Title: Lord of Death 25?
Author: Seraphim Grace
Archive: if you want it ask.
Feedback: Always appreciated and replied to.
Rating: R.
Pairings: Burgeoning 1x2
Warnings: Angst. Some gore.
Notes: AU, and features necromancy
Duo and Heero are taken to a strange world where Duo is worshipped because he calls himself Shinigami

The Tor that Tobin led Duo to through the tunnel was a large hill with a small manor built into its shadow in such a way that it was almost hidden. A pair of dark clothed senshi met them at the gate. "Seraphim." Duo gasped, almost beside himself with worry for Heero who he had left behind, "in the tunnel."

The senshi gave him a quick bow before running into the tunnel, a hand signal waved behind them gathered another four senshi to their aid.

Minako was waiting behind the gate, she was dressed in leather pants and a jacket, her hair was tied up in a turban that made her neck seem very long and vulnerable. She was clutching the gate. "Tobin," she seemed to visibly relax when she saw them, "Duo, come in, where's Heero?"

"The tunnel." Duo said looking back at the gate.

"I shall go aid him." Mamoru said stepping out of the shadows and moving towards the gate, "I trust he will be well, but nonetheless I imagine it will soothe your heart if he is returned to you as soon as possible."

Duo gathered a smile for him, he wasn't sure from which reserve he pulled it but Mamoru acknowledged it. "Thank you, Mamo-chan." Duo said almost under his breath. Mamoru, who had taken a step towards the tunnel flicked his eyes back at him. Then started off towards the tunnel.

Minako put her hand on Duo's shoulder, "let's get you out of that dress," she said softly, "you don't need the camouflage now."

"He's going to be all right." Duo said, it didn't sound like a question.

"He will be fine," Tobin said, squeezing Duo's other shoulder, "Josian and Mamoru are both exemplary fighters and the Seraphim are badly trained at best."

"It's just." Duo began.

"You watch his back," Minako said leading Duo into the manor, "and it's strange expecting someone else to show the same care you do, but he is your Senshisha, he will protect you."

"Come on," Tobin said, offering Duo his hand, "let's get you changed." Duo reached out and grabbed him by the sleeve, wary of touching flesh to flesh.

He led him into the small manor and into a small chamber that he called the library, though unlike the library of Halcyon there was not a single book in it. As Duo was changing Tobin sat down against one of the shelves and crossed his arms. "Teishi did you wrong," he said as Duo pulled the dress over his head, "as her scion I have more power to act against that than you ever will. At your word I will call her out." Duo didn't know what to answer to that as he belted on the shirt, "but just answer me one question," he was biting his lip and very worried over what he was asking, "you look like my Avili and so I get very protective over you, and I have been cruel, I would understand if you wanted nothing else to do with me once I get you to Meirin," he swept his hair back with one hand, a few stray black hairs fell across the scar on his forehead. "But answer me this and I will leave you be, are you in love, Duo? Tell me you love him and I will do all I can to help you, because you look like my Avili."

There was an odd desperation in what Tobin asked him. When they had met and he had tried to seduce him Tobin had asked him if he was in love, that if he was in love he wouldn't waste his time. "I don't understand." Duo said as he pulled on the boots.

"If you love him I will be a champion in your defence, if you don't then I will petition Teishi for what she did." Tobin said, "I couldn't marry Avili, I just hope I made her happy, you look so like her, except your eyes sparkle where hers could drown," he took a deep breath whilst his eyes scanned the tiles of the ceiling. "I lost Avili and when you smile I remember hers, so I want you to smile, if you love him and he makes you happy I'll do everything in my power to help you, or failing that I will find someone who does. Mamoru makes Minako so unhappy, and Diamond and Fiore dance around each other, they love each other but are caught in their duty and it frustrates Teishi so much. I can't make you happy," he said quietly, "I can't even touch you, but tell me he does."

"He does." Duo said, surprising himself that he could speak so firmly about this. "I think I always have. Your sister makes me face the things I can't face on my own. Eluneth has been a great help to me." He started to finger comb his hair, "yes, Tobin, I do love him. Thank you for your concern, though, I just wish i."

"He will be here soon, and we will make a move towards Meirin, I'm just glad that you're happy." Then Tobin's mode turned mischievous, "it was the talk of the Okiya that you were sleeping together, do you have questions?"

Duo blushed to the roots of his hair, but he could play as well, "and if I did?"

"I'd send you to Josian." Tobin answered blithely, "he is a purveyor of many types of strange information." He raised his chin to look rather refined, like a lady of the court. "Of course, all those rumours about us are utterly untrue." He raised his head even higher, his eyes flickering mischief.

"Are those the rumours about the goats, or the ones about the plague?" Duo asked with a laugh.

"In Dathyl less than a month and he hears I am the source of the plague." Tobin said.

"02 status." Heero said throwing open the door, there was a splash of blood across his face. He looked as tense as a harp string, as if at any moment he would snap with dire consequences.

"No damage sustained, 01." Duo said and watched Heero relax as if someone had let the air out of him, only on hearing those words did he sheathe the sword that he held. "01 status." He continued.

Heero offered him a shy smile. "I'm okay now." he said, "thank you, Tobin, for keeping him safe."

Tobin offered Heero a low bow. "As long as you make him happy I will be your staunchest advocate."

Heero blinked, once and then slowly a second time. "I make you happy?" he asked, suddenly sounding very lost. Then he shook away the weakness like a dog that had been struck. "We must move as soon as possible, the Senshi can't hold the Seraphim for long."

"I can't ride." Duo said looking between them.

"I can, you can ride with me." Heero said in his usual monotone. There was no argument in his tone, but no one offered him one.

Heero swung up on the horse before pulling Duo up to sit between him and the horse's neck side saddle. "tell me if you're uncomfortable." He murmured into Duo's ear.

Duo leant back against a chest that was no broader than his own. "This is like one of those books Wufei reads, where it's all the princess' being whisked away in the dark of the night." Although he couldn't see it Duo knew that Heero was smiling. "You should see some of the books on his laptop, he only lets us think it's poetry, it's classic romances."

"Are you a princess, Duo?" Heero asked.

"No," Duo replied sharply, "I'm the Lady of Meirin."

Heero's chuckle rumbled against him like thunder, deep in his chest. "You are mine," he murmured, that low that Duo was almost sure he hadn't heard him, "be that 02 or the lady of Meirin, or Duo Maxwell, you are mine and that's all that matters to me."

"Do you mean that?" Duo asked, looking at him, although they were of a height there was something in the way that Heero carried himself that made him seem much taller and broader than he really was.

"Mean what?" Heero asked.

"That I am all that matters to you."

"That's Shiro." Mamoru called out seeing the golden warmth of lamplight effectively avoiding the question.