Disclaimer: I don't own GW or the characters :/ But I own Azrin and the hooded figures(and I guess Abigail).
Note: No pairings(I know Duo calls Hilde his grilfriend, but that's going to change, sorry spoiler)
Death Ward
The darkness surrounded the couple as the two hooded figures stood encircled by black jagged rocks and rough terrain. Mountains covered the distance stretching on forever, reaching up to the night sky as the full moon hung heavy in the starry darkness. Dead trees stood around them, looming over as if to snatch the living and strangle the unsuspecting. The two figures coursed with darkness, the blackest of entities in the surrounding area, frightening even the most dangerous of creatures.
The taller figure crossed his arms, anger and irritation pulsing from his aura as the smaller one stood with a sense of annoyance. "You haven't found him yet?" Asked the shorter figure.
"No, the brat has eluded me." Said the man, his voice dark with distaste.
"We must find him; otherwise it could be our last mission." She said, her voice slight with terror at the mention of their Majesty. They both shuddered slightly with fear.
"He doesn't concern me as much."
The shorter figure's aura gave a curious feel. "What do you mean?"
"It took me forever to find the boy, but when I did, I found he was with some human that could mask auras."
The shorter figure paused. "What?" She fell into thought. "What could mask auras? Is it immortal like us?"
"He seemed human…"
"There's no way."
The man paced back and forth, as if to gather his thoughts. "I don't know what that thing was, but it isn't human. It's hard to get close because of that aura. It's like it's warding off…" He paused, like realization hit him. "Death…"
The shorter figure didn't say anything, watching her comrade and waiting for a conclusion to his thoughts. Finally, he looked at her, his hood covering his eyes. "We will need to find another way to get close to him."
"I agree."
"Well boys, the mission was a complete success." Said Sally as the four of them made their way back to the Preventer Headquarters.
"I see why you needed my skills." Smirked Duo. "We never would have made it in as far without me sneaking in and hacking into the systems."
"Yes Duo, you were a big help." Said Noin.
"But why didn't you ask the others to join?"
"We didn't need that many people." Said Wufei. "Quatre's too busy with his company, Trowa has been working non-stop at the circus, and we can't find Heero. Again."
"Doesn't surprise me." He turned to Sally and Noin in the front seat. "Hey, do you think we could look up Azrin's family when we get back?"
"I actually ran that by Lady Une earlier." Said Sally. "She should have something on him when we get back."
"Awesome, that will narrow down the search." He said, leaning back in his seat and relaxing.
They soon made it to the Cathedral where they dropped off the boy, Sally parking the car outside as Duo told them he would be right back. He entered the church, seeing Azrin and Abigail sitting in the pews at the front talking. Duo was surprised the boy was even acknowledging her existence, let alone talking to her. Maybe he could get her to take care of him, so he could get on with his life.
"But I can't leave Duo, Mom said that if something I have to find someone who can take care of me."
Duo paused, neither of them facing him as he made his way over to them, and listened.
"I understand, but I can keep you safe here in the church until we can contact your family."
"It's not that simple…"
"Look, I know you're not from this plane, but trust me, Father can find your family."
Not from this plane? What's that supposed to mean? He was surprised they hadn't noticed him by now, but he always seemed to have that affect. Came with being so good at stealth.
"I understand, but for some reason, he won't go near Duo, even though he's blocked."
Who is "he"? What does he mean by "blocked"? Thought Duo, but continued to stand there listening. They still hadn't noticed him yet, so he figured he could learn a couple things about the boy.
"I see. That is peculiar." She sighed, dejectedly. The boy won out. "Maybe you should study him a little longer before you say anything, okay?"
Duo cleared his throat, catching their attention. He was curious to know what they were talking about, and he knew it concerned him, but he had somewhere to be and he needed to get Azrin home.
Azrin jumped up from his position and ran to him, as Abigail stood and smiled. "He's a cute boy."
"I hear that a lot." Said Duo, frowning. He looked at Azrin. "Are you ready to go? We need to get you home, okay?"
Azrin nodded, taking Duo's hand in his. Duo hadn't seen the kid look so happy. This was bad; he really didn't need to get attached. "Thank you for watching him." Now he sounded like his caretaker…
"Anytime."
"I couldn't find anything." Said Une as the group of them stood in the small meeting room after discussing the successful mission. Everyone looked at her, then the boy. "No birth certificate, nothing. It's like he doesn't exist."
Azrin didn't look surprised, though most everyone in the room was in mild contemplative shock.
Duo turned to him. "Are you sure Azrin is your real name?"
"Yes, why wouldn't it be?"
"You're not lying to us, are you?"
"No, I have no reason to lie."
"Can we try DNA testing?" Asked Sally. "It's really the only way."
"I guess we have to." Une turned to the black haired boy. "Do you mind if we take some blood? We need it to find your home."
Azrin shrugged, then reached in his back pocket and pulled out a switch blade. Everyone stared in shock as he opened it and sliced a cut on his finger, then held it towards Une.
All three women looked horrified, while Wufei looked slightly shocked and Duo became furious, grabbing the knife away from him. "What the hell was that for?! Where'd you get this?!"
"My Dad." He said.
"What kind of father gives a switch-blade to an eight-year old?" Mumbled Sally.
"You said you needed blood, now take it before it heals." Explained Azrin, looking innocent.
Duo grabbed a handkerchief and Azrin's hand and started wiping the blood away. "That doesn't mean you cut yourself! That could cause infection!" He pulled the handkerchief away and looked at the cut. However, it wasn't there. Not a single scratch. He stared at it, and was about to say something when Une interrupted.
"We might as well use the handkerchief. Put a band aid on it." She looked at Azrin with a stern look. "And don't do that again."
Noin took the handkerchief from Duo and the three women walked out to do some more research. Duo was silent, and Wufei was giving them a curious look.
"So, why would you cut yourself Azrin?" Asked Wufei, more out of curiosity than reprimanding.
"It didn't hurt." He said blankly, like he did nothing wrong. Duo was still standing there trying to figure out where the wound had gone. It was a deep cut, because it drew a lot of blood, but yet his finger was completely healed. Who was this kid?
"That's not the point."
"Um, Wufei, can you leave us for a moment?" Asked Duo, still in a slight stupor. "Azrin and I need to talk."
Wufei gave him a questionably look, then nodded and left. He figured Duo had a lot of questions to ask that kid.
Duo turned to Azrin with his hands on his hips and a stern look. "Okay, you have a lot of explaining to do."
Azrin tensed. "What do you mean?"
"What exactly do you mean by 'Death being a part of you', and not a result that happens after life? What were you and that nun talking about when you said I was 'blocked'? And how the hell is there no cut on your finger when we all just saw you slice it up?!"
Azrin sighed and looked down; realizing he hadn't been vague enough and he should have kept more of a lower profile. Unfortunately he was too reckless to care. "If I tell you, you must promise not to say anything to anyone else, okay?"
"Fine, whatever, just tell me."
"You don't understand, if this information gets out, it can have catastrophic repercussions."
"Okay… I promise."
Azrin took a deep breath. "I'm not exactly normal."
"Okay, you're going to have to elaborate."
"I'm not human."
Duo stared at him for a good couple minutes, blinking. "You're what?"
"I'm not human." Azrin repeated, knowing this would be hard for him to swallow.
Duo didn't know whether to take him seriously or not.. "Okay… then what are you?"
"I'm half Grim Reaper."
Duo stared at him for a good couple minutes, then shook his head. "Wait, is this some kind of joke?"
Azrin looked taken back. "Huh?"
"Are you saying this because I went around calling myself the God of Death during the war, and you're trying to imitate me or something?"
The boy looked confused. "I don't know about there being a God of Death, but there are Angels of Death. And what war?"
"Seriously?" The boy looked serious. "Do you expect me to believe you? As far as I'm concerned, you're just a kid with a wild imagination."
"I'm not just a kid! I'm half Reaper! I've seen more death in one year than you probably have in a lifetime!"
Duo laughed. "I highly doubt that." Azrin glared at him. "I was in a war. I've probably killed more people than you've seen on a busy street in New York."
Azrin went pale. "B-But I thought Reapers weren't allowed to kill people…"
"Oh, now you're calling me one too? How ironic!"
"You're at least half! You don't have a lifeline!"
He paused. "A what?"
"A lifeline. Every living being has one, even immortals. The only ones who don't are either dead or they are Grim Reapers… which are technically dead too."
He wasn't convinced. "So you're saying I'm dead now? I feel perfectly alive."
"That's because there's some kind of barrier on you, and I don't know why."
Duo looked away, his anger turning to annoyance. "Whatever, you're just a kid, what do you know?" Duo didn't know what to believe. Everything was just so coincidental. He starts questioning weird events around him, which for some reason seem to elude him from Death. He used to call himself the Shinigami during the war, and liked using the symbol of the Grim Reaper. When he was a kid the only god he believed in was the God of Death. Then this kid shows up out of nowhere spouting off nonsense that makes a little too much sense, but is too unbelievable for him to believe.
Azrin just looked hurt, not even angry. He looked far older than an eight-year old. The boy sounded so sincere, he truly believed what he had just told him. Yet, could Duo believe in the supernatural? He was scientific and realistic, and if he trusted what Azrin told him, it would go against everything he believed in.
Their conversation was interrupted by Une and Sally walking in, finding the two in silence with looks lost in deep thought. They looked from one to the other, then Une cleared her throat. "Um, Duo, can we talk with you?"
"Uh, sure." He said, then looked at Azrin. "Stay here, I'll be right back." Azrin nodded and Duo followed Une and Sally out of the room. "What is it?" He asked.
"We couldn't find anything on the boy." Said Une.
"What, really?"
"Not even through DNA testing." Said Sally. "It's like he doesn't exist."
"So what does that mean?" He asked, his heart thumping loudly in his chest. He didn't want them confirming everything Azrin said to be right.
He paused. Why? Why didn't he want Azrin to be right? It would explain everything. But then again, it would just leave him with more questions, and introduce him to a world he knew nothing about. He didn't know if he could handle that.
"He's obviously an orphan. His records must have been destroyed or something."
"But files are hard to delete completely. Even the colonies couldn't erase Heero Yuy's assassination."
"That's because people remembered it. If no one knows him, then he is more alone than any of you were in the war." Duo looked down. So the kid was just like him?
Things started to fit a little. Maybe he was more like him than he thought? It had only been two years since the war, and not that long ago when Mariemaia attacked. Maybe he was just traumatized and trying to fill in the gaps.
Besides, Duo hadn't been able to find any records on himself either.
"We figure when he talks about his family, he's probably not over their death." Said Une, catching Duo's attention. "He might make up stories to keep them alive, at least to himself. You're going to have to try and be sympathetic."
Could that be why he made all that stuff up? Duo thought, looking down. It's just like how I was, blaming war and death on an imaginary god. Duo suddenly felt sorry for the kid, and realized he could only relate. He was only a child, and the heartbreak of war and death could permanently scar a person into making up stories to keep their loved ones alive. Duo knew God was a simple manifestation created by people to ease their mind after death, and to give reason for the strange things in the world. A child would believe in anything, so everything Azrin said made sense, at least to the child who believed it.
"We should probably send him to an orphanage so they can find a home for him." Suggested Sally.
"No." Said Duo suddenly. The two women looked at him curiously. "I can take care of him." They gave him a shocked look, and he realized even he was shocked by what he said.
Une and Sally scowled. "Duo, a child is a large responsibility. You're only seventeen." Said Sally.
"So? He likes me anyway, and he's like a little brother."
"But Duo…"
Duo turned and grabbed the door knob to the room they left Azrin in. "Besides, I know what it's like to be in his shoes."
Une and Sally gave him a sympathetic look, and watched as he shut the door behind him.
Duo found the boy sitting at the table with his arms crossed in front of his chest and his deep blue orbs staring off into space. He had a blank look, much like someone he knew, and figured he was in deep thought.
"Hey, guess you're stuck with me for a while." Said Duo, smirking playfully.
Azrin looked up at him, then jumped down from his chair and walked over to him. "Where are we going now?"
"Well, you can stay in the spare bedroom at my place for now." He paused, then realization hit him like a slap to the face. "I hadn't told Hilde! She's probably furious with me…" He sighed. "Well, guess you'll get to meet my girlfriend in the worst way."
"You have a girlfriend?"
"Yeah, surprised?"
Azrin shook his head. "I just hope she can deal with the unknown."
Duo stared at him curiously, then reminded himself that the kid had a wild imagination, and he was fabricating supernatural events to explain the horrors he had seen. "Right, she should be fine. Though I didn't really leave on good terms… I hope she's not still mad at me."
To be continued
Third chapter is up! I still need to work on my other story so... don't expect another chapter till Monday lol R&R!
