Treize took a few steps forward as Duo halted his buoyant exploration of the room.
"Hey, where's goose-boy going?"
Treize smiled the indulgent smile one would give to a child, "He has other important things to do in the castle."
Duo shrugged, "Alright. What's he do anyway? He's got no sense of humor you know. He'll be back sometime, though, right? I got attached to the guy. Just cause he's got the personality of a tombstone."
Treize nodded and looked down at Duo once more. Duo avoided staring at him directly. It miffed Treize slightly, but it was nothing to be concerned about. If he didn't seem like king, He looked as if he did. Anyway, this was enough bantering, he was getting tired.
Treize gestured, "This way."
He turned and walked towards the hallway adjacent to the doorway Milliardo had used for an exit. Duo stared at the door for long moment, but followed Treize.
*
Treize led him into a darker hallway. Duo kept his bearings and figured they were heading East, which meant further into the castle. He stared at the walls. The stone had turned gray on the inside, rather than the dusted white it was on the outside, and few decorative tapestried hung on the short walls. Treize stared at these and smiled, like one stares at familiar paintings that give fond memories. The castle was drafty. It made him want to shiver, but instead he just wrapped his arms around himself and walked after Treize. He wasn't sure exactly what was going on, but it didn't matter much to him. The only thing that mattered much at the moment was his growling stomach, and bloody distracting curiosity. Duo looked as far ahead as he could into the darkness for a distraction, and saw a picture on the wall ahead of them. He took a few quick steps and pulled ahead. He stopped in front of the painting, and heard Treize stop behind him. The picture was interesting, but the frame was even better. Finely crafted, not worked gold...it'd be too heavy. Maybe plate, but that somehow didn't fit the fineness of the carving. He wanted to touch it, but really didn't want to take his arms away from their comforting position. He stared at the painting with more intensity than he was used to and felt slightly cynical and doubtful, but quickly pushed those thoughts away. He needed to be cheerful to stay adopted, otherwise he'd be right back where he started,and madame Yourna would probably have to tell him he was too old to come back. Duo hated bad news. He stared at the frame again, and thought he could see the grain of the wood in a fine french curse. Briefly, he wondered how much it had cost, and tried to ignore the stupid chill in the hallway.
*
Treize stared at him, just as Duo stared at the picture on the wall. Curious, he reached forward to touch the swinging braid hanging down Duo's back, but Duo turned,
"Hey, d'you think..." he stopped and looked at Treize's outstretched hand.
Confusion danced in his brightly living eyes. They reminded Treize of the certain wine they used to have, that he only had on only those rarest of occasions. The memory made him want to smile, but he was already smiling.
*
Treize smiled, "I was merely going to ask you something."
Duo nodded, but felt the chill of the hallways move up his spine. Treize still looked at him. Or, perhaps it wasn't the chill... Treize smiled to him again.
"I wondered, what you know..."
Treize moved in, and Duo was certain it wasn't the chill that was spreading up his spine any longer. He moved away, scowling darkly to himself, but not letting it sneak onto his face. That was the last thing he needed. Treize chuckled beneath his breath.
"I admire things of beauty as well."
He touched Duo lightly, and turned his attention to the painting,
"It is nice, isn't it?"
Duo looked at the painting as well. It was pretty, certainly, Duo thought, but he could tell, beneath the layers of paint and grime, that it was a blank cloth, being eaten away by the paint which made it beautiful. The acid in the paint, ruining it eventually. It was a bitter sort of irony, he thought, and the very kind that Life enjoyed so much. He felt his face harden, and was glad for the silence of the hallway. Treize no longer looked at him. He cleared his face and looked at the King. Treize turned and refocused on Duo. Again, he ran his hand over Duo's face, then smiled,
"I was only going to ask."
They stared for one long moment, then Treize continued down the hallway. Duo knew he wasn't meant to follow, and even if he was, he would not.
The thing was, Treize was going to wait for the day when he would.
___________________
Great, *sigh* I get a review and then I go and do something horrible to the characters. Geez...aren't I a great person! This was short, but I'm trying to buy a bit of time so that I may update regularly O.O something I am usually very bad at. Well...22 days makes a habit, so it I can keep going a little longer, maybe I'll be able to update every day. Anyway, my not-so-spirits, enjoy, if you can. O.O
Kitten
"Hey, where's goose-boy going?"
Treize smiled the indulgent smile one would give to a child, "He has other important things to do in the castle."
Duo shrugged, "Alright. What's he do anyway? He's got no sense of humor you know. He'll be back sometime, though, right? I got attached to the guy. Just cause he's got the personality of a tombstone."
Treize nodded and looked down at Duo once more. Duo avoided staring at him directly. It miffed Treize slightly, but it was nothing to be concerned about. If he didn't seem like king, He looked as if he did. Anyway, this was enough bantering, he was getting tired.
Treize gestured, "This way."
He turned and walked towards the hallway adjacent to the doorway Milliardo had used for an exit. Duo stared at the door for long moment, but followed Treize.
*
Treize led him into a darker hallway. Duo kept his bearings and figured they were heading East, which meant further into the castle. He stared at the walls. The stone had turned gray on the inside, rather than the dusted white it was on the outside, and few decorative tapestried hung on the short walls. Treize stared at these and smiled, like one stares at familiar paintings that give fond memories. The castle was drafty. It made him want to shiver, but instead he just wrapped his arms around himself and walked after Treize. He wasn't sure exactly what was going on, but it didn't matter much to him. The only thing that mattered much at the moment was his growling stomach, and bloody distracting curiosity. Duo looked as far ahead as he could into the darkness for a distraction, and saw a picture on the wall ahead of them. He took a few quick steps and pulled ahead. He stopped in front of the painting, and heard Treize stop behind him. The picture was interesting, but the frame was even better. Finely crafted, not worked gold...it'd be too heavy. Maybe plate, but that somehow didn't fit the fineness of the carving. He wanted to touch it, but really didn't want to take his arms away from their comforting position. He stared at the painting with more intensity than he was used to and felt slightly cynical and doubtful, but quickly pushed those thoughts away. He needed to be cheerful to stay adopted, otherwise he'd be right back where he started,and madame Yourna would probably have to tell him he was too old to come back. Duo hated bad news. He stared at the frame again, and thought he could see the grain of the wood in a fine french curse. Briefly, he wondered how much it had cost, and tried to ignore the stupid chill in the hallway.
*
Treize stared at him, just as Duo stared at the picture on the wall. Curious, he reached forward to touch the swinging braid hanging down Duo's back, but Duo turned,
"Hey, d'you think..." he stopped and looked at Treize's outstretched hand.
Confusion danced in his brightly living eyes. They reminded Treize of the certain wine they used to have, that he only had on only those rarest of occasions. The memory made him want to smile, but he was already smiling.
*
Treize smiled, "I was merely going to ask you something."
Duo nodded, but felt the chill of the hallways move up his spine. Treize still looked at him. Or, perhaps it wasn't the chill... Treize smiled to him again.
"I wondered, what you know..."
Treize moved in, and Duo was certain it wasn't the chill that was spreading up his spine any longer. He moved away, scowling darkly to himself, but not letting it sneak onto his face. That was the last thing he needed. Treize chuckled beneath his breath.
"I admire things of beauty as well."
He touched Duo lightly, and turned his attention to the painting,
"It is nice, isn't it?"
Duo looked at the painting as well. It was pretty, certainly, Duo thought, but he could tell, beneath the layers of paint and grime, that it was a blank cloth, being eaten away by the paint which made it beautiful. The acid in the paint, ruining it eventually. It was a bitter sort of irony, he thought, and the very kind that Life enjoyed so much. He felt his face harden, and was glad for the silence of the hallway. Treize no longer looked at him. He cleared his face and looked at the King. Treize turned and refocused on Duo. Again, he ran his hand over Duo's face, then smiled,
"I was only going to ask."
They stared for one long moment, then Treize continued down the hallway. Duo knew he wasn't meant to follow, and even if he was, he would not.
The thing was, Treize was going to wait for the day when he would.
___________________
Great, *sigh* I get a review and then I go and do something horrible to the characters. Geez...aren't I a great person! This was short, but I'm trying to buy a bit of time so that I may update regularly O.O something I am usually very bad at. Well...22 days makes a habit, so it I can keep going a little longer, maybe I'll be able to update every day. Anyway, my not-so-spirits, enjoy, if you can. O.O
Kitten