Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Never Say Let Go ❯ Chapter 9

Title: Never Say Let Go

Author: Skeren Dreamera and Hoshi-Tachi

Note: Sorry it took so long people! I um, was moving states and this was on my harddrive, which got packed.

Chapter nine

It wasn't until after class that the few who'd made nice with Duo had a chance to question him about his life. Or rather, before they managed to pry him away from the ethereal horses he'd been crooning to for the entire class, even going so far as telling Hagrid he'd come back to see them later.

Harry reached the braided teen first. "Hey, Duo? Why do you like those thestrals so much?"

Sending a sideways glance from cobalt eyes, the American quirked his lips. "When I came here, those horses were the first living things that I saw."

The Gryffindor frowned, genuinely perplexed by that statement. "Why would that be important? I mean, you've seen lots of other stuff here by now, haven't you?"

Duo looked away, back towards the Forbidden Forest. "I suppose... but that's really only part of it." His lips quirked self-deprecatingly. "I guess it's because they're a... connection, kinda."

"Connection?" Ron asked, shooting a confused look towards Hermione, who shook her head, not knowing what the boy meant either.

"Yeah." The teenager stared off into the distance, eyes sad. "You can only see them after you've seen someone die. They're almost like Death. So they're a connection to all the people I've cared about who've died."

Hermione caught her breath in her throat. "Who? Who have you lost?" she asked, pitying the poor boy already and ready to offer her sympathy and a shoulder to cry on.

Duo looked back at her, and all four of the students were stunned by the emptiness in his eyes. "Everyone," he said quietly, then turned and walked away.

There was silence among them, three Gryffindors and one Slytherin temporarily united in shock and dismay, for a long time after the young American had vanished from sight beyond the doors of Hogwarts.

By the time they recovered, the American was already well out of sight.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Duo tossed himself on the bunk that was his, almost landing on Sirius, who'd been asleep, curled into the covers. He was quickly awake when he heard that the boy was talking, sounding very depressed.

"You know, I can't believe I said that! I mean. Sure, just because I can see death's horses and all... It's what being Shinigami is all about." He rolled over, burrowing his face into the animagus' side. "I mean, I didn't need to tell them that everyone I loved had died, did I?"

Sirius stiffened, shocked. What...? Everyone?! Eyes wide with horror, he twisted so he could see the teenager's face.

Duo's eyes were shut tightly closed, and his jaw was clenched; Sirius easily recognized the signs of someone who was doing their paramount best not to cry. Whining, he gently touched his nose to the boy's cheek.

Startled, the American opened dark, teary eyes at the cool touch. He stared at the animagus for a long time, then with a sudden, violent shudder, pulled the dog into a desperate hug. "Why do they always leave, Zechs?" he asked softly after a long minute. "Why can't they ever stay with me? Is... is it me? Is it something I did? First Solo, then Father Maxwell, and Sister Helen... I thought Heero was going to stay, I really did, I thought he could survive anything, even me... But then he got sick..."

Sirius wished he could comfort the boy properly, but he couldn't reveal himself to the youth. Maybe eventually, but not yet. It was no wonder he'd cracked... He whined softly instead, nosing at the boy.

"You aren't going to up and die too are ya boy? You were dead where I came from you know... I don't think we ever even formally met, but hey. If I can be the reason so many people died already... People I loved so much... I shouldn't have come here, what if more people just die? It would all by my fault!" He bit his lip, shaking his head a little as he closed his eyes, forcibly holding back the tears.

The animagus gently took the teenager's hand in his mouth, biting down just hard enough to remind him that he was in fact alive and well. Once he was sure he had Duo's attention, he let the hand drop, and growled.

For a moment the young wizard didn't seem to understand, but then his eyes widened, and a tremulous smile made it onto his face. "You... you're not going to leave me?" he asked tentatively.

Sirius shook his head firmly, his ears back. He leaned over and licked Duo's face, and the boy actually laughed. A quiet, not truly happy laugh, yes, but... a start. The animagus would have to be content with that.

Silence descended over the room after that. Duo lay on his bed, curled around his dog. Then, finally, the silence was broken.

"Maybe I shouldn't have come here..." the boy murmured quietly into Sirius' ear. "Even... even if my curse doesn't follow me, I'm still messin' with Death. Maybe I wasn't supposed to follow Heero... It just ain't natural, y'know? Messin' with Death, or with time..." The animagus perked up an ear, puzzled, as Duo shook his head and sighed. "Maybe I should've burned that time-travel spell when I found it..."

When the boy tapered off, Sirius nipped at the back of his hand, giving him a curious stare. He wanted to know just where this kid was coming from. Even if he really wasn't from another time, he clearly must think he was.

"Curious huh? My guess is I'm about three hundred years in the past. I was supposed to come to somewhere when my soul y'know, didn't have a body or anything, so I decided to do it. I was supposed to come to like, my other half, y'know, love of my life and all that? I think I messed it up using my Athame instead of a wand... I mean, I can see you, but I haven't seen him yet..."

Sirius blinked, filing that 'him' away for further thought. And what the hell did the kid mean when he said he could 'see' him? He wasn't seeing through the animagus transformation, could he?

After a moment he shook his head. Nah, that couldn't be it. Duo insisted on calling him "Zechs", but he'd never once referred to him as anything but a dog. An unusual dog, for sure, but still just a dog.

As Duo lapsed into silence once again, staring up at the ceiling of his bed, the animagus rested his head on the boy's stomach. James had always told him his (in Sirius' opinion) healthy sense of curiosity would get him in trouble some day. Sirius knew he was probably right, but still, he couldn't help wanting to figure out the puzzle that was this kid...

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

It was a few hours until Duo was roused out of bed by his stomach, and he realized it was getting dark out. "Oh crap! I missed lunch! Sorry pup, I didn't mean to not feed you! And I have my first potions lesson tonight too..."

Sirius had had plenty of time to decide one thing, without a doubt. The kid wasn't leaving the room without him anymore. He managed to snag the sleeve of his robe in his teeth before he could be locked in again.

Duo glanced down at his newest accessory, surprised. "Huh? You want to come with me, boy?"

Sirius let go of his sleeve and nodded as firmly as he could. The American frowned thoughtfully. "Well..."

The animagus whined as pitifully as he could, gazing up at the boy with his biggest puppy eyes. Duo stood strong at first, but gradually his frown melted, and he finally sighed. "All right. But you have to promise me you won't leave my sight," he said, fixing the wizard at his feet with an uncompromising stare. "You're still healing, and just because I put the fear of God into those brats if I catch them trying anything again, but that doesn't mean they won't have a go at you if I won't see it."

Immediately Sirius started nodding, leaning against the American's side to show his agreement. "Okay, okay. We're going. I bet you're hungry? And I promise that I won't let the teachers make off with you either. Who knows what they'd think if they got a hold on you?"

Shaking his head, the young wizard in training headed down to the great hall, completely ignoring the silence that followed in his wake as he walked past his fellow Slytherins in their common room with his fingers curled into the black fur of the large beast at his side.

It was a relatively quick stroll to the Great Hall, now that Duo knew how to get there on his own. They reached the enormous doors in but minutes. The American pushed open one of the doors, and froze.

Where the hell was he going to sit?

He'd genuinely enjoyed eating at the Gryffindor table last night, and he really wanted to talk to those twins again... but after what had happened earlier after class, he found himself cringing at the thought of facing them so soon. Decision made, the braided teenager made his way over to the Slytherin table.

Already seated, Blaise silently made room for him, and Duo sat down at his side as Sirius crawled underneath the table. The food was already there, so he grabbed his plate and started to fill it.

"I'm sorry," the brunette finally said quietly, staring down at his plate. "We shouldn't have asked you that."

Duo smiled sadly. "It wasn't your fault," he replied, just as softly. "You weren't even the one asking."

"I was about to," Blaise admitted, poking at his steak with his fork. "Granger beat me to it."

The American considered that for a moment, then reached over and grabbed Blaise's wrist. "Didn't anyone ever tell ya not to play with your food?" he asked, eyes twinkling.

The other Slytherin smiled a little and nodded. "Yeah, my mom says that. Thanks." He was about to return to eating when he noticed the dog under the table. "Why'd you bring what's his name?"

"Zechs? He wouldn't let me leave without him." He reached down, offering the dog some things from the table.

The three Gryffindors he'd sought to avoid were heading over to the Slytherin table in the meantime, having seen him enter the hall from across the room.

"C'mon," Harry said, standing and grabbing Ron's arm. The redhead yelped as his best friend pulled him up out of the seat.

"Harry? What are you doing?" Hermione asked, staring at him.

"Duo's here, we've got to go apologize to him," the wizard answered, and instantly Ron stopped struggling and craned his neck to look for the braided boy.

"Hey, he's right! He's over there, right next to Zabini!" the fifth-year exclaimed, surprised. He'd half-expected the American boy not to show up, after they'd managed to shove their collective feet so far in their mouths that they'd nearly swallowed their shoes.

Hermione stood as well. "Well, then, we'd better go apologize before we make it any worse by waiting," she said firmly, and determinedly began the march into enemy territory.

Duo only lifted his head when most of the Slytherin table fell quiet, and he blinked, leaning his head back as he realized that the people who'd caused the ripple of silence were right behind him. "Uh... hi."

Harry scuffled his shoes a little and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. We didn't have any right to pry earlier. I... He sighed, glancing down at his feet, only to see a black dog peering up from near the American's feet. "Snuffles?"

To be continued.