Warnings: Some swearing and Treize mauling.
"So, do you believe in ghosts?"
"No."
"Why?"
Duo sat on a log not far away from where Trowa was chopping wood. Trowa paused to wipe some sweat off his brow, raised the axe high in the air, and brought it down with a mighty blow.
"I've never seen one before."
"You mean you've never seen a ghost before?"
"Have you?"
"Well, no, maybe yes…I'm not sure. I don't really know what they look like. Oh wait, I do! They're scary looking. Then, Wufei looks scary but he's no ghost…"
It was really hot that day, so Trowa took off his shirt.
"Wow, Trowa nice biceps. And abs. And…shit you got a nice body, Tro."
"Thank you."
Trowa raised the axe again and aimed.
"So, you don't believe in ghosts?"
"No Duo, I don't."
Trowa brought the axe down.
"You really don't?"
Trowa looked at the really large pile of wood beside Duo. Then he looked back at the grinning violet eyed imp that sat beside it.
"I really don't."
"You really, really, don't?"
Trowa looked calmly at Duo and answered his question in a calm voice.
"I really, really, don't."
"You really, really, really…"
"Duo."
"Yes?"
-Insert sound that crickets make-
"I don't believe in ghosts."
"You don't believe in ghosts."
Trowa nodded.
Duo opened his mouth as if to ask another question.
THUD!
Trowa's axe landed on the middle of the stump, spitting it perfectly in two.
"Right. I'll be leaving you now, to uh…you know, chop wood because I know how much fun you get in chopping wood."
Duo ran inside the house. Trowa leaned on the axe handle and sighed.
FLASH!
Trowa blinked, stunned.
"Sorry, Tro, can't resist. Quatre and Catherine will pay good money for these. See ya!"
"Do you believe in ghosts?"
"I'm sorry, Duo, I don't believe in ghosts."
"Quatre, you don't have to be sorry for anything. I just asked you a question."
"If you say so…"
"You have 29 sisters, right? You mean, none of them were mean enough to tease you that there are ghosts hiding under your bed, ready to eat you once the lights go off?"
Duo sat in the kitchen counter, feet dangling merrily, while Quatre cooked their lunch. Quatre stirred the pot some more before closing the lid.
"Well, some of them did," Quatre smiled fondly. "Our people do believe in ghosts, but they don't use that term. They call them 'jinn'. And they aren't really ghosts either, not in the strictest sense anyway. Would you like to know more about them?"
"Yeah…go on Quat, I'm all ears."
"Jinn are evil spirits of the elements air and fire. They could change their form and assume either that of an animal's or a human's. They could live inside inanimate objects deep in the earth. And, if you possess the knowledge of certain 'magical rites'," Quatre winked at Duo. "You could enslave them and use their powers to your fulfill your desires."
"Sounds more like a fairy tale to me. Like genies of some sort, not something that you could really be scared of. Kinda sounds the same too, I mean, jinn…genie…"
"Yes, Duo, in a way they are related."
"Okay, so your people believe in ghosts too, although they're more on the magical, fantastical side, while ours are more on the scary side. So tell me Quat, why don't you believe in ghosts?"
"Perhaps because I've never actually seen one."
Duo smiled at Quatre.
"Trowa gave me the same answer, you know."
Quatre instantly reddened at the sound of Trowa's name. Duo laughed, but stopped. He raised his nose in the air and sniffed.
"What's that smell…?"
Quatre's eyes almost bulged out of his head when he turned around and saw only black smoke seeping out of the lid of the pot.
"Fire in the hole!"
Duo yelled before grabbing Quatre and throwing both of them to the floor.
BOOM!!!
"Oh no, our lunch!"
"Oh look, there's Wufei!"
Quatre ran towards the stove. Seeing that Quatre was going to be busy mourning over what now remains of their lunch, Duo took his chance at escape towards the direction where the Shenlong pilot had disappeared.
"WUUUUUUFEI!!!"
"Stay away from me, Maxwell! And stop imitating Relena, it's sickening!"
Wufei sprinted through the hall, careful of the slippery, polished floor, and turned left towards the staircase with Duo not far behind. True to his name, Wufei took the steps five at a time, leaving Duo far, far, behind.
"Hey, no fair! How'd you do that?"
"Hah! And you expect me to tell you that which I don't even know how I did myself? Maxwell you really are an idiot!"
Wufei reached the top of the long flight of stairs, turned left, and locked himself inside the first room he saw open. Once safely inside, he started barricading the door with every heavy, movable item he could find.
"Wufei wait! I just wanna ask you something!"
Wufei knew how persistent the self-proclaimed God of Death could be. There would be no other way out for him except the door, for there were no windows, ventilation shafts, or time portals in the room he was in. And if the bomb happy lunatic outside decided to use his huge stash of explosives to take the door down…
"Wufei, c'mon, I just wanna ask something really important!"
Wufei unsheathed his sword. Good thing he always carried his sword with him.
"Feichan!"
"Shut up and don't call me that!"
"I just wanna ask you something…"
"Maxwell, stop repeating yourself and ask me whatever it is already!"
The pounding stopped. Wufei sighed in relief.
"Fei-chan…"
"My name is Wufei, WUFEI, goddammit!"
"But I like the sound of Fei-chan better…"
"Maxwell!"
"Okay, okay…."
-Insert crickets again-
"Well?"
"Do you believe in ghosts?"
Wufei's irritation spiked.
"That's all you wanted to ask? I thought you said it was important!"
"Yes it is. Well, for me at least."
Wufei tightened his grip on his sword. The Gods were testing him today. They were testing the very depths of his patience. That, or they were just really bored and wanted to see some cheap entertainment.
"So, do you?"
After some time, Wufei replied.
"Yes and no."
"You do know that I won't be happy with that answer, right, 'fei?"
Wufei took a deep breath and stabbed the bed with his sword. There. He felt better already.
"Shut up and let me explain. Yes, I believe in ghosts because my people believed in them. They believed that the souls of our ancestors guide their descendants. During a certain period in the lunar calendar, specifically the 15th day of the 7th lunar month, they believed that the souls of the dead come back to the world of the living. Rituals are carried out by the priests in order to relieve the souls some of their burden and suffering."
"Oh…so you were 'born' into it. No surprise there, I mean, most people are born into something. It's like being forced without you knowing it. And you said no because…?"
"Because I discovered the difference between giving the respect due to the dead, and worshipping them. Besides, it would hardly matter now whether I keep the belief of my people or not since I am the only surviving member of my clan."
"Oh…that makes sense…"
Wufei stated this as a fact, but his voice sounded a little bitter to his ears. When no answer from Duo came, he assumed that the stubborn headed idiot had finally become bored with their conversation and left.
Wufei took his sword and removed the things he had barricaded the door with. Then he flung the door wide open and waited. No Duo came. He stuck his head out of the doorway and looked left, then right. Still no Duo. Relieved, he stepped out of the door.
"FEI-CHAN!"
-Glomp-
It took a second to register that the attack had come from the floor.
"Maxwell, get off-"
"Know what Fei?"
Duo's voice had become very low but somehow, Wufei heard everything he said.
"You shouldn't feel so lonely. You've got us now and you know, we're very happy that we've got you."
Wufei stayed silent at that.
Then he felt something loosen from his pants.
"What are you doing?"
"Making sure that you don't try to go after me."
Wufei caught his pants before they fully dropped down. His hair, however, lay scattered across his shoulders. He stood there, his left hand supporting his pants, his sword on his right hand, and the rest of his hair blocking his view of the escaping imp.
Duo waved his two prizes in the air: Wufei's black leather belt plus the rubber band that held his hair. He then blew a kiss towards Wufei and bolted towards the stairs.
"Duo Maxwell, when I get you, I will shear your head off!"
"Go ahead and say it 'fei, I know your ass is burning to say it!"
"Injustice!!!"
On reaching the topmost of the huge staircase, Duo straddled the banister's topmost part, and slid all the way down, screaming in glee. He then pushed himself and catapulted in the air. In the last instant he decided that he wanted to try Trowa's stunt, so he twirled before landing with his feet on the ground, arms out like wings on both of his sides.
"Ta-daaa!"
"10."
"Huh?"
"I give that a 10. You should consider joining Trowa's circus."
"Hee-chan!"
Duo ran happily towards Heero but stopped in his tracks as Heero held out his arm towards him. His hand held a steaming mugful of very, very, hot coffee. Heero likes his coffee very hot. Duo should know because he sneaked a quick sip on Heero's cup one day and his tongue almost disintegrated, along with his mouth. And no sugar too. It wouldn't have been too horrible if there had at least been a grain of sweetness dropped in that cup. But no, Heero had to drink his coffee black, sugarless, and hot as hell. He thought about what a really bad experience it was that day as he let his tongue stick on the freezer to ease some of the pain.
Crossing his hands in his head, Duo huffed.
"'Kay, kay…I get the point, no glomping."
"Hn."
Heero strode briskly away from the spot. Duo followed him cautiously behind.
Heero opened the door and got in. Duo came in a second later.
Heero glared at him.
"Do you need anything?"
Duo grinned at this.
"Matter of fact, yeah, I do. I need to ask you something."
Heero placed his coffee mug down the bedside table and sat on the bed. He opened his laptop and began to type. Duo cannonballed happily on Heero's bed, making Heero bounce slightly.
"Baka." Heero snorted.
"Why do you always call me that?" Duo whined.
"Because you are one."
"You're lucky I love you so much…" Duo muttered.
"What?"
"Oh nothing."
Duo rolled over to where Heero had his back facing him.
"If you're going to ask a question, ask it now. Otherwise, leave. I'm busy."
"Yep, really lucky…"
"Lucky? What are you talking about?"
"Nothing! I'm gonna ask my question now."
"Well?"
"Hee-chan, do you believe in ghosts?"
"That's all?"
"Yeah. No. Maybe."
"Duo, why are you asking me this?"
"Do you wanna know?"
"Yes."
Duo hesitated and sat up on the bed. His hands searched his jacket pocket. He presented Heero something in his palm.
"I went to town with Tro yesterday and I saw this shop where they sell all this voodoo stuff. I went in and the girl at the counter asked me if I was looking for anything. I said no, I was just browsing and hoped she'd shove off. She didn't and followed me around and after a while she showed me this and said something weird about it and I really don't remember how I ended up buying it, but here it is."
Heero looked at the object that Duo held on his palm. It was a big black gem about the size of an ordinary chicken egg. Black light gleamed almost sinisterly on its surface.
"And?" Heero said, sensing that Duo was not finished.
"She told me that, well, ah…that…"
"Duo, just say it."
"She said that, well, it could summon ghosts."
Heero snorted again.
"And you believed her."
"I wanted to try something that time, just an idea…"
"Then what's the connection about this stone and my belief in the existence of ghosts?"
"You mean, you believe in them?"
"Yes. I believe in ghosts."
"Wow, just..wow…Hee-chan I never thought…"
"Same as you do."
"Hey, how'd you know I believe in ghosts?"
Heero took the stone from Duo's palm and inspected it from various angles. He tossed the stone in the air and caught it.
"You wouldn't have bought this if you didn't."
"I could have bought that because I was trying to get that chick's number, you know. She did look pretty cute…"
"You baka!"
Heero shoved the stone in Duo's stomach and took his laptop. He rose from the bed and was about to go, but Duo caught his wrist tightly and refused to let go, a condescending smile on his lips.
"Kidding. I was just kidding back there, Hee-chan. Now sit down and hear me out, 'kay?"
Heero tugged at his wrist, but Duo wouldn't let go, plus the look on his eyes had now changed from teasing to pleading. Heero sat back down and Duo let go of his wrist.
"I bought this because she said it could summon ghosts. She said that the one possessing the stone has to believe in ghosts, and you already know that I believe in them, but to be able to use its 'power'" Duo made large, exaggerated quotes in the air at this. "I ought to have at least another person with me who fully believes likewise."
"Hn."
"So I went and asked the other guys what they think. Out of all of them, you were the only one who gave me a 'yes' answer. Fei-chan did, but it's more of a 'no' answer, so that doesn't count."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why do you believe in them?"
Duo's fingers toyed at the rumpled bedsheets beneath him and smiled sadly.
"You really wanna know?"
"Yes."
"I guess it's only fair that I say my piece, right? Feel free to laugh anytime you wanna."
"I won't."
Heero looked at Duo who was now tracing shapes on his bed. He had always known that Duo's eyes are the most expressive part of his face. At that moment, Heero focused not on the curling edges of Duo's mouth but at the lash-hidden indigo eyes.
"I won't go into the particulars…can't." Duo added in a whisper. "Just that I had people I loved taken away from me by death. Part of where I got my name, really."
Shinigami. Heero thought, understanding. Duo went on.
"Those people weren't related to me by blood, but they were my family. Never really knew my parents, and the only home I knew was the streets. Death took them away, Hee-chan." Heero almost didn't hear the words. "And I miss them bad. I wanted to see if, I wanted to try, just maybe, I was hoping that…"
Duo looked away and swiped his face with the back of his palm. Now it was Duo who hurriedly rose off the bed. Heero caught his wrist just in time.
"You're not leaving without this, are you?"
Heero asked, and Duo turned his head and saw the black stone on Heero's palm. He tried to snatch it away, but missed. Heero pulled Duo back down on the bed beside him and used the some of the sheet to dry Duo's eyes.
"Sorry. Didn't mean to…" Duo sniffled as Heero wiped his cheeks dry.
"I believe in ghosts," Heero interrupted gently, changing the subject. "I believe that they exist. I believe they are real. I believe in them because I have already seen one."
"No way!"
Duo's eyes widened at this. Then they narrowed.
"Heero, you're not making this up to make me feel better are you?"
"No, because it would be unfair to you. I'm telling the truth, Duo."
"Cross you heart and all that shit?"
Heero nodded, and continued.
"I was at L1 at that time. It was a female ghost, what we would call a Yuurei," Duo mouthed the words silently to himself. "She was dressed in a white kimono, and there were bright blue balls of flame floating beside her head. These flames are what we call 'hitodama.'"
"Did she say who she was?"
"She said she was my mother."(1)
Duo scooted closer. Heero continued.
"The yuurei was not at peace, I could see that. I didn't get the chance to ask her anything because she had gone as quickly as she arrived. I didn't doubt that what I saw was a ghost, only the part that she claimed me as her son because like you, I never saw the face of my parents. As unexplainable as it is, I knew that experience was real."
"Then there might be a chance…"
"Perhaps, Duo. Perhaps."
Heero finally pulled Duo to him, nestling him in his embrace. Duo was shocked only for a moment, but soon he melted into Heero's arms completely.
"Hee-chan,"
"Hn?"
"Would you hate me if I told you that, I love you?"
After a while, Heero replied.
"Duo."
"Yeah?"
"Would you hate me if I told you the same?"
Duo turned and sought Heero's face. Heero saw with pleasure that the violet in Duo's eyes surpassed any hue in intensity. Duo's lips were turned up at the edges with the most delicious smile, and he saw those lips approach his. Heero leaned in and met Duo's lips in a hungry kiss. Duo moved closer to meld his lips firmly with Heero's own, using his hands to steady himself on Heero's shoulder.
There came three knocks at their door.
"Heero. Duo. Supper."
And then sound of footsteps moving away.
"Was that Trowa?" Duo asked Heero, who was holding himself up from the bed with his elbow.
"Hn."
Duo laughed. Trowa could be so sparse with words, but he sure gets his point across.
"Guess we better go, or else Quatre will give us the zero treatment."
Heero nodded.
Duo slid off Heero's body and went to the door. Heero reached out, grabbed his arm, and pulled him in for another kiss.
"Duo," Heero said seriously, his forehead resting on Duo's own. "If you need my help with this, tell me. Just tell me."
Duo took Heero's hand in his, twining their fingers together as he smiled.
"I will."
Since it was Quatre cooking, none of them could complain. Not that there was any reason to. Quatre simply had a flair for cooking that would actually have you begging for seconds and thirds, and fourths. Well, at least Duo did. Wufei put in his own kind of compliment for Quatre.
"You would make a really good onna, Winner."
Quatre, being Quatre, just turned several shades deeper than red and mumbled his thanks, while Duo snickered.
It was a cold night and they were soon sitting in the huge yet comfortable book room. Wufei was in a red plush chair near the shelves reading a book. Quatre and Trowa were on the rug near the fireplace. There was a magnificent looking grand piano in the middle of the room, and Heero sat on the piano stool, while Duo posed behind him, guiding his fingers to play a few simple notes.
It looked like it was going to be another one of their normal nights, except for the fact that Heero and Duo are now obviously a couple. Quatre murmured how happy he was for them as he rested his head on Trowa's lap. Trowa only smiled. Wufei didn't mind them much. He only said that his 'joy knows no boundaries' now that Duo had found another target to focus his ADD on.
Trowa was combing his hands through Quatre's hair and Duo was laughing when Heero's hand slipped and fell on a really bad note, when the lights in the chandelier above them flickered once and went out. Then they all watched as blaze that was crackling in the hearth slowly died out, crackling in protest as it did so.
"Are fires really supposed to do that?"
"Maxwell."
"Yeah, 'feifei?"
"Stop calling me that!"
"Er, I'm not sorry?"
"Maxwell!"
"What is it, Chang?"
"Yuy ask your idiot lover if he bought the spare fuses I told him to buy yesterday."
"Oooops."
"I'll fix it."
"Let me help," Quatre volunteered in a sleepy voice.
"Hey guys,"
"What now, Maxwell?"
"Shut up Chang."
"What is it, Duo?"
"What's that?"
A slow creaking sound came from the opposite side of the room, where the French windows were located. The glass doors opened slowly, and a grotesque figure emerged. From it came the stench of something not at all dissimilar to the stench of rotting flesh.
"Oh double double shit…"
And then the lightning flashed outside making, for a brief instant, the figure's true form known.
"Shit, it is Treize!"
"Gods in hell, he's supposed to be dead isn't he?"
A hollow, rasping voice bellowed in the room.
"Wuuufeiii!!!"
"What do you all say we wrap Wufei in a shiny red bow and give this nice zombie his Christmas present early? Say, like, right now?"
"Duo, that's not very nice!"
"Wuuufeiii!!!"
The figure put one foot out and took a shaky step forward.
A blade flashed momentarily and an unearthly groan of pain erupted from Treize.
"Duo."
"Yahaa! Trowa, don't do that!"
"At town, yesterday."
"Yeah?"
"Voodoo shop, remember?"
"Uh-huh."
"Black stone, ghost summoning 'powers'?"
"Uh…"
"Did you buy it, Duo?"
"The idiot bought it of course! He wouldn't let something like that pass right under his nose without him trying it…and of course it's only natural for that idiot to screw up and end up summoning a zombie instead of a ghost!"
Wufei was yelling now, but they couldn't blame him because he was on the floor with Treize's body in a wide arc above him. Wufei's sword was stuck uselessly in Treize's chest. Wufei was using his knee and hands to ward off Trieze, who seemed like he wanted to rip a chunk off Wufei's face.
Quatre rushed towards Trieze and tried pulling him off Wufei. Trieze's hand shot out. Quatre tried to avoid the blows but was finally hit and flung to the floor; he got up quickly, unhurt. With Quatre's distraction, Wufei had finally gotten the leverage he needed to kick Treize off him. Treize fell backwards, bellowing like an overgrown cow. Then the gunshots rang out.
"Wait until I get clear off him, you bastard!"
"It's more fun this way."
Duo looked up unbelievingly at Heero. Heero just reloaded his gun again and smirked at him.
Heero and Trowa, since they were the only ones with the guns at that time, fired at the downed Treize until they ran out of bullets. Treize lay on the floor, twitching, and then got up, his usually immaculate looking uniform soiled with dirt and filled with bloodless bullet holes. He let out another large, rasping, bellow from his lungs.
"Wuuufeiii!!!"
"Damn it, Treize stay dead!"
"Why does he keep calling Wufei's name?" Quatre asked.
"Must be a lover's quarrel. C'mon 'fei, kiss and make up with the guy already!"
"Shut up Maxwell, this is all your fault! When I lay my hands on you I-"
"Touch him and die."
"Aww, Hee-chan, you're my he-"
"I have my limits Duo."
"Ehe, he, gomen."
"Wuuuuufeiiiiiii!!!!"
Trieze took several shuddering steps towards the five of them. They all slowly backed up towards the door.
"This is your fault, you idiot, fix this!"
"I'll try, 'fei-man. Everyone, out!"
The five of them stumbled out of the door and into the hall. Fortunately, one thing that they had over Treize was speed.
"Not here, nope, not here either, not here… Oh there you are,"
"You keep a grenade inside your jacket?" Quatre squeaked.
"Grenades, Quat, grenades." Duo said as he held three large grenades for them to see.
"So that was the lump I felt earlier…" Heero muttered.
"Duo, you're not supposed to carry them around like-"
"Loose change." Trowa finished for Quatre.
"Wuuu-"
"Alright, we get it, you want 'fei. Too bad for you he doesn't wanna go, so I suggest you take these instead!"
Duo hooked three of his fingers on the rings, pulled them all simultaneously, and threw the grenades at Treize. A large explosion shook the house.
"Wuuuufeiiii!!!!!"
"Oh fuck."
They all ran towards the main door with Treize banging his way clumsily behind.
"The stone Duo."
"What's that Tro?"
"The stone. Destroy it."
"Hee-chan! You got it with you, right?"
"Got what?"
"Black stone."
"It's with you."
"It is?"
Duo went over all of his pockets again and produced nothing in the process. Duo held up his empty hands and grinned nervously at them all. Another crash, and Treize appeared.
"We're all dead." Quatre mumbled.
"Not if we hand over Wufei."
"Trowa, you dishonorable son of a bitch!"
"Wufei, take that back or I'll be forced to hurt you!"
"All of you, shut up. Secure your valuables and head for the door. Once outside, don't stop running until you've reached a safe distance from this house."
Heero grabbed Duo by the waist and hauled him up in his shoulders.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing?"
"Securing my valuables."
They made it outside, beyond a clump of trees, but Treize was still intent on pursuing them, as evinced by the multitude of crashes and bellows that came from inside Quatre's house. They all watched as Heero stood a feet away from them, and raised his right arm.
"That's not what I think it is, is it?"
Heero depressed the button.
The ground shook violently, and the leaves fell wildly around them as the shockwaves hit the area full force. They were all lying on the ground, their arms covering their heads, all except Heero. He turned around and looked at the other pilots who were haphazardly strewn in the ground.
"Mission accomplished."
Duo pushed himself up and looked at Heero who was cackling madly, the self-destruct device in his right hand. Then he looked on at Quatre's elegant, two storey, solid brick house, as it slowly collapsed. They didn't really go that far just several feet away, and as the thick smoke faded, Duo saw a black-skirted figure, hands clasped in front of it, a familiar looking gold cross resting on its breast. A smile rested daintily on its pallid face. Duo watched, breathless, as the pale pink lips moved to form his name.
A blink was all it took, and the image was gone.
Trowa and Quatre had positioned themselves in front of the fire, snuggling close to each other. Wufei leaned on a huge trunk near the bushes, eyes closed. On one of the tree's low limbs rested Duo, enveloped in Heero's arms.
"Duo, gomen nasai."
"Whatever for?"
"I told you that I would help you and I failed."
"You didn't fail Hee-chan."
"But…"
"I saw one of them. That's enough for me." Duo whispered in Heero's ear.
Heero wrapped his arms tighter around Duo.
"I'm glad." Heero whispered back.
Duo tilted his head back and gently kissed Heero's lips.
"Aishiteru, Duo."
"Love you too, Hee-chan."
And they slept.
Owari
1. About that part with Heero's mother, just popped into my head. Gomen.