A/N: Inspired by just about any supernatural sci-fi/fantasy thing I've ever read. In particular, a shout out to Jim Butcher's Dresden Files… 1x2, 3x?, 5x?, 4x? Expect multiple pairings, some het and some not, and also some breakups and…changes.
Warnings: Language, violence, sex, language. Angst. AU. Gore.
A/N #2: Yaarr! There be lemons ahead!
Umbra
Chapter 2
As a reward for himself surviving his first night back in magical society without killing anyone, Duo took the next day off. Since Quatre was convinced that Treize's human servant, Lady Une, would show up at his office any moment to discuss the future, Duo left him to his own devices, confident that Une wouldn't show up today or any day that week.
His first order of business was to find an apartment. Chez Winner was fantastic, but Duo was used to living on his own, and he didn't relish sharing living space with the overly optimistic and disturbingly chipper morning person that Quatre turned out to be.
One of the perks of being a millennia old was a lot of interest accrued on his investments. For a long time, Duo had lived as a near vagrant, but during the eighteenth century he had fallen in with a group of high-living courtiers in France and decided to start creating his own fortune. Now, three hundred years later, he could live as lavishly as he wanted. The fact that his personal preferences still tended more towards austere meant that his wealth had remained largely untouched.
He debated with himself whether or not to look for a house in the suburbs off the Strip, but the allure of living amidst the neon, pulsing heart of the city drew him and he bought a two bedroom condo in a tower complex just behind Planet Hollywood. The condo was new and came completely furnished. Duo appreciated that, as well as the view of the Strip out of the floor to ceiling windows that lined one wall of the living room and one wall of the master bedroom.
Since he had never been in Las Vegas before the previous day, he decided to explore the city. He was fascinated by just how harsh the desert sun was on the buildings. It made the city look like a peeling, scarred woman trying desperately to hide her age.
The main part of the Strip stretched from Mandalay Bay north to the Stratosphere, and then there was a small wasteland of strip clubs and run down wedding chapel that divided the newer part of Las Vegas from the older and more downtrodden Downtown.
It was late evening when Duo finally wandered to the oldest part of the city, and he felt strangely at ease among amidst the vagrants, drunks, and sad looking prostitutes. He wondered what that said about HIM, but shrugged it off and decided to get a drink at a piano bar called "Don't Tell Mama."
He commandeered a booth towards the back of the bar that offered an excellent view of the rest of the bar but was far enough away from the stage that he could hear himself think.
"Duo Maxwell. As I live and breathe, I thought you had crawled under a rock and died."
The drawl didn't suit the familiar, urbane voice, and Duo sneered as he turned around.
"Zechs Merquise. I didn't realize never again would arrive so fast."
The tall blonde man chuckled and joined Duo at his booth.
He looked good, Duo reluctantly decided. As good as he ever had. His skin had a healthy glow to it, his ice blue eyes were sharp and intelligent as ever, and his white blonde hair was loose and flowing down his back. He was dressed differently than when Duo had last seen him – but then, even Zechs couldn't pull off a frock coat forever. He was dressed in the current fashion, his long legs made to look longer in the fitted dark jeans and calf high boots. His gray dress shirt was fitted, and showed off his toned upper body to perfection.
He ordered a mojito, which earned him a caustic look by the scantily clad, large breasted waitress.
"Still drinking those I see?" Duo asked.
"I did make them popular in the first place," Zechs said with a prideful sniff.
When the waitress returned with his drink, he held her hand and her gaze and thanked her. She turned red, smiled, and started to giggle.
Duo rolled his eyes.
"Leave her alone," he muttered.
Zechs released her hand with a shrug, and a confused look appeared on her face as Zechs ended the Glamour he had cast on her.
"Run along," Zechs said, waving his hand in dismissal.
She did as ordered, and Duo sank back into his seat.
"Pretty sure the new legislation makes it illegal to use magic on someone without their consent," Duo said.
"Is the Executioner threatening me?" Zechs asked with a smirk.
"I don't need the Council's permission to kill you."
"That's right – you've found yourself a new Ephemeral Arbiter." Zechs made a 'tsking' sound. "You, of all people, should understand why we call them Ephemerals. They just don't last long enough, do they?"
Duo remained silent, a real struggle for him.
"Treize was so very happy to see you again. I'm sorry that I couldn't make the meeting – I had business elsewhere to attend to."
"Yes, and I had been so looking forward to seeing you again." Duo affected the same highbrow tone and accent that Zechs always used. It irritated him when the Old Ones insisted on retaining silly affectations like accents. After all, if you lived somewhere for more than a hundred years, chances are that you would lose your accent. For Duo, it had always been a game – whenever he learned a new language or dialect, he wholeheartedly embraced it and attempted to sound native as soon as he could.
"Some of the Council think we should petition for your execution," Zechs said, his tone conversational.
"They've always wanted to do that," Duo said with a disdainful snort.
"You do realize that fewer and fewer respect the Old Laws these days. And now…with the way things are changing, they might abandon them altogether."
"I'm the last one left, anyway. That's not surprising."
"How many of you were there – twelve?"
"Nine. We followed the Laws, too, you know."
"Nine, and Duo Maxwell is all that remains. Have you seen any Fey recently?"
Duo frowned.
"I've avoided contact for the last century."
Zechs nodded, but there was a thoughtful look on his face.
"There aren't too many of us left."
Duo rolled his eyes.
"If this is a 'we could become extinct tomorrow, let's make tonight count' speech then you can save it – I'm not going to sleep with you again."
Zechs smirked.
"You flatter yourself, Dark One."
Duo's eyes narrowed.
"Don't go getting on your high horse just because your kind like the sun more than mine."
"If you really think that's the only difference between us then you are more of an idiot than I've always thought," Zechs spat at him.
Duo sighed. "What do you want, Zechs?"
"Things are changing. The new laws – new Council members. The Old World is getting farther away all of the time. Both the Light and the Dark Court have diminished."
"I'm a half-breed anyway, remember?" Duo reminded Zechs.
"How could I forget?" Zechs sneered. He paused and seemed to collect himself. "I merely wanted to remind you that once, many years ago, we stood together. You should consider just how far you have strayed since then."
Zechs left without another word, his drink completely untouched.
Duo stared after him for a long time. He had never particularly liked nor trusted the Light Court Faerie, but there was something about his words that haunted Duo. Zechs was trying to warn him about something – but what?
He decided to check in with Quatre as the evening wore down, curious about whether or not the blonde was still chained to his desk in the vain belief that Une might come and see him.
Quatre had given him directions to the government office building that the Arbiter had been assigned, and it was only a few blocks from the bar. Duo walked the short distance and arrived at the shabby, concrete building after only a few minutes.
Just as he had predicted, Quatre was indeed behind his desk, buried in paperwork, looking lost and a little desperate.
"Une show up?" Duo asked as he let himself in and stretched out on the leather settee against one wall of the office.
Quatre barely looked up.
"No. And don't gloat. She might have come by – and I needed to be here, anyway."
"Sure, sure. But you've got to understand, time for us moves a bit more slowly than for humans – and Ephemerals. You'll be lucky is she comes by this week – consider it an insult if she doesn't' come by this month."
Quatre frowned.
"But how does anything ever get done?"
Duo shrugged.
"Takes a while, but it also means that everything is more deliberate."
"But – there is legislation being considered that will be voted on in a few weeks! If the Council wants to have any influence on their own fate, they need to start working on our terms."
Duo snorted.
"Yeah, remind me to be somewhere else when you tell Treize that, okay?"
Quatre scowled, but let the matter drop.
"Did anything actually happen today?" Duo asked.
"No."
Duo was about to say something when there was a knock on the door.
"Speak of the devil," Duo muttered to himself. He reached out and could feel the magical being on the other side of the door.
"Looks like you've got a shapeshifter coming to visit," he told Quatre, making no move to get up.
Quatre frowned but rose and opened the door. He ushered in his guest.
It was a tall, thin woman with deep red hair that curled wildly about her face. Her dark, violet eyes met Duo's instantly, and he could sense the power and hostility in them.
He mentally prepared himself for a fight.
"Hello, I'm Quatre Winner, and this is Duo Maxwell. I'm the Arbiter for the United States government and he is –"
"I know what he is," she interrupted Quatre, her voice frosty.
"Um – have we met?" Duo could usually remember enemies he had made, and it was clear that this woman counted herself among his enemies.
"No, I know you by reputation only." She turned to Quatre and extended one hand. He shook it gingerly. "I'm Catherine Bloom, and I'm a representative for the Free Members Society."
Duo groaned as he realized just why she hated him.
Quatre gestured her to take a seat in front of his desk, and then glared at Duo until he sat up with a roll of his eyes.
"I'm sorry – I'm not familiar with that group."
"That's because they're a bunch of delinquents with crazy ideas," Duo muttered.
"That's what was once said about abolitionists in this country, as well. I'm not surprised that you are against us, but I had heard that this Arbiter was an open-minded man."
Duo opened his mouth to defend the last Arbiter, but realized suddenly just how useless it was to do so.
"I'm sorry – clearly there is an issue here that I am unaware of. Could you explain to me what your Society is?" Quatre asked, voice and manner polite and soothing. He gave Duo a warning look.
"I wanted to discuss integrating shape shifters into society."
"Not again." Duo muttered.
"We have every right –"
"Yeah, yeah, shape shifters deserve to be free, blah blah blah. I've heard it before. I've been listening to your kind say this for nearly a thousand years. There's a reason why the Old Council disbanded the last Free Pack."
Her smile turned frosty.
"It's been true for just as long. The prejudice that exists against shape shifters in OUR community is only going to exacerbate the fear and discomfort the humans feel for them. It is time that we all recognized that shape shifters deserve the same humane treatment that any other Old One or Ephemeral does."
Duo rolled his eyes.
"Have you ever seen what a shape shifter can do to a human child? How quickly they can rip through all of that soft skin – how much blood is inside such a tiny thing? Good blood, all wasted?"
"Anyone can make the choice to do something like that," Catherine shot back.
"That's just it – YOU don't make the choice. When a shape shifter is under control of the moon, they aren't rational. You can't change that. It's better that they're kept by the powerful Old Ones. Safer for everyone."
"WE aren't pets," Sylvia practically shrieked.
"I'm sorry to interrupt," Quatre jumped in, "but, could you please explain the situation better? Catherine," he added when Duo started to speak again.
"Thank you," Catherine said. She glared at Duo again, but then turned to Quatre. "As I stated early, I am here as a representative of the Free Members Society. We are an organization of shape shifters without masters, and we are eager to petition the Arbiter, and the United States government, for the right to form packs, as we once had the right to do in the Old Country."
"Haven't had that right in four hundred years," Duo put in snidely.
"That is true," Catherine acknowledged. "And ever since then, my kind has been treated as the animals our magical forms take. We are abused, drugged, caged, and there exists no legal recourse for us."
Quatre frowned and looked at Duo.
"Is this true?"
"Kind of," Duo allowed.
"Kind of?" Quatre echoed in disbelief.
"Ask her why they aren't allowed to form packs anymore."
"The actions of a few –"
"The last free pack, the Rattus Arcana, were responsible for the worst human massacre ever carried out by magical beings," Duo jumped in when it was clear she wouldn't actually tell the story.
"I've never heard anything about this," Quatre said.
"Yeah, well, it's not a nice, fuzzy tale so it probably didn't make it into the arguments for legalizing magic in the States. Look – you've heard of the town of Hamelin, right?"
"With the Pied Piper?" Quatre asked. "That's just some children's story – and doesn't mention anything about shape shifters."
"No, your version doesn't. The real story does. See, this town of Hamelin was infested with rats. Not ordinary rats, mind you, but shape shifter rats. The nulls that lived there didn't know that, they just knew that these large, furry beasts that looked like really huge rats were killing off all manner of small animals and ruining a lot of their crops. So, they hired the Pied Piper, who happened to be an Ephemeral whose powers lay along the lines of influencing others, especially Shape shifters. So, he tried to lure them out of the city with his magical pipe playing skills. His plan was to put them in cages and sell them as food. A few of the younger, weaker rats fell for his magic, but the older ones didn't. In retaliation, they killed all of the children in Hamelin. All three hundred of them."
Quatre looked shell shocked by this story, and Catherine's face was drawn into a grim expression.
"What happened?"
"All of the others willingly disbanded – or, if not disbanded, swore allegiance to a powerful Old One. That's actually been the way we've done things for hundreds of years. No one has ever really trusted shape shifters, and if you've got an Old One to take responsibility for the pack, it makes things easier. But the Rattus Arcana didn't want to swear their allegiance to anyone – sported this same drivel about having the right to be their own masters that SHE'S saying, right now. So, they went on a bit of a rampage through Germany, killing children, until they were stopped and exterminated."
"Did you -?" Quatre started to ask.
"Yes, I did." Duo's feelings about shape shifters had already been well-formed by that point, but tracking the sixty-member pack of rats through villages for six months, always arriving to see the villagers burying the mangled remains of their children, had solidified his opinion of them.
"It's true that some of my kind have evil tendencies. Just like any race. We could sit here and list all of the terrible things that vampires have done, or any number of crimes committed by Old Ones. It isn't just shape shifters that do this."
"You're right about that," Duo agreed. "But once a month you can't control yourselves – no one race has that issue."
"Alphas can," Catherine pointed out.
Duo sneered. "And how many of those do you see these days?"
"Alphas?" Quatre interjected.
Duo made a mental note to start writing a dictionary for him.
"Shape shifters come in all different kinds – pretty much every animal has a magical, shape shifter version. Just like Old Ones and Ephemerals aren't all equal, some of these shape shifters are more powerful. The most powerful ones are Alphas – and yeah, they can control their shifting better, and can actually keep themselves from shifting during the moon. IF they have a pack, they can also keep them from shifting."
"So, why aren't there more Alphas?"
"Because Alphas don't like being treated like slaves. They usually get themselves killed not long after they get sworn to service by an Old One." Duo shrugged. "Maybe if there were more Alphas –"
"There are . Especially in the States. They've been able to hide themselves better, and there are so many of us who want to be productive members of society. We don't want to be pets. We're better than just being servants to vampires or witches."
Quatre was frowning.
"There isn't any legislation prohibiting the formation of a pack in the United States that I've seen."
"Not that you've seen," Duo agreed, "but the Council would have to approve it –and I guarantee you that they won't."
Catherine sighed.
"You could at least pretend to care."
"I could – but that would be lying. I don't trust shape shifters, sorry if that offends you. And before you got getting too offended – I don't trust vampires, or witches, or Faeries, or any other kind of monster much either. You said you knew me by reputation, and if you do, then you know that."
"Yes, I had heard that your hatred of shape shifters was rivaled only by your self-hatred."
Duo inclined his head in agreement.
"I can't make any promises, Ms. Bloom, but I do want to help. I'll do everything that I can to try."
"Thank you, Mr. Winner. Here is my card. And please, if you ever need help – know that we are prepared to assist the Arbiter however we may. And even the Executioner can attest to the power of having an army of shape shifters on your side."
She spared Duo one more glare and then she left.
"Well, that was tons of fun," Duo muttered.
"Do you really believe that they deserve to be enslaved?" Quatre asked.
"No, of course not. I just – I've seen what a pack of shape shifters can do, and I don't want to have to clean up behind them again."
"But a good Alpha –"
"An Alpha is just a leader. He can be good, or he can be bad." Duo shrugged. "I've had, literally, centuries, to be prejudiced about this. But hey, I could be wrong."
Quatre still looked troubled.
"This is just one of those things, Quatre. You can leave it the way it is – which is the way it's been for four hundred years – or you can try and fix it."
"You think I should leave it."
"Doesn't matter what I think. You want my advice – yes, steer clear of this. But if this is something you want to pursue, then… I'll do what I can to help."
"Thank you. I'll… think on it."
Duo nodded and rose.
"You should go and get some sleep," he told Quatre. "It's almost two in the morning."
"What if –"
"If someone comes by, they'll leave a message. You need to start adjusting your schedule, though. You should have a day shift working here for anyone who sends a servant – or doesn't have issue with sunlight, but you should try to be here during evening hours. That is when the important people will come by. But – keep in mind that you're the Arbiter. It's kind of like being a prince, people should wait on you, not the other way around."
Quatre frowned, but nodded in agreement.
"Okay – so, I'll see you here tomorrow after sunset?"
Duo grinned.
"Count on it."
When Duo met Quatre at his office the next evening it was just after sunset. He walked in and saw yet another face from the past he would rather have never seen again.
"Oh, for fuck's sake."
"Duo. It's so good to see you again."
Sylvia Noventa rose and held his gaze, her blue eyes full of power. Duo sighed and bowed to her. She smiled in pleasure.
Like Zechs, she too had changed little except to update her wardrobe. She was wearing a flowing silk dress that made her eyes look even more blue and moved around her body as though it had a life of its own. Her blonde hair was pulled back into an elaborate bun, leaving her long neck bare. Her pale skin gleamed in the low light, giving her an ethereal beauty.
"I was just getting acquainted with the new Arbiter," Sylvia said with an expansive gesture towards Quatre.
Duo looked at him and noticed that the blonde looked half in thrall of her. He rolled his eyes. Sometimes humans were so easy to manipulate.
"You weren't at the Council meeting," Duo said. He walked over and perched on the edge of Duo's desk, unable to help the instinct to put himself between the blonde man and the vampire.
"No, I wasn't. I had…business to attend to."
Duo frowned. That was two of the oldest and most powerful Council members that clearly hadn't been informed that the Arbiter was visiting. Duo wracked his memory, but most of the Council members had been unfamiliar faces. He had really only recognized Noin and Treize himself. What was going on?
"Ms. Noventa has been discussing a few issues that the Council would like to see addressed," Quatre said.
"Oh, please call me Sylvia," she said with a smile that showed off her sharp, pearly white teeth.
"Sorry – Sylvia."
Duo turned and saw that Quatre was actually blushing, as though this was some kind of date.
"Sylvia, give the kid a break, please," he asked.
She pouted, but drew in a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they were still very blue, but some of the power in them had been absorbed and she looked almost human.
"Is that better?" She asked.
"Yes, thank you," Quatre said, still blushing.
"I can sense that you are a powerful empathy – you should be able to construct mental defenses against most vampire powers," Sylvia said in a conversational tone. "At least, Anthony could. And you certainly seem as powerful as he was. Don't you think so, Duo?" She turned to him with a sweet smile.
Duo returned the smile.
"You know, it's funny how you keep bringing him up. It's like the entire Council forgot that I was willing to risk banishment just to avenge his death. Do you really think that I've forgotten how much I hate all of you after just a hundred years away?"
Sylvia turned away in dismissal.
"I do not represent the Council as a whole, but I do represent a sizable faction of the Council who would like to see reform made to our society."
Duo frowned. He never would have thought that Sylvia Noventa would lead a rebellion against Treize, but it certainly sounded as though she was hinting at just that.
"What kinds of reform?" Quatre asked.
"Our justice system is the most antiquated, and I feel that if we can improve that, we will be able to improve the quality of life for many Old Ones and Ephemerals."
"What exactly –"
"It is something better witnessed than explained. Wouldn't you agree, Duo?"
Duo frowned. He wasn't sure that he did agree. If he had his way, he would rather Quatre never be forced to see what passed for Council justice.
"In two nights time Treize will be presiding over the Court. As Arbiter, it is your right to attend. I encourage you to do so. In fact, I would be honored to have my servant escort you."
Duo frowned. Sylvia had definitely just issued a demand that Quatre attend, and it was obvious that the blonde intended to go along with her.
"Of course. Thank you for bringing this to my attention."
"Thank you for being so open. I look forward to a… long future of working with you." She smiled at Duo. "Do take better care of this one, he seems like a great improvement on the previous model."
Duo barely restrained himself from lashing out at her, but managed to contain himself to just a glare.
After she left, Quatre let out an explosive sigh.
"Why does everyone hate you?" He demanded.
"They're just jealous, I expect," Duo tried to joke. He got up and sat down in the cold seat that Sylvia had just vacated.
Quatre was frowning at him.
"I'm serious."
Duo shrugged.
"I already told you – I used to be the Executioner. There's a lot of resentment towards me because I used to have the authority to kill anyone I wanted to. And… well, the shape shifter community has had a thing against me ever since the Hamelin incident. Sylvia, I guess, has a pretty legitimate reason to hate me."
Quatre waited for him to explain, an expectant look on his face.
"Noventa – Crassus Noventa – was both her father and her maker. When I killed him, I killed the only family she had ever had… so I can understand her holding a bit of a grudge over it."
Quatre checked his watch.
"Have you eaten yet?" He asked Duo.
"Ah – no." Duo was confused at the abrupt change in conversation.
"Good, join me for dinner?"
Duo frowned but rose and followed Quatre out of the office.
"I guess you're taking this whole not waiting around thing seriously, then?" He asked, proud that Quatre was adapting so quickly.
"Not really – I've already had plans for tonight and I couldn't cancel."
Duo frowned.
"Wait, are you asking me to tag along on a date with you?"
Quatre grinned ruefully.
"Not exactly. Look – it's kind of complicated, but I had planned to meet a friend for dinner, and I'd like you to come along as well. I think you would like him – and it's not as if you're overwhelmed with friends, is it?"
Duo had to concede that point. His 'friends' had a bad habit of dying, or getting killed just by being associated with him.
"Okay, fine."
Quatre grinned broadly and Duo found himself returning the expression.
"Excellent. I really think you'll like him – and the restaurant. It's one of my favorites."
It turned out that Quatre was right on both counts. The restaurant, Firefly, was just off the Strip. It was a Tapas restaurant, and even though it was just after eight, the place was already packed with fashionable young people enjoying a meal or a drink at the bar.
Quatre gave his name to the hostess and they were immediately led to low table surrounded by what looked like ottomans. Seated on one of them was an incredibly handsome man. He stood when he noticed them approaching and smiled slightly at Quatre.
"Hey!" Quatre greeted the man with a hug.
"I was beginning to think you stood me up," the man said, his gaze switching from Quatre's face to Duo's, a question in his gaze.
"I'm sorry, I got caught up at work. Ah, this is Duo Maxwell. Duo, I'd like you to meet Trowa Barton."
Trowa held out his hand. Duo tried to sense whether or not the man was just a null, or something more. He detected a very faint trace of magic, but it was so weak that he doubted Trowa even knew it was there.
Duo shook his hand.
"Nice to meet you," he said.
"Likewise." Trowa's green eyes were very warm as they held Duo's gaze.
"So, shall we sit and order drinks?" Quatre asked into the silence between them.
Duo forced himself to look away from Trowa and he nodded in agreement.
They sat down and Duo tried to listen to Quatre explain the menu, but his attention was constantly drawn back to Trowa. The man was insanely good looking, but there was something beyond his looks that kept drawing his attention. It seemed that the attraction was mutual, because Trowa stared right back at him, an amused, half smile curving his lips.
The ringing of a cell phone interrupted them and surprised Duo into looking away.
It was Quatre's phone, and the blonde man excused himself to take the call.
"So… you're a friend of Quatre's."
"Yes. A new friend, actually." Trowa smirked slightly. "We got set up on a blind date last week."
Duo frowned. "I didn't realize Quatre was gay."
"He's not," Trowa assured him. "He didn't realize that he was being set up with a guy – and I didn't realize that I was being set up with a straight guy."
Duo winced.
"But he's a great guy – and we did hit it off. So… "
"Now you've got a new straight friend," Duo filled in.
"Exactly. How do you know him?"
"I work with him, actually."
"Oh." There was a certain blankness in Trowa's expression that told Duo that Quatre had not filled Trowa in on the details of his professional life. Duo wasn't in a hurry to change that.
"I'm really sorry," Quatre was back, slightly flushed. "But I have to go. Something's come up."
Duo frowned and started to stand.
"Who –"
"No, no, it's ah, a family thing. Look, why don't you two stay and have dinner? And… I'll call you later?" Quatre looked at both of them, his eyes big and filled with hope and apology.
"You're sure everything's okay?" Duo asked.
"Yes, I'm sure." Quatre nodded emphatically.
Duo exchanged an amused glance with Trowa.
"Call me if you need me for anything tonight?" Duo suggested.
"Of course. Er – have a good night." And with that the blonde made a speedy get away.
"He has got to be the world's worst liar," Trowa said.
Duo chuckled.
"That was the most obvious set up I have ever been part of."
"So…" Trowa looked slightly embarrassed. "You are gay, right? Because I don't know if I could sit through two dates in a row with incredibly good looking straight men and not develop a complex."
"No need for that," Duo assured him with a grin. "So, what's good here?"
The next two hours passed surprisingly quickly, and Duo realized that this was the most relaxed he had felt in years. Trowa proved to be intelligent and clever, and Duo enjoyed the other man's stories about life in Las Vegas.
After dinner they walked the two blocks back to the Strip and to Duo's apartment.
"Well," Duo said when they reached the door to his apartment. He scratched the back of his neck. This part was always awkward for him. Humans were so fickle, sometimes: they either wanted to rush headlong into a new relationship or they held themselves back. Saying goodnight after a first date was always his least favorite part. His tension about whether to kiss Trowa or invite him in was compounded by his guilt for even wanting to do either.
There was a slight smirk curving Trowa's lips. He was very handsome, and very, very human. Duo sighed.
"Look, I think you're great – I haven't laughed so much in a long time – and you're intelligent, and hot as hell."
"But?" Trowa prompted, the smirk still on his face. Duo mentally added confidence to his list of good features.
"But I'm… I'm not human. And I'm dangerous."
Trowa was silent for a long moment.
"Well, as long as we're sharing, I work at Chippendale's. I'm a performer."
"You're a stripper?"
"Performer," Trowa corrected, a little frostily. "There's a difference."
Duo couldn't help the leer that formed on his face.
"But still, you do take off your clothes. To music."
Trowa rolled his eyes.
"Weren't you just trying to break up with me after our first date?" He reminded Duo.
His tone helped Duo focus back on his original intentions.
"Yeah, look, you seem really, really great. And I can't involve you in my life, the people… the things I deal with."
"So you're trying to protect me?" Trowa seemed amused.
"I'm not talking about some drunk chicks who try to feel you up – I'm talking about vampires and werewolves and witches and –"
"Oh my," Trowa whispered, that damn smirk still on his face. He closed the distance between them, backing Duo up against the door to his apartment. "You do realize that I'm not a child, and that I can probably decide for myself if this isn't something I want to get involved in."
Duo rolled his eyes. "I've heard that before – look, you don't understand. You can't understand. Just trust me –"
"You talk too much," Trowa suddenly interrupted him. He leaned in and brushed his lips against Duo's, soft yet firm.
The touch of Trowa's warm, smooth lips against his own was electric, and when Trowa's tongue darted out to taste him, Duo felt a coil of frission deep inside that started to spread throughout his body.
Trowa pulled back, and the smirk was broader now.
"How about a deal? As soon as I'm ready to walk away, I will."
Before Duo could respond, Trowa turned and walked away, leaving Duo to stare after him. Once he had turned the corner and was out of sight, Duo slumped back against his door.
"Fuck me," he muttered. He had not anticipated the slightly reticent, sharp witted man to have that much confidence.
He shook himself, turned, and opened the door to his apartment.
Instantly, he knew that something was wrong. It was very dark, with only the dim glow of neon streaming through the blinds and curtains offering faint illumination in the room.
Duo could feel no magical residue of any kind, except for the light wards he had put up a few days ago. He reached out, but those were undisturbed.
Still, something was off.
He slowly and quietly closed the door behind him, locking it.
There was a sudden movement hurtling through the dark, and Duo was shoved back against the door by a solid weight. He grappled with it, feeling a very human and very strong frame beneath his hands. He managed to land a solid punch to the face of his attacker before his arms were wrenched down to his sides.
He managed to throw both of them to the floor, crashing into what felt like a table as they did, and the human rolled away, leaving Duo crouched down behind his couch, trying to anticipate the next move.
He didn't have to wait long. There was a skitter of noise from the kitchen. Duo was up on his feet a second before he realized it was probably a distraction.
He was attacked from behind this time, and a steely forearm wrapped around his throat, pressing against his windpipe and holding him securely in place.
The firm body pressed against his back was familiar, and Duo drew in a deep breath. There was a hint of pine. He smirked as he recognized his attacker.
Duo looped one of his legs through the human's and jerked, upsetting his balance and freeing himself as the human struggled to hang on. Duo spun around and shoved the human against the nearest wall, wincing when he heard the crunch of glass breaking.
He felt a very brief moment of victory before the human punched him in the gut, doubling him over in pain. The human then kicked him, and Duo fell to the ground. He rolled over, clutching his stomach, and could see the shadowy human poised above him, a booted foot prepared to strike out again.
Duo grabbed the foot and twisted, sending the human sprawling to the floor with a hiss of pain. It took Duo a few breaths to regain his feet, and the human was up to meet him when he stood, a silver knife in his hand, flashing dangerously in the dim light.
Frowning, Duo started to take this seriously. He dropped into a defensive posture and managed to avoid the first three swipes of the blade cleanly. On the fourth, he tried to grab the human's arm, and succeeded in pulling the man against him, the knife still in his hand. Duo slammed the arm against the wall, but the grip on the knife stayed firm.
Duo tried to twist the human around in front of him, but the man took that as an opportunity to deliver a swift kick to Duo's right shin, and he buckled slightly. He kept his grip on the arm, however, and it was a struggle as the man tried to free himself and Duo refused to let go.
There was a whisper of sound, and the familiar click of a gun being cocked. Duo felt a cold barrel pressed against his skull.
"Like a gun is going to do much damage," he sneered.
"Silver bullets. There isn't MUCH in your head, but what there is surely won't survive." The voice was cold and harsh.
With a sigh, Duo released the arm and stepped away.
"You always have to win," he muttered.
"I do always win," came the correction.
Duo turned on a lamp and surveyed the damage to his living room. They had crashed into a side table, and it was a mess of splintered wood on the floor, and the "house warming gift" 13th century map that Quatre had given him was hanging at an angle, the glass of the frame jagged and broken. Duo winced.
He turned to survey his attacker and winced again as he saw the bruise forming high on his cheek and the streaks of bloody scratches on his forehead.
The man was Duo's height, and his frame was lean and powerful, the muscles in his arms well defined and bare below the sleeves of his fitted t-shirt. The man's features were exotic, his large blue eyes framed by thick lashes, high cheekbones, and his skin was a dark golden tan. His mouth was a firm line that looked unaccustomed to smiling. The man brushed his messy chocolate hair out of his eyes.
"I could have killed you that time."
Duo rolled his eyes. "I missed you too, Heero."
There was a slight hesitation – the same hesitation that there always was between them – and then they crashed together. Duo wrapped his arms around the man and pulled their bodies flush, reveling in the heat and the firm body. Heero buried both his hands in Duo's hair and pulled their faces together, meeting Duo's mouth with his own in a furious, open mouth kiss.
Their hands were everywhere as they pulled at each other's clothes and luxuriated in the feel of each other's skin. Duo tried to walk them backwards into his bedroom, but they only made it as far as the doorway before Heero turned and pushed them to the ground.
Heero straddled Duo's hips, grinding against him through the fabric of their pants, and Duo groaned.
"God, I've missed you."
Heero's face was completely serious as he looked down at Duo, his eyes seeming to catalog and memorize him. His eyes latched on to the scar near Duo's jaw, and Duo dragged him down for another kiss, unwilling to discuss it at the moment.
They scrambled out of the rest of their clothes and lay naked on the cold, wooden floor, the feel of it under Duo's back a wonderful contrast to the heat of Heero's body.
"I want you in me," Heero grunted as Duo's right hand latched on to his erection and started to pump him.
"You sure?" Duo asked, not able to keep the surprise out of his voice. Duo could count one hand the number of times that Heero had bottomed for him. It was almost always the other way around.
Heero's eyes were closed, and an expression between pain and pleasure was on his face.
"Yes," he hissed.
Duo flipped them and knelt down between Heero's legs. Heero's eyes were still closed, and Duo took the opportunity to do his own cataloguing, noting all of the new scars and the number of faded bruises on the perfectly sculpted body beneath him. He continued to work Heero's erection, but his attention was caught by the wicked looking scar that tracked across Heero's heart and down his side. It was three jagged lines, and it looked as though it had been deep. SHAPESHIFTER, Duo decided.
Heero groaned and his hips rose off the floor to meet Duo's hand. He turned his focus back to the task at hand and leaned down to lick Heero's impressive erection. He tasted the salty precum on the tip of his penis and then took the entire length into his mouth, feeling the head nudge at the back of his throat. He worked it in and out several times, feeling Heero's muscles start to clench under his hands and hearing his breathing become more ragged and uneven.
"I'm close – stop." It was a command, and Duo reluctantly released Heero. He rose and went in search of lube, but could find none. He hadn't really planned on having sex with anyone so soon. But then, he never planned things where Heero was concerned.
"I don't –"
Heero was already up on his feet, brushing past Duo and pulling a bag from under Duo's living room couch. Duo rolled his eyes at Heero's paranoia, but was grateful for his Boy Scout mentality of always being prepared when Heero flipped a soft tube of lubricant at him.
Duo caught it, but momentarily forgot about it as he watched Heero continue to stroke himself, keeping his erection firm, and keeping himself on the cusp of orgasm.
"You are so beautiful," Duo muttered as he opened the lube and spread some over his own erection, stroking himself a few times, matching his rhythm to Heero's. The other man's eyes were focused on Duo's hands, and his skin was flushed red.
Duo smirked, released himself, and put more lube on his fingers. He pounced onto Heero, sending him falling to the floor behind the couch. Duo teased his tight ring of anal muscles while kissing him.
Their tongues battled for control and then Heero moaned into his mouth as Duo pumped in first one and then two fingers. Heero's hips jerked up to meet him again, and Duo pulled his fingers out and positioned himself at the entrance. With one swift motion he was inside of the hot, tight sheath of muscles.
Heero groaned and Duo kissed him again, driving in and out of the strong body beneath his without restraint.
Duo snaked a hand between their bodies and latched onto Heero's erection, pumping him in rhythm to his own movements.
Soon, they were both panting heavily, and the rush of blood in Duo's head drowned out of his other senses. Heero's hips jerked convulsively, and Duo felt the hot flood of semen on his hand just as he was pulled deeper into Heero's body by his climaxing muscles. The intense pressure brought on his own orgasm.
He collapsed onto Heero, completely spent.
"Thank you."
Duo rolled his eyes and rolled off of the man.
"Don't say it like that."
"Like what?" Heero demanded, his voice neutral.
"Like it was a favor or something."
"It was… appreciated. I needed it."
Duo groaned.
"Seventy years and you still can't accept the fact that this isn't some sort of… trade negotiation. I fuck you because I like to – not because I want something from you."
He looked over to see Heero frowning slightly. He sighed and got to his feet.
"I'm getting a towel," he said when Heero's narrowed gaze focused on him.
"Hn."
Duo came back and mopped up the sticky mess on Heero's chest and his own, then handed the towel to Heero so that he could finish cleaning himself.
Duo leaned back against the couch, enjoying the view. Heero rose, but instead of handing back the towel, he took it into another room and Duo could hear him open and close the washing machine. He rolled his eyes. Of course Heero had inspected every nook and cranny of the apartment. The floorplan was no doubt stamped into his brain forever now.
"Come on," he tugged Heero into the bedroom, and this time they made it to the bed. Duo picked up the abandoned lube on the way, and set it on his bedside table.
"This is new," Heero said, tracing a finger over the scar on Duo's jaw.
"Nothing serious – a slight misunderstanding."
"When?"
"Two – no, three years ago now."
Heero was scowling.
"Dead?"
"Yes."
Heero nodded.
"You've got a few new decorations, too," Duo said, indicating the scars over Heero's heart.
Unconsciously, the stoic man traced the scars on his own chest.
"Six months ago. Brazil. Shape shifter pack. They've been eliminated."
"Close call?"
Heero shrugged, but that told Duo all he needed to know. He sighed.
"Shouldn't the scar be gone by now?" He asked.
Heero smirked.
"Silver tipped claws."
Duo winced. "But – wouldn't that hurt them too?"
"They weren't rational."
Which wasn't saying much, coming from Heero Yuy.
"It will heal, just takes longer," Duo said, answering the question that Heero didn't ask.
Heero nodded. He leaned back against the headboard and stretched out. Duo laid down beside him.
"Why are you in Las Vegas?" He asked Duo.
"Council shit." Duo sighed. "The new Arbiter – well, it's a long story. But basically, Council shit." He rolled onto his side and ran a hand over Heero's well defined abdominal muscles.
Heero's blue eyes were dark as they held Duo's own. Duo smirked and leaned down, using his tongue to trace the scars over Heero's heart.
"So what brings you to Vegas?" Duo asked. "Work or pleasure?" He nipped Heero's left nipple gently.
"Work."
Duo nodded and started a trail of open mouthed kisses up Heero's throat, enjoying the taste of his sweaty skin and the feel of his thready pulse beneath his tongue and teeth.
Heero was a very good, very highly paid assassin. He specialized in killing magical creatures and magic users. What made him so unique was the fact that he was human, and had absolutely no magical ability. For years, Heero had been under government contract, but in recent years he had gone into the private field. He only took on those jobs that promised to be the most difficult, and most dangerous.
Duo thought he was probably Heero's only friend, and certainly the only person Heero trusted enough to take with him as backup on his missions. Heero called him in to help whenever he thought his target would be too much of a challenge for him alone. Duo didn't get those calls often anymore, and it had been four years since he had last seen Heero.
"Who's the mark?" He asked the question against the shell of Heero's ear.
"You."
Up Next: More fun and surprises!