn’t hear you come in-“
“You wouldn’t have,” Duo looked amused. “Wufei decided to stay and have dinner with the fae- So Trowa dropped me back here.”
Heero relaxed. “That had to be a little disconcerting.”
“I’ll say. He just pulled me into his shadow and then I was here.” Duo wrinkled his nose a little. “A bit creepy, really. Need some help?”
“Sure.”
Duo dropped down onto the floor next to him and reached for the open box. “More tea leaf books I see.”
“They are very popular.” Heero smiled a little. “Count them for me?” He waited until they were on the fourth box before he asked: “So, what did they want?”
Duo sighed. “Guess my grandmother wanted them to help her deal with you.”
“What did Winner tell her?”
“No. He also told her she needed to apologize to you.”
Heero snorted. “That will never happen.”
“I know,” Duo sighed. “He also told me that you need to practice being in your leopard form. You’ll need it soon.”
Need it? Heero didn’t like the sound of that. “All right- but I don’t think I can go running through the streets in it-“
Duo laughed. “I think he meant that you need to be comfortable in the skin.” Duo leaned into Heero’s side, his voice dropping into a throaty purr as he rubbed his cheek against Heero’s shoulder. “I can help with that.”
Work, Heero reminded himself. They were still on for half an hour. He couldn’t just drag Duo home and…
“Why don’t you two go home?” Sally suggested, leaning in the doorway, smiling.
As Duo pulled him to his feet, Heero had to admit- sometimes it was nice having a psychic boss…
___________________________
"So where are we supposed to be again?" Wufei snarled.
"I'm not sure," Heero flipped the map over and frowned at it. "I can barely read the handwriting on this thing."
Sally snorted and yanked it out of his hands. "Give me that. Men!" She turned the map around and studied it under the golden glow of her flashlight.
"You could just trance out and try to feel where the damn thing is." Wufei suggested.
"I could, but why waste my energy when we have a map?"
Heero looked away from the pair and frowned slightly at the sight of his mate. Duo stood still, head tilted to the side, his eyes glowing faintly with reflected light. His expression seemed distant; as if he was listening to something none of the rest of them could hear.
Maybe he was, Heero thought with a shiver. Duo had turned down a flashlight and was the only one of them who hadn't put a foot wrong in the darkness of the woods.
Duo's expression cleared a little and he caught Heero's gaze. He smiled and Heero moved closer, drawn like a fish on a line. "You okay? Cold?"
"No," Duo shook his head and lifted the corner of the blanket that was wrapped around his shoulders in invitation. "You?"
"Fine," Heero replied, but he slid his arm around Duo's waist anyway, pulling his mate close. "I just want this over with."
"Me too." It was Duo's turn to frown. "This once, I'm hoping Sally's wrong."
Heero squeezed him reassuringly. "It was only one possibility."
"Still…" Duo didn't get to finish his sentence as Sally had turned triumphantly around and was gesturing for them to join her.
"I think I have it! We're not far now!"
Heero nodded, flipping his flashlight back on and moving out from under the blanket. It took an enormous effort of will on Duo's part not to clutch at him, to keep his mate safe with him while he could.
"Dangerous," Sally had said when the customer had left.
"For who?" Wufei had asked.
"For Heero. Maybe. One of the possibilities."
"Avoidable?" Wufei had frowned.
"Yes," Sally had inclined her head a little towards Duo and Wufei had nodded.
"Then we should take it. Unless Heero has an objection…?"
Heero hadn't. Duo wished otherwise. He didn't think his mate had caught the look that had passed between the other two- he'd already been buried in the book the customer had brought. Why had they looked at each other like that? Was he supposed to do something? Was there some action of his that would make this less dangerous for Heero?
He'd wanted to pull Sally aside, but there hadn't been time. And now… now they were too close to the danger area.
So he kept his eyes on his mate and hoped that he'd be able to figure it out before something dangerous happened.
Sally suddenly staggered, nearly falling to her knees. Wufei grabbed her before she hit the ground. Heero and Duo hurried forward.
"Close- it's close-" Sally's voice was faint, her breath coming in short gasps.
"Shield!" Wufei snapped at her and she nodded, regaining her balance.
"Do you feel that?"
"No," Wufei looked at Duo, who shook his head. He turned to look at his mate.
Heero was pale, sweat beading at his temples. "It's strong," he said.
"Shield."
"I can't, Sally. It's psychic- not magical."
"What is it?" Wufei asked.
"Voices- feelings-" Sally shook her head. "Something
out here is projecting bad things- no wonder this place is a death trap-"
Duo strained his senses, but he didn't feel anything out of the ordinary. "Why
don't we feel it?"
"We aren't human," Wufei frowned and tightened his hold on Sally. "Maybe you two need to stay here..."
"I'm fine as long as I don't drop my shields." Sally countered.
"I can manage." Heero agreed.
"Then let's get this finished fast."
Duo hadn't taken his eyes off of his mate. "Heero?"
"I'll be okay." Much to his surprise, Heero reached out a hand. "Just- stick close. Please?"
Duo clasped Heero's hand in his own tightly. "As close as you'll let me."
They followed the other two along the faint trail until it opened out in a clearing.
In the middle of the clearing stood the object of their search. Leafless, its twisted branches gilded by the moonlight, the tree looked like something right out of a horror movie.
"I'm guessing it's the one in the middle?" Wufei asked dryly and Sally nodded.
"I'm going to drop my shields to make sure-"
"It is." Heero's voice was soft. "There's bad magic all over that tree."
"I thought it was just haunted."
"I don't think the client realized it." Wufei was frowning. "Heero's right. This site is crawling with spells- spells to invoke emotions- despair, fear, loneliness... Blood magic- non human blood magic- invoked to pull people here and drive them to suicide..."
"That's why it's haunted- their spirits are here still-" Sally frowned. "I can send them on- but that tree-"
"I'll disrupt the spells." Heero smiled faintly at his mate. "Come with me?"
Duo nodded, a sick feeling rising inside of him. He handed Sally the blanket and she spread it on the ground, before sitting down, Wufei beside her.
"Don't unshield until I finish," Heero told her and she nodded. "It shouldn't take long."
Duo's worry grew as they approached the tree. He still couldn't feel anything, but the expression on Heero's face set off all of his inner alarm bells.
"What can I- what should I do?" He asked as Heero stopped a foot away from the tree.
"Hold on to me." Heero lifted his arms in invitation and Duo slid behind him, wrapping Heero in a firm embrace. "Don't let go."
"I won't."
Heero raised his hand and light shot out from the tips of his fingers, carving strange patterns in the bark of the tree. More light fountained around them, bursts of red and orange, scouring the ground. Duo held on tightly until the light faded and Heero collapsed against him, his face grey with exhaustion.
"Heero?"
"Finished. Sally?"
Duo cast a glance over his shoulder. Blue light surrounded Sally- familiar and reassuring. "Doing her thing."
"Ah good," Heero said and passed out.
Much later, when Duo had gotten Heero safe home and in bed, he finally relaxed. "Think we can make sure Sally doesn’t take one of those sorts of jobs again?"
Heero smiled, amused. "Why?"
"I was worried sick the whole time. You were in danger and I couldn't do a damn thing. I couldn't even sense the bad stuff this time-"
"Duo," Heero reached up and pulled him down beside him on the bed. "You did great. Think about it- I had to go right into the heart of that thing- all those bad feelings pushing at me all the time-"
"And I couldn't help-"
"You did help. You were there- as my anchor- my reminder that
life is worth living. I couldn't have done it without you."
Walking home, Duo kept himself alert for trouble. It was a little difficult as his mind kept wandering back to what Quatre had said earlier- and the small wrapped package in his pocket.
Heero needed to practice being in his leopard form- needed to be comfortable in that skin. Why? Duo suppressed a sigh and wished for just a moment that he were psychic. Then he could be just as infuriating and inscrutable as Quatre and Sally.
His mate was also watchful, Duo noted with relief as they moved quickly down the sidewalk.
Course, after what happened to the last set of lions that tried to surprise them; he thought his grandmother might have problems trying to convince someone else to go.
Which meant that next time she would more than likely show up herself- with some of her mates.
All the more reason for Heero to be comfortable in his leopard form. Could he cast magic in it?
That was an interesting thought. He voiced it to his mate.
Heero looked startled- and then thoughtful. "I don't know. That should be one of the things we try. I mean- most magic needs spoken words or signs- but some just requires a focused thought…"
"I think it would be a good idea to try. Can Wufei spellcast in his dragon form?"
Heero nodded. "Yes, but he can also speak like a human in that form. Can the Pack?"
"No."
"Bet the curse form won't let me either. Still, I'll try it- and if not, then I'm stuck with the thought spells- maybe some of the sign ones too… depends how well I could trace some with a paw… hm." He smiled for Duo. "More things to practice when we get home."
Duo returned the smile, still worried. Did they have enough time to practice? To get Heero to feel comfortable in his cursed form? What was ahead of them?
Once they reached the apartment, Heero bolted the door and checked the shields. "All quiet," he said to Duo as he pulled off his coat.
"Good." Duo reached out and tugged Heero close, nuzzling his mate's ear. "Then let's get comfortable." Quickly, he undid Heero's shirt, pushed it off his shoulders.
Heero's fingers were busy with Duo's buttons. "So far, I'm very comfortable with this."
Duo laughed against Heero's skin as their clothes fell into a heap. "Then we're doing good so far." He kissed Heero's mouth briefly and then stepped away, letting himself shift…
How long had it been since he'd been in this form? He stretched, luxuriating in the feeling, and rubbed his head against Heero's leg.
He watched as Heero's form blurred and changed, watched as his mate gave himself a shake. Rubbing his cheek against Heero's, he bumped him with his head and then dashed away.
Heero gave chase, as Duo hoped he would. Around the room, down the hallway, up on the bed, and back again, he led the way, wishing they dared this in a bigger space.
Round and round they went for a bit, and then Duo jumped on the sofa and stayed there, easing over just enough to give Heero space to curl up beside him. His mate joined him, nudging Duo affectionately with his nose.
What else? The next thing would logically be fighting- but they might destroy something here- and the noise… Maybe he should see if the fae had someplace safe they could use for practice?
Heero put his head down on his paws and closed his eyes, his breathing falling into a deep rhythm. Was he tired already? Duo worried. Was this form too exhausting for him?
But then Heero started to glow. It was an odd glow to jaguar eyes, but he was glowing- a faint hazy nimbus of light surrounded him. Duo recognized it and relaxed. He knew this trick of Heero's- a way of increasing his shields so that they showed to ordinary sight.
So he could spellcast in this form! Relieved, he watched as Heero ran through some more familiar spells. This was good- it would give Heero an edge in dealing with his Grandmother and the pack.
Involuntarily, he hunched up at the thought of the lions. He'd seen them punish pack members who didn't do what they said. What if they caught Heero- hurt him so that his magic didn't work? Or found a way to counter it? What would they do to him…?
Heero noticed his mood change. He moved closer, rubbing his face against Duo's, offering comfort.
It was comforting, but not what he needed-
His mate's form blurred and then Heero's fingers were digging gently into his fur, stroking, trying to ease him. "Duo? What is it? What's wrong?"
Shifting back, he wrapped himself around Heero. "I just… I know they said practice- but what if it's not enough? Grandmother's so angry at you…"
"I'm not happy with her either." Heero stroked his braid, pulled him closer. "Don't worry. We're forewarned- we'll get through this. I promise."
Duo could only hope he was right.
_________________
Duo had been patient. He really and truly had been. Heero had gone off to talk to Une- alone- and returned in one piece. Duo should’ve been happy with that.
He wasn’t.
Heero had been like a tightly wound spring ever since he returned. He wouldn’t specify what Une had talked to him about, only that he was trying not to get angry about it. Not that he was taking it out on anyone else- even to the little old ladies and their tea leaf books, Heero had been, as he always was to the ladies, very polite.
But he kept glancing at Duo out of the corner of his eyes, kept finding excuses to linger near his mate, and the tenseness in the set of his shoulders made Duo want to drag him into a quiet corner somewhere and get some answers.
What had his grandmother said to his mate?
Was it possible that she had figured out what Heero had really been doing to the jaguars sent to him as punishment? After Luel’s mates, Heero had been called in repeatedly to ‘deal with’ similar situations. So many in fact that Sally had joked that the money from the Pride commissions was paying their rent through the rest of the year.
Duo didn’t like to think that one of the jaguars had betrayed them, but the lions had ways of making their mates confess any sort of sin- real or imaginary.
“Duo,” Sally tapped him gently on the shoulder. “Why don’t you take Heero home? Stop for pizza on the way?”
Relieved, he gave her an affectionate smile. “Are you sure?”
She laughed and nodded towards the dragon sulking in the back of the store. “Oh yes, one storm cloud is enough around here.”
“Should we take Wufei with us?”
Sally shook her head. “No, the fae are going to call. They’ll snap him out of it. But Heero needs to talk to you. I’ll see the two of you tomorrow- don’t forget- we have that haunted studio to deal with.”
“I won’t.”
Heero got his jacket without a protest when Duo went to tell him that it was time to leave. “Pizza?” Duo suggested as he closed the shop’s door behind them. Heero simply nodded, his eyes scanning the street.
What was he looking for? Duo’s own nerves, already stretched, tightened a little more. What had happened?
The pizza place wasn’t far, and though it was very busy, they managed to find a small table in the corner. The waitress appeared a moment later. “Usual?” She asked them with a grin.
“Yes please,” Duo replied when Heero didn’t. The waitress nodded and vanished back into the crowd. “Heero?”
“Hn?”
“Talk to me. What happened today? What did Grandmother say?”
For just a moment, anger flashed over Heero’s face and Duo reached out to him instinctively.
Then it was gone. Heero gave him a weary smile and squeezed the hand that clutched his arm. “Not here. I’ll tell you- but not here.”
Duo didn’t let go. “I should’ve gone with you-”
Heero squeezed his hand again. “I’m glad you didn’t. She might have…” He stopped, and shook his head. “Never mind that now. Tell me about the visit to the smoke shop- now that Chang is out of range.”
It wasn’t in him to refuse Heero, so he summoned up a smile. “Well, we were out of incense-“
The story got them through the wait for the pizza, discussing the upcoming job got them through the rest of the meal. Heero had relaxed a little, but Duo noted that he still looked over at the door whenever it opened as if he were expecting something unpleasant to show up.
Leftovers packaged up, bill paid, and they were on their way home. Duo always paid attention to his surroundings- you had to if you wanted to survive the Pride- but Heero’s wariness was putting his own nerves on edge.
Duo waited until they were in their apartment, waited as his mate bolted the door and then examined the wards.
“Heero?”
“Just being careful.” Heero turned away from the door and moved towards the sofa, catching Duo’s wrist on the way.
Obediently, Duo sat down on the sofa beside his mate, his gaze focused on Heero’s face. “What happened today? Did she find out about the phony pain spell?”
Heero shook his head and Duo felt a rush of relief. The others were still safe. “No. She called me in today- without you- because she is pleased with me- or was. I doubt she’s as pleased now.”
“Why? What happened?”
Heero slipped his free hand into the hair at Duo’s neck, tugging him forward just a bit and resting his forehead against Duo’s. “She wanted to give me another mate.”
Duo stiffened and Heero caressed the nape of his neck. “I said no.”
“But-“ The words stuck in Duo’s throat. “But- it would mean more status- two mates-“
Heero snorted. “No. Not two mates. She said she was well aware that most humans only had one- and that I had only a small living space. She wanted to take you back and give me a tiger instead.”
What? “But- she can’t! I’m a gift! I’m only supposed to be with you!”
“I know.” Heero’s fingers tightened on Duo’s wrist. “I told her that I was quite happy with you. That status in the pack doesn’t matter to a human magician.” He tugged gently on the bracelet that encircled Duo’s wrist. “I told her I didn’t want another mate.”
Despite the situation, Duo felt a surge of happiness. Heero had been much better since Christmas, much more accepting of Duo’s affection and his determination to stay with the magician, but he still worried that Heero thought that Duo would be better off without him.
“What did she say?”
“That I should think about it. That maybe you would like to have a mate from the Pride-“
“I’m the one that picked you!” Duo slipped away from Heero, began to pace the room. “I don’t understand! I can understand another mate- but it’s against the laws to give me to someone else!”
“I am wondering what her underlying motives are- I doubt that she’d have gotten as angry at me as she did if I was just turning down a reward.”
“How angry was she?”
“She threatened to take you away from me by force. I reminded her that you were rather heavily magically protected and she backed down a little- said she was just reminding me what I owed her.”
Duo stopped and turned to stare at his mate. “Do you think she’ll try something?”
“I don’t know. You are protected- but-“ Heero smiled a little. “I’m afraid I’m going to be sticking a little close to you- and if I can’t- I did talk to Wufei earlier- he’ll keep an eye out too.”
“Something else must be going on,” Duo bit his lip. “Something big if she’s willing to risk breaking the laws.”
“Exactly- and until we know what it is- I want you to be careful.”
Duo dropped back onto the couch beside his mate, curling up against Heero’s side. “That goes for you too,” he said, brushing his lips across Heero’s cheek, his fingers sliding up Heero’s sleeve to trace the curse mark that lay underneath the fabric. “Grandmother is capable of doing anything to get her way-“
“I know.” Heero covered Duo’s fingers with his own. “I know. I’ll be careful too.”
**
Heero squinted up at the sky. It was early, earlier than he liked being up, but Sally had stressed the need for an early start. Not that he had needed his coffee this morning- just stepping out of his apartment this morning had stretched his nerves tight.
Beside him, his mate seemed almost as tense- if Duo had been in jaguar-form, his tail would’ve been lashing, and every hair would’ve been on edge. Heero stroked a hand down Duo’s braid. It wasn’t very likely that Une would confront them in his territory- he half expected another summons.
Not that he would go. Or if he did- he take his own allies with him. Wufei- maybe the fae if he offered a bribe big enough to entice Winner-
Duo nudged him with an elbow in the direction of the alley behind the store. “Sally said she’d wait for us in the back office.“
Heero nodded and followed Duo down the alley. Hopefully Sally had assembled the kit already- she’d know what they’d need-
His mate suddenly stopped, grabbing Heero’s arm. “Lions- I can smell them-“
Heero cursed under his breath and scanned the alley- where were they?
“Well, I see all of your time away from us has sharpened your senses a little,” a voice mocked, and Duo pulled Heero backwards as three shapes leaped out from behind one of the trash bins.
“What are you doing here?” Duo demanded.
“Une wants you. Now.”
“She could’ve called.”
“But she didn’t.” The leader, a sharp-faced man with golden hair, smirked at Duo. “She sent us. We’re to take special care with you-“
The two females beside him growled deep in their throats and shifted.
Heero took a deep breath. Had they forgotten what happened last time with Zechs and his mates? Mentally readying a spell, he waited for the females to get closer.
“Well, well,” another voice spoke from behind him. “Looks like I showed up just in time.”
“Wufei,” Heero didn’t turn around. “Your timing- as always- is perfect.”
“You three are no match for us,” the leader hissed and Heero wondered if Une hadn’t told him anything- or was he just stupid?
“Funny- I was just about to say that,” Wufei remarked dryly, and then there was suddenly a lot less room in the alley. The two female lions backed away- the leader turned white and Heero nearly laughed at Duo’s expression as he looked up- and up some more-
A giant red-scaled claw descended swiftly and pinned the leader to the ground. “I haven’t had breakfast yet,” Wufei growled and Heero did laugh.
“You only need one to take the message back,” he said and the two females bounded quickly away, leaving their male in the grasp of the dragon.
“Crap,” Duo breathed beside him. “I didn’t know he’d be so huge-“
Heero glanced up and then smiled at his mate. “That’s his smaller form- otherwise he wouldn’t fit in the alley.” He moved to stand beside the pinned male. “So- feel like taking a message back to Une or being a dragon’s breakfast? Totally your choice-”
The male was breathing in heavy gasps, his eyes showing white all around. As Wufei bent his enormous head down beside him, his eyes rolled up in the back of his head and he fainted.
A moment later and Wufei stood beside them again in human form, looking down on the passed-out messenger in amusement. “Should we wake him up?”
“Don’t bother,” Sally had appeared in the back door of the shop. “The females are going to have lots to say to Une- she won’t find anyone to send after you for a bit.”
“You could’ve warned us,” Heero pointed out.
“Why? I knew you could handle it.” She stepped to the side and
crooked her finger at them. “Come on in- we have a job to do.” Duo
finished putting the last of the new shipment of cards on the shelves before
turning to look at his mate. Heero was still talking quietly to the two dragons
at the counter. If he tried, Duo could hear the conversation, but he knew they
were simply rehashing the situation again and again, trying to find a solution.
--------------------------------------------------
Why had his grandmother made such a decision? Duo still didn't understand it. He was Heero's gift, the thing that pulled Heero into close association with the Pride, raised his grandmother's standing even more. Why would she suddenly want to take that gift away? Sure, she'd offered Heero a tiger for a mate- but that didn't make sense. None of Une's close relations were of tiger blood.
If only there was someone he could talk to- someone who would know what game was being played in the upper ranks of the Pride- but jaguars were barred from that sort of thing and they were the only ones he could talk to that wouldn't demand a 'payment' of some kind.
Maybe one of them had overheard something? Had a lover who talked to them? It might be worth a shot- but at the same time Duo didn't think it was too safe for him to approach the Pride by himself. He wouldn't put it past Grandmother to take him away from Heero by force. She'd sent those lions after him- though Wufei had scared them off-
He cast a glance at the trio by the counter, catching the eye of Meiran- Wufei's wife.
It was hard to believe Wufei was married... he'd never mentioned her before... She smiled at him, a big grin that was no doubt meant to be reassuring- but it had too much of a 'better to eat you with' quality to it to be comforting.
Then again- if it was his grandmother she was planning on eating...
The bell over the shop door tinkled and Duo turned in that direction, expecting to find one of the tea leaf book crowd.
A young looking woman stood there, her blond hair neatly pulled back in a soft twist, her blue eyes examining the store minutely.
Duo felt his blood grow cold. Had his grandmother sent her? But why? They weren't friends...
“Duo!” She said and smiled, the bracelets on her arm chiming softly as she waved at him. “There you are!”
As if he'd conjured him out of thin air, his mate appeared beside Duo, one hand curving over Duo's wrist. “Who is this?” He asked, his voice even.
“Lady Relena,” Duo said in greeting- and in introduction. “What are you doing here?”
She glided closer to him, her eyes focused on Heero. “Oh, I was just in the neighborhood,” she said, her voice sweet. “Is this your mate? The one who refuses a tiger?”
Duo did not like the way her gaze was lingering on Heero. “Yes,” he said shortly.
“Such a pity,” she said, shaking her head. “The council was most upset with your grandmother, Duo, truly. The magician is valuable- so many things he's done for the Pride- and yet she gifted him only with a jaguar?”
Ah, the light finally clicked on. His grandmother ruled the Pride- but if the council was pressuring her to give Heero a higher status spouse...
“After what he did to my brother,” Relena continued, “I knew he was something special...”
Duo swallowed a growl. So Relena was also carrying a grudge from what happened to Zechs? She was the leader of the tigers... and very proud of her lion brother...
Was she the potential tiger spouse Heero had refused?
“I am content enough with Duo,” Heero said coolly, his hand still tight on Duo's wrist. “Thank you for the offers and all, but I prefer that things stay as they are.”
Relena laughed. “I'm afraid I can't let that happen,” she said sweetly. “So- I've decided to put in a claim on Duo myself. Do you accept the challenge, magician?”
“You can't put a claim on me,” Duo snapped, realizing that Relena was out to take down Heero any way she could. “I'm a gift.”
“Breaking your own rules, Lady?” Meiran said softly, smoke curling up from her nostrils.
Relena turned slightly, finally noticing the two dragons standing by the counter. Her eyes widened slightly, but she didn't back down. “Even without a claim, I can still challenge him. Tomorrow night in the place of challenge- unless you wish to be called a coward?”
Heero shrugged. “I don't truly care what you call me, but if this challenge will stop the persecution that's been going on-”
“It will- I swear it.” Relena sneered. “There's no need to persecute a dead man.”
“Than I accept- and now-” Heero's eyes narrowed. “Get out.” There was a small bang of displaced air and Relena vanished.
“Where did you port her to?” Wufei asked.
“Just to the sidewalk. I was tempted to send her to the zoo...” Heero's voice faded out as he took in Duo's expression. “Don't, love. We've been practicing- I'll be fine.”
“She's tough,” Duo protested. “She's nearly taken Grandmother down...”
Sally appeared from the back room. “Don't worry, Duo.” She said with a smile. “Heero will have some tricks even she will have trouble dealing with.”
Duo leaned into Heero's side, letting his mate's warmth seep into him. Heero patted his arm reassuringly. “Don't worry.”
But Duo couldn't help but worry- after all- Sally hadn't said Heero would win...
------------------------------------------------------------------
Duo stood behind the cash register, staring blindly out the window into the dark. Once Relena had left, Wufei had hauled Heero off to the fae to discuss strategies. Meiran and Sally had vanished into the back room to talk- Duo could hear their voices rising and falling around one another, but he didn't try to focus on the words.
Tomorrow night, Heero would be facing Relena in the place of challenge, and Duo couldn't help the fear that coiled in his stomach at the thought. He didn't want Heero to be hurt...
If she hurts him, I'll tear her throat out...
He shook himself, blinking. Right. As if he'd even be able to get close enough to try. Relena was a fierce fighter- only his grandmother had been able to take her down.
A tapping noise made him look up. His grandmother stood outside of the shop, her fingernails tapping on the glass of the window. She beckoned to him and he cast a glance back over his shoulder. No sign of Sally...
Cautiously, he went and opened the front door. His grandmother gestured and he joined her on the sidewalk. “What do you want?”
Une tilted her head to the side and frowned at him. “Is it true that mate of yours accepted the challenge from Relena?”
“Yes,” Duo frowned back. “Why didn't you tell us she was the driving force behind giving Heero a tiger mate?”
“That's council business,” his grandmother's eyes narrowed. “Figured that out, did you?”
“Yes.”
“Your mate knows it too?”
“I mentioned it to him after she left.”
“Do you think he can beat her?”
Duo swallowed hard. “I don't know. We've been practicing-”
“Can he use his magic in his leopard form?”
“Yes.” Duo bit down on his lip. He shouldn't be telling her this, he knew he shouldn't. But... she was the leader of the Pride... and if he refused...
“Do you want to help him win?”
“Of course I do.” He glared at her. “What are you up to?
“I want to help your mate win,” Une said gently and stepped close to him. “It's easy- all you have to do is get in the car.” She gestured at the car parked behind her.
That was all? Duo hesitated, peering into the backseat of the car. No one was in it. What was his grandmother up to? “I have to tell him I'm leaving-”
“I'll take care of that.”
“It will help him win?”
“Yes.” Une's voice dropped lower. “You know I don't want Relena to beat someone that I chose to bring into the Pride. I need to have him win, grandson. You know I do.”
That was true enough....
“Duo,” she said and sighed. “We're running out of time. I order you to get into the car.”
With that of course, he knew he didn't have a choice...
*
“Where is he?” Heero slammed his fist down on the counter and glared at Sally. “I wasn't gone that long!” Had he been? It hadn't seemed longer than an hour- and he hadn't thought Duo would be in any danger not with Sally and Meiran and his own protections...
He should've known better...
“I know!” Sally shouted back. “I heard the door open- but I thought it was a customer! I don't know where he is! Meiran is out asking the neighbors-”
“You're the psychic!”
“Something is blocking me!” Sally's anger drained out of her and she slumped on the counter. “I'm sorry Heero- I'm trying! I am! But- there's nothing- when I try to find him- there's nothing...”
Heero wanted to shake her- but he knew it wasn't her fault- he could see her distress. “What could block you?” As far as he knew no magician could- futures could be confusing or change at a moment- but Sally could always see-
“I don't know!” Sally covered her eyes. “I try to focus on him- look at his future- and he's not there-!”
“Dead?” Wufei said in a soft tone and Heero's hands tightened on the edge of the counter.
“I don't... I don't know. I don't think so... Dead usually gives me a sense of something- you know it does- but this is just... nothing. Blankness...” She shook herself. “Besides- he was warded! Nothing should've been able to get close to him!”
But something had- guilt washed through Heero. Something had taken Duo- taken and hidden him. How? Had he made a mistake in the protections he'd placed on Duo? Relied too heavily on Sally's ability? If only he'd been more careful...
Wufei picked up the phone. “I'm calling the teahouse- maybe one of the fae-”
“We were there,” Heero pointed out. “When it happened- none of them said anything-”
“You know how they are. Let me try.”
The shop bell jangled and Meiran, marched in, looking angry. She tossed an envelope on the counter and breathed out a plume of smoke. “Someone on a bike tossed this at me,” she said and snarled. “I wanted to chase him- but the traffic was too dense- he was gone so fast-”
Teleported? Heero wondered as he ripped the envelope pulling out the paper inside.
Want him back? Win the challenge. Until then, he's ours.
There was no signature. Who had done this?
The paper crumpled in Heero's fist. “I'll kill them for this.”
--------------------------------------------
Duo followed his grandmother cautiously into the place of challenge. The tiers
of seats were empty at this time, the dirt ring in the center deserted. The
challenge was still an hour away, but Duo felt a shiver all the same. He
had seen terrible things here... and soon, Heero would be here- facing Relena...
“What are we doing here so early?” He dared to ask and Une snorted softly.
“I need to get you safely into place, grandson. The tigers would be only too happy to hold you during the fight- and though I understand you have formidable protections, if your protections damage some of them, then they will try and claim satisfaction. If you are already in place, then they can do nothing but wait.”
“But- I'm a gift- she can't claim me-”
“You are now the spoil of this challenge- and she can.” Une stopped before a silver cage that had been placed on a small platform beside the dirt ring.
“I'm the- but YOU took me! Not her! You told me this would help Heero-!”
“It will help him.” Une nodded towards the cage. “Get in.”
That was an order, and so Duo stepped into the cage. He placed his wrists into the shackles and tried not to shiver when Une snapped them shut.
When his grandmother stepped away, he touched the ring the fae had given Heero with the tip of his thumb. He could turn it if needed- the realization was comforting.
“You are still blocking the psychic?” Une asked and Duo blinked at her.
“I am,” said a familiar voice behind him and Duo's eyes widened in surprise. “She will not sense anything until they step into this place.”
“How is the magician?”
“How do you think he is? He's had a night and most of a day to imagine all of the things that might have happened to his mate. He's furious. Nearly beside himself with rage.”
“If he's too angry, he won't be able to fight.”
“The magician is not one that grows insensible when enraged. He grows not hot- but cold. His fury is sheathed in ice- and that's what makes him truly dangerous.”
Duo drew in a sharp breath. So that's why he was here? To make Heero angry? But- why?
“Heero will win this fight if he's angry enough,” the familiar voice was at his ear. “We've seen this- he can't hesitate- and if he's in his senses, he would hesitate- and he'd lose.”
Turning his head, Duo frowned into the familiar face beside him. “Is that why you-”
“Shh.” A cool finger touched his forehead. “Forget you saw me. Forget how you got here.” A cloth covered his eyes, another one bound his mouth.
“You are in the hands of your enemies- and you are afraid.”
**
Une settled herself in her seat- close enough to where her grandson was caged to make sure that the tigers surrounding him didn't do anything... inappropriate.
It was nearly time. Relena was already in the circle, in human form, calm and cool, a faint smirk lingering on the corners of her mouth. It was a position Une had seen her in many times before. Relena had won all of her challenges in this place, she was no doubt assuming that she'd win this one as well.
It wasn't wise to be so overconfident, Une thought with an inward smile.
The clock struck the time and she saw Relena's mouth open, no doubt ready to declare the magician a coward- when the doors suddenly exploded inward in a rush of blue light.
Those closest to the doors scrambled to get out of the way as the magician stalked into the place of challenge, the two dragons on his heels. The psychic wasn't there and Une was glad. A mere human- even one as gifted as Po was- would be in danger here.
Yuy stepped into the ring and Une saw his expression change when he caught sight of Duo. Sheer fury- and for a moment, she wondered if it had been too much.
Then he turned his gaze on Relena, and Une decided that it had been worth the risk.
“I'm here,” he said. “Shall we get started?”
-------------------------------------------------------
Duo wished he could see. He tugged on his bindings and wondered how the hell the tigers had managed to capture him- he remembered stepping outside the store- he thought he'd seen something hovering outside the door- and after that...
What had they done to him?
How had they gotten around Heero's protections?
He knew where he was- he recognized the scents and sounds all too well- the arena- and he was in the cage meant for the spoil of the challenge- how had it happened?
The tigers must've done something- he wished he could remember- but his head felt fuzzy- had they drugged him?
He heard the clock strike the hour- heard the hush fall on the crowd. He couldn't scent his mate- where was Heero? Had the tigers done something to him as well?
The boom startled him- he flinched backwards at the sound, felt a rush of hot air ruffle his hair. What was that?
“I'm here,” said a voice he knew, and Duo shivered at the cold tone. He'd never heard Heero speak like that before... “Shall we get started?”
“Whenever you're ready, magician,” he heard Relena hiss and he tugged once more, trying to get free. He needed to see!
*
Wufei watched the line of his pupil's back and narrowed his eyes. Heero was angry- hell, Heero had been angry for hours- ever since they discovered Duo missing. But when they'd walked into the area and Heero had caught sight of Duo in that cage- surrounded by tigers- bound and blindfolded-
Angry just didn't seem to cut it.
He lifted an eyebrow at his wife and she nodded. They had been in enough battles together- she would know what to do if things got ugly.
She had her eye on the tigers on Relena's half of the ring- if anyone tried anything sneaky, Meiran would spot it. He could watch the battle- and Relena- to make sure no one was tampering magically there.
And someone had been tampering- nothing he could get a handle on- it wasn't a magic signature he recognized- not Winner - not any of the other magicians that he knew. Someone had blocked Sally- someone had managed to spirit Duo away. Wufei wanted to know who...
“Whenever you're ready, magician,” Relena hissed at Heero and Wufei almost pitied her. Unless she was somehow the unknown magician, she wasn't going to be able to hold her own against Heero.
Heero didn't reply. He simply took a deep breath and held it. His form blurred for a moment, changing from man to jaguar, his clothes simply fading away. Relena frowned slightly, but she followed a moment later, shaking off her simple dress and morphing into an enormous tiger.
Wufei studied her for a moment, wondering why she was so confident. Wasn't she worried about facing a magician?
*
Relena slipped into her tiger form, feeling the rush of adrenaline flood her veins. At last! The magician was going to pay for what he had done to her brother- and once he was gone- well then, Une wouldn't have him on her side. She could be brought down and a new order could come to the council...
She glanced up at her lion spouse, sitting in the first row, her blonde hair gleaming in the light, a faint smile curving her lips. Dorothy had waited for a long time to make a move- this battle would be her opening gambit- the first victory.
Once Relena got rid of the magician, the council would see Une's policies for what they were- too safe, too old-fashioned- and then Dorothy could make her own challenge.
Relena snarled at the jaguar across the circle from her. He had courage, the magician did, a feeble human in jaguar form wasn't going to be able to defeat her- he had to know it.
A pity his magic wouldn't work when he was in this form... though even if it did, Relena was sure she'd be faster than any spell he could throw.
Relena sprang at him, eager to crush his neck in her jaws, to lap his blood, snap his bones-
The bolt of lightening hit her mid-leap, shorting out her thoughts, sending pain racing along her nerves-
How had he done that.....?
*
One step at a time.
Get to the challenge.
Switch forms.
Take out the tiger.
That was easy enough- so easy- a blast of energy...
He paced towards the tiger stretched full length in the center of the ring. She was still breathing.
Incinerate her.
No.
A lesson. He needed to make this a lesson. To make sure no one ever touched Duo again.
Besides, death was too easy.... she deserved worse than that for taking Duo away from him.
He placed his paw on the center of her chest, ignoring her twitching muscles, the look of shock in her eyes.
The magic flowed over him, fed by his anger, it was so very strong...
The tiger shuddered hard, and the change flowed over it. Relena, in human form, eyes wide and staring, singed and bruised, didn't move as he took his paw off her chest.
Free Duo.
Turning, he called his human form back, reformed his clothes around him, and focused on Duo's cage. It was surrounded by Pride- the tigers most likely. They were scowling at him- and one took a hesitant step in his direction.
I don't think so.
A word and they were scattered like leaves, blown away from the cage, howling in pain. A murmur came from the stands, but Heero ignored it.
A gesture, and the cage fell to pieces, freeing his mate. Duo reached up and tore the blindfold off of his face.
*
Duo tried to calm his panicked breathing. He scented Heero's change- and then Relena's- all the while wishing desperately that he could see. He heard the roar of the crowd- knew Relena must've made her usual opening attack- and then there was the sharp smell of ozone in the air.
The crowd had gone completely quiet. What had happened?
He tugged on his bindings again- and suddenly his hands were free. He reached up and yanked off the blindfold, pulled at the gag-
Heero stood in the center of the ring, in human form, his gaze fixed on Duo. Behind him-
“NO!”
*
Relena shook herself. What had happened? She'd leaped- and something had hit her-
She inhaled sharply, the scent of burning fur clogging her nose. She coughed.
Wait- how was she back in human form?
The magician stood a few steps away- his back to her- he was in human form too! Had he switched back and hit her with a spell?
The cheater!
His attention wasn't on her- he was watching his little precious gift- the one that rightfully belonged to her brother!
Relena lurched to her feet and flung herself at his unprotected back, willing herself to return to tiger form-
“NO!” Duo had seen her- had sounded a warning- but it was too late-
The magician turned just as she reached him and stepped to the side, catching her arm and flinging her forward, using her own momentum to throw her at the ground.
She landed hard, her ankle twisting, and snarled up at him- and then stopped.
Her voice- she hadn't changed back. She was still human... why hadn't she...
The magician gave her a look that sent an unwelcome chill down her spine. “I won. Why are you still fighting?”
“The fight goes on until one of us is dead, magician,” she spat at him. “You broke the rules when you changed forms! Cheater! We fight until either jaguar or tiger dies! Those are the rules!”
He shrugged. “Well then, I still won.”
“You did not! I'm-”
“Try to change forms,” he said and she saw the cruel curve of his smile.
Once again she tried to will her beast back- and she failed. “What did you do to me?”
“Your tiger is dead. You are only human now.” He said and looked past her to Une. “Is that sufficient?”
Une smiled slightly and nodded once. “Very merciful of you, magician.”
Relena stared at her hands. Again she tried to will their shape away, tried to call her beast. “No... no... you can't...it can't be gone...”
The magician ignored her, holding out his hand to his mate. Duo joined him quickly, and the dragons moved to flank him.
“Well played,” said Une and got to her feet. She swept her gaze over the stands of Pride. “Not only did the magician play within the rules, but a jaguar defeated the head of the tigers. And you all know what that means...”
Relena paid no heed to the rush of shocked murmurings from the stands. She simply sat, gazing at her hands, still trying to will them into paws...
*******
“So, explain it to me again?” Sally asked from her place on the sofa. She accepted the cup of tea Meiran handed her.
“Heero defeated the head of the tigers. Since he's a jaguar- a lower rank- once he beat her, all the jaguars' rank went up.”
Sally blinked. “But didn't that make the tigers mad?”
“I'm sure it did.” Wufei blew out a smoke ring. “However, none of them were willing to try anything- not after they watched him take away Relena's tiger form so easily.”
Sally blew out a breath. “It did play merry havoc with the time lines, that's for sure.”
“I wonder if that's why you couldn't see anything-”
“Too many possibilities? It hasn't happened to me before, but mother had it happen to her once- during the last Elven battle-”
“That was a mess.”
“So was this- so many ways it could go. I guess it's an explanation- and I've never heard of a magician being able to block a psychic- but- you truly couldn't read anything on him?”
“Not a damn thing- and Heero checked Duo on the way back. No magic that he could detect.”
“Duo doesn't remember what happened?”
“Not a thing. It's possible he was drugged- we know the Pride metabolize that sort of thing quickly.”
“Damn- how did they get around his protections then?”
“Meiran found the loophole,” Wufei nodded at his wife, who smiled faintly.
“They were discussing it in the car- the protections only work if someone means Duo harm- so all they had to do was find someone who didn't think they were hurting him- or didn't want to hurt him- and-well, there's the loophole.” Meiran shrugged. “It seems likely.”
“Damn,” Sally swore again. “Guess Heero will have to rethink those.”
“I know it's on his agenda.” Wufei leaned back and sighed.
*
“My scheming darling,” Trieze leaned down and kissed Une's cheek. “It all went beautifully, don't you think?”
She nodded, pleased. “It did. The tigers are firmly put into their places, Dorothy is neutralized, and the jaguars are very grateful.”
“Do you think anyone will challenge the magician again?”
“After what happened to Relena? I doubt it. Not without magical backing- and they'll have a hard time finding that.”
“Speaking of magical backing- the payment?”
“Accepted.” Une's mouth twitched slightly.
“I'm still not sure how you ever got them to agree- despite the payment.”
“I didn't ask them for help- they came to me. Something about making sure of Duo's safety.” Une shrugged a little. “I wasn't going to turn away their help.”
“I wouldn't think this little episode would make your grandson safer- if anything, he's the target that they will strike at-”
“Not unless they want the magician furious at them. You saw what happened today- he could've easily squashed the tigers- and didn't. They'll remember that.”
“Let's hope so.”
*
“I really am okay.” Duo leaned a bit and touched his forehead to Heero's. His mate sighed.
“I know, I know- but that time you're missing worries me- and you heal so fast-”
“No one could have tried to hurt me,” Duo pointed out, scooting a bit closer still. “You said yourself that the protections were intact- and I never activated the ring.”
Heero frowned. “I need to talk to Wufei about fixing your protections. I never even thought- I'm so sorry-”
“It's all right.” Duo reassured him. “I'm the one who's sorry- I got you into this whole mess, remember?” He hadn't known what he was dragging Heero into when he chose him- if only he had!
But, if he'd chosen someone else- he'd never have known Heero... never known how happy he could be...
“I don't think you made Relena challenge me.” Heero's expression darkened. “Was she motivated by revenge only, do you think? Because I wouldn't take a tiger spouse? Or because of her brother?”
“It's possible- Relena has been known to hold a grudge.” Duo shivered a little, remembering the look on her face when she had sprung at Heero's unprotected back. “She has some lion spouses- and she's on the council. It's also possible she was trying to take a shot at my grandmother through you.” His smile widened. “If so- it did fail spectacularly.”
“No kidding- the jaguars are higher now than the tigers? Une did say that, right?”
Duo nodded, still elated at the thought. “She did.”
“Will it- change things, do you think?”
“I think it will- and hopefully for the better.” Duo's smile changed, grew warm. “If it has half of the impact that I think it will- then I don't care what might have happened to me. It was worth it, whatever it was.”
Heero tightened his grip. “Not to me,” he said softly. “Duo- someone out there managed to take you and I couldn't stop them. I promised to keep you safe-”
“I am safe.”
“Now, but-”
“You and Wufei will fix the loophole. I know you will.” Duo ran his fingers over Heero's cheek. “You look exhausted, love.” Had his mate slept at all the last day or so? “Let's get some rest and talk about it when you're rested, okay?”
“Okay.” His mate agreed easily enough, curling close when Duo turned out the light. But Duo could feel the tension in his muscles, could tell his mate wasn't able to fall asleep so easily- no matter how tired he was.
So he turned his head just enough and touched his mouth to Heero's. There was one way he could think of- not only to relax and exhaust his mate, but to reassure him as well...
*
Heero listened to Duo's soft breathing in the dark. He was safe- at the moment. But there had to be a way to keep him safe- to make sure no one ever hurt him again-
He would find a way.
He had to find a way.
*
Quatre opened his eyes and smiled at the ceiling.
“Awake?” Came a voice out of the shadows beside him.
“It's happened.”
“Has it? This late? I expected it earlier,” Trowa materialized out of the shadows and raised an eyebrow at his lover.
“Look,” Quatre leaned his head towards Trowa, who brushed his fingers gently over Quatre's eyes, stirring through the surface memories.
“So it has. All right. You win. This time.”
“You admit that helping the Pride was a good idea at last?”
Trowa shrugged. “I never said it was a bad idea- and it's not like I get to use my powers all that often- but I didn't think it would be the one thing to snap that future into place.”
“It's not in place,” his lover corrected him. “It's now simply the strongest of the futures-”
“Then let's hope it stays that way.”
*
Sally sat up, gasping, reaching for the light beside the bed. Shaking sweat soaked hair out of her face, she took a deep breath.
“Only a dream,” she told herself. “Only a dream, brought on by the stress of the day- it wasn't a vision. It wasn't.”
Heero would never do that to Duo... he wouldn't...
_____________________________
It was hard not to hover over Duo. Heero didn't even like it much when he had to either go into the workroom or on an errand and leave Duo in the store with Wufei or Sally. He made a conscious effort, he really and truly did, but it was so hard to not have Duo somewhere in his line of sight- and worse if he had to go on a job without him.
Or if Duo went someplace without him. He was down at the Weird Sisters shop right now, with Wufei, and even though Heero knew that Duo couldn't be anyplace safer- it still made him twitchy. Cursing softly under his breath, he returned his attention to the book shelf in front of him. There had to be something here that had an answer...
He added another book to the stack beside him and caught Sally's eye. “Some help?” he asked her and she shrugged.
“I know you'll figure something out,” she told him, “but hell if I can tell what.”
There was something in the back of Sally's eyes these last few days that he didn't like. Something she was hiding from him. He'd tried confronting her about it and she'd simply shrugged him off.
“You are radiating worry,” she said with a faint smile. “I can't help picking up on it.”
“That's not the only thing,” he told her and watched her blink.
“Just- figure something out soon, okay?”
He wasn't quite sure he wanted to leave it at that, but he also knew she wasn't going to tell him anything until she was ready to do so.
“I'm looking,” he said with a tilt of his chin towards the pile of books. “I'll bring those back tomorrow.”
“However long you need them,” Sally looked towards the clock. “It's close enough to time. Why not take those and Duo home now?”
He was just about to point out that Duo wasn't back yet, when the front door swung open. Duo and Wufei came in, shaking off the raindrops, pulling packages out from under their coats.
“We got everything on your list,” Wufei told Sally as he put his packages down on the counter. “Plus a few things the ladies told me we needed.”
“If they think we do, then we do,” she said, smiling and looked towards Duo. “Heero's ready to go home. Make sure he doesn't stay up all night reading again? We need him to be pleasant tomorrow for the customers.”
Heero snorted as he went to get his coat, missing Duo's answer. His mate followed him to the back room, watching as Heero pulled on his coat.
“Everything go okay while we were gone?” He asked and Heero found a smile for him.
“Other than Sally driving me insane with her inscrutable-ness? Yes.”
“That's not even a word!” Sally called from the front and Duo laughed.
“Let's go home.”
They both tucked some of the books in their coats and set out for home. Heero could tell that Duo was watching for trouble- he always had- but now- now he was nearly on a hair trigger. Not that Heero blamed him- he knew he was on his own hair trigger and he nearly pitied anyone who even looked the wrong way at the two of them.
Once they were in the apartment, safe behind his shields, Heero relaxed. He'd put shields over the store- but they were not like the ones here. The store had customers- and those customers sometimes had bad magical things- items, curses, books- all of which had to pass through those shields. At his own home, he didn't have to let anything like that in.
The took off their coats and put the books beside the sofa. Duo nuzzled against him for a moment. “I'll start dinner?”
“I'll help you.” Heero knew once he started looking through the books that he'd get too caught up to pay attention to Duo. Not that Duo complained, but Heero still felt guilty.
They moved around the kitchen together, making a simple dinner. Heero found himself, as he was tearing up the lettuce, watching the swing of Duo's braid, stifling the urge to go and put his lips against his mate's neck, run his fingers through his hair.
Before the fight they had spent a lot of time in their leopard shapes, trying to get Heero used to his, and now- now Heero would find himself with the occasional urge to...
Before he could finish the thought, he found himself standing at the stove beside Duo, his hand wrapped in Duo's braid, his mouth on Duo's nape.
“Mmmm,” Duo leaned into him, and Heero let his mouth slide up the side of Duo's neck and to his ear.
“Why do I want to curl up with you and brush your hair and-” he traced Duo's ear with the tip of his tongue and Duo purred, turning to meet his mouth.
“I'm not sure, but I'm not complaining,” Duo smiled against his lips. “Dinner first? You haven't been taking your lunch breaks lately-”
The reprimand was gentle, as Duo's always were. Heero claimed another kiss and moved back to finish the salad.
After dinner, they curled up on the couch. Duo claimed a corner and made Heero stretch out beside him. “One of the ladies gave me a book today,” he said with a smile as he ran his fingers through Heero's hair.
“Really? That was nice of them- what is it?”
Duo turned the book enough so that Heero could see the cover. “Basic magic. I told them that I wanted to be able to understand it better- and one of them gave me this- the basics in plain language.”
Heero flipped a few pages. “This is really good- it does cover the basics-”
“I want to understand the next time someone comes in with a problem exactly what you and Wufei are doing.”
Guilt stabbed Heero. “I'm sorry- you know I would explain-”
“I know- and you do- but I think it would be easier to just start at the beginning and get familiar so I don't get lost when you and Wufei try to explain it.” Duo smiled for him. “The Pride doesn't have magic, so it's very foreign to me.”
Heero settled back against him. “I can understand that- just like the whole Pride culture is foreign to me.”
“Exactly so,” Duo rubbed his cheek against Heero's head. “Only a few hours tonight, beloved? You need your rest.”
“All right,” Heero agreed and opened the first book.
He was skimming through the fourth when he heard Duo gasp. Turning his head quickly, he found his mate staring at his hand in dismay, the book upside down on the couch beside him.
“What happened?”
“Heero- did you just do something? Call for more light?”
“No,” Heero sat up and turned to face Duo. “What happened?” There was a faint trace of magic in the air- and unfamiliar magic that smelled of musk and fur.
“I was just reading... going over the major principles... and they had the first of the beginner spells. I read it- and- my hand-”
Heero snatched the book up, taking Duo's hand in his free one. Had the book been bespelled? Was Duo hurt?
“It- flared-”
The spell was for summoning a mage light. Harmless. The magic trace indicated a light. Again- harmless.
“You read the spell? That's all?”
Duo nodded. “That's all! Did I do something?”
“Read it again.” Heero gave Duo back the book and put Duo's open hand on his, palm up. “Out loud.”
Duo did- and the moment he started, Heero saw the small whirl of light flare up in Duo's hand- felt the magic stir- and found the source.
“What are you doing?” Duo breathed in his ear and Heero laughed out loud.
“It's not me- it's you.”
“Me? But I'm Pride- we can't do magic-”
“Apparently you can.”
Hope rose up in Heero. If Duo could do magic- even a little- then the types of protections they could use on him could be so much better than the ones Heero had placed on him... He would be so much safer!
“I can't! I'm Pride!”
“Somehow you can, love. That's not me causing that light in your hand.”
“Wouldn't someone have noticed?”
Heero shrugged. “I didn't- I noticed the curse when you came in- and after you told me you were Pride- there wasn't a reason to look. Pride are magical in their natures- there's always a small touch of it around you. But apparently you can use it-”
“How? You said your powers cropped up early-”
“I don't know. Maybe... maybe that curse had something to do with it. It gave me a leopard form when I took it from you- maybe it gave you the ability to use magic. Maybe the Pride can and just have convinced themselves that they couldn't. Who knows? We'll look into it. But this is very good-”
“It is?” Duo looked doubtfully at the small light dancing on his palm.
“It is. Now Wufei and I can teach you how to use it to protect yourself.”
Duo closed his hand and the light vanished. He looked up and smiled into Heero's eyes. “You already look less worried.”
“I already feel less worried.” Heero rested his head against Duo's.
“Well, since you aren't going to be reading all night- I think you said something earlier- about wanting to curl up and-” The rest of Duo's sentence was lost as their mouths touched.
“Race you to the bed?”
“We're already comfortable here...”
-----------------------------------------
The last time he’d been to the fae’s teahouse- only a week ago-the entrance hallway and all the rooms off of it had resembled a forest. Hell, it had been like that since the first time he’d seen it, all those months ago when he’d first come here with Heero.
There was no sign of the forest now. The hallway was a series of graceful arches, the marble carved in fanciful shapes. In between the pillars were rocks and ferns, streams and waterfalls with dozens of tiny butterflies and birds darting about.
“Did they do this just for the party?” He asked softly and he heard Heero snort under his mask.
“Yes. According to Wufei they change the décor for the party every year- last year was a disco theme.”
Duo shook his head. “What’s the theme this year? The Hobbit?”
“More than likely,” Heero chuckled as they moved down the hallway. “Stay close- it would be easy to get lost in here.”
Duo agreed- it all seemed much bigger than usual- and though he was used to the fae teahouse that was bigger on the inside than the outside, now the rooms seemed even larger- and crowded with masked guests.
He adjusted the mask over his face and wondered if all the other guests had been sent costumes as well. Sally had seemed unsurprised when the packages had arrived- but then Sally was rarely surprised by anything.
The costume they had sent him matched the decorations, like something out of a fantasy movie, a sort of Hollywood medieval style, not exactly armor, but something that looked like it, accompanied by a white tabard decorated with the picture of a leopard. His mask was white as well. Heero had smiled when Duo had wondered aloud what he was supposed to be.
“A white knight.”
But what did that make Heero? His costume was a black cloak that shrouded his figure completely, the hood covering his head. His mask wasn’t a half one like Duo’s, but a full face mask- a white one with black markings on it.
Heero had shrugged when Duo had asked him about it, saying he had no real idea of what it was, but since Quatre had sent it, he’d wear it.
Had he been lying? Duo wasn’t sure- but he knew the only reason that Heero had even agreed to come to this party was because of him. Duo had gotten stuck in his magical studies, hit a sticking point that neither Wufei nor Heero could get him past. Quatre had volunteered to help- asking only that Heero and Duo attend his party at the New Year. Heero had been grateful enough that he hadn’t even complained.
Duo was feeling guilty- and even more so because of that costume. What was Heero supposed to be?
He turned at the sound of their names being called, smiling to see Wufei and Sally seated at one of the tables, a few other familiar faces from the neighborhood with them. Once they sat down, Wufei engaged Heero in a conversation with one of the other practitioners about a rather nasty curse spell they’d taken off someone the day before.
It was all a little technical for Duo, so he focused instead on Sally’s conversation about scents with one of the owners of the smoke shop.
As he listened he looked at the people around him- none of them had a costume like Heero’s. There were knights and ladies, jesters and fantastical animals- but no other black cloaks and odd masks.
“You really want to know?”
Duo turned at the familiar voice and smiled at the man seated behind him. “Trowa? That is you?”
“It’s me.” Trowa was dressed in green and brown, crowned with leaves. Hiis eyes focused on Duo with a strange intensity through his mask of leaves. “Do you want to know? Quatre wants to see you- and explain if you like.”
Explain? “Yes, I would-“
“Then come with me.”
Duo turned a little, to tell Heero he was leaving, but Trowa took his arm in a tight grip. “It’s all right- don’t bother them now. Come with me- Quatre is back in his rooms.”
They slipped through the crowd quickly, almost as if the other partygoers couldn’t see them at all. He felt a chill down his back- but the fae had always been kind to him. There was no reason to worry.
“Not tonight anyway,” Trowa murmured as they reached Quatre’s door.
Duo blinked in surprise, but before he could speak they stepped into Quatre’s room. Last time he’d been here the room had resembled a tent- now it was simply a starlit sky.
He took a breath as they seemed to step into air, the stars moving slowly around them, twinkling with a cold light.
“Duo,” Quatre stepped out of the darkness, his dark cloak blending into the shadows around him. Here was one dressed like Heero- but Quatre wore no mask. “I am glad to see you. I’ve wanted to have a little talk with you- and tonight was the best time- as the old year dies and the new one starts.”
“What do you want to talk about?”
“You know that my sisters and I can see the future?”
“Of course. Just like Sally.”
“Well, there is something that we’ve seen- something that we didn’t tell you about when you arrived- something I think Sally would prefer that we not tell you. But I think you need to know.”
Sally had been keeping something from him? Duo got a sick feeling- it wasn’t going to be good news. “All right, please tell me then.”
The star swirled faster now. “Very well- look here…. This is what would’ve happened if you hadn’t chosen Heero….”
Duo gasped as the images formed.
“And this is what would’ve happened if he’d lost the match with Relena…”
“And these futures might happen if you are killed…”
“And these futures might happen if you survive…”
The images halted, the stars faded, and they stood once again in the familiar tent-like surroundings of Quatre’s room.
Duo took a deep breath, pulling off his mask and rubbing at his eyes. “I understand my costume now,” he said and Trowa laughed gently.
“Heero needs you,” Quatre met his gaze serenely. “I hope you can see that. You are the key to his- well… everything. Sanity, future, goodness, heart- choose any and it’s the truth. You need to know this- you need to realize how important you are to him.”
“I know I am,” Duo answered, a little sharply. “I know I’m important to him- maybe I didn’t realize the extent, but I knew it. Why-?”
“Insurance,” Trowa answered. “If you know these futures- you might be able to help the best ones arrive- and stop the bad ones. The future changes every moment- and Heero’s can go many ways- and they all depend on you.”
“I understand that.” Duo shook himself a little and focused on Quatre. “So that’s his costume- the unknown.”
“Exactly.”
“So is yours.”
“Yes.”
“That’s not reassuring.”
“It’s not really meant to be.” Quatre tilted his head to the side. “If you don’t have any other questions, you’d best return to Heero’s side.”
Duo had quite a few, but after what he’d seen he wanted to return to Heero more than play conversation games with the fae. “Yes, that would be for the best.”
He slipped back to the table, harder now without Trowa’s magic and seated himself beside Heero who was still speaking with Wufei and a few others. His mate reached out for Duo’s hand, clasping his fingers around Duo’s chilled ones.
“You didn’t see anything at the buffet you liked?” he murmured and Duo shook his head.
“No,” he replied and moved closer to Heero’s side.
No one was going to take him away from his chosen place