Notes: For those who are curious about how Edgar got his name, this is his story: Edgar was nameless for nine days, Duo couldn't figure out what to call him, he wanted the name to be perfect. And then on the evening of the ninth day, Nameless cornered a raven in their garden, though it had a broken wing so I guess it wasn't much of a victory. Anyway, after taking the raven to the vet, Duo named Nameless Edgar, after Edgar Allen Poe, author of The Raven. And if you read the Duo and Wufei sidefic to Saving Shinigami, you'd know that it was Duo's favourite story. So, there it is, the meaning behind the name. Enjoy and review!
Chapter Two
Alex was having trouble with her boyfriend again. I knew this because she was slumped over her desk, drinking coffee and staring at the picture of him on her desk. I knew from experience not to talk to her or she'd rant for hours, so I just sat down at my own desk and booted up my computer.
I sorted through the emails waiting for me, replying when necessary, and then looked at my reminders for the day. I had an appointment with Une just before lunch, something about the trainees, and an interview with a witness for the case I was currently working on, the gruesome rape/murder of a politician's daughter, but other than that it was business as usual.
"How're the lover boys?" Alex asked in a grumble, and I grinned at her. Like everyone else at Preventers (with the exception of Une, Sally, Noin and Zechs), she wasn't quite sure of the situation between me and the boys. Everyone knew that Fei and Heero were together, though my two lovers certainly never showed any overt signs of romance while at work. Everyone also knew that I was taken, and that I lived with them, but I never mentioned a person, and the only photos on my desk were of Heero and Fei, plus one photo of all us Gundam pilots. So rumours flew about just who was involved with who, and many of the women seemed determined to actually believe the truth. Go figure.
"Heero and Wufei are fine, a bit tired, but they got plenty of sleep last night." A half-truth at best. They did get some sleep, not quite five hours but more than enough for getting through the day, as long as coffee was consumed.
"Really? Good. Great. You must be thrilled."
"Don't sound so enthusiastic," I said under my breath, rolling my eyes and grinning. She glanced at me and sighed.
"Sorry, Brian is just... being a wanker."
"When isn't he?"
"Duo!"
I held up my hands in a surrender gesture and said, "I won't saying anything. If you insist on dating that loser, it's not my business. Let's just work, okay?"
She took a deep breath and let it out in a huff. "Okay. You got a meeting with that woman, wasshername, Sarah, today, right?"
"Mm-hm, one thirty, I just want to go over her statement and ask a few questions. She left a couple of holes."
"I'm going to go bug Phillip in forensics for an update, and then head over to the police station to chat with Officer Stevens."
"Great. Why don't you-"
A knock on the door interrupted me and I turned to see Wufei standing in the doorway, looking a bit hesitant. I frowned, and gestured for him to come in.
"What's up, Wufei?"
"Heero wanted me to tell you that he's going home."
I blinked, and then asked in a very careful tone, "Why?"
Wufei sighed, he knew he was busted and in trouble. "He caught some sort of bug during our assignment. He was throwing up all the way home. He took some pills and seemed to be over it, so we didn't want to worry you, but he just threw up all over the floor, and he's got a fever, so Dr. Andrews sent him home with some medication and orders to rest."
My first instinct was to snap at him for not telling me about this last night, but I wrestled with the urge, taking deep, even breaths. Heero was sick. That was not a big deal. He would get over it. I did not need to get all shirty with Fei even if he had been a secretive bastard and kept something from me even though he knows I don't like secrets and I really need to stop this sentence.
"I take it you're going home with him," I said after a moment, glad that my voice was steady and calm, if a bit cold.
"Yes, Dr. Andrews doesn't want him getting out of bed, so I'm his maid." The joke was lame and feeble, I didn't bother to chuckle.
"Then you'd better get going."
"Duo-"
"Get out of here, 'Fei."
He sighed and left. I stared at the empty doorway for a moment before turning away, looking at my computer screen. I could feel Alex looking at me, silently asking questions, but ignored her.
I wasn't pissed that Heero had gotten sick. Really I wasn't. I was just pissed that they had kept it from me. Oh, I know they'd meant well, they hadn't wanted to ruin the mood and what was the point in mentioning something they thought had been solved? I don't like secrets. At all. They tend to lead to bad things.
But as secrets go this wasn't a really huge one, so I wasn't really flaming wicked pissed just... extremely annoyed. I'd probably get over it by the time I got home. And if I didn't, they'd understand. They always do.
==
My meeting with Une turned out to be about her wanting me to give a demonstration on street fighting technique to the trainees. Apparently she'd been thinking about the few times in the past she'd seen me in hand-to-hand combat, and also when I sparred with Heero in the gym, and thought that it might be useful for the newbies to learn.
I had to explain that street fighting wasn't really something you could teach, it was all gut instinct and split-second reaction. It was about wanting to kill the other guy quickly and easily, not about wounding him or incapacitating him. She looked disappointed when I explained that a lot of the good moves were killing blows, and that the only reason I used them with Heero was because he knew the same moves, and knew how to block.
"It's a shame," she sighed, closing a file and pushing it out of her way.
"Yes, ma'am. Am I dismissed?"
Her eyes narrowed and got that steely glint that I remembered from the war, though not quite so severe. "Alright, Duo, what's going on?"
I blinked. "Ma'am?"
"First off, you haven't made a single joke, or flashed a single grin. You haven't asked about my non-existent love life. You haven't called me a single ridiculous nickname. You haven't tried to tell me about your latest... activities with Heero and Wufei. What's wrong?"
I sighed and slumped down in my chair, flicking my bangs out of my eyes. "Heero went home sick, as you know, and on top of the fact that he didn't tell me he was sick in the first place, I'm not there to help him."
"He doesn't need your help, he's got Wufei."
I knew that, I did, but... I couldn't help wanting to be there for him. He's done so much for me, he helped me through my darkest days and never asked anything in return, and now he was sick and I wasn't there. It grated on me, in a very serious way.
"Do you want to go home?" Une asked, and I thought about it for a moment before shaking my head.
"No. I'm being stupid and I've got a job to do. Heero will be fine, and if there's an emergency Fei will call me. Can I go?"
"Sure."
I attempted a smile, failed miserably, and left. My stomach growled, reminding me that all I'd had today was a slice of toast, and I made my way to the cafeteria. The queue was long and gave me plenty of time to brood, I mean think, about Heero and Wufei.
Heero was so strong, in every sense of the word, that sometimes I forgot that he was human like the rest of us. It has been months since he last got wounded on a mission, and I can't remember the last time he got so much as the sniffles. It was kinda scary being reminded that he was a mere mortal.
I had depended on his strength for so long, relied on him supporting me, and even though I didn't need that any more... I still wanted it. I still wanted for him to take care of me and own me. I wanted to belong to him. And Wufei, can't forget him.
The point I'm trying to make is... hell, I don't know. I'm just rambling. I'm told I'm very good at that.
"You're brooding," a voice announced. I looked up from the food I was prodding and smiled weakly as Noin sat down.
"Heero went home sick, and I'm thinking not brooding."
"You're brooding and you know it. Is it anything serious?"
"Nah, he's got medication and orders for bed rest. Fei's taking care of him." I prodded at my mashed potatoes and drew patterns in them with my fork. Noin didn't say anything, she was smart that way, and we ate in silence. Well, she ate, I mostly just pushed my food around my plate.
Heero would complain if I didn't eat lunch, he's really obsessive about my eating habits, and he'd make sure I got a really healthy, nutritious dinner. It would have pissed me off if it was anyone else, but with Heero, it just made me feel all warm and fuzzy. Guess it must be love.
Chapter Two
Alex was having trouble with her boyfriend again. I knew this because she was slumped over her desk, drinking coffee and staring at the picture of him on her desk. I knew from experience not to talk to her or she'd rant for hours, so I just sat down at my own desk and booted up my computer.
I sorted through the emails waiting for me, replying when necessary, and then looked at my reminders for the day. I had an appointment with Une just before lunch, something about the trainees, and an interview with a witness for the case I was currently working on, the gruesome rape/murder of a politician's daughter, but other than that it was business as usual.
"How're the lover boys?" Alex asked in a grumble, and I grinned at her. Like everyone else at Preventers (with the exception of Une, Sally, Noin and Zechs), she wasn't quite sure of the situation between me and the boys. Everyone knew that Fei and Heero were together, though my two lovers certainly never showed any overt signs of romance while at work. Everyone also knew that I was taken, and that I lived with them, but I never mentioned a person, and the only photos on my desk were of Heero and Fei, plus one photo of all us Gundam pilots. So rumours flew about just who was involved with who, and many of the women seemed determined to actually believe the truth. Go figure.
"Heero and Wufei are fine, a bit tired, but they got plenty of sleep last night." A half-truth at best. They did get some sleep, not quite five hours but more than enough for getting through the day, as long as coffee was consumed.
"Really? Good. Great. You must be thrilled."
"Don't sound so enthusiastic," I said under my breath, rolling my eyes and grinning. She glanced at me and sighed.
"Sorry, Brian is just... being a wanker."
"When isn't he?"
"Duo!"
I held up my hands in a surrender gesture and said, "I won't saying anything. If you insist on dating that loser, it's not my business. Let's just work, okay?"
She took a deep breath and let it out in a huff. "Okay. You got a meeting with that woman, wasshername, Sarah, today, right?"
"Mm-hm, one thirty, I just want to go over her statement and ask a few questions. She left a couple of holes."
"I'm going to go bug Phillip in forensics for an update, and then head over to the police station to chat with Officer Stevens."
"Great. Why don't you-"
A knock on the door interrupted me and I turned to see Wufei standing in the doorway, looking a bit hesitant. I frowned, and gestured for him to come in.
"What's up, Wufei?"
"Heero wanted me to tell you that he's going home."
I blinked, and then asked in a very careful tone, "Why?"
Wufei sighed, he knew he was busted and in trouble. "He caught some sort of bug during our assignment. He was throwing up all the way home. He took some pills and seemed to be over it, so we didn't want to worry you, but he just threw up all over the floor, and he's got a fever, so Dr. Andrews sent him home with some medication and orders to rest."
My first instinct was to snap at him for not telling me about this last night, but I wrestled with the urge, taking deep, even breaths. Heero was sick. That was not a big deal. He would get over it. I did not need to get all shirty with Fei even if he had been a secretive bastard and kept something from me even though he knows I don't like secrets and I really need to stop this sentence.
"I take it you're going home with him," I said after a moment, glad that my voice was steady and calm, if a bit cold.
"Yes, Dr. Andrews doesn't want him getting out of bed, so I'm his maid." The joke was lame and feeble, I didn't bother to chuckle.
"Then you'd better get going."
"Duo-"
"Get out of here, 'Fei."
He sighed and left. I stared at the empty doorway for a moment before turning away, looking at my computer screen. I could feel Alex looking at me, silently asking questions, but ignored her.
I wasn't pissed that Heero had gotten sick. Really I wasn't. I was just pissed that they had kept it from me. Oh, I know they'd meant well, they hadn't wanted to ruin the mood and what was the point in mentioning something they thought had been solved? I don't like secrets. At all. They tend to lead to bad things.
But as secrets go this wasn't a really huge one, so I wasn't really flaming wicked pissed just... extremely annoyed. I'd probably get over it by the time I got home. And if I didn't, they'd understand. They always do.
==
My meeting with Une turned out to be about her wanting me to give a demonstration on street fighting technique to the trainees. Apparently she'd been thinking about the few times in the past she'd seen me in hand-to-hand combat, and also when I sparred with Heero in the gym, and thought that it might be useful for the newbies to learn.
I had to explain that street fighting wasn't really something you could teach, it was all gut instinct and split-second reaction. It was about wanting to kill the other guy quickly and easily, not about wounding him or incapacitating him. She looked disappointed when I explained that a lot of the good moves were killing blows, and that the only reason I used them with Heero was because he knew the same moves, and knew how to block.
"It's a shame," she sighed, closing a file and pushing it out of her way.
"Yes, ma'am. Am I dismissed?"
Her eyes narrowed and got that steely glint that I remembered from the war, though not quite so severe. "Alright, Duo, what's going on?"
I blinked. "Ma'am?"
"First off, you haven't made a single joke, or flashed a single grin. You haven't asked about my non-existent love life. You haven't called me a single ridiculous nickname. You haven't tried to tell me about your latest... activities with Heero and Wufei. What's wrong?"
I sighed and slumped down in my chair, flicking my bangs out of my eyes. "Heero went home sick, as you know, and on top of the fact that he didn't tell me he was sick in the first place, I'm not there to help him."
"He doesn't need your help, he's got Wufei."
I knew that, I did, but... I couldn't help wanting to be there for him. He's done so much for me, he helped me through my darkest days and never asked anything in return, and now he was sick and I wasn't there. It grated on me, in a very serious way.
"Do you want to go home?" Une asked, and I thought about it for a moment before shaking my head.
"No. I'm being stupid and I've got a job to do. Heero will be fine, and if there's an emergency Fei will call me. Can I go?"
"Sure."
I attempted a smile, failed miserably, and left. My stomach growled, reminding me that all I'd had today was a slice of toast, and I made my way to the cafeteria. The queue was long and gave me plenty of time to brood, I mean think, about Heero and Wufei.
Heero was so strong, in every sense of the word, that sometimes I forgot that he was human like the rest of us. It has been months since he last got wounded on a mission, and I can't remember the last time he got so much as the sniffles. It was kinda scary being reminded that he was a mere mortal.
I had depended on his strength for so long, relied on him supporting me, and even though I didn't need that any more... I still wanted it. I still wanted for him to take care of me and own me. I wanted to belong to him. And Wufei, can't forget him.
The point I'm trying to make is... hell, I don't know. I'm just rambling. I'm told I'm very good at that.
"You're brooding," a voice announced. I looked up from the food I was prodding and smiled weakly as Noin sat down.
"Heero went home sick, and I'm thinking not brooding."
"You're brooding and you know it. Is it anything serious?"
"Nah, he's got medication and orders for bed rest. Fei's taking care of him." I prodded at my mashed potatoes and drew patterns in them with my fork. Noin didn't say anything, she was smart that way, and we ate in silence. Well, she ate, I mostly just pushed my food around my plate.
Heero would complain if I didn't eat lunch, he's really obsessive about my eating habits, and he'd make sure I got a really healthy, nutritious dinner. It would have pissed me off if it was anyone else, but with Heero, it just made me feel all warm and fuzzy. Guess it must be love.