Disclaimer: I don't own them and I don't make any money off of them.
Warnings: Male/Male sex, graphic, language, violence,past NCS.
Shinigami's Lover III
Sequel to tell Me
Parts
"Well?"
"Well what?" Duo wondered looking at his partner sourly.
Kit sighed in exasperation as she checked her gun and then put it back
in her shoulder holster. "You've only been staring at your lap for the
past fifteen minutes. I thought, maybe, you'd like to share."
Duo grunted and looked around them at the seedy neighborhood. Crime
scene tape fluttered from the front steps of the dilapidated house
that Kit had parked the car in front of. "So, have we been here long?"
"Long enough for you to start giving me the creeps, Duo," Kit replied
in concern. "That's why I'm asking, before we go in there and do our
jobs, if your head is on straight?"
Duo looked at his partner, a very petite woman with a face that was
usually full of good humor. Now her expression was anything but
humorous. "Sorry," he said in embarrassment. "I'm worried about
Heero.
I didn't feel very good about leaving him. He- He wasn't a good boy
the other day. He sent the housekeeper away."
"Damn!" Kit breathed explosively, knowing all about Heero's problems.
"Anything happen?"
"Nothing that ended up on the front page of the paper, but it scared
me," Duo admitted. He ran a hand through his bangs and then
straightened his uniform tie irritably. "He seems fine, but, once in
awhile, it's like he's not there, like he's another person, someone
who can't think, can't remember... It's not for long, but if a
situation came up and he- he was like that..."
Kit went thoughtful and then she glanced at the house and then at Duo.
Coming to a decision, she said, "Look, if this is a problem, and you
think you need more time at home, why don't you high tail it there and
I'll take care of this?"
"Because of the way it makes Heero feel," Duo sighed as he checked
his
own weapon. "He needs more self confidence. If I stay and hover, he'll
never believe in himself."
"How can he believe in himself when you don't?" Kit wondered archly.
Duo frowned sharply. "I...."
"Think about it," Kit told him as she opened her car door, "but
not
here. We gotta job to do, right?"
"Right," Duo agreed. He tried to put his personal problems aside
and
concentrate on his job as he opened his own door and slid out.
They approached the house, passing an officer ducking under the tape
and engrossed in a piece of recording equipment. A guard stood at the
front door and eyed them. "Preventers?" he said in surprise. "How
does
this case rate that kind of attention?"
"Ours is not to question why...," Kit quipped. "We just go where
we're
told."
Duo and Kit showed their I.D. They were a strange pair. Duo was taller
than his companion. He was wiry, had unusual amethyst eyes, a braid
that was longer than a meter, and he had an air of someone with far
more experience than someone his age should have had. Kit was a slim,
little, woman with fiery eyes and a personality that was charged and
fearless. Duo was sure that they didn't match the image of highly
trained, professional Preventers that the guard at the door probably
had. His guess was confirmed when the guard took his time going over
their I.D.s and seemed surprised to find them both in order.
"Okay, you're cleared," the man said at last, but then warned, "Watch
your step. It's damned messy in there."
That made Duo glance at his partner. They were both new to the field,
and Kit hadn't seen combat during the war. Duo himself was hardened to
more gruesome modes of death. Kit saw his look and her expression
turned angry.
"Don't worry," Kit told him sarcastically. "I didn't eat breakfast,
so
you won't have to worry about me puking on your shoes."
"Sorry," Duo said apologetically.
Kit replied in a lecturing tone as they went through the door, "We're
still learning each other's limits and we can't make assumptions
about- shit!" Kit exploded and went green.
Duo stared at the mess on the floor all around them, and at the
splatter on the walls, and at the bodies that were being poked at by
forensics... body parts, Duo amended to himself. The sight and smell
of death was familiar to him, but he still felt his gut clench and his
mind cower. Death, no matter how many times he saw it or caused it,
was never really easy and Duo was glad of that. He would have hated to
be the type of person who felt nothing when confronted by something as
horrific as the scene before him.
"You talk to the officer who discovered all of this," Duo began to
say,
"and I'll talk to-" He paused when he turned and found Kit gone and
then heard the sound of someone being very sick.
Later, after the investigation was done and they were driving back to
headquarters, Kit recovered, but she looked very embarrassed and,
after the fifth apology, Duo growled, "I threw up on my first day of
work, too, and I wasn't even faced with body parts, Kit, so get over
it and tell me what you think about the crime scene!"
Kit was startled and then she chuckled, though it didn't have much
humor in it. "Oh, yeah, I remember, you tossed your cookies on
Grange's shoes."
"So, we're even," Duo retorted. He could easily forgive Kit becoming
ill, but he was finding it harder to like her sudden case of low self
esteem. He had enough on his mind worrying about Heero. He didn't need
to nurse Kit through case jitters as well.
Kit seemed to sense Duo's irritation and she made a concerted effort to
pull herself together. She had never been a soldier, but she, in
effect, pushed her emotions aside and went into 'mission mode'. "Well,
"she began, speaking calmly and logically, "It seemed to me that our
murderer really didn't like the victims. That's understandable. They
were pimps and drug dealers with considerable rap sheets. Their M.O.
was to bring people into the fold, use them, abuse them, and then
quietly put them out of their misery. Nothing proven, of course, but
investigators almost had enough circumstantial evidence to put them
away for a long, long time."
"They were slated to be arrested today," Duo told her and she frowned
at that information. "The arresting officers were the ones to find them."
Kit jumped on that. "So, maybe someone knew that and wanted to do some
vigilantism before they were put out of reach?"
"Could be," Duo replied thoughtfully as he turned the car down a
side
street and took a short cut. He was eager to get back to the station
and talk to Heero on the phone. It was a temptation to use his cell
phone, but he refrained. What he wanted to say to Heero was too
personal for even his partner to overhear.
"How would the murderer know?" Kit wondered and then followed that
train of thought herself, "From dispatch maybe? Records? Someone who
handled the order... Hmm, guess it could have been a lot of people
leaking that kind of information." She frowned and then shook her
head, 'Kind of farfetched, don't you think? Isn't it more likely that
it was just a simple gang hit?"
"He used a gun that's standard issue for police officers," Duo told her.
Kit blinked. "How do you know that... and why do you keep saying 'he'?
All of that mayhem back there was surely done by more than one guy?"
"All of the bullet holes were in vital organs and in similar spots,"
Duo explained. "It was clear that one, very skilled man did all of
the shooting. It was also clear, from the bullet holes, what type of
weapon he was using."
"You're that sure?" Kit wondered, skeptical.
Duo nodded once. It was easy for her to forget his experience and the
extensive training that he had gone through to be a Gundam pilot. He
supposed that he didn't blame her. He was still very young and she
wasn't going to forget his first faltering steps during Preventer
training. Back then, she had taken him under her wing and she was
still, Duo thought sourly, trying to keep him there and assert herself as
the leader of their partnership. Her going green at the murder scene
had been a serious set back in that goal and she wasn't letting it go
easily. Duo hoped that she wouldn't go out of her way to redeem
herself. She had a reputation for taking chances as well as being hot
headed.
"So?" Kit prompted.
Duo glanced at her as he pulled out of the slum and into a better part
of town. "So?" he echoed.
"Mind on the case," Kit grumbled. "You're wool gathering."
Duo shrugged. "We need to wait for a proper forensic report, but I'm
confident enough about our observations that we should start rounding
up likely suspects and witnesses to interview."
"We?" Kit looked angry at herself again and Duo was getting tired
of
her self flagellation. "I don't think I helped much during the
investigation at the house."
"But you did add so nicely to the decor," Duo joked, thinking to
shock
her enough to stir her from her critical assessment of her own
performance.
"Ha, ha!" Kit snapped back, glared, and then chuckled. "Okay,
enough...
it was stupid. I lost my cookies, end of story. I'll get over myself
now, okay?"
Duo relaxed and smiled. "Okay." He gestured to the computer set in
the
dashboard of the car. "Punch in that list of people that the nice
officers gave us and find out where they and their families live. Try
and make a pattern we can work with."
Kit looked at the scribbled list of names on the report the on site
officers had given her. "What? You don't think this list is legit?"
Duo shrugged. "I don't know, but I did think that those officers
weren't happy that the case was being given to the Preventers. I won't
say that they could have shorted us on information out of spite, but
nothing wrong with double checking."
Kit agreed and began entering her information on the small keyboard.
Duo swerved quickly around two cars moving slowly. Kit looked up as
she braced herself. "Duo! Heero isn't going to wither away like a
neglected house plant if you don't call him every hour!"
Duo forced himself to slow down, but he couldn't wait any longer,
especially when traffic bottle-necked up ahead of their car and he was
forced to a halt. He took out his cell phone, glanced apologetically
at Kit, and found her smirking.
"I won't say anything, okay?" Kit assured him. "Call him, say
all your
lovey dovey things to him, and then you can get yourself back on this
case."
Duo relaxed and smiled, tension and irritation easing. 'Thanks," he
replied gratefully and pushed the speed dial button that was set for
his home phone number.
"Hello?"
Heero's voice was a welcome one and Duo couldn't help a small sigh of
relief. He kept his tone calm, nonchalant. "Just calling to ask if I
should stop and pick up something for dinner?"
Heero sounded despondent. "Maybe you should do that."
"Something wrong?" Duo asked, anxious now.
Heero sighed and Duo could almost imagine him running a hand
distractedly through his unruly hair. "I burned my lunch. I forgot I
was cooking it. Maybe I shouldn't attempt to cook dinner tonight..."
"Everyone gets distracted Heero," Duo soothed. "I forget things
too,
you know."
There was a long silence.
"Heero?" Duo prompted.
"Why do you bother saying things like that?" Heero asked sharply.
"You
know why I forgot. "
"Heero," Duo countered, "You're doing the mental equivalent
of jumping
at shadows. Tell me, what were you doing while you were cooking your
lunch?"
"Raking leaves," Heero replied slowly.
"There you go!" Duo retorted. "You always did get totally centered
on
your 'missions'. Why should raking leaves be any different?"
Another long silence and then Heero replied at last. "I suppose you're
right. I'm sorry. Harri was upstairs cleaning and I didn't know that
the food was burning until the smell reached the backyard."
Duo wanted to say, 'Leave everything to Harri before you hurt
yourself.' but he knew better than that. Heero had to learn to trust
himself and, remembering Kit's criticism that he wasn't helping by not
trusting Heero, he determined to let Heero do as much as he thought
that he was capable of... as long as Harri was nearby to help if he
needed it. "I've changed my mind. I think you should make dinner,"
Duo
suggested firmly. "Maybe some pasta. I think I've been eating too much
fast food anyway."
Heero's voice sounded warm as he replied, "Duo... I guess I shouldn't
have let it upset me like that.... okay, I'll cook something. Does
spaghetti sauce sound all right to you?"
"Sounds great," Duo told him and then tried to ignore Kit in the
seat
next to him as he said in a low voice, "Love you, baby."
"Love you, too," Heero replied tenderly. "I'll see you tonight."
Duo hung up the phone reluctantly, holding it against his breast
thoughtfully as he drove one handed. Kit finally made a disgusted
noise. Duo glanced sideways at her and saw her amused expression.
"What?" Duo demanded.
"You look like you want to go home and wrap the guy in cotton balls,"
Kit chuckled.
"He needs me," Duo replied and she could see the thoughts behind
those
words.
"I know where this is going!" Kit complained. "You can't do
this, Duo.
It's not going to help him having you holding his hand twenty four seven."
"I thought being by himself, with just Harri to keep an eye on him,
would work, but he's not getting any more confident," Duo replied
hotly. "He needs me to be there to encourage him, to show him that he
hasn't forgotten everything important to him."
"Staying at home isn't helping him, Duo," Kit told him critically.
"You
once told me how you felt being at home and believing that you
couldn't do what you loved. Would it have helped you to have Heero at
home, reassuring you, or would you have just thought that he was
humoring you, trying to make you feel better about the fact that what
you wanted most was never going to be yours? The only way that Heero
is going to believe that he isn't damaged beyond repair, is to put him
back on the horse, put him back to work."
Duo frowned skeptically. "Sally won't stand for that and the doctor
won't clear him for duty," Duo pointed out.
"As an agent," Kit corrected him. "I'm sure any department would
be
happy to have Heero helping them in any capacity."
Duo almost said, 'and if he can't do any of that?' but he knew that was
the doubt that Kit had seen in him earlier, a doubt that he hadn't
know he was holding deep inside. He did doubt that Heero was capable.
He was afraid that Heero would get hurt, mentally and physically, if
he tried to go back to work or tried to stay home completely alone.
Duo knew that he had to get over that. Heero had been willing to take
a leap of faith when he, Duo, had decided to join the Preventers, Duo
knew that he had to be willing to do the same. Heero might not be able
to do more than filing, but they wouldn't know until he tried. Even
that would be better than the alternative, Duo thought, remembering
his own long stay at home, alone, and doubting his worth.
"Is he all right physically?" Kit wondered.
"Headaches once in awhile," Duo replied. "Some dizziness early
on, but
he hasn't complained of anything more serious.... though Heero
wouldn't," he amended.
"Sally might okay him with a doctor say so," Kit said.
"I don't know..." Duo replied, skeptically. "If he can't be
an agent,
I'm not sure that Heero will be interested."
"Make him interested," Kit retorted. "If you were going to try
and
convince him that he isn't too handicapped to lead a good life, then
you can sure as hell convince him to go back to work, even if it isn't
the job he wants."
"I'm not used to this," Duo sighed in frustration. "Heero's
always..."
Duo felt a blush of embarrassment, but he plowed on and finished,
"He's always been the one to shoulder everything and take care of me
and my problems. Now... shit, I don't know what's best for me, let
alone what's best for Heero. I guess I'm afraid of screwing up, of
forcing him before he's ready or leaving things go until it's too
late. I just know... Heero can't keep doubting himself like this. He
sounded timid on the phone, like he had lost all confidence in
himself. That isn't Heero. I won't let him end up that way."
"I don't either," Kit said pensively. "He's like a damned legend
and he
was the best Preventer agent."
"Still is," Duo retorted. He glanced at her and saw her nod of
agreement. It made him feel better, though he was still tied in knots
about what to do about his lover. Keeping him at home and watched
carefully had seemed like the best strategy, but he was now severely
doubting it. The first thing, he thought, was to talk to Sally Po,
and see if it was possible for Heero to return, before even bringing
up the idea to the man. Heero didn't need to know about it if she
decided against it. Heero didn't need that kind of rejection on top of
everything else.
As Duo thought, his eyes constantly swept over the street, his rear
view mirror, and the sidewalks, the old reflex of a soldier causing
him to check the status of his surroundings despite the turmoil of his
thoughts. That reflex was looking for something out of the ordinary,
something that might mean danger. That was how he was able to spot the
young man being sandwiched between five other young men and hustled
towards an alley. They looked like a gang on business, their
expressions both serious and nervous, and it was obvious, by the way
they gripped their captives arms and pulled him along, that he was
reluctant to go with them.
Duo's hand went to his gun and his knife, checking weapons
automatically as he said, "Trouble. Call it in."
"Huh?" Kit grunted in surprise as Duo pulled up to a curb. "What
kind
of trouble?"
"Gang," Duo replied.
Kit's eyes swept the street and she saw the young men. She understood
the situation instantly. There wasn't a suggestion that they call the
local police and let them handle it. Kit and Duo could both see that
there wasn't time. If the group of young men reached the alley with
their captive, it was likely that they would do whatever they intended
long before any other help could arrive on scene.
Kit called into headquarters and then she checked her own weapon.
"Ready?" Duo asked impatiently.
"Ready," Kit replied with fierce excitement sparking her eyes. "Let's
break this party up, partner."