To Alonelyshadow- It was confusing to write, too… I have to stop doing this to myself…
To Andrea- Well, thank you, then! Yes, Duo with the immortal peoplez is fun. I think I will keep them in the loop.
"God says a few more days of bed rest, and you'll be fine." Death announced happily, hanging up the phone. "And knowing you, you'll probably be back in school tomorrow."
"Hush." Duo said sourly, managing to look slightly threatening now that he'd lost the penguin socks.
"If you're well enough to argue, you're well enough to bar hop." She countered, flicking the tip of his nose. "Sissa and I are going out on the town tonight, and it might be just what you need!"
"Ugh."
Five hours later, Duo was indeed slumped on a bar stool next to Death, nursing a quart of whiskey while Death downed bourbon shooters and Sissa went through beers like they were water.
"Ooh, ooh, let's go dance!" Sissa exclaimed suddenly, slamming her empty mug on the bar and grabbing Death's wrist. The brunette barely had time to finish her own drink before she was dragged off to the crowded dance floor, leaving Duo by himself.
With a grateful sigh, he pillowed his head on his arms and closed his eyes. Peace at last…
"Hey, man." A voice behind him said, and someone poked his shoulder. "Wanna dance?"
"No." Duo answered without even opening his eyes.
"C'mon." The voice persisted, and he was poked again. "It'll be fun, honey."
"Don't call me honey."
"Just one dance. Or I'll unbraid your hair."
Without speaking, Duo reached over his shoulder, grabbed his braid, and pulled it to safety.
"Fine." The voice said, and he could hear footsteps receding.
"About damned time." Duo muttered before promptly falling asleep.
Duo slipped into math and took his seat, wondering how the hell anyone expected him to learn at 7:30 in the morning. Fortunately, he wasn't given to hangovers, or he'd be in twice the pain right now.
The rest of the class drifted in by ones and twos until everyone who was going to be on time today was seated and occupied with waking up, including Trowa.
"It's ridiculous," Trowa said quietly, fiddling with his CD player. "Why they think we'll even be awake at this ungodly hour is beyond me. I say we riot for better learning hours."
"Form a union." Duo suggested around a yawn. "And it's bad enough for normal kids; I have to live with my boss, and she never lets me sleep."
"What did she do? Take you club-hopping?"
"Actually…"
Before Trowa could reply, the bell rang and class began, effectively putting an end to their conversation for the block.
"Duo, come sit by me!"
"I am not in the mood for this, Relena." Duo ground out through clenched teeth. "Do you think you could maybe leave me alone for one fucking day?"
"But Duo-"
"No, okay? I'm not going to eat lunch with you! Get it through your thick skull!"
Silence fell over the section of the cafeteria around the two brunettes as Relena's eyes filled with tears.
"Duo… what's wrong? Why are you being so mean to me? What-"
"Relena." Milliardo Peacecraft, Relena's older brother and one of only two people in the school with any kind of hold over her, stepped in, placing a hand on his sister's shoulder. "Leave him alone. He's obviously not in a good mood."
"… okay, Milliardo…" Relena whispered, consenting to be led away like a rejected bride. The crowd of students parted for the two, then closed ranks to stare at Duo, probably wondering if maybe he'd been dropped on his head as a baby.
"You gonna keep staring, or you gonna let me eat?" Duo asked, deceptively calm, and the crowd immediately scattered.
"Like a clown, I put on a show… The pain is real, even if nobody knows, And I'm crying inside, And nobody knows it but me…"
Trowa sang the same way he did everything in Duo's eyes; beautifully.
Duo simply stood in the doorway to his bedroom, watching Trowa sing softly to an invisible audience. The other teen was stretched out on the bed, arms behind his head, eyes closed. There was no music to accompany the words, but Duo was certain music wouldn't improve the performance.
"I carry a smile when I'm broken in two, And I'm nobody without someone like you, And I'm trembling inside, And nobody knows it but me…"
Duo could truthfully say that Trowa sang like an angel, having heard them during his visit to the Nether Planes. In fact, Trowa sand better than an angel.
"A million words couldn't say just how I feel; A million years from now you know I'll be loving you still…"
Looking back, Duo would probably say that's the moment he fell in love. He didn't know at the time why his heart was racing, or why he was suddenly blushing furiously, like he'd just walked in on someone in the shower. All he knew was the beauty of Trowa's voice and the magic of the song.
"Yeah, I'm dying inside… And nobody knows it but me…"
Time to get to work, Duo. Death announced in the back of his head just as the phone rang.
"Hello?" Duo heard Trowa say from the hall. "Oh, hey Catherine. Really? I'll tell him. Yeah? I'll be sure and do that. Okay." There was a moment of silence, then Trowa walked into the room, carrying a book in one hand and a cordless receiver in the other. "That was your boss; she says it's time you went home."
"I figured." Duo replied, climbing to his feet and stretching. "It was great hanging out with you. We'll have to do that again sometime."
"How about tomorrow? Catherine asked if she could dump you on me so she can throw a party."
"If you don't mind." Duo said, grinning. "Some of her friends are a little… off. I like to disappear when she holds a get-together."
"See you then." Trowa said, mock-bowing Duo out into the hallway. "Gimme a call before you come, okay?"
"Whatever."
Who this time? Duo asked when he hit the street.
Her name's Yuko. She's from Vietnam. Death said, flashing him an image of a beautiful woman with long, dark hair and narrow, slanted eyes. She's posing as a prostitute and killing off all her 'customers.'
"Yikes." Duo said out loud. "Where?"
The Red Door. The Red Door was a small, out-of-the-way dive frequented by some of the city's more unsavory denizens, including loan sharks, thugs-for-hire, questionable prostitutes, and a few real weirdoes. Duo would blend right in.
"You are looking for good time?" A voice behind Duo asked, and a thin hand came to rest on his shoulder.
"Depends on who's asking." He countered, glancing over his shoulder to make sure it was Yuko behind him. It was, and he allowed a predatory smile he didn't in the least feel stretch his lips. "And judging by the looks of you, I am. How much?"
"Two hundred." Yuko responded immediately.
"One fifty and dinner." Duo shot back. "More, if I'm feeling generous after the deal."
"Show me." She demanded, claiming the stool next to him and crossing her long legs.
He obliged, pulling out his wallet and flashing three hard-earned hundreds at her.
"Deal?" He asked, slipping his wallet back in the inside pocket of his jacket. He wasn't in uniform; even in the Red Door, he would have attracted too much attention. He was dressed strictly civilian for this job.
"Deal." She agreed, and the two stood and walked out of the bar, passing Death along the way. The two brunettes exchanged a private glance, and Death nodded. She'd make sure everyone in the bar remembered a man with dirty blond hair and a scar across his forehead with Yuko.
"What do you feel up to, baby?" Duo asked, putting his arm around Yuko's shoulder. "Steak? Chinese? Italian?"
"I would like… good American." She answered, smiling her sweetest.
"Good American the lady wants, good American the woman gets." He said. "I know the perfect place. Through here." He indicated an alley and started leading her to it. She tensed momentarily, then relaxed, figuring he knew where he was going and she didn't, so why worry?
Once they were out of sight of the street, Duo acted, throwing her against the nearer wall with all of his considerable strength.
She slid to the ground, momentarily stunned, and Duo reached inside his jacket and pulled out his weapon for this job – a long black knife with a slightly curved blade and a leather handle. Yuko's eyes widened, staring at the knife, as she wobbled to her feet and tried to run away.
"Where are you going?" Duo asked, grabbing her arm with his free hand. "You've earned this; stick around and enjoy your prize."
"W-why?" She managed, obviously terrified now.
"Did any of the men you killed as you that?" He demanded. "Did any of them beg for their lives? Tell you they had families? Did you even give them a chance to?"
"Who…"
"Death." He answered before she could finish, slicing her throat open in one swift movement. He let go of her arm and let her drop to the alley floor, and forced himself to watch her die. He had promised himself when he first took this job that he would never turn his back while his victim was still alive.
"Huh?"
"I said," Trowa repeated patiently, "what do you want for dinner?"
"Oh. Whatever you want." Duo said, turning back to the book in his lap that he wasn't really reading. "I'm not really hungry."
"What's wrong?" Trowa asked with a sigh, pulling the book out of Duo's unresisting hands and setting it down on the coffee table. "And don't tell me 'nothing;' I know you well enough to know that that's not the case."
"It's… not something I can tell you." Duo said, avoiding the other brunette's gaze. "I'd get in major trouble if I did."
"Something to do with your job?" Trowa guessed, raising an eyebrow. "Well, if you can't tell me, you can't tell me. But you'd better find someone you can tell soon, or you'll go stark raving mad."
"… yeah…"
And here's the end! Of chapter four, anyway. I'm having so much fun with this story, although I think it's going to be shorter than the original ten chapters I had planned. It looks more like it'll be seven or eight, and my fingers are rejoicing. I'm living off tea right now, which is a sure sign I'm inspired about something, so I might get this finished within the next month or two. Don't hold me to that.
