Chapter 3
About two days after Duo's incident, things were back to normal... sort of. The other pilots were behaving, as they should. All but Duo Maxwell that is. Yes, the jester's mask was firmly in place but there was a change in Duo's behavior. Even Wufei noticed the change.
Duo was out of it. He was always tired and the turmoil he was going through was effecting his performance. His body still ached from his fall from Deathscythe's cockpit while repairing it. It wasn't that he was getting hurt, it was the constant struggle he was having with Kek. The entity would never let him have a moment's peace. He had slept maybe eight total hours in two days due to the fact he was making sure Kek didn't try anything to harm his friends. He knew the others could tell something was wrong. But every time they brought it up he made sure to change the subject. He didn't want them too concerned or too involved. It was for their own good, he assured himself.
Finally, after much coaxing and assuring Quatre he'd be fine, he escaped the concern of his friends and went for a walk around the compound. He needed sometime alone so he could think things through and hopefully scream at Kek without someone thinking he was crazy. Once he was out of sight of the mansion, he's launched into a 'discussion' with Kek.
"What is going on here?"
Oh come on. Don't make me repeat myself. You know very well what's going on. Kek sighed. If Duo could see inside his subconscious he would see Kek sit down on... something.
"I wasn't talking to you! Jeez, there goes thinking aloud. Right now I don't give a hairy rat's ass about you."
Touchy... but don't you think I should be your top priority? I mean, I am going to kill your friends and your soul.
"Oh you're on top alright but right now I have to figure out a way to control you and my power. Anymore accidents like last time and it'll be over before it even began."
Go right ahead and try. It should be entertaining.
Duo sighed and continued walking toward a clearing where he'd visited many times to think. There was a small lake and a few rocks along the edge. He sat on one of the larger rocks and stared blankly at the cloudless sky.
*~*~*
Heero waited until he could barely see Duo's lithe form before he started to track him. It's not that he didn't trust Duo to take care of himself, it was just that he was... he didn't know. All he knew was that he had to keep a close eye on Duo. Something in the back of his mind kept nagging him that he needed the watch over Duo. So he followed the braided boy into the forest. He heard Duo talking to himself but he was so far, Heero couldn't make out a single word. When Duo stopped in a clearing by the lake, Heero hid himself in the bushes, feeling a bit silly stalking Duo, like the boogieman after a few kids. Duo kept looking at the sky, seemingly oblivious to Heero's presence.
*~*~*
Something in Duo's instincts told him he was not alone. Even Kek felt the presence of another, and it seemed to make him back down and put his guard up. That worried Duo. If Kek felt the need to be defensive, Duo should fear for his life. But he kept his cool and called out into the forest, "I know you're there. You might as well come out and show yourself."
*~*~*
Heero froze. He knew Duo couldn't have heard him. He had stalking down to an art. He took a quick moment to prepare to reveal himself and come up with some sort of excuse. As he was about to stand, a blonde man in a long black trench coat approached Duo from the side. Though the man had his hands up in surrender, Heero kept his hand on his gun as a precaution. He sat perfectly still and watched the two closely.
*~*~*
Duo turned to see who dared to intrude on his personal time. The man had long, dirty blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail and was a bit taller than he was, maybe a few years older too. He wore his trench coat open revealing a white button-down shirt under a forest green vest, and a pair of black slacks with black boots. He looked over Duo a few times before slowly lowering his hands. Keeping his emerald eyes locked on Duo's violet, they stared at each other for a few more seconds. Finally Duo broke the silence.
"A little out of place, aren't you?" Duo asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I could say the same about you," the older man replied.
"So who are you? Who do you work for?" Duo asked, not really expecting an answer but trying to stall enough so he could plan a way to get away.
"You shall find out all in good time."
"Oh? Well time is something that we both don't have much of."
"Well I have more than you, my friend. Now I have a question for you."
"Go ahead and ask. No guarantees I'll answer you."
"Understood. How do you plan on sleeping tonight?"
Duo's eyes almost popped out of head, as did Heero's. "W-what kind of question is that?" Honestly, Duo wasn't expecting anything like that.
"A good one... considering you couldn't possibly hold out any longer against your unwanted... friend." The man stared down at Duo, searching Duo's confused violet eyes.
Duo stiffened and looked into the man's eyes. Now there was no doubt in his mind that this man knew what he was talking about. But as he continued to look in the man's eyes he felt a strange sense if familiarity. As if he knew those eyes from long ago.
Suddenly the man tore his eyes away from Duo's and looked over to a grove of bushes to his left; they weren't alone. Now was probably a good time for him to leave, but he had to talk with Duo soon. He looked back at the violet-eyed boy then nodded, holding his gaze for a moment longer. Then he spun on his heel and casually walked back into the now dark forest seeming to just disappear into the night.
//Those eyes//, Duo thought, //I know those eyes... I've seen them before... long ago...//
Heero shook Duo's shoulder, snapping him from his thoughts.
Duo immediately spun around to face Heero first with fear then anger in his eyes. "What are you doing out here? How'd you find me?"
"I followed you after you left. You've been acting weird lately, unpredictable. You needed surveillance."
Duo sighed. "Ever the perfect soldier, eh Heero? How long have you been here?" Duo had to know what Heero heard. If he heard everything he knew Heero wouldn't give him a moment's peace.
"Long enough, though I couldn't hear much. Who was that? Was he an enemy?"
"I don't know but he did say he'd let us know in due time. I have a strange feeling about this."
They both stood in silence running the whole situation through their minds, each looking at it from a different angle. Again Duo was the one to break the silence.
"Well we better head back to the house before Quatre-mommy has kittens," he said cheerfully as he motioned back the way they came.
"Hn," was Heero usual response as he followed Duo's bouncing braid into the darkness toward the safe house.
As they left the little clearing neither boy noticed the pair of bright green eyes watching them nor the owner of those eyes following them.
*~*~*
About two days after Duo's incident, things were back to normal... sort of. The other pilots were behaving, as they should. All but Duo Maxwell that is. Yes, the jester's mask was firmly in place but there was a change in Duo's behavior. Even Wufei noticed the change.
Duo was out of it. He was always tired and the turmoil he was going through was effecting his performance. His body still ached from his fall from Deathscythe's cockpit while repairing it. It wasn't that he was getting hurt, it was the constant struggle he was having with Kek. The entity would never let him have a moment's peace. He had slept maybe eight total hours in two days due to the fact he was making sure Kek didn't try anything to harm his friends. He knew the others could tell something was wrong. But every time they brought it up he made sure to change the subject. He didn't want them too concerned or too involved. It was for their own good, he assured himself.
Finally, after much coaxing and assuring Quatre he'd be fine, he escaped the concern of his friends and went for a walk around the compound. He needed sometime alone so he could think things through and hopefully scream at Kek without someone thinking he was crazy. Once he was out of sight of the mansion, he's launched into a 'discussion' with Kek.
"What is going on here?"
Oh come on. Don't make me repeat myself. You know very well what's going on. Kek sighed. If Duo could see inside his subconscious he would see Kek sit down on... something.
"I wasn't talking to you! Jeez, there goes thinking aloud. Right now I don't give a hairy rat's ass about you."
Touchy... but don't you think I should be your top priority? I mean, I am going to kill your friends and your soul.
"Oh you're on top alright but right now I have to figure out a way to control you and my power. Anymore accidents like last time and it'll be over before it even began."
Go right ahead and try. It should be entertaining.
Duo sighed and continued walking toward a clearing where he'd visited many times to think. There was a small lake and a few rocks along the edge. He sat on one of the larger rocks and stared blankly at the cloudless sky.
*~*~*
Heero waited until he could barely see Duo's lithe form before he started to track him. It's not that he didn't trust Duo to take care of himself, it was just that he was... he didn't know. All he knew was that he had to keep a close eye on Duo. Something in the back of his mind kept nagging him that he needed the watch over Duo. So he followed the braided boy into the forest. He heard Duo talking to himself but he was so far, Heero couldn't make out a single word. When Duo stopped in a clearing by the lake, Heero hid himself in the bushes, feeling a bit silly stalking Duo, like the boogieman after a few kids. Duo kept looking at the sky, seemingly oblivious to Heero's presence.
*~*~*
Something in Duo's instincts told him he was not alone. Even Kek felt the presence of another, and it seemed to make him back down and put his guard up. That worried Duo. If Kek felt the need to be defensive, Duo should fear for his life. But he kept his cool and called out into the forest, "I know you're there. You might as well come out and show yourself."
*~*~*
Heero froze. He knew Duo couldn't have heard him. He had stalking down to an art. He took a quick moment to prepare to reveal himself and come up with some sort of excuse. As he was about to stand, a blonde man in a long black trench coat approached Duo from the side. Though the man had his hands up in surrender, Heero kept his hand on his gun as a precaution. He sat perfectly still and watched the two closely.
*~*~*
Duo turned to see who dared to intrude on his personal time. The man had long, dirty blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail and was a bit taller than he was, maybe a few years older too. He wore his trench coat open revealing a white button-down shirt under a forest green vest, and a pair of black slacks with black boots. He looked over Duo a few times before slowly lowering his hands. Keeping his emerald eyes locked on Duo's violet, they stared at each other for a few more seconds. Finally Duo broke the silence.
"A little out of place, aren't you?" Duo asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I could say the same about you," the older man replied.
"So who are you? Who do you work for?" Duo asked, not really expecting an answer but trying to stall enough so he could plan a way to get away.
"You shall find out all in good time."
"Oh? Well time is something that we both don't have much of."
"Well I have more than you, my friend. Now I have a question for you."
"Go ahead and ask. No guarantees I'll answer you."
"Understood. How do you plan on sleeping tonight?"
Duo's eyes almost popped out of head, as did Heero's. "W-what kind of question is that?" Honestly, Duo wasn't expecting anything like that.
"A good one... considering you couldn't possibly hold out any longer against your unwanted... friend." The man stared down at Duo, searching Duo's confused violet eyes.
Duo stiffened and looked into the man's eyes. Now there was no doubt in his mind that this man knew what he was talking about. But as he continued to look in the man's eyes he felt a strange sense if familiarity. As if he knew those eyes from long ago.
Suddenly the man tore his eyes away from Duo's and looked over to a grove of bushes to his left; they weren't alone. Now was probably a good time for him to leave, but he had to talk with Duo soon. He looked back at the violet-eyed boy then nodded, holding his gaze for a moment longer. Then he spun on his heel and casually walked back into the now dark forest seeming to just disappear into the night.
//Those eyes//, Duo thought, //I know those eyes... I've seen them before... long ago...//
Heero shook Duo's shoulder, snapping him from his thoughts.
Duo immediately spun around to face Heero first with fear then anger in his eyes. "What are you doing out here? How'd you find me?"
"I followed you after you left. You've been acting weird lately, unpredictable. You needed surveillance."
Duo sighed. "Ever the perfect soldier, eh Heero? How long have you been here?" Duo had to know what Heero heard. If he heard everything he knew Heero wouldn't give him a moment's peace.
"Long enough, though I couldn't hear much. Who was that? Was he an enemy?"
"I don't know but he did say he'd let us know in due time. I have a strange feeling about this."
They both stood in silence running the whole situation through their minds, each looking at it from a different angle. Again Duo was the one to break the silence.
"Well we better head back to the house before Quatre-mommy has kittens," he said cheerfully as he motioned back the way they came.
"Hn," was Heero usual response as he followed Duo's bouncing braid into the darkness toward the safe house.
As they left the little clearing neither boy noticed the pair of bright green eyes watching them nor the owner of those eyes following them.
*~*~*