Genre: Fantasy/Romance/Drama

Pairings: 1x2 main, other

Disclaimer: Don't own nothin' but these words

Warnings: Yaoi, lemon, language, gross misuse of powers, reincarnation, evil Duo, cold Heero, Relena bashing (sort of), cruelty

A/N: Man, I owe you guys an update on this story. I've had a few requests on how to write this story, I will do my best. The plot will follow Saiyuki to some extent, but not exactly on every point. Anyway, enjoy!

Let's see. Demonskid, I believe this was your idea, so this chapter is dedicated to you!


Demons and Humans

"Ne, Hi-ro," he whined, tugging at the silk cord around his neck.

Eyes the color of blue glass lifted from their task. "What?"

The tone was annoyed, tired, amused, and even a little tender. Strange that a single word could convey so much. He broke into a cheeky grin. "When are you gonna be done? I'm so bored. Aren't you done punishing me, yet?"

Hiro leaned down and gripped his hand, the one on the silk cord. "It depends. Have you learned your lesson, yet?"

His grin widened. "Yep. I will be more careful to make sure you're not around, next time."

Hiro raised an eyebrow. Hooking a finger underneath the loop around his neck, he tugged until his face was right next to Hiro's. "Then no, I'm not done punishing you, yet." He released him.

Pouting, he fingered the blue cord. "What am I supposed to do? I'm so bored, Hi-ro."

"Sit at my feet like a good boy, and stop talking."

Before he could think about that rude order, he found himself sitting and closing his mouth. Surprised, he immediately opened his mouth to protest, but nothing came out. He couldn't utter a single sound. Eyes widening, he glared up at Hiro. Who watched him in evident amusement.

"Better. You'll wait until I'm done. Then we'll discuss this again."

Folding his arms, he glared with all the force he could muster. Hiro completely ignored him, going back to his task. Whatever it was. Grinding his teeth, he once more tried to pull the silk cord off his neck. It was a narrow, flimsy cord, little more than a ribbon. Surely it would tear if he pulled hard enough. It didn't. And when he tried in earnest, a sudden bolt of hot pain flashed from his fingers through his entire body. Every muscle spasmed in surprise, his mouth opening in a shocked, silent cry. It passed, clearing his blurred vision. He found Hiro watching him again, this time looking smug.

"I should have warned you that would happen, hn?"

Smug bastard, he thought savagely. None of the other Divine four treated him this way. As if he were a disobedient puppy. Scowling, he returned to his mute glaring. After awhile the glare lost its potency as he lost interest. Glaring was boring. Heaving a sigh, he scooted forward until he was practically sitting on Hiro's feet, dropping his head to rest on Hiro's thigh. A warm hand landed on his head, fingers threading through his hair, and he forgot why he was angry.

-

Duo jerked awake, startled out of sleep. For a moment disorientation muddled his brain. It cleared quickly, but it brought no clarity. He'd been dreaming. He remembered that much. But about . . . ? No idea. For some reason, he suspected it was about Heero. He thought he could remember seeing those cobalt eyes of his.

Heero. Duo's eyes slid shut again, allowing the image of the human to pop up behind his eyelids. Their journey down from the mountains to this place had taken several days. Heero hadn't spoken much during that time, but eventually Duo's pestering had worn him down until he revealed a little information.

He was a Vale Priest. Relatively new to his position, his purification powers had made him a natural choice. The sutra around his neck helped focus his powers, giving him something through which to channel them. A sort of buffer, Duo thought. His gun was a holy weapon, the human called it a 'banishing gun.' It was one of the few things that could kill a demon. Why, Duo had asked, would you want to kill a demon? Because, Heero had replied in a cold voice, sometimes demons did bad things.

If perfectly honest with himself, Duo was afraid of Heero. The human was so incredibly intense. A look from him could freeze Duo in his tracks, killing all the words on his tongue and stopping his heart. But he was so deliriously grateful to the human for freeing him he couldn't fixate on his fear. He wanted to find some way to repay him, and at the moment the only thing he could think of was attempting to make himself useful to Heero.

Rolling out of bed, he padded to the window and peered out. Not quite dawn. The sky was cold and gray, just beginning to lighten from the grip of darkness. Sighing, knowing he wouldn't get anymore sleep, Duo pulled a robe around his thin shoulders and padded out of his room. He was halfway down the stairs to the kitchens when he realized he was barefoot---and his feet were freezing. Too hungry to go back for slippers now, he continued on his way through the halls.

This place, Heero had told him, was called a Vale Tower. Vale Priests and their acolytes gathered here, as well as those devoted to the religions the Vale Priests followed. Further, there were only five Vale Towers on Earth, and each had one Vale Priest. Duo had smiled brightly at that knowledge, knowing it meant Heero was special. Heero didn't seem overly religious to him, but he supposed each person had their own way of expressing their spirituality.

The kitchens were just coming alive, so the activity was minimal. The head cook was there, the makings of breakfast spread out. Duo trotted to her side, curiously watching her knead dough that smelled faintly of cinnamon. He took a deep, appreciative breath. She glanced down at him---almost everyone he'd met in the Tower was taller than him by a fair bit.

"G'mornin', sweetheart," she cooed. "Hungry? 'S so early in the mornin', why ain't you still abed?"

Duo touched a finger to his lips, once more trying to conjure the dream. Nothing. "I couldn't sleep anymore," he replied honestly, turning his eyes on her, wide and hopeful.

"Oh, honeylamb, lookin' at me like that an' I'd prob'ly consent to a'sellin' ma soul." She reached to a plate of finished sticky buns and handed him one, dripping with orange glaze.

Duo eagerly accepted, sinking his teeth into the pastry and closing his eyes as bliss broke over his tongue. The flavors were so light, so deliciously sweet. He polished it off and licked his fingers clean, once more giving her that hopeful look. She seemed particularly susceptible. Success. She stopped her kneading to give him her full attention. From the pots on the stoves she heaped a plate with eggs, sausages, muffins, and crisp bacon. She also gave him a bowl of fresh fruit and two more of her sticky buns, as well as a tall glass of milk. She pushed him to one of the low wooden tables and set it down.

"There, now eat to your li'l heart's content. If you want more, let me know, lamb."

"Thank you!" Duo chirped, plunking himself down and attacking it.

The cook chuckled and went back to her task. She was done with the dough and set it out to rise and was making more buns when Duo finished. He took his plates to the big sink and came back to her side, turning that pleading look on her again. She laughed, and this time gave him a deep bowl of porridge and three slices of thick, dark bread smeared with blackberry jam. The porridge was sweetened with honey and cinnamon, and it was delicious. He finished this off, too, and faithfully came back to her side.

"Oh, away wi' you, little devil!" she laughed, handing him two more orange sticky buns and pushing him out of the kitchen.

Duo happily munched as he made his way back down the halls and to the back doors.

The Vale Tower's front was dominated by tall walls and a somewhat austere front. The back, however, opened into a traditional Japanese (Heero had told him that) garden. It was beautiful, and Duo loved it. As he finished licking his fingers clean, he stepped into the garden and flopped down amidst opening flowers to watch the sun rise.

Almost by reflex his hand stole up and clasped the gold cross around his neck. He had no idea where he'd gotten the thing, but no matter what he tried he could not take it off. As time passed in that mountain cell he'd grown accustomed to it, even found it comforting. Now that he was free and could therefore devote his attention to other things, he was curious about it. He resolved to ask Heero about it when the human appeared next. Heero got extremely pissy if people woke him before he got up, and Duo was not that brave.

He sighed. He loved this Vale Tower. Especially the garden. He loved being able to stare up at the open sky. He loved being able to eat if he wanted, walk around if he wanted, talk to people if he wanted, go outside these walls if he wanted. Closing his eyes, feeling laughter bubble up inside him for no reason, he rolled around on the soft turf, inhaling the sweet scents all around.

"Here, what are you doing?" came a gentle voice.

Duo stopped and looked up at the kindly-faced groundskeeper. The man was old, a little bent. Care for the garden fell largely to him, and Duo knew the man loved the job. He'd asked him. He asked people anything and everything that crossed his mind.

"I'm waiting for the sun to rise," Duo told him. "Want to watch it with me?"

The man chuckled. "If I laid down like that, young one, I'd never get back up again."

Duo propped himself up on his elbows. "I would help you," he offered, thinking it a sound proposal.

"Ah, if only 't were that easy. Why don't you run upstairs and roust your keeper? He is needed."

"By?" Duo inquired, hauling himself up.

"Tell him in the Seeing Room."

"The Seeing Room?" Duo asked, hoping to hear a nice long story about such a strange name.

The groundskeeper chuckled again. "Curious as a kitten, you are. Go tell him, and perhaps he will explain on the way."

"Kay!" Duo chirped, bounding back into the Tower, hearing warm laughter follow him.

He forgot about how bad Heero's temper was as he threw open the door and flung himself bodily at the bed. He glomped the lump beneath the covers with both arms and legs. It felt nice to be so close to someone after so long alone.

"Hee-ro!" he sang. "The old man tol' me you were wanted!"

A sudden movement and Duo was staring up at Heero from the floor, not quite sure how he'd wound up there. Cold blue eyes gazed down at him, not even having to glare to get across his displeasure. Duo shrank in on himself a little, confidence wilting. He swallowed and resolutely continued.

"He did," he tried. "He said you were wanted in the Seeing Room."

Heero's expression didn't change, but he did look away from Duo's face. He raked fingers through his disheveled hair---which helped not at all---and sighed. "I was wondering when they'd call," he muttered. "Duo, get off the floor and bring me breakfast."

"Kay!" Duo agreed brightly, jumping up and hustling to obey. He wasn't off-put by Heero's terse order. He knew Heero was secretly a kind person. Why else would he have freed him from that prison? Sometimes, Heero was gruff and bad-tempered. But sometimes he spoke gently to Duo, and he never yelled or hurt him.

The head cook looked amused to see him again, and he quickly told her Heero was ready for breakfast. She gave him a tray with enough food for one. At Duo's pleading look she laughed and included enough for a second person. Beaming at her, Duo trotted back to Heero's room and happily ate a second breakfast with Heero. The human didn't speak, seeming preoccupied and . . . perhaps a little worried.

However, when he finished eating, Heero forbade Duo from following him to the Seeing Room. "Someone is waiting to speak with me," he said in a tone that brooked no argument, "alone."

Wondering if his pleading look would work on Heero, Duo tried out his hopeful eyes. Heero merely raised an eyebrow. Giving up, Duo collected their dishes and made his forlorn way back to the kitchen. Then he brightened. If he couldn't join Heero for the actual talk, perhaps he could be persuaded afterward to tell Duo what it had been about. Good mood restored, he trotted back into the garden to wait until Heero reappeared.

He spent the remaining time amusing himself with wondering what the meeting could be about.