Shinigami's Gem
AN: Oh Kami! I'm so sorry for taking so long with this. I blame it on the stupid schoolwork. Why oh why did I take art? It's ten times more work than any other subject is. Plus a ten hour exam! And then there was English coursework, science tests, choosing subjects, interviews, slicing my thumb open with a pair of scissors, the boiler in our house has died and I didn't even get to 15 reviews… although I don't blame you. I wouldn't review me either! Ah well, there is no excuse for this. I should have updated weeks ago, I should have I should have I should have… oh yeah, did I forget to mention the little fad I had of making lj icons? Nope, well that was one of my things I got…. But that was kinda fun… ^_^…. Uh… ok… I'd better update before you kill me hadn't I. You don't wanna hear about the icons I made…
DD: They were cool slides! And the animation was fabby too, if I do say so myself.
WARNING- language… Duo rant so… be aware
DD: w00t! Rantage!! **waves pompoms**
Chapter 3
Solo looked up as Duo re-entered the tavern, a sincere, if somewhat dreamy, smile pasted across his face. He politely declined the next hand to go and talk to his friend, ignoring the complaints from the people who told him they wanted a chance to win their money back.
He crossed over to the bar and ordered some spirit that came in ridiculously small glasses and burned so much on the way down you couldn't taste it.
"Hey D," he greeted his friend with a grin, sitting down next to him. Within milliseconds he had the full force of the Duo Maxwell 1000-kilowatt ™ grin on him. A string of unintelligible babble fell on his ears. "Hey, D, calm down," he said with a laugh making motions with his hands. "I can't understand a word you're saying!" Duo grinned sheepishly.
"Sorry S," he blushed slightly, "Well, me and Heero were walking along, Sol, and well… I kinda… I … well… I kissed him. And it was great. And I think he really likes me. And he said we were gonna meet tomorrow, like a date. And I think I really like him too… and… and…" he took time out from his list of things to examine Solo's face and noticed the expression covering it.
"What?" Solo sighed; this was going to be difficult. He didn't want to burst Duo's bubble, but he could see that this was going to end up badly. He saw Duo as a younger brother and was probably overprotective; Duo was forever telling him not to mother him so much.
"D… I… Don't take this the wrong way, but, I don't want to see you get hurt," his younger friend typically rolled his eyes at that. "But…"
"You think Heero's playing with me…" Duo filled in for him looking annoyed, but nothing seemed to be able to put a dent in his good mood, although his smile was slightly duller. "And Solo, to put your mind at rest Mom, I have thought about it. Yeah Heero might think of me as his 'poor little fuck-buddy' but Solo, to be honest- I DON'T GIVEA FUCK! I like him, a lot. Shit Solo, I think I'm falling in love with the bastard!" He shook his head in disbelief. Solo got more worried; he had no idea that Duo was this serious about the stoic upper class boy. But at the same time he felt happy for the braided young man. He'd never seen Duo this excited, not for years, but he didn't want Duo to get his heart broken. It would destroy him.
"Du-"
"Solo!" the grin was still in place, but Solo could see Duo's Shinigami persona hovering at the edge of his mind, "leave it… I can look after myself. I don't need you any more… gettit?" And with that he strode off into the night.
Solo was left behind with his drink and a sympathetic barman. He knocked the spirit back, ignoring the liquid flame. He'd be back; Duo would always come back.
Seeming resigned, but still worried, Solo began to people watch, noting with interest the tall blond who was leaving, face half covered. For some reason he seemed out of place in the run down tavern. His clothes, although ragged, looked forced that way, as though he were trying to hard to fit in. His bearing had a forced look, as well, and he seemed to be overdoing the actions.
"You gotta let 'em make their own mistakes, lad," the elderly barkeep told him, pouring another shot into the glass as the clichés fell from his lips. "You can't live 'is life fer'im." Solo nodded, only half listening and totally unaware of the turn of the conversation back to Duo.
"Mmhm…" he agreed offhand, draining the glass again. Who the hell was the guy? He just didn't seem to fit.
****
"Zechs!" Relena cried as the blond bodyguard walked into the room, adjusting his uniform, "What did you find out?"
Over the past few months Relena had become more and more determined that she would get Heero. He was every girl's dream: a handsome, powerful, rich young man that everybody wanted. Certainly, his attitude left something to be desired, and she'd have to cure him of that horrible glare, which, really, wasn't necessary, but other than that he was perfect. Perfect prince, perfect man and perfect husband material.
However, it had come to her attention that, while her affections were plainly his, and he spent court functions at her side, he was often mentally absent- daydreaming about something unknown, and he avoided her outside the ballroom, even when she tried her hardest to find him.
At first she had put these things down to him being a Prince and having to deal with the matters of state, but this did not seem to cover all the scenarios she had come up against. That Chinese bodyguard of his, as well, had been insolent enough to tell her to leave him alone! She was not going to leave her future husband alone. What if another person tried to steal him away?
Then she became sure that that was what had happened. So she had sent Zechs, her personal bodyguard, to spy on Heero for her and to report back, which is why he had been shadowing the young Prince round the city all night.
Hesitantly, he gave her a summary of what he had seen. He did not want to risk losing his head, and yet at the same time he felt guilty for ruining the Prince's life like this. He could plainly see that Heero had no feelings what-so-ever for the manipulative Princess whereas he and Duo seemed far more suited to one another. He decided to do what he could to thwart his mistress' plans.
"A COMMONER!?" That was the point that outraged her most, not that there was someone else or even that the someone else was male: she could work around those. After all, a Prince needed heirs. But to be outdone by a commoner, one of the hoi-poloi. No, worse that the hoi-poloi… a thief, a gang-member, a homeless orphan without even a real name. That cut her deeply.
"How could he even think of associating with such… such… such filth!?" Relena used the poor of her country to boost her popularity, but to voluntarily meet with one, it just seemed unnatural.
"So what do you know of this… boy?" she asked imperiously.
"Duo, your highness, his name is Duo Maxwell." Zechs corrected her politely, before recounting what he had seen in the pub to Relena, omitting all the expletives and the part about love. She hrumphed slightly, thinking to herself.
"Heero, using him?" she laughed, "It is far more likely the other way round. This Duo… using my Heero to gain access to the palace." It was almost as if she were practising a speech. "We must protect his Highness from such a nefarious scheme!" A smile, slow and bitter, crept across her face. "Fetch this Solo in. I'm sure Lord Khushrenada¹ would be happy to give him a fine welcome. Or better yet, I'll ask him to fetch the boy himself. Yes, that would be better."
Zechs felt angry at Relena's total disregard for other people's feelings. She just used them and then threw them away. He decided to warn Solo of the plot. Maybe that would also save the Prince from his conniving employer.
****
"Heero," Wufei greeted his friend as he entered silently through the door, "you're late." There was no response from the Prince as he headed toward the bed. "What happened?" Heero turned to him, revealing a secretive smile that Wufei had never seen before and which caused him to blink in surprise.
"You're wide awake for someone with a headache." Was the only comment he got from his friend. Wufei sighed.
"Yes," he admitted, "I lied…" Heero waited for an explanation. "We were being followed," the smile disappeared, "I tried to track them, but it didn't work." He sat down heavily," I seem to have become inept." Heero shook his head.
"You are never inept, Wufei," he assured the young dragon with a quick look. He didn't look as if he believed him, but then his bodyguard had always taken failure badly, certain that unless he were perfect he would not be good enough. There was another shrug.
"So what happened?" Wufei asked again. He was determined not to give up this line of questioning. Heero's eyes looked past him, into space, and a smile once again pulled at his lips.
"I'm not sure," he said at last. "One minute we were just standing there and the next- he kissed me." Wufei's eyebrows shot up. This was not good. He wanted to see his friends happy (and he counted Duo as a friend) but such a liaison was dangerous, if not downright suicidal, if not literally, then for their hearts. There was no way King J would ever allow his only son and heir to marry a male, let alone a common male! It just wouldn't be done.
But he stole a glance at Heero and swallowed. His friend, as always, cold and unfeeling to the casual observer, looked- happy. Wufei couldn't place how he looked happy, it was more an aura than an expression. He'd never seen the Prince look like this before. He didn't want to spoil this. He couldn't spoil this: his friend's one chance for happiness.
Sighing he resigned himself to a lifetime of sneaking around and helping them. But first on his agenda- finding out who had seen the kiss.
****
"Why Your Highness," Lord Treize Khushrenada's voice brimmed with sarcasm, "Of course I will aid you in this matter. I am here to serve." Relena's face lit up at the insincere flattery, swallowing it hook, line and sinker. "Please rest assured that I will find this vermin and give him the treatment he deserves." He nodded courteously to her. She returned the courtesy and then turned imperiously.
"That will be all," she informed him, in her best Princess voice. He bowed again at the departing figure, seething at having to do so to a bratty little girl who couldn't even keep her man loyal. He sighed.
Ultimate power really was difficult to get these days.
****
In a world of complete darkness, coexisting with the other, a pair of pure violet eyes shone in the shadows. Powers were coming into play, he realised, and soon the game truly would be afoot.
That was one game he wanted to referee.
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1- You all knew it didn't you! YOU KNEW IT!
Thank yous:
Gundam06serenity- sorry for taking so long… please, no rotten fruit, I have a collection already…
Shinimikra- sorry about the author's note. It was the result of excess Writer's block. Whenever I didn't know what to write on the story I wrote more on the author's note and the blooper reel **looks sheepish** so there will be an extra chapter at the end as well… O.o;; I got a lot of writer's block!
Darkphoenix365- you have a purple tongue? Well, you probably don't anymore, after I took so long to update. But still, I think you should get someone to look at that… unless you've been eating sherbet or lollipops…
Rena Lupin- ^_^ thank you. Sadly, Zechsy is honour bound to tell his employer (her Royal Highness the Prissy Princess of Pink) anything she tells him to… aww poor zechsy!
Today, just for being wonderful, all reviewers get… **looks around room** badly written English essays… no… uh… Duo shaped cookies… yes that's right… he tastes like… **bites** CHOCOLATE!
DD: Review! Yay!! **waves pompoms**