Title: Building A Mystery

Notes: vidfic, angsty, Duo torture, cutting, 1x2, blah blah blah. BTW, I know there's another songfic to this up on ffn, and I purposely did NOT read it until I finished mine. Any similarities are purely coincidental, I promise.

Disclaimer, Claimer and Such: Don't own GW, Duo (sniffle), or the song "Building a Mystery". I do own--- other stuff.

//You come out at night that's when the energy comes//

Duo slams the door to the safe house behind him and stalks off into the darkness of night.

//And the dark side's light, and the vampires roam//

Duo is standing in the midst of a battlefield, holding a bloody scythe, and staring silently at the carnage around him.

//You strut your rasta wear and your suicide poem And a cross from a faith that died before Jesus came//

Duo, in full priest garb, black unbuttoned choirboy robe, and white gloves [1] enters the ruins of the Maxwell House. The moonlight [2] reflects off the silvery cross he wears and onto a small memorial stone. Duo kisses his gloved fingers, then places them gently over the word "Massacre".

//You're building a mystery//

Duo looks in the mirror, his eyes shimmering with tears. He blinks, grins widely at his reflection, then runs out of the room.

//You live in a church, where you sleep with voodoo dolls And you won't give up the search for the ghosts in the halls//

Duo, back in the Maxwell house, in full Shinigami regalia [1], wanders through the rubble. He says something, pauses, then obviously shouts a name. He is silent as he looks around, waiting for a response, then slowly walks away.

//You wear sandals in the snow and smile that won't wash away Can you look out the window without your shadow getting in the way//

Duo is looking out the window, smiling at the falling snow. He looks down, his face hidden in shadows. When he looks up, he's still smiling, but his eyes are infinitely sad. A few tears roll down his face, contradicting his smile.

//You're so beautiful, with an edge and a charm But so careful when I'm in your arms//

Duo finishes braiding his hair as the door to his room opens. Heero, somewhat bloodied and shivering, enters and stops suddenly when he sees Duo. Duo stands, his eyes worried, and asks Heero something. Heero replies, and shakes his head. Duo wraps his arms around the slight boy and strokes Heero's hair until he stops shaking.

//You're working, you're building a mystery, holding on, holding it in, you're working, you're building a mystery, and choosing so carefully//

Duo, grinning and laughing, walks into his room. He lays in bed, silent for a long while. He glances over at his sleeping roommate before rolling over onto his stomach. His shaking shoulders make it obvious he's crying. //You woke up screaming aloud a prayer from your secret god//

Duo wakes suddenly, breathing hard and drenched in sweat. Shaking, he tries to breathe normally so Heero doesn't wake. He doesn't notice the blue eyes watching him in the darkness.

//You feed off our fears, and hold back your tears//

Duo jumps from his Gundam onto a battlefield and races over to Wing. A battered and unconscious Heero tumbles out. Duo catches him and he wakes, breathing rapidly and shaking. Duo's eyes fill with tears, but he blinks them away and grins at Heero.

//You give us a tantrum and a know-it-all grin, just when we need one, when the evenings thin//

Duo, grinning, ducks few pillows that are flung by a laughing Quatre and Trowa. Wufei, chuckling, shakes his head. Even Heero smiles slightly. Duo smiles back, a sad triumph in his eyes.

//You're so beautiful, a beautiful fucked-up man, you're setting up your razor wire shrine//

Duo turns at his door and smiles, waving someone away. He closes the door and sits cross-legged on the floor. He reaches under his bed and pulls out a small box. Opening it, he removes a razor and begins cutting at his upper arm. He continues smiling, even as tears pour down his face.

//Cause you're working, you're building a mystery, holding on, holding it in, yeah you're working, you're building a mystery, and choosing so carefully//

Heero walks into the room, stopping and staring at Duo, who is seated on the floor, bleeding, a razor in his hand. Duo turns and smiles through the tears on his face. Heero stares as Duo lifts the razor to cut his arm again, then Heero moves suddenly towards Duo, knocking the razor aside.

//You're working, you're building a mystery, holding on, holding it in, you're working, you're building a mystery, and choosing so carefully//

Duo's arm is bandaged, and he's lying on his bed, facing away from Heero. Heero stands over him, unsure of what to do. Duo begins crying softly, trying to swallow his sobs. Heero sighs and climbs over the other, lying down next to him so they're face to face. Duo buries his face in Heero's shoulder, and hugs him close. Heero closes his eyes a moment, then kisses Duo on the forehead. Eventually, Duo falls asleep. Heero stays awake, watching him.

//You're building a mystery//

Hey! Look! Footnotes! ::muse looks mildly offended that her genius has to be explained::

[1] OK, on the cover of one of the GW videotapes, Duo's wearing this exact outfit. Tis very very cool, and seemed kinda fitting for the scene. I refer to this as his Shinigami regalia, just cause I can.

[2] Yeah, he's on a colony, so it's artificial moonlight, but it's all for dramatic effect.