AN: I tried to make this chapter as long as possible, and I got a lot of information in one chapter, yea! Hope you like. I know for sure you liked the last chapter because you reviewed like crazy. I made it longer, with funner stuff, to please you guys reading so heartily. It all goes uphill from here!
padg: Just say it's a good story! And that you're reading. Like, what you've done, is the best thing ever for an author to see. Just a review. You added four one review and that's what makes me happy as all get out.
shevaleon: My stories are cookie shaped. :D I really didn't mean for Zechs to come out that way, but he did. Somehow it was natural. I made a cliffhanger on purpose! Speculate, and thanks for reviewing!
mayu-kkg: But now you are, so thank you so much. Don't stop! A twist? Why thank you! This twist will be appearing now and again.
nalamacleod: There's a lot of people at his house, yes. I can't wait to make this regular! Thanks for reviewing.
Chang Wufei and Dr. J
"Did he say anything else about me, Duo? These delectable details almost make me forget my life as a Seer," Milliardo said maudlinly. "You know, he and I would have midnight excursions just right before the war and he would compare my eyes to the stars and my hair to the shining rays of the moon. It was wonderful."
The Red Dragon dude rolled his eyes, and Treize was enraptured; he had a disbelieving look on his face. I could understand why.
"What does a dash of salt mean?" Catherine asked suddenly, no longer being facetious.
Milliardo eyebrows knitted. "What sort of absurd question is that? Oh, yes, my brain died for a moment before. It happens. When I first tried doing a dash of salt, I had put too much. I knew the grits I made were way too salty, but Treize insisted it was the best he's ever tasted."
"I can't believe you remember that," Treize finally said.
Let me interrupt the oncoming romantic confrontation to say that Milliardo had on only a white robe that was too small for him. He obviously hadn't brushed his hair- he had brushed his teeth, that or he doesn't get morning breath- and he had a bit of oatmeal on his lip. Like a regular lovebird, he started to spazz about his looks, wiping his mouth, scraping down his hair, and pulled down his robe. He did this while standing up, so naturally the chair fell down to the floor. Red Dragon didn't like this one bit, and he frowned when Treize picked up the chair.
"Milliardo."
"Treize."
"Chang Wufei," said the Red Dragon guy, shaking my hand, and looking at the two goo-goo eying each other with utter disgust. Then he glared at me; I don't think the guy has ever smiled before in his life. "I'm not here to be friends with you or anyone else. I'm here to visit my only friend Treize and research for the man that destroyed my clan."
Well, he was to the point. But at least he was hot. His tan skin contrasted beautifully with his starch white suit, you know, the kind that martial artists wear as an everyday thing. His onyx eyes were almond-shaped, eyebrows thing and curving, and he was about my height, but his hair was tied back in a tight ponytail barely reaching his shoulders.
"Duo Maxwell," I finally said back. "And this is Quatre Winner and..." Trowa wasn't there, "Catherine Bloom."
"I don't care."
Ouch.
Anyway, Milliardo and Treize stood nearly head-to-head, Treize hardly a half-inch taller. They had their arms wrapped around one another and kissed passionately for a very long time. It made me hot to watch them, and you'd think it'll get boring watching people kiss, but they changed the way their lips would press together. First, just hardly touching, and then there would be a game of tonsil hockey, licking teeth, lips, and the corner of mouths. I noticed Milliardo's bare legs trembled, and as if by instinct, Treize grabbed his thigh and hitched it up over his hip.
"Good gods, would you two stop?" Chang demanded, crossing his arms.
They did separate, Milliardo pulling his leg back. He gave Chang a look. "Jealous?"
"Why would I be jealous of a retarded whore?"
"Wufei!" Treize barked. His eyes had dilated to unnatural oval shapes, teeth longer over his bottom lip.
"Since I have class, Treize, there is no way I would need to take offense," Milliardo said evenly, but I could tell he was pissed as all get out. "Otherwise I would beat the shit out of him."
Chang smiled, smug. "Your only talent is reading the fortunes of fat men."
"Hello!" Hilde came from behind Treize. "How about we all move to the lobby room, please? The dining room is crowded with so many people." She played the perfect hostess, seating them all on the sofas in the living room, smiling all the while. She conspicuously seated Treize and Milliardo on one love seat while Wufei got his own chair, like Quatre, on the other side of the circular space. I sat on a fluffy red couch, Catherine besides me and Trowa appearing on my lap. He had changed from wearing a pair of shorts to a black pair of tight white leather pants and vest, strings tied down his chest. Lovely combination in all. Chang, who sat right next to me, looked surprised, and his mouth dropped open.
He was eying Trowa with a more powerful lust than Treize and Milliardo's fluffy, cupid eyes. I didn't know if this was a good or bad thing.
Hilde passed me and whispered, "I'll get Wufei out of here before he and Milliardo kill each other." Out loud: "Mr. Wufei, would you like to look at
our military records?"
"Call me Wufei," he said absentmindedly, watching Trowa scratch the stretchy confines of his leather pants, pulling it taut. Then he snapped to attention. "What was that again?"
"I think Wufei has a crush on your pet," Treize said.
"Love at first sight?" Milliardo added, teasingly.
Wufei blushed red. "He is attractive. Fairy?"
Trowa blinked, stunned. "Yes."
"No, wonder. My race is naturally inclined to Fairies."
"What race is that?"
"Dragon."
"Wait a minute," Milliardo interrupted. "So that means you're a direct descendant of the founders of the Dragon Clan?"
On the spot, Wufei squirmed a little. "Yes."
Trowa had a tendency to rub against me, especially when he was aroused, and he did so now. He was getting me as hot and bothered as he was, but I knew that his arousal wasn't because of me, but because of the Dragon inside the room, who stared at him with a dominant look. I couldn't be angry; some people just bond that way, but I did wish it wasn't with my pet. I gave Quatre a lonesome look, but he was too busy pouting at the staring contest between Trowa and Wufei.
I wanted him, he mouthed.
Share, I mouthed back.
He lifted his eyebrows. You sharing? he seemed to ask.
Don't have a choice, I told him, wiggling my eyebrows.
"Can't you sense Death in Duo?" Milliardo asked, and I choked on air, "I thought Dragons had a knack for sensing another person's power."
Heero appeared OUT OF NOWHERE; he sensed the immediate danger Milliardo posed for sharing his helpful little insight. That was sarcasm.
"Are you saying," Treize said carefully but looking at me and Wufei, who sat stock still, "that Duo is Death? How do you know that?"
"He was Death in one of my visions and- oh, gods, was that a secret?" He looked at me, eyes wide. I nodded extremely slowly. Everyone's eyes were on me and Wufei, and Heero stepped in front of me. Wufei had materialized, from a fiery flame in his hand, a long cutlass. His eyes were a mixture of kill and lust.
"Look, Wufei, he couldn't have been more than ten," reasoned Treize, getting up, Milliardo standing by his side. "There's no reason to fight."
"I do have a reason. Revenge, pure and simple." Pure and simple hate had now taken over. However ready Wufei was to kill me, Heero already had a pistol aimed at Wufei, who snarled dangerously, enormously large canines making an appearance and scales taking over his face. "Move out of my way."
"No- I will kill you if you move."
And we were at a deadly standstill, quiet.
"Man, I'm so glad you picked me up, Duo. Nothing ever gets boring here," Catherine said softly, and I couldn't help but let out a nervous chuckle.
"Wufei, I've only known Duo for a short time, but if you give it a chance to know him, to know everyone, I'm sure it'll be much better than messing up this house by causing chaos." Treize pressed a hand to Wufei's shoulder.
He shrugged it off. "Chaos? What do an aristocrat like you know about chaos? Especially the chaos of ripping apart a peaceful community? My family? My friends?" He twirled his cutlass, and Heero cocked his pistol.
"Where did you get a camera from?" Catherine asked Quatre, as if my life wasn't at stake at the moment.
"Actually, a recorder," Quatre corrected. "I just kinda' always have it in my back pocket. To tape moments like these." The recorder was a tiny thing, but it seemed to be working for Quatre. Those two will make my death memorable, if it comes to that.
"Look, Wufei, I'm really sorry." As soon as I said it I regretted it. You never say sorry about dead people.
Wufei jumped forward, dodged the fucking bullet, and he was parried by Heero's gun, clacking against the barrel. He nearly sliced through it if Heero hadn't stepped aside, pushing me with him. Quatre moved to Milliardo and Treize's sofa to get a better view, and Catherine moved to over his shoulder to see through the recorder. Treize stood, not knowing what to do, and knowing it really wasn't his business to interfere- apparently, Trowa didn't feel that way.
Trowa stood, coming up beside Wufei, holding the arm holding his weapon. The Red Dragon was distracted for an instant, but that gave Heero enough time to aim and shoot his sword from his fingers.
"Damn it! Duo Maxwell, what makes you think sorry will solve everything?"
"And revenge, what will that solve?" Trowa demanded. "Anyway, you wouldn't be fighting the Duo Maxwell of now, but the ten-year-old Duo Maxwell that only did as he was told and probably didn't even know what he was doing."
Wufei was silent, shame etched into his features. "Revenge will ease my spirit."
Trowa softened, rubbing more thoroughly, calming Wufei down quickly. It must have been because Trowa smelled like strawberries and leather. Anyone would calm down with a smell like that around.
"How about compensation? Killing another would only cause more grief, and there will be an endless circle of revenge and more killing. When it could all be solved with a little reparation?"
"You."
Aw, shit, I knew this was coming.
Wufei looked at me. The lust was back. "I want him."
Milliardo suddenly yelled, "What time is it?!"
Wufei was wearing a watch- try to say that five times fast- and he answered, summoning his sword by telekinesis, and Heero didn't shoot. The cutlass disappeared in a burst of flame. "Five after midnight."
Milliardo then grabbed both Wufei and Treize, running quickly with them through the nearest wall. As if on cue, the doorbell rang. Hilde answered it.
She dropped to her knees immediately, and when she did, so did Trowa and Catherine, then Heero. Quatre and I followed suit, not knowing what the hell was going on. A short, wide man with goggles and a black hood on walked in. His left hand was wooden, and trailing after him was Dekim Barton.
Goggle man snapped his fingers with his good hand and everyone started standing, except Trowa and Catherine, so Quatre and I stood as well.
"You probably don't know me, Duo, but I am Dr. J of the Order," the old man said, and I sensed considerable power seeping unconsciously from him. This was one dude I truly and honestly didn't want to mess with. The fucking Order was in my house, this couldn't be good. "I'm here on account that Lord Dekim had come to fetch merchandise owed to him. He says you refused."
"I did."
"Why?"
"Because I owe him nothing," I said, with a lot more courage than I was feeling. I wish Milliardo had had the smarts to warn me about the Order.
"Are you calling Lord Barton a liar?"
I hate those kind of questions, double-edged swords. Say yes, and you're probably going to get killed, say no, and you're a liar. "I'm just saying he's mistaken. People makes mistakes."
Calmly, patiently, as if he was talking to a child, Dr. J said, " I seriously doubt Lord Barton is lying."
"I said mistak-"
"And anyway, it has been an unwritten rule to trade off the Bloom dyad after a month or so."
"Well, since it isn't a written rule, why do I have to follow it?"
"Duo!" Hilde hissed, and Heero jabbed me in the arm with his gun.
"Trowa," Dr. J called. The pet, whose ownership was in dubious handling. "Whose your master right now?"
"Duo, sir."
"Who's supposed to be your master?" Dr. J grinned. His triangular teeth glowed.
"Duo, sir." Now that took balls.
J frowned, then shrugged. "It seems there has been a mistake on Lord Barton's part."
Dekim sputtered for a moment, snarling, "Dr. J, how about you use your talent on Duo Maxwell, maybe he will think differently."
"It's not working."
"Excuse me?"
"I've been trying to reach into his mind and control it the whole time I've been in this house. His mind is there, I just can't catch a hold of it," Dr. J explained in that fatherly way of his. "It's like how Treize and Marimeia cannot read his mind. I don't even think that a Seer would be able to read his fortune.
"Well, my time is done here. Farewell."
"But, he... Trowa's mine!" Dekim called after Dr. J, leaving the house with him; he turned back at the last minute yelling, "This isn't over, Duo Maxwell. I'll get that fucking boy and rip him to pieces!" And he left, Hilde closing the door behind him.
After a few minutes and I guess Milliardo made sure they were absolutely gone, and he made his way back with Wufei and Treize right through the wall.
Then Dorothy walked in, closing the door behind her. She looked at me first and said, "You lucky bastard." Then she scanned the other side of the room by instinct and saw the trio Wufei, Treize, and Milliardo. "Holy shit! Don't tell me I have to keep this a secret!"