Authors note: Well, you should have had enough of a warning by now to realise this is a 1+2 fic, if you don't like 1+2 or whatever and read this then flame me, you are being exceedingly mean. Part three is probably what you would call sappy. So, for the rest of you, if anyone is reading this, here's part 3…
I know that you can't stay,
But part of you will never ever go away,
Your heart will stay…
I'll make a wish for you,
And hope it will come true,
That life would just be kind,
To such a gentle mind…
In love with the enemy…
Duo pondered on this all the way back to Valhalla, the underwater city where the palace was situated.
No, there was no way he could be falling in love with Heero…was there? Impossible, the man who might have killed Hilde, and if he found out what Duo was, kill him as well. And yet…and yet when Duo thought of those deep blue eyes, a mystery hidden in their depths, he felt weak, almost as though someone had physically drained him of his energy.
Too busy lost in his own thoughts, he ran smack into someone.
"Duo, what are you doing out here at this time of night?" Duo winced, it was just his luck, he had run into Dorothy, his only other sibling, and she was extremely nosy. Not to mention that she would rat on you the moment it was in her best interests.
Instead of answering Dorothy's question, Duo retaliated with one of his own, "What are you doing out here?"
Dorothy smirked slightly, "that's easy, looking for you, I saw you slip off, even if no one else did, now where did you go?"
Duo felt his heart sink slightly; he could only hope Dorothy didn't know where he'd gone. "I went for a swim." Well it wasn't exactly a lie, he had been swimming.
"Hmm." Dorothy's eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn't say any more, just moved aside and let him swim quickly past her.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Duo headed towards his room.
***********
For day's both Heero and Duo in their two separate worlds, spoke very little to anyone, stealing off whenever possible to chat with one another on the shoreline, by the large black rock.
Over the following weeks, they both became aware that they had deep feelings for one another. But both, however, were to scared to state these feelings, so they remained buried in the bottom of their hearts.
"Duo…" Said Heero thoughtfully, late one afternoon, "What would you say if I invited you over for dinner one evening?"
"Well I…" Began Duo, mind immediately racing ahead thinking up an excuse of some sort, but one look at Heero's hopeful, yet lonely face, told him that he would have to say yes, then think of something later. "I'd love to Heero."
"Really?" Heero's face brightened, and he leant over to give Duo a warm hug, "My parents will love you."
"Great!" Said Duo, forcing a smile, but inside thinking how
the hell am I gonna pull this one off…?
***********
"Please Quatre, you've got to help me!" Duo begged desperately.
He was once more sitting in Trowa and Quatre's flat, begging them to help him. Asking Quatre for help was a good idea, as he was what you would call the court magician, casting spells and making potions for the royal family.
"No, absolutely not! I will not help the second in line to the throne kill himself!"
"But Quatre…"
"NO!!!"
"It's to find out who killed Hilde!" Duo winced inwardly, he REALLY hated lying, but, there was no choice, and he WOULD try and find out who killed Hilde while he was up there.
"Well…" Quatre was weakening with that reason, Duo could tell.
"PLEEEEEEEEEASE!"
"Well all right. Just one thing though, that was a pretty lame excuse Duo, where are you really going?"
Duo hung his head, Quatre had obviously seen straight past his façade. "It's…it's to see someone."
He heard Quatre gasp, "Duo TELL me you have not made friends or spoken to a human!" He begged.
"So what if I have?" Duo asked defensively.
"You know it's punishable by death you stupid boy!"
"I know, and I also know it's a stupid law, they're not all bad! Heero…"
"Who's Heero Duo?" Quatre interrupted sharply.
"This guy…"
Quatre groaned loudly, "this just get's worse and worse. Alright, fine, I'll make you a potion, but if anyone asks, it had nothing to do with me Ok?"
While Quatre pored over his books, searching for the ancient recipe, Duo busied himself by finding a pair of trousers in a sunken ship, he had seen Heero wearing clothes, and thought it better if he did the same. Of course they were a bit ragged, but, couldn't be helped could it?
When he returned to Quatre's neat looking house he found a bottle set on the table and a note.
Duo, it read, I couldn't bear to see you take
this, so I left it here for you, remember, don't take it until you are near
shore, you will not be used to legs and therefore will not be able to swim. Nor
will you be able to breathe under water. Be very careful and give no information
about us away, destroy this note as well please.
P.S. The potion will last five days, no more, and no
less, by sunset on the fifth day, you must be back in the water or our race
will be under threat.
Duo swallowed, hands shaking now, nervous of what he was about to do.
*********
As Heero walked along the water's edge he heard his name called, called by a familiar voice. Turning he saw Duo splashing towards him on shaky legs through the surf. He appeared to be wearing no more than a pair of old trousers that looked, to say the least, like they had seen better days.
"Hi Duo!" Heero waved at him, "I thought you wasn't coming, I was beginning to get worried!"
Duo grinned at him, rather shakily, he was still feeling the after affects of the potion, Quatre hadn't mentioned he would be feeling extremely sick and faint. "Nah, I'm here aren't I?"
"You know," Heero paused, looking at him, "I do believe this is the first time I've seen you out of the water, look at you! As tall as me! I was beginning to think you was some sort of merman!"
"Ahahahahah!" Duo laughed nervously, finally catching up to where Heero stood. "Now what made you think that?!"
Before Heero could answer however, Duo's eyes rolled up into the back of his head, and Heero only just caught him as he fell. Like I've mentioned before, he had been feeling faint.
Cradling Duo in his arms, Heero walked back to the castle, deposited the boy in the care of two stewards, and went to tell his parents that his friend would be missing dinner.
*********
When Duo came around, the first thing he saw was Heero's anxious face hovering over him.
"Heero?" He mumbled, head feeling like it had been stuffed with cotton wool, "What happened, where am I?"
"To take your questions in order, you fainted as we were walking up the beach, I brought you home and looked after you. Do you're parents know where you are, they must be getting quite worried, after all, you've been unconscious for nearly twenty four hours!"
"Twenty four hours!" Duo sat bolt upright, yes, there was the sun, sinking to the west, just like it had been the previous day, a whole day had been wasted already! Remembering his manners he turned to Heero, "Thankyou for looking after me, I must have been an awful bother, my parents know I'm here, I said I'd stay for five days in the district."
"Oh! In that case you'd better stay here!"
"No, no! I'll find some place to stay!"
"Seriously, it's alright, we've plenty of room…"
"Well…ok then," Duo said reluctantly, "but if I become a problem, you just let me know, now, can I get up?"
Heero grinned and ruffled Duo's hair; "Sure, I'm not keeping you in bed am I?"
"Nah."
Sitting up Duo winced slightly at the stiffness of his muscles, especially in the legs. Obviously his body wasn't used to them yet.
Shakily he walked to the bathroom, coming across a large tub of steaming water sat in the centre of the room.
Climbing into it, he found it easing his aching muscles.
To Be Continued…
A/N: Well alright, not much of a cliff hanger I know, in
fact it isn't one, but more will appear soon.