Disclaimer: Not mine T_T
Rating:
K (atm but it will change as the story goes deeper)
Pairings:
6x2(main pairing), 4xH, others undecided as of yet (v.o)
Summary:
Duo is the Joker according to everybody's believe, Zechs sees beyond that facade, but knows that they both have secrets that are not easily told. Because nothing is what it seems… warnings: AU, unintended oc, probably, maybe and here and there some angst hehehe.

Authors note: Because my first chapter was a big success for me, well I mean, I loved my chapter, I doubt I should say that about my own chapter, I'm in no way apologizing for loving my own chapter XP. For the first time I'm trying to make the relationship go slow, especially with the lives they have lead or are leading. Well you know nothing about it as of yet, but I do. So I'm going to drop hints all over the place, but I want every character developed in this story. This also means I will dive deeper into Sally, Quatre, Heero, Hilde, Treize and all the others yet to come. So probably not in this chapter but in the further chapter you will learn slowly more about the others. Some actions and some bits and pieces will seem pointless to you in the beginning, but might become more clear as I further my story. So have fun (v.o)

Talking: "Blablabla"
Thinking:
'Blablabla'

Nothing is what it seems - Chapter 2

Duo woke up with a startle, he had nightmares, cold sweat was dripping from his head and he could feel the damp on the back of his neck and down on his back. Sometimes his nightmares were worse than other nights where he had no nightmares, but from time to time they were bound to come back and hunt him down. His ghosts were whispering in the shadows of the night. Duo turned on the light, it was still night. He was sure he couldn't sleep until his emotions had calmed down, so he got a book and started reading. Reading had always been his escape, when he was reading he could be someone else and live their dreams, hopes and fears. That was probably why he had chosen for a literature study instead of something else, because through books he could lead a life he wanted to live.

The alarm clock was ringing and Duo cursed at the alarm clock as he got out of bed to turn off the alarm.

"Stupid alarm." Duo muttered as he walked to the bathroom. Duo took out the tie in his hair so he could unbraid his hair. After that he undressed so he could take a shower. The warm water that caressed his body felt good to him. He felt his worries and fears go down the drain. He still hadn't made up his mind about whether he would write for the schools newspaper, he still needed more information from Treize about what it meant.

Duo got his bag and left the apartment as he was standing in the elevator he heard someone yell, "Please hold the elevator." A clearly groggy Zechs got in the elevator.

"Good morning Zechs." Duo grinned.

"What are you so happy about this early in the morning." Grumbled Zechs.

"Ya know it's a new day and all that shit." Duo patted Zechs on the back while laughing, "what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Why are you all groggy in the morning?"

"Ah, I was working on something and didn't fall asleep until early this morning." Answered Zechs as he started to fix his long blond hair, he didn't added that he fell asleep on his desk.

"I know how that feels." Said Duo as he started thinking about the book he had been reading, it had been so very hard for him to put it away.

"So on your way to university?" asked Zechs and Duo got pulled out of his musings.

"Yeah, I have classes today."

"And have you thought about Treize's proposition?" asked Zechs carefully.

"Yes and no, not sure what I'm going to do about that." Said Duo while giving Zechs a apologetic smile.

"Treize isn't that bad, I know there are a lot of rumors about him, but…" started Zechs.

"You two must be good friends." Said Duo cutting of whatever Zechs was going to tell.

"Yes, most people don't get him, well even I don't get him all the time, but he strives to make people be the best they can be." Told Zechs.

"Even you?" Wondered Duo.

Zechs chuckled but didn't gave an answer this left Duo to wonder.

XxX

"Duo, what did you think?" Duo snaps up when he hears the sentence directed at him.

"Well, I think not just the main characters are interesting, the killers role is very interesting too." Says Duo.

"Why would you say that?"

"I think he means that the killer is a victim which makes it interesting." Says someone else.

"No that isn't what I meant. I meant to say, half way in the book you have no sympathy for the killer, but on the end you know why she did what she did and suddenly you sympathize with this woman who is still a killer. That part is very well written, it even makes you think Scarpetta is unreasonable about not feeling sorry for her." Told Duo, "A killer is still a killer no matter what she's been through."

"That's a good point of view." Said the professor.

Duo tuned out the rest of the course while began to wonder, 'People easily sympathize with people who have been through a great deal, but in the end if you aren't able to deal with what you've been through then you will be helpless.' This book had brought back some unwanted memories and some things he didn't want to deal with.

'DIS huh? Wouldn't it be great if he had that, that would mean a part of him would deal with everything. But he just closed himself of for everything.' Duo never meant that his thoughts were this harsh, of course having DIS wouldn't be good, but he couldn't help his thoughts.

"Well this is it for today, don't forget to hand in your assignments on time." The Professor dismissed the class. Duo didn't even know what the Professor had been talking about for the last half hour. They started about discussing how characters wouldn't look "flat". 'If I would be written, I think me playing with the end of my braid a lot would make me less flat. Also my past would make me give dept.' Duo got up from his seat flipping his braid over his shoulder and walked out of the lecture hall.

XxX

"Duo!" Quatre looked at Duo worried.

"I zoned out again didn't I?" asked Duo with a grin while Quatre just nodded, they were walking around the campus of the university and Quatre had been telling about classes, Hilde and his 29 sisters.

"Is there something you need to tell me?"Asked Quatre worried.

"Nah I was just thinking," sighed Duo, "Oh wait I do have to tell you something." It was as if a light bulb went on above his head.

"Huh?" Quatre looked confused, his friend had looked depressed before, but now he looked more enthusiastic.

"Just promise me you won't jump out of your skin, okay?" Duo looked pleading at his friend. Quatre looked at Duo suspiciously and reluctantly nodded.

"Well, Treize asked me to write for the schools newspaper." Duo looked at Quatre's reaction on the news.

"That's great, you are so fitted to write for the newspaper." Said Quatre excited.

"So you are not angry?" asked Duo worried.

"No way, why should I?"

"Well because of Treize…." Duo thought it was obvious.

"Yes, I have my suspicions about Treize and well who wouldn't, Treize is weird, he like a crossover between Ares and Cupid." Quatre seemed to wave weird thoughts away.

"Yeah just leave it to you to make weird Greek analogies." Grinned Duo as he saw a matchmaker from hell in his mind.

Quatre laughed too, "Well he is like half evil, but other than that he does look good." Duo raised an eyebrow at Quatre's remark but kept grinning.

"What are you two laughing about?" asked a voice suddenly, Duo and Quatre looked up and saw Heero standing there with his eyebrows raised.

"Hiya Hee-chan." Laughed Duo.

"Baka"

Quatre giggled, "Hello Heero." Heero just nodded at Quatre's welcome.

"So what are you two up to?" asked Heero again.

"Nothing much, just chillin and some killin." Duo's movie reference didn't go unnoticed, but Heero just rolled his eyes at it, while Duo and Quatre got back into a laughing fit.

Heero had been used to the two's weird thinking by now, but sometimes it still was irritating. Although at times he found himself laughing with them, but he wouldn't tell them that he thought they were funny at times.

"Oh you brought a friend, hello Wufei." Quatre smiled.

"What's up Wuffers?" Duo said as he snickered.

"It's Wufei, you braided fool." The Chinese man behind Heero said.

"Wu-man it is." Duo grinned as he saw that Wufei's face grew irritated.

"Wufei!"

"who fei?"

"WUFEI!" yelled Wufei as his face got red from frustration. The three other men laughed at Wufei's frustration.

"okay okay, I was just jokin with ya." Said Duo as he patted Wufei on the back.

"Didn't you want to ask Duo something?" asked Heero between snickers.

"Oh yeah, last time you said you could help me get a job." Said Wufei his frustration entirely forgotten.

"You're interested?" asked Duo dumbfounded, he had suggested it a few weeks back but was pretty sure Wufei would never take his offer.

"I wouldn't ask if I wasn't, idiot." Said Wufei as he lightly smacked the back of Duo's head with his hand.

"Oi." Said Duo as he rubbed the back of his head and got a small paper out of his pocket. "Call this number, and say you are calling for a job, be sure to mention my name. Else she'll never let you work for her." Duo handed the paper to Wufei.

Duo didn't mean to sound Sally that harsh, but Sally could be one scary woman if she wanted to.

"Thanks man." Said Wufei.

"Don't mention it." Said Duo waving his thanks away.

"So what are going to do tonight?" asked Quatre.

"Studying." Sighed Heero.

"Why the big sigh?" asked Wufei.

"I fail to understand a certain problem." Sighed Heero, Quatre stared at Heero. Heero was known as somewhat inhuman since he can do everything, him failing to understand a certain problem is a big thing. "Duo is Howard in the city?"

"Yeah, I think he came back somewhere this week." Told Duo. Howard is Duo's uncle that has an degree in engineering.

Then I'm going to visit him, you want to join me?" asked Heero.

"Yeah, I haven't seen the old geezer for a while now." Grinned Duo.

"Sorry to disturb you." Said a voice suddenly behind Duo making him jump around.

"Damn Treize, will you stop scaring the living daylight out of people." Duo half yelled at Treize making him chuckle.

"What can we do for you Treize?" asked Wufei.

"Ah, I have some urgent business to discuss with mister Maxwell." Said Treize, Wufei pulled up his eyebrows but didn't say anything.

"Oh, uhm sure." Said Duo.

"What about Howard?" asked Heero.

"I'm sorry Heero, could you go alone, I'll visit some other time." Said Duo as he made a apologizing gesture.

"Are you coming Duo?" asked Treize.

"Yeah yeah." Said Duo, "Sorry guys I'll see ya tomorrow." Duo followed Treize who was already walking away.

"Will he be okay?" wondered Wufei, Heero looked at Wufei questioningly.

"Yeah he will, he's Duo after all." Grinned Quatre as if Duo being Duo explained everything.

XxX

Even though Treize was normally a nice guy, but still a bit weird and always with a motive. Duo still had felt a bit weird when they entered the teachers faculty when nobody was there.

"So?" asked Treize as they had entered the teachers faculty.

"So what?" wondered Duo.

Treize sighed, "Have you made up your mind about if you want to write for the schools newspaper?"

"No I haven't decided yet, but that's mostly because I have no idea what you expect from me." Told Duo.

"Oh, I didn't explain the details?" Treize chuckled, it was so in character for him to only tell half about what he wanted someone to do that he actually forgot to tell Duo everything.

"No you didn't." accused Duo.

"Well the truth is that the newspaper has a decent fan base, also a lot of former students and former members of the university had an subscription to the newspaper. I want you to interview former members and students from the university that have anything to do with literature as well as write reviews on books that have been written by them." Explained Treize.

"How does that work?" asked Duo interested.

"Well you'll get the assignment from me or the editor in chief and you'll have to make the contact with the person in question." Said Treize knowing that Duo was already dangling on his hook.

"I don't know if I'm a good enough writer to do that." Said Duo, even though he loved books, he wasn't that sure if he could actually write something himself.

"I'm not asking you to write a book, just articles on other their books." Said Treize.

"Why me?" asked Duo eying Treize suspiciously.

"Professor Noventa commented on your essays and since it's rare for him to give comments about anyone's essays let alone voice those comments out loud, that alone was enough to make me interested." Treize saw doubt cloud Duo's face. "Of course I also read your essay about the tension between despair and humor throughout Philip Larkin's work."

"You did?" Duo was amazed, it was true that Professor Noventa had commented on his work, he even had used it as an example in one of his lectures. Suddenly the doubt that seemed to cloud Duo's face had disappeared easily.

"So will you do it?" asked Treize.

"Yes, it sounds interesting enough." Smiled Duo, "But how is it that you can even offer me an job at the schools newspaper?"

"Well I know the editor in chief." Admitted Treize as he smiled slightly, "but here is your assignment." Duo got his assignment pushed into his hands. Before Duo knows it he's already out of the teachers faculty. Duo felt a bit fooled because it felt that Treize already had known that Duo would have accepted.

XxX

On his way home Duo had been reading the assignment, he guessed it would be easy enough. He already read the books by the person in question.

"Duo." The voice made Duo look up from his paper, "Hey Zechs."

"On your way home?" asked Zechs while he started to walk next to Duo.

"Yes." Said Duo as he put his assignment in his bag.

"You accepted Treize's proposal?" asked Zechs nodding towards the assignment Duo was putting in his bag.

"Yeah, he made it sound like something you can't refuse." Grinned Duo.

"Yes, he knows how to push the right buttons." Smiled Zechs, somehow Duo had decided he liked the way Zechs smiled. His smiles were mostly thoughtful, not full blown smiles as he gave them himself.

"So you finished late." Stated Duo.

"Yes, I needed reference books and well lately I've been helping Professor J with his lectures." Explained Zechs.

"You mean like an assistant Professor?" asked Duo.

"Yes sort of, since I haven't concluded my master yet I would be called an undergraduate assistant." Explained Zechs. "You want to get something to drink." Zechs pointed at the bar across the street.

"Sure." Duo actually enjoyed talking to Zechs and he was at the point he wanted to know more about Zechs.

They each ordered drinks when they found a place to sit in the bar, the bar wasn't that busy at the moment, but that wasn't so strange since it was an week day.

"So do you actually get paid for being the professors slave?" Duo grinned as Zechs pulled up his eyebrows.

"No I get credit hours for being a 'slave', as you put it." Explained Zechs, "I could have chosen to get payed, but I chose to get credit hours."

"Why."

"Because it's easier to conclude my studies." Said Zechs.

"oh."

"I guess if you would be asked you would have taken the payment?" asked Zechs.

"Well yes, who wouldn't." grinned Duo.

Zechs started to explain what the credits were used for and Duo couldn't help to notice that Zechs really was beautiful. It wasn't a first that he was attracted to someone, but he couldn't shake the feeling of Zechs. Mostly he felt a purely physical reaction, but this one of the few times he actually liked to get the know the person. Even though Duo was gay he wasn't that blatant about that, but he knew Zechs was straight this did made things a bit difficult. He wouldn't push Zechs into a corner, or at least he hoped he wouldn't.

After drinks each of them went home, they both had assignments and stuff to finish for tomorrow.

XxX

'If you see him standing there you would say it was a normal adult, but when you see him play with those toy cars it's hard to believe that he is an adult.' Duo stared through a window, the man playing with the toy cars couldn't see him, it was better that way according to Duo. 'If he would see me he would get confused, it already happened once.' Duo shuddered lightly. 'I wish we could go back into time, maybe it would have gone differently.' Duo had watched this man many times and even though he felt obligated to go, sometimes he wished he could just forget and move on.

"Ah you are here." Said a voice when the door opened.

"Doctor, how is he?" Duo stood up as the doctor entered the room.

"He is getting there, some days are rough and other days it's like he's back." Said the doctor.

"Oh." Said Duo, 'He's gotten thinner.' "Does he eat enough?"

"Yes, we make sure he gets his nutritions." Said the doctor.

"Okay I guess that is good then." Said Duo.

"How are you doing?" asked the Doctor.

"I'm fine." Said Duo waving the question away.

"Are you having nightmares?" asked the doctor.

"Look Doc, I'm not here to be analyzed." Duo felt the anger boiling in the pit of his stomach.

"I'm sorry Duo, but you are refusing to go and see your brother, I just want to know why. If you don't talk I can't help him to the best of my abilities either." Said the Doctor.

"That is my concern Doc, you just do the best you can." With that Duo walked out of the room. His face was dark and he wanted to forget, he felt a migraine coming. He didn't want to deal with this.

"Duo really you should go and visit your brother sometime, he's been asking about you." Said the doc at last, Duo stopped in his tracks and turned around.

"I can't, don't ask this of me." the Doctor had seen a glimpse of the broken Duo as he said it.

To be continued…

Autors note: Yay another chapter finished, it's a bit shorter than the first chapter but I love itXD. This chapter gives you a lot of new unanswered questions hehehehe. The plot for the next chapter has already been burning in my mind, but it seems I'm unable to write when I have my days off, since now I have about one hour left before I have to go to work while I just had three days off. I could have written three chapters in those days if I would just concentrate on it. Oh well, this is an lovely chapter in my eyes. I have absolutely no idea if everything I write is correct, but just go with the flow (v.o)
So review, flame or whatever you call it that you do XD

Extra notes: My plan was to update every single day in december, but no way I'm gonna make it, since I just don't have enough material to do so T.T Anyway I will update every other day. All my stories get at least one update this month, some more then others, it will depend on where my inspiration is hehehe ^_^