Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Shinigami's Gem ❯ Smokey Quartz ( Chapter 5 )

Warnings: Angst and a huge amount of Wu Fei bastardisation. Violence. Duo pain. Language, nudity and dirty thoughts. And, as usual, a dash of shounen-ai. ;)

Disclaimer: Shock horror! I don't own the G-Boys or the G-Men! In fact, I don't own anything in this chapter but the plot. Yay me. And I'm not making any money off of this fic.

Author's Notes: Okay… there's not much I can say that I want to say without giving away the entire chapter, so I'm not going to say much other than please do take note of the Author's Notes at the end of the chapter. The Quatre/Zechs banter is supposed to be a light spot in all the angst, so don't feel bad for laughing at them. *grins*

Chapter 5: Smokey Quartz.

Duo sat awake on his bed in only a loose robe, staring into a candle and wishing he was back on the streets. He'd been exceptionally good at thievery and had never had money problems. He'd always had food and clothing, and his hidey-hole was damn near as comfortable as this room he now lived in.

He lifted his hand, twisted his fingers in his dismally short hair, wanting the braid back more than he'd ever wanted anything in his life. It was a part of who he was and he missed it dearly.

One more bad mark to put next to everyone's favourite mercenary's name… he thought acidly, punching a pillow and fervently wishing it were Wu Fei's head.

And yet… the gentleness and softness that could rest in that voice… The sweet, if small, smile that infrequently broke through that calm, stoic expression, more often when they were alone than at any other time. There was something going on with his lordling and master. Something Duo wasn't sure he didn't like…

"Something in his eyes…" Duo whispered, halting his pillow-abuse and fingering the tassels adorning its edges instead.

He frowned to himself and glanced over at the sword resting comfortably in its sheath against the wall. It hadn't been cheap, that was certain. Duo hadn't been told the price, but the blade had been custom made especially for him. Not to mention the amethyst dragon's head pommel and silver-encased sheath. The tinting of the blade certainly couldn't have been cheap either. The weapon must have cost Wu Fei a pretty penny and it wasn't the kind of sword a master would usually give his slave, if he gave one at all. Wu Fei said it was so Duo could protect him, that explained away the perfection in size, weight and balance, but there was no reasoning behind the embellishment. The price would have been halved at least, probably even two thirds cheaper without the decorations!

Duo frowned again and climbed silently and stealthily off his bed. His years as a thief had honed these two skills to a fine point and he stole into Wu Fei's rooms like a shadow.

The lordling sat in the centre of his bed, in the same position Duo had been - cross-legged - only he wasn't even wearing a robe; he was wearing nothing at all save Duo's sapphire around his neck. Also, his eyes were closed and each hand rested, palm up, on its corresponding knee. His black hair fell to his shoulders and only a few dim candles cast a random, flickering shadow on his still damp, glistening bronze skin. His chest rose and fell slowly and evenly and it was evident he was in a state of deep meditation.

Duo made use of the opportunity to take full stock of Wu Fei's build and possible weak points, examining every inch of the lordling's body so he would know where best to strike the next time they sparred. He wasn't surprised when his heartbeat quickened a touch and his breathing became slightly ragged - after all, it had been a while since he'd sampled the delights of the flesh - but he quashed it quickly. He couldn't have his body behaving that way around Wu Fei, of all people. So he turned away and went about searching for his braid.

One black eye opened the merest of slits and followed Duo closely. An almost unnoticeable smile of amusement lifted Wu Fei's mouth as he watched the thief grow more and more impatient when his search gleaned no results.

Duo eventually gave up and stalked back to his own room, throwing one last baleful glance at Wu Fei before he left.

"I hate you…" he muttered, and was gone.

Wu Fei slowly bought himself the rest of the way out of his meditative state, yawning a little. His hand slid down between the masses of pillows on his bed and came out with Duo's braid held carefully.

"It's safer here…" Wu Fei murmured, smiling again, this time at the braid draped across his hand. He reached down again and lifted the door of the small, well-hidden alcove beneath the pillows. He carefully lowered the braid back in and shut the door, weaving a lock-spell over it with his limited trace of magic.

"And you don't hate me anyway, Maxwell… You only think you do."

* * *

Duo stretched languorously under the covers of his bed when Wu Fei gently shook him and he showed no signs of waking. He murmured something under his breath, then his arm snaked out lightning quick and wrapped around Wu Fei's neck, urging him down and onto the pillows.

Wu Fei was so shocked, he couldn't seem to summon the will to argue the point and he lay beside Duo without thinking. When he finally did think, another arm about his robe-clad waist held him against the thief and he couldn't move anymore than he could control his wayward hormones.

"You're the sweetest little thing, Eliana…" Duo murmured sleepily in Wu Fei's ear, and before the lordling could tell the sill half-dreaming Duo that he was definitely not Eliana, the thief was kissing him tenderly, his tongue silently requesting passage between Wu Fei's lips and teeth.

Wu Fei's brain seemed to have taken its leave, giving him into the dubious care of his hormones, since he granted that passage and let his eyes slip shut. When their tongues met, Wu Fei shifted slightly, causing his beginning arousal to press against Duo's lower belly. Violet eyes snapped open and widened at the sight before them as Duo reflexively pulled away, panting slightly. After all, Eliana never had possessed something like that and her hair was blonde.

Wu Fei forced his own eyes open and he found he had to seriously fight the temptation to order Duo to kiss him again.

"Wu Fei? What the fuck?!" the thief cried, his arms pulling from around Wu Fei as though he'd been burned. Wu Fei went instantly on the defensive - how dare a slave speak to him thus? - and narrowed his eyes.

"You dragged me onto the bed, slave. You kissed me, slave!" he snarled, fighting valiantly to hide his enjoyment of said kiss and succeeding all too well.

Duo flinched at both uses of the word 'slave', as Wu Fei had never used the term with him before. Yes, he knew it was there, knew what he was, but the word was never said.

"I didn't-" Duo started, more upset than angry, but Wu Fei cut across him.

"You did, and I will thank you not to do it again!"

Wu Fei pushed himself off the bed, narrowed eyes still flashing at Duo.

"But I'm not attr-"

"I don't care what you are or aren't! You won't do that again."

Duo bit back, the feeling of being upset by that word 'slave' and the confusion at Wu Fei's reaction swiftly swamped by anger at the superior, holier-than-thou look on said lordling's face. He sat up, waving a finger at Wu Fei to emphasise his words.

"I didn't see you trying to stop it, merc. And that wasn't your sword pressing into my stomach! Maybe I should tell Daddy Dearest his son's favourite pastimes not only include dressing as a 'commoner' and going out with the Guard on a patrol that could possibly get him killed, but also fucking other men!"

Wu Fei's hand slid inside the front of his tunic and his fingers fastened around the sapphire suspended from his neck.

"I am your master, and you would do well to remember that. You will do what I say when I say!"

His grip on the gem tightened.

A searing bolt of lightning-fire danced around the circumference of Duo's silver collar before leaping up and licking at his brain then diverging and burning its way through every nerve in his body. He screamed in pain and fell back on the pillows, his body arching up off them again in absolute agony. He screamed a second time, a primal, mindless sound, writhing in an effort to escape the unescapable pain.

Oh, gods, but this was worse than being raped. Ten thousand million times worse and it didn't abate. Didn't slow. Wouldn't stop. Wouldn't stop. Wouldn't-

"Stop!"

It was Quatre's voice, horrified and fearful. And it did. Oh, thank Quatre, it did stop.

Duo lay shivering, curled up into a small ball, covers tossed aside and tanned skin covered in sweat and a little blood, which trickled sullenly from his nose.

"Q-Quatre…?" Duo whispered, almost unable to believe he'd actually been saved.

"I'm here…" Gentle hands stroked through shortened chestnut hair and a soft voice whispered comforting words.

"Oh… gods…" Wu Fei breathed almost inaudibly, dropping the sapphire like it had burned him.

"Bastard merc…" Duo breathed back before falling into blessed unconsciousness.

"What did you do?!" Quatre cried tearfully, arms wrapping protectively around Duo's body.

"I… I didn't meant to hurt him like that… I… was just so angry…" Wu Fei said shakily.

"What did you do? I need to know so Heero can heal him!"

"I don't know… I don't know what I did! I just did it…"

Quatre shook his head and wrapped Duo safely in a few blankets.

Their collars possessed, as well as the magic to kill them, a little magic to assist them in their duties. Just enough to call to one another from anywhere in the castle and be heard, and this was what Quatre did now, calling Zechs.

Obviously having heard the horrified urgency in Quatre's call, Zechs came at a run, wearing nothing but his pants, white-blonde hair horribly unkempt.

He instantly realised why Quatre needed him and nodded, lifting the blanketed thief carefully.

He and Quatre left, but Wu Fei heard the younger slave's words as soon as he left his lordling's presence.

"He could've killed him, sir… would have if I hadn't heard the screaming and stopped him. I thought he was different than that…"

Wu Fei's eyes fell shut as guilt bit into his heart and made a fast but solid home for itself there. Tears spilled out from under his lids now that he was alone and didn't have to keep up any sort of façade.

"I could have killed him…" he whispered, before the sobs strangled any attempt at speech and murdered any thread of coherence he had left.

* * *

"Ahh… That's what he did," Heero said in his flat voice and before either Quatre or Zechs could ask 'what he did', Heero was in trance, working his way inside Duo's mind and body to stitch up the damage Wu Fei had done.

They glanced at each other, then sat back to watch.

At the tender half-smile on Zechs' lips as he watched Heero, Quatre couldn't help but ask.

"Is it true?" he blurted out.

Zechs blinked at him.

"Is what true…?" he asked.

"That you and Heero are… well… uh… I mean…" Quatre trailed off and blushed, unable to finish.

"Let me ask you something back. Is it true that you and Trowa are lovers?" Zechs shot back, smirking as Quatre's blush deepened.

"Where did you hear that?" the younger asked, not meeting Zechs' eyes.

"Uh-uh. I asked first you answer my question."

"Well, actually, I asked first!" Quatre pointed out. "You answer my question."

"I heard it from Relena who heard from a kitchen hand who heard from a member of the Guard she had slept with who heard from-"

"Hey! Not that question!"

Zechs laughed and shrugged, holding his hands out in a gesture of helplessness.

"You didn't specify which question. Now you have to answer mine. Is it true?"

"Yes…" Quatre said in a small voice, picking nervously at a loose strand on his bed-robe.

"I know. Relena didn't actually tell me, Trowa did. Asked if it was alright by me if he slept with you, a slave under my command."

"You knew already?!" Quatre cried. "Why did you make me go through that?"

"Because you're cute when you blush…"

That successfully drew another blush.

"Oh…"

Zechs laughed again and put an arm around Quatre's shoulders.

"I know. I'm unfair, yes? Well it's true. Heero and I are lovers. Trowa joins us on occasion…"

"What?!"

"Not really. I'm joking, Quatre! I'm sorry. I couldn't resist."

Quatre started to say something in return, but he was overrun.

"No! Don't! Leave it alone!" Duo suddenly cried, obviously feverish. Heero's eyes snapped open and he stared straight ahead for a moment before a violent shudder wracked his body and his eyes rolled back in his head. He fell with a dull-sounding thump.

Quatre yelped in shock, but Zechs only sighed long-sufferingly and rolled his eyes.

"I wish he wouldn't do that… He's exhausted himself doing too much in one go. Shinigami should be fine for the moment. Help me wake Heero."

And so they set about doing so, gently at first, then more and more firmly until Zechs had had enough and simply dumped a bucket of icy cold water over his lover's head.

"The gates!" Heero shouted as he came too, moments before the last vestiges of whatever he'd been dreaming faded away.

Quatre giggled despite himself, then blushed and apologised softly.

"Shinigami!" Heero said then, struggling to his feet.

"No. He's well enough for now. You rest…" Zechs glanced at Quatre before adding; "…lover."

Heero snorted in disagreement, but Zechs dragged him off anyway, easily overpowering him in his weakened state.

"Watch him, Quatre… If anything looks wrong, you come and get me, alright?" Heero said.

Quatre looked to Zechs for conformation.

"Do as he says. There are enough hands to get done what needs to be done. We'll manage without you."

"Sir," Quatre replied with a nod.

Zechs returned the nod, then hurried a still weakly protesting Heero off.

"No… please… leave it be…" Duo whispered, shifting under the sheet Zechs had hastily thrown over him.

"Shh… It's all right, Shinigami. You're safe…" Quatre whispered, sitting beside Duo and gently stroking his hair, a cloth resting in a bowl of water stood nearby and Quatre was grateful for the orderliness of Heero's workroom. He gently laid the cool cloth across Duo's feverish brow.

"Mamma!" A sad cry in a child's voice and Quatre wondered what Duo dreamed of.

"What is it, Shinigami?" Quatre whispered, laying his gift of empathy open and feeling what Duo felt.

Fear, confusion, anger, loss, sorrow… and child's version of hate…

"What happened to you? Why do you call yourself Shinigami?"

"Mamma…" This time, a heart-breaking whisper.

"Shh…"

"Auntie used to sing to me… before… Shinigami…" This too was in that same broken whisper, obviously to someone in the dream and not to Quatre, but the little blonde replied anyway, with soft singing. He sang a pretty song through to its conclusion and was thankful to find it had calmed the thief.

"My mother used to sing that to me, before she got sick…" he whispered, stroking Duo's cheek gently.

"Is… is he alright…?" came a timid voice from the door.

Quatre whirled, shocked. He'd never heard anything even resembling timidity in Wu Fei's voice before now… But still! He'd nearly killed poor Shinigami!

"He'll live…" was the blonde's waspish reply.

Wu Fei's eyes mirrored the guilt and fear in his soul, but he relaxed slightly at the revelation that Duo would survive.

"I don't know what happened… The last - I mean, I didn't want to hurt him like that…" Wu Fei said, taking two steps into the room.

"You came close to killing him!"

"I know… gods, I know."

He came further into the room, wanting to go over to Duo, but knowing Quatre wouldn't let him pass without some assurance he wouldn't hurt the thief.

"Why did you do it, sir? I never thought…" Quatre's soft words trailed off into nothing and he shook his head helplessly.

"It was stupid, really… We argued and I… I lashed out. It was a weak, cowardly thing to do to him and… and I won't do it again. Ever. Whatever it was I did…"

"Heero knows," Quatre said suddenly. "He told us he knew… You could ask him if-"

"Don't talk about my parents like that!" Duo suddenly yelped, his head tossing from side to side.

"Shinigami! Shinigami, shh… It's all right. We won't say anything about your mother and father," Quatre said gently, brushing chestnut bangs away from a damp forehead.

"I'm sorry… so… sorry…" Wu Fei said almost inaudibly, sitting down a short way from the bed and fastening his eyes on Duo's face.

"No! Get off me! Why are you doing this? What did I do wrong? Please, stop! Please, oh please!" Duo begged, the last few words sobbed out.

"What happened to you?" Wu Fei whispered to himself before folding his arms and preparing to wait for a long time.

~ ~ ~

Author's Notes: Okay, yes, that was totally nasty of Wu Fei, but remember he still doesn't know what he did, and he was shocked senseless by a) the kiss, b) his reaction to said kiss and c) Duo's comments. Again it's the how dare you! mentality. And he is very sorry for it. I was commenting to a friend that I hadn't realised how dark this fic is until I began typing it up. It's not a happy fic at this point. I'm going to have to do a happy-bunny-flowers short fic after this for the sake of my sanity. Although, I did do that fairy tale not long ago. Anyways, bear with me, okay? It's not like this all the way through…

Oh! And the song Quatre sings? God help me, but it's "You'll be in my Heart" from Disney's Tarzan. Originally, I had the whole first verse in the fic, then I went "Ooooh, that's stupid…" and took it out again. Love the song to bits, but oi, in a fic like this?! Somebody put me out of my misery…