Duo walked, wet coat and long braid swinging with his angry steps, into his apartment really pissed off. His purple eyes flickered with emotions as his eyes settled on the well-known furniture in his apartment. Home at last, a bit of safety something to hold on to when the whole world came crashing down his ears. He hadn't been here for many months, opting instead to live with his boyfriend, ex-boyfriend he reminded himself, but he hadn't given up on his apartment just because it was his, his first home that felt like home in a long, long time. His boyfriend had often complained about the extra bills when they only used one apartment anyways but Duo had been hesitant to let his home go. In hindsight it had been a good thing since he now had somewhere to go.

Earlier that night he'd found his boyfriend since one and a half years in bed with another… a girl. He'd known that Solo had been a little distracted the last few months but he didn't think that his boyfriend, who by the way had assured Duo that he was at least a hundred percent gay, had a girlfriend. A girlfriend, and by the look and sound of it, it hadn't been the first time they were together. Hadn't he been good enough? Had he done something wrong? What could he have done to avoid what happened? Maybe it would have hurt as much if he'd found Solo with another guy but Duo really didn't feel up to speculating. The only good thing was that he'd kept his apartment. Duo silently swore that he'd never be with anyone ever again, and unlike most young people who does this vow when they've gotten their heart broken, Duo intended to keep to his promise.

Solo was the only guy, and only person for that matter, Duo had ever dated. Sure he was popular at work and in the clubs but he had few real friends and Solo was the only person he had allowed to become close after he'd lost father Maxwell and sister Helen. He'd told Solo everything and then some, all his joys and fears, his dreams and hopes. Solo had done the same, or at least that's what it had seemed like at the time. They had optimistically planned ahead, much in the same way all young couples does. Now the plans had been unmade and the smoking ruins of his life seemed to laugh right back at him when he thought of them. He'd gone trough so much together with Solo, why had Solo done this to him?

His time with Solo had almost been fairytale-like, after Solo had convinced Duo that he was gay and that it was ok it hadn't taken long for the older boy to take him as a boyfriend. It could have been the usual older-boy-takes-advantage-of-his-younger-boyfriend but it had never been like that. Not even now could Duo accuse Solo for that. No when they'd gotten together the sun seemed to shine brighter, the birds sang and the blossoms bloomed. Solo had been the perfect gentleman about everything, taking it slow for Duo's sake, helped him in bad times as well as in the good times, but it was obvious now that it had meant a great bit more to Duo than it had to Solo. Duo just wondered for how long Solo had felt bad about their relationship. Had there really been one? Not just some elaborate trick to get one of the most popular guys? Could a man really do that to another? And why hadn't he spotted something sooner?

The weather outside seemed to match his mood; the rain poured down so hard you could have swum the streets rather than walk them. Yet there was now howling wind, no thunder or other manifest of natures rage, only the hard sad rain. Duo almost smiled when he thought of the fitting weather but it was only a brief interlude in his, all too, focused mind. He gathered a blanket from where it was slung over the back of a chair; he curled up on the windowsill staring without seeing at the rain. His thoughts soon returned to Solo and their time together.

His slight form could only be seen as a shadow from the outside, the light in the background only serving to make his shape darker. His forehead pressed hard against the cool, unforgiving pane of glass. No one saw the hunched over, depressed shape as he silently cried over what he'd lost.

Three friends sat in what could have been rather a depressing room, seeing it was dark and had no windows but there was a giant hearth with a bright fire. The firelight, and the candles that were placed around the room, illuminated the thick colourful carpets, cushions and the lively paintings on the walls. Couches, chairs and tables in different sizes stood scattered around the room, creating a crowded but on the same time private feeling. Everything was done in homey, dark reds, greens and yellows. The woodwork was made from a dark polished wood that spoke of age and wear but also about care. The room was large but the furniture worked to make it several gathering places instead of feeling grand and pressing.

ooooo

With a slight frown, that was the equalent of a startled yelp in anyone else, Heero rose off the couch where he had been sitting going trough a bunch of blueprints occasionally making a mark on either the prints or in the pad he had balancing on his thigh. His brown hair, stylishly messy as always, gave of the impression of standing on end why on the same time not doing so, because there was some things that Heero didn't do, or in this particular case, Heero's hair didn't do. Quatre, who had been reading from an old dusty book, which was nearly, but not quite, big enough to rightfully be called a tome, looked at his companion questioning the odd behaviour with a glance. Heero looked around thoughtfully as if he was searching for something he couldn't find.

"Heero are you okay?" Quatre asked him, this time out loud. Heero shook his head lightly.

"I have to go Quatre, I'll be back but I felt something that I have to check it out. Please remind Wufei about the meeting tomorrow night."

"Where is he by the way?" Quatre, the ever curios, asked.

"Don't say the letter he got earlier didn't give you a clue?"

"Trowa said something about it but we all get mail from time to time, even you Heero."

"Hn, Quatre, it wasn't as much the letter as the rose imprint in the red wax that held it closed that was the clue."

"Oh." Quatre said nothing more returning instead to his book, one hand straying down to pet the tiger, which lay by his chair, on it's head. Heero silently left the room and hurried trough the corridors of the house. Whenever you were in a hurry they seemed to have grown at least twice as long as normal and you always encountered at least one person who wanted to speak to you. Heero thought it was his own personal version of Murphy's law.

The tiger slowly closed its green eyes, relaxing into the small blond's hands. The scene had an air of familiarity to it, it was something that happened so often that the participants didn't have to concentrate on what they were doing but it didn't mean that it was just automatic. No there was a lot of thought and feeling behind it, much more than usual for a man and an animal, or a man and his friend for that matter.

ooooo

Wufei hated his superior, Treize Khushrenada. Treize did have the right to call on any of his subordinates at any time he wanted and they had to come but lately it had seemed to Wufei that Treize had called on him unreasonably often. Most of the times he didn't even have anything important to say or order but however much Wufei wanted to he couldn't not show up, he just hoped that Treize wanted something important.

Arriving to the gates to a mind numbingly large estate, or maybe it was a castle, Wufei didn't really care, he was invited in and showed to Treize's office. The whole castle was expensively but tastefully decorated, both inside and out. The gardens were full of red roses, Treize's favourite flower, and the gardeners put down lots of effort to keep the bushes blooming. The same flowers could be found displayed inside in various shapes and made from different materials. Wufei kneeled and prostrated himself in front of Treize as expected by him. As he stood there kneeling on the bare floor, he gathered his thoughts and strengthened his cool façade, a façade Treize somehow always broke trough anyway.

"You may rise." Wufei did as bid and noticed to his suppressed delight that Une, Treize's constant companion, was nowhere to be seen. Not that Wufei turned around to look for her, he didn't even move his eyes but that didn't matter. What mattered was the Une's absence. Some luck in an otherwise luckless night. Treize was, as always, dressed as impeccable and with as much carefully studied flair, his house was decorated in. Treize held a lot of power and he enjoyed to display it but he didn't brag. He never bragged, no, this quiet display of wealth was more his style.

"It's nice to see you little dragon." Wufei didn't answer, he just stood straight-backed and stared into the space in front of him, but he was careful not to look Treize in the eye. Said man rose and came around to the other side of his desk, leaning casually against it while he studied Wufei's still form. "You're mad at me, aren't you little dragon?"

"I'm not mad at you, my lord."

"Wufei!" There was an obvious warning in the older man's voice.

"'Slightly annoyed with' would be a more accurate term, my lord."

"Is that so, dragon?" Treize looked doubtful but he wasn't going to push it. "And why is that? Don't you want to serve me?" He raised one of his forked eyebrows as a challenge.

"I enjoy serving you, my lord. You are more lenient than many others but sometimes I can't help but feel as if your summons comes at inappropriate moments." It was true, mostly. Wufei didn't appreciate to serve under anyone but he knew he had to, and as he said, Treize was one of the most lenient lords around. He was also one of the strongest, second only to the King.

"Very well then, come with me." He walked away confident that Wufei would follow, and Wufei did, at the required three paces behind and a little to the right. Treize quickly led the way trough the maze that was his home and he didn't stop until they came to a big room fit for practicing all kinds of armed and unarmed combat.

"Swords, wouldn't you say dragon?"

"Whatever my lord wishes." Despite the dispassionate answer, he brought his sword out but he didn't unsheathe it before Treize held his own naked blade in his hand. The fight was short but vicious and it ended the same way every other fight between Treize and Wufei did, Treize won. He held his sword to Wufei's neck while the latter stood absolutely still, not even glancing at his own sword that lay on the ground by his feet. What differed this time from all the others was the little nick in Wufei's neck where Treize's sword had rested. Usually Treize was too proud over his skill to let any harm come to Wufei while at the same time defeating him as fast and as completely as possible. Slowly Treize withdrew his sword. Equally slow he took a step forward, leaned in to Wufei's neck, and licked at the drop of blood that had formed there.

"Exquisite little dragon." As he drew back Wufei lowered his eyes. He didn't know what to make of this new side to their little game.

ooooo

Duo slowly stretched his legs trying to work the kinks that came from being crammed up in too small a space for a long time from his legs and back. Slowly preparing for bed Duo tried no to think at all, it was still early but the day had been draining, more so than any other day Duo could remember, worse even than the fire in the orphanage. Yes, he was and orphan, maybe that's why it was so hard to lose the only person he'd ever seen as family.

In his pj's just about to sneak under the covers of his bed he heard a knock on the door. He opened the door but there was no one on the other side. He decided that it must have been a stupid joke by the neighbour's son, who probably stood somewhere, where he couldn't be seen but saw himself, laughing his head off. Just as Duo closed the door he heard something from behind and whirled around. There, in the middle of his poorly illuminated room stood a silent figure. It was male, whoever it was, about the same height as Duo but he held himself in such self-confidence that he appeared to be at least half a foot taller. After Duo'd nervously hit the light switch he could see the mans brown hair and deep blue eyes.

"Holy crap." Duo squeaked. "How in the heck did you get in here mr… whoever you are!" He didn't raise his voice but it had a certain edge to it. He slowly reached out for the phone.

"I'm sorry I startled you master." The man clad all in black said, with a small but polite bow but the 'master' and the bow had a mothbally feeling to it. As if it was a ling time since the stranger had had to obey anyone or anything except for his own wishes. He didn't appear unwilling per se, he just needed a bit of polishing before going back to a role often rehearsed. Duo's extracted hand came to a halt and he stood frozen just looking at the stranger in his living room.

"Startled! You almost scared me shitless." Duo confessed. "Who are you and what are you doing in my apartment?"

"My apologies again." The man said. Something about the man made Duo believe that he, indeed, was sorry, and that he didn't appear to be a threat, for now at least. "You called me master, so I came."

"Wait a minute I didn't call you." Duo said, and he added, when his mind had processed the input correctly. "And I'm not anyone's master, much less yours." The stranger walked closer to Duo.

"You can deny it but I know what I feel, I felt the pull of a calling so I came. About not being master, well time will tell." Duo held his breath when the man walked up close to him. This day had gone from promising to sad, to weary, to scary and was just moving on to scary as hell.

"Whatever, but can you please tell me who you are?"

"Of course master, I'm Heero." The man, newly named Heero supplied. Duo winced at the honorific. He wasn't anyone's master, right? He didn't want to be a master and if he was, why hadn't anyone deemed it fit to tell him? Duo was about to speak when Heero put his hand up halting whatever Duo was planning to say.

"I know many things about you master, you called me, I felt you, understood you and I had to answer. At this point, you might choose no to believe but there will come a time when you have to stand up and face who and what you are. Just be ready." Duo eyes were wide with confusion, shock and doubt. This day had been too much; he could feel his life give away under his feet as a quagmire might, and a stranger invaded his home, the only thing he thought of as safe. Heero seemed to catch on to what he was feeling like, raised his hand, and stroked Duo's cheek. "Just remember, you are not alone. I'll be here when you need me." With those words he climbed onto the windowsill and out the window.

Duo did a double-take when he realized what Heero was doing so he rushed to the window where he found Heero sitting on the rail to the fire escape.

"Okay this isn't funny, please get back in before you hurt yourself." Duo pleaded with him. Heero didn't move. "Please get in." Duo said to him again holding out his hand. Heero looked at him then lightly grabbed Duo's hand and came back into the room. Duo held his breath when Heero closed the space between them. Heero lightly put his hand on Duo's chin and brought their faces closer. Duo pulled back for he didn't even know Heero. Heero looked at him with a blank face then walked back to the window.

"Goodbye master. 'Till you call me again." And with that Heero jumped out the window and was gone. Duo stood there thinking of all the things that would happen to a man that jumped from a tenth-storey window. Surprisingly enough there was no large red splat on the wet, glistening asphalt below. There was actually no sign what so ever of his mysterious visitor. He stood there staring out the window for quite some time before resuming what he'd been doing before the doorbell had sounded. As he put the light out he decided that he'd call in sick tomorrow. He didn't feel up to asking questions and he had some of his own to find answers to.

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AN: (yes I hate them too, that's why I choose to put them here, where you can choose to read or not to read them)

My English is a bit lacking I'm afraid, it is after all only my second language. My apologies to all you out there that now see me as a butcher of all things written. I'm in want of a beta, both for this and for future stories.

This is my first ever fanfic but I've written some other stuff (check out my bio for info)

I love reviews. I will continue to write even if I don't get any but I'd like some.