"Hi. I'm Duo. Your djinn."
Heero's eyebrow nearly buried itself in his hair. "Genie. Right."
The pale youth shook his head, extending a hand to the Japanese pilot who still stared up at him in amazement. "Nope. I'm a djinn. D-J-I-N-N. Djinni are girls."
Heero took the offered hand, struck by how soft the palm felt. He looked up into the other boy's deep violets, and a shock passed through his body. The shock of connection...
"Hey, buddy. You gotta name?"
With a quick push, Heero brought himself to his feet, brushing the dirt from his clothes. "Yuy. Heero Yuy." He turned from the djinn, afraid of losing himself in the boy's eyes again. His action brought a snort from Duo.
"Don't go anywhere just yet, Yuy-sama. We've got some terms and policies to discuss."
"Nani..."
The word had barely left Heero's mouth before he found himself standing in the middle of his living room, staring down at a djinn who had made himself quite at home on the sofa. He fell back, not even noticing the chair had sort of scooted itself under him, saving him from a tumble. Duo smiled and leaned forward, silver bells jingling softly.
"Now the legalities." He held up three fingers, lowering the first one. "Three wishes. No more, no less. Figure you're pretty familiar with this bit so we'll move on." He ticked off the second finger. "You can't wish anything out of existence. It isn't possible and the entire universe would probably be destroyed if you did. You can wish it to dust or microscopic particles, but that's about it."
Heero thought about the second proviso, seeing how tempted people could be to wish someone out of existence. The magic would have to erase them from time, and thousands of memories...and the universe would disappear into the cloud of dust it came from...
Duo realized that his master's eyes had gotten glassy as he contemplated what it meant to ënot exist'. He whistled to regain the other boys' attention. "Third: think your wishes through really, really, carefully. I may know what you're asking for but the magic won't. Sometimes ill-phrased wishes get kinda...messy."
Heero could only imagine what the djinn meant by messy. It would be hard to word his wishes; it was so easy to think that the magic was intelligent...
Wait! Magic? Djinni?
The Japanese pilot stood sharply, his disbelief finally catching up to him. Here he was thinking this nut case was really a genie...no, a djinn who would grant him anything he wanted. He must have hit his head or something in the forest. Maybe he was still there, unconscious, and having a wacked out dream.
Duo could see Heero's tense figure, bracing himself for the barrage of questions that always followed when his masters had time to think about what he told them.
"You're gonna need proof right? Some kind of magic to prove that I'm not just some mental patient who's taken a shine to you?"
Heero nodded curtly. Duo stood from his seat, violet eyes closing slowly as he prepared his spell. Mist surrounded his body, slowly creeping across the floor to surround Heero as well. He bit back a gasp of surprise, letting the comfortable warmth flow around his limbs. He watched through the haze as his living room melted away and he found himself staring at a marble palace. Hot desert air blew through the huge arched windows and noontime sun reflected blindingly against the white stone.
Duo threw an arm over Heero's shoulder, gesturing broadly with his free hand. "Home sweet home."
At that moment, a group of djinni flew...yes, flew past the open arches, giggling prettily and waving. Duo sighed and waved back, urging Heero to do the same. Heero's left cheek began twitching and he was on the verge of breaking into hysterical laughter. Duo recognized the signs of overload and waved a hand in front of Heero's eyes.
Then suddenly the vision was gone and Heero was left staring at his ordinary living room walls again. It was a moment before he caught his breath.
"Holy shit."
~*~*~*~
Hours later found the two discussing desires and possible wishes on the back balcony, staring into the dusty sunset. Duo lounged in the wooden adirondack chair, one leg thrown over the side, his hands running through the end of his braid. Heero had turned his chair slightly away from the djinn, mostly because he was uncomfortable with the way his body was responding to the other's graceful movements.
How could anyone be so beautif... Heero caught himself mid-thought. He tried to replace his daydream of the ethereal djinn with his fantasy of Relena. Duo's image easily overpowered her, almost physically knocking her back into the inner recesses of his imagination.
"Lot's of people want wealth. You know, they want to try and see if money really can buy you happiness..."
Heero leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. "Ne, Duo? What it's like?"
Duo didn't even seem to be phased by the interruption. He took the question in stride, smiling as he looked up into the rapidly brightening stars. "The magic?"
Heero turned to regard the djinn with somber cobalt eyes. "No. The immortality."
That got the djinn's attention. Heero saw the smile falter for a moment, before it returned with stunning clarity. "Long. Interesting at times. Boring most." The smile disappeared in a flash of bitter memory. "Lonely."
Heero was suddenly sorry that he had asked. Fortunately, Duo shook the question off and continued on with his ideas on the perfect wish.
The chestnut haired djinn chatted endlessly next to him, musical voice lulling him into a slight doze. The ring of the doorbell brought him back.
Before he even had a chance to move, the door swung open, admitting a surprised Relena into the small apartment. Heero swore under his breath, searching the balcony for a place to hide Duo. Duo saw his trapped look and laughed.
"What on earth is your problem? She can't see me if I don't want her to."
Heero almost slapped himself on the head. Instead he turned and walked to the door, inviting Relena inside.
Relena shook her blonde head. "I really can't stay, Heero, but I wanted to stop by and tell you that there is a diplomatic function tomorrow night and I would like you to be there."
Heero's heart leapt. He was going to a ball? With Relena?
"I convinced my father that you would make the best bodyguard..."
Oh, right. Bodyguard. The excitement drained from his body, leaving him to deal with unfamiliar disappointment. He nodded numbly to whatever else the girl said, feeling all the more crushed when she didn't even realize the effect her words had on him.
"Well, goodnight, Heero."
The Japanese pilot muttered his farewell and shut the door gently. He looked to his right as Duo materialized, leaning thoughtfully against the doorjamb.
"Doesn't take a djinn to see that you've got the hots for her."
Heero said nothing as he stalked away from the amused creature, finally slamming his bedroom door. Duo shook his head. Extending his awareness, he realized that the boy had fallen asleep without undressing. With inhuman stealth, he entered Heero's room.
The room was almost painfully simple, a very narrow cot-like bed with Heero's slender frame draped across it. There was nothing on the stark walls, not a picture, no furniture, nada. There was a tiny window on the furthest wall, covered by a very sad looking curtain.
Duo clucked in disapproval. How his Master could stand to live like this...
He snapped his fingers, humming softly as the magic worked its way through the room. Soon he was satisfied and knew that Heero would appreciate the redecorating. With that thought happily in mind, he dissolved into gold mist and reformed into the magical area contained within the obsidian sculpture that Heero still carried in his pocket, lulled into slumber by the Japanese boy's warmth and closeness.
On to Part Three