Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ The Sea in I ❯ IV ( Chapter 4 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: priscel 
Ha told you I suck at summaries! you don't wanna know how long I sat here trying to come up with something. But we're back to Duo here and *snickers* I won't be doing the summary thing much if at all.
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Suspense / Supernatural / Fantasy / Adventure | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 01.16.2009 | Updated On: 03.05.2009 | Pages: 3 | Words: 5.5K | Visits: 580 | Status: Work In Progress
Ha told you I suck at summaries! you don't wanna know how long I sat here trying to come up with something. But we're back to Duo here and *snickers* I won't be doing the summary thing much if at all.
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Suspense / Supernatural / Fantasy / Adventure | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 01.16.2009 | Updated On: 03.05.2009 | Pages: 3 | Words: 5.5K | Visits: 580 | Status: Work In Progress
Happy New Year! And thank you guys for reading.
Italics ~ thoughts
Warnings: Duo torture, MXM goodiness, suggestive content
Pairings: 1x2 eventually
Feedback - appreciated.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I don't own any of the sexies in Gundam Wing AC, I just love to help them live a little.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He was numb and queasy. He watched his bound hands shake. He’d tried to will them to stop but they shook anyway. He interlaced his fingers, joining his hands together and then squeezed them to try and stop the shaking. It proved to be a wasted effort because the scraps in his hands reminded him they were there, so now they ached on top of the shaking.
He was hungry. Too hungry to feel sick about what had been in his mouth earlier. The old man had made him swallow his blood and he couldn’t work up enough spit in his mouth to try and rid himself of the taste. He dry heaved against Heero’s back but nothing came up. Though he would like to see what his stomach acid, spit and blood would’ve looked like on him. It would have been one of the brighter points of his day.
Duo grimaced at the roiling growl that came from his stomach. He knew he was hungry but he’d hoped that his stomach wouldn’t hold it. Heero pushed him onward. The other men were saying something but he didn’t care enough to try and listen. All he saw were the strangely familiar walls shrinking away from them as they went deeper inside the compound. He scuffed his shoes in the sand when Heero tugged him forward again and he stumbled. He couldn’t catch himself this time and he fell to his knees in a cool, soft cushion of green.
“Look!” He growled, whipping his head up and causing his hood to fall back from his head. He glared death at the leader of this group. He’d had enough of being tugged around like some wayward dog. Duo punched the ground and felt cool droplets sprinkle onto his arm. “ I’m not-” Duo stopped, looking down at the green stalks surrounding him.
Grass. He could barely remember seeing grass this green. Outside the walls of the temple, by the Gault’s shop, near the farms - grass, if there was any- was tawny, sparse and always more yellow than green. He leaned forward and buried his face in it. He didn’t think he’d get up again.
“I think he fell asleep.” He heard someone say curiously behind a chuckle.
“This’ll wake him up.” He heard shifting feet but still he couldn’t will himself to move.
“Ah!” Duo’s shocked gasp ended in a coughing fit, the sudden cold bringing him to his feet with his hands flying to his face as he gulped big lungs full of air. He was hopping around now, his heart pounding in his ears, but he could still hear them laughing.
“That brought you back to the world boy.” Duo shivered, his uneven bangs a thick, soggy mop in his face. He fisted his hands at his side and glared at the five men before him before his eyes settled on Heero.
Heero’s brow quirked at Duo’s regard, he hadn’t laughed at the boy and neither had his third in command. Tamien just had an amused look on his face. He snorted, “Enough. He’s going to be a part of this company, he needs to be fed and clothed.”
Duo watched as Heero nodded to two men on his left, one of which was Tamien, who bowed lowly to Heero then rushed off. Duo was jerked forward before he could look back at Heero. Duo glared at Ethan, Heero had given him the tether. Duo spat at him and Ethan jerked the rope again. Duo could see the muscles in his face twitch as Ethan ground his teeth and glanced behind him. Duo didn’t need to look over his shoulder to know who was there.
“You’re going to the kitchen and then you’ll be taken to wash up before you’re shown to your room.”
Duo glared as much as he could, but the thought of food made his mouth water. The promise of food where the guarantee of it was real, right here and he could smell it. It made him forget the coppery taste in his mouth and queasiness in his stomach.
He swayed as they walked on, this place could have easily been a small city without the great walls and the smells. They were good smells, clean and some heavy but most of them equated to food to his famished body and senses. Duo’s stomach cramped and his mouth was now dry and pasty tasting. He groaned and earned a glare from Ethan. He ignored him and slowed when they did, trying to keep track of where they’d come from versus where they were headed.
“Fraix.” Duo glanced up, another name to match to, this time, an aged face among his now three captors. Although this man- Fraix- was much older than any of the others in Heero’s company. Fraix had a scraggly, black beard that covered all of his mouth. He could tell that if the man smiled all you’d see was his teeth. Fraix wore the same embroidered tunic and shoulder guards as Heero, with two lines beside a black stone on his shoulder labeling him as Heero’s second and had a mass of black coarse hair stuffed under a two horned helm, one horn had a broken jagged edge.
“Take him on and Ethan,” Duo quirked a brow when the older man snorted in Ethan’s direction. Heero continued with a slight upward curve to the corners of his mouth, “will bring him back uniforms and offer you any assistance if the boy won’t go to the bathing house.”
Fraix nodded his assent, before they left him standing with Fraix. Duo looked around and figured they were somewhere near the back... as far as he could tell, but he couldn’t tell much. There was so much green interlaced with sandy, foot worn paths that seemed to lead everywhere. The homes looked sturdier and seemed to be made of the same stuff the walls were. Duo shivered, it was cooler here than outside the walls and he looked up into the leafy branches of trees. He had heard the stories from the vendors who commonly ventured through the palace-temple grounds, about the One’s greatness and the beauty of any place she resided in. He’d had his own proof, for a time, he had a leaf bigger than his hand that oddly wouldn’t dry out like leaves usually did. He always thought it was because the One had gifted it and that the leaf had came from here, inside these walls where life was better and the One cared for the people. But he never thought he’d actually see trees this large. This alive!
He found himself lulled and comforted by the sound the wind made through the leaves then there was a loud noise in his ears. It was like the sound the fat made in a hot skillet when he’d sometimes watched Angie cook. Then it slammed into him - someone was running and they were afraid. He reached out, wanting to help but his hands dropped to his stomach, his head a heavy weight on his shoulders. Duo felt his eyes grow heavy and he saw the shadows among the leaves grow, blocking out the sun.
“Whoa, there me boy!” Duo closed his eyes tightly against the swimming and nauseating feeling sweeping through him. He thought he’d thrown up but there was only the burn in the in back of his throat and his mouth was dry. He tried to jerk from under the hands on his shoulders but they held on firmly to him. “Come on,” he cracked an eye open as the older man half carried him to a back door. His stomach seemed to love making things worse for him, it took that moment to twist up, cramping and making him groan again.
“Ye’ve been teased enough. Let’s get something in ye.” Duo’s hands braced his stomach, a sweet smell floated on the air and assailed his nose. Duo hesitated at the stairs, feeling lightheaded and frowning at the throbbing in his head. He was sure that he was going to fall over before he’d even taken his first step toward those delicious smells.
Fraix patted the top of his head and then lifted him up under his arm. Duo’s face scrunched up when the pain in his stomach made him gag. He could feel spit dribbling down his chin as he dry heaved and a burning sensation welling up in his throat then it strangely subsided. He looked curiously at their moving feet and watched the spittle drip off his nose when his head drooped. Or maybe it was snot. He couldn’t tell. He tried to move his hand to wipe it away, and then remembered why his own feet weren’t touching the ground, Fraix. But when had Fraix grown two other feet? He looked down at his hands, seeing only one set, and Fraix had only one hand on him. He figured that it was the movement making him see double. His lips quirked to one side, it was funny how the older man’s big hand dwarfed both of his but wasn’t squishing him to death. He was being gentle. Though he couldn’t make himself care enough to think why that seemed off. The lightheadedness blanketed him and his eyes closed, too heavy for him to keep open.
“Come on ye lil’imp! Just ‘cuz ye be an acolyte don’t mean ye be lagging in yer duties.” He heard the door bang open and jerked, opening his eyes to a dim lit room. Fraix dropped him onto a high backed bench at a table and strutted off toward a large oven. Duo shook his head, his hand was still resting on his oddly calm stomach. He looked back to the door, swinging on its hinges still, baiting him to take that chance. To run while the older man was distracted. He sighed going limp in his seat, slouching downward as he ticked off in his mind all reasons why running now would be pointless. Duo especially found he didn’t want to be caught by the white haired man with the weird hand, by himself where there would be no witnesses. Or just among the people in these walls who would most likely not care about what happened to him since he’d seen nor heard any protest about his mistreatment on the way to the kitchen.
“Yea, yea! I got Heero’s summons. I’m here aren’t I? You’d think that would please you old bugger!” Duo smirked at her grumble and saw a shimmer of blue breeze by his table, one of many in the large kitchen and past the stove by a large counter.
Duo glared down at the floor when Fraix reappeared in the girl’s place by the counter. “Aw, quit yer gripin’ girl and be on with it. The boy’s skin and bones!” Duo flinched, feeling uncomfortable with the older man’s eyes on him when something heavy settled on his shoulders. His brows furrowed then he gasped loudly at the soft cloth-rubbing and covering his face.
“No!” He struggled, banging his knees painfully against the underside of the wooden table.
“Quit that me boy!” Duo tried to fight off the cloth and Fraix, but found himself gasping and his chest hurting, so he stopped resisting and pressed his bound hands to his chest in hopes of easing the pain. The cloth worked vigorously over his head, down his neck and then his arms. He glared up at the man, his hair sticking up at odd angled curls from his braid and his bangs, a damp but weighty cowlick to one side of his face. Fraix brought the towel to his chin, tilting his head up to him and laughed before he continued.
“Can’t have ye being a soggy mutt at the kitchen table. Me misses wouldn’t like it,” Fraix said thoughtfully and couldn’t help the mirth in his voice when Duo half squawked and kicked out at the brusqueness of the towel going over his legs. “Me’ve suffered many a meal out in the yard or on the porch for it.” He added catching Duo’s other leg when Duo tried to kick him and smirked back at Duo’s continued glare. Duo leaned back on one elbow, resigned to take the toweling with a sullen pout and flushed cheeks.
“There. A real bath’ll do ye good.” Fraix released Duo’s leg, and Duo scrambled back into his seat, tucking his legs under him and leaning on his bound hands. Fraix shook his head, allowing himself to settle in the seat and stare at Duo. Duo glared at him under his lashes, watching the powerful arms and large hands for any sudden movements. But Fraix simply sat there seemingly lost in thought and watching him.
“Ay, ay.” Fraix said with a great sigh, but mostly to himself, snatching up the dirty towels off the table and folding them together at his side. Fraix patted the acolyte he’d been speaking to earlier on top of her head before passing her to lean against the kitchen’s long counter. The acolyte kept her head half bowed and didn’t look at Duo as she put a bowl of steaming broth in front of him.
Duo eyed the soup wearily and bit his lip at the mouth-watering smell of it. He glanced up and saw the girl come back again with a plate holding a piece of bread and cheese then a cup and a pitcher of water. He blinked at it all, his head tilting to the side in wide-eyed amazement. He hadn’t had so much food given to him alone before. Duo looked to the girl in confusion and found her watching him. She jumped slightly when their eyes met, her cheeks flushing before she turned her head away from him. The girl had her hair up in a ponytail, her shoulder bearing the same mark as all the acolytes. Yet, he glanced back up to her face and caught her eyes again even though she huffed and returned his curious gaze with a glare, he knew her.
The girl frowned at him before crossing her arms over her chest. She stomped over to his table.
“What?” She grouched, her cheeks coloring further under his intense perusal. She fidgeted then grabbed his cup and poured water into it before slamming it on the table closer to him. “Eat.” She huffed and Fraix slapped her across the rear.
“Ow!” She spun around and glared fire. Duo sat up at the odd stirring in his chest, glancing between the two and watching Fraix brushing his hands together with a smirk. Fraix glanced over at him, his eyebrow twitching up into the coarse hair peeking out from under his helm, before returning to the girl in front of him, his expression dark.
“Me’ve been the one t’rear ye, me girl. Don’t be forgetting where ye’re from.” Fraix was half crouching with a hand patting his knee, the girl’s defiant expression melted into a pout. “Hilde, ye ain’t too old t’go across me knee again.” He reminded his voice stern unaffected by her pout.
Hilde flushed and looked away. She glanced at Duo and then back at Fraix, expression sincere. “I’m sorry, me Da. Trieze’s men made me so mad Da!”
Fraix nodded, his own expression softening and Duo couldn’t help smirking at that. “Ye be knowing not t’mind them eyes. They be knowing t’mind their hands and manners. If they touch ye-”
Hilde smiled, hugging him and stopping his rant with a shake of her head. “They don’t. They wouldn’t. They say things about Sophil,” she pressed her face into Fraix’s shoulder, “and she lets them. I just don’t understand it is all.”
Duo watched them; his chest aching as he swallowed passed the lump in his throat.
Fraix stroked Hilde’s back with one big hand until she let him go, “But ye be knowing that not all of us are like that.”
Hilde nodded, with one eyebrow raised in question before glancing in Duo’s direction. “Yea,” She said, smiling at Fraix then her smile grew when she turned to him. Duo felt heat flush across his nose at her sudden attention, but he didn’t look away.
“Off with ye girl, don’t want ye t’be late t’be seeing to the One.”
She nodded, sprinting away, only to turn back from the door, run up to Fraix and kiss him on his cheek before leaving out the way she came. Duo watched him stare wistfully after his daughter before he picked up a towel he’d dropped then came over to him and put the towel back on Duo’s shoulders. “Clean, bruises and all, ye stun me girl.” He heard Fraix mutter, shaken by the heavy-handed pat on his shoulder that followed. “Dig in me boy. Me girl’s put heart into that meal for ye.”
Duo made a face at him, then the food and that got him a bop on the head. “Go on,” Fraix encouraged before disappearing behind the counter. Duo eyed the broth and the bread, then grabbed for the bread when his stomach sent him a painful twitch to remind him he was hungry.
Fraix returned and smirked at Duo, whose cheeks were puffed out on either side of his face with food and broth trickled out one corner of his mouth as he chewed. He sat down in front of Duo, looking at his still bound hands.
Duo chewed slower and watched Fraix under his lashes. The older man said nothing, seemingly entranced by the tether that bound his hands. Duo gulped down the food in his mouth, looking away from Fraix and slowly reached for the water cup.
Fraix grimaced, “Ye don’t have t’swallow the table me boy. It’ll still be here if ye take yer time.”
Duo froze, realizing that he wasn’t just looking at his hands. Duo went back for the bowl of broth, Fraix sounded mad and food disappeared more often then not when people were angry with you about something. He started gulping again, trying to ignore the weight of the eyes watching him.
Fraix sighed, snatching the bowl out of Duo’s hands and pulling his hands down to the table. He smirked when Duo growled at him. Fraix put the bowl down near Duo’s hands, his thumb rubbing over redden skin the tether had rubbed raw and spoke like a person calming a skittish animal, “It’ll still be here. Ye gonna make ye’self sick. Ye don’t have t’go anywhere until me say so.”
Duo licked his lips and looked anywhere but at the older man. “What ye be called me boy?”
Duo flinched. He didn’t know why he did but the man was be friendly, too friendly and it made him wary of him. Duo moved back as far as he could on bench and gave his hand a good jerk. He bit his lip when Fraix jerked him back toward him and nearly on top of the table, his ribs hit the table’s edge making him groan in pain.
“Ye don’t want to be renamed do ye?” Duo glared at the tender tone Fraix using with him and for some reason Tamien, someone he hadn’t bothered looking at much in Heero’s company, popped into his mind. He frowned at Fraix and jerked his arms, trying to free his bound hands of his hold.
“Is this what you guys did to the others? To Ethan? Show them this place,” Duo jerked his chin to the left and right to indicate the room, “gave them water and gave them food?!” Duo spat out the last with distaste and a grimace. “You made them feel safe so you could trick them!” Duo jerked free, shaking the table hard enough to knock the pitcher and the bowl over onto the floor. Duo’s watched it fall without really seeing that nothing hit the floor but an empty bowl and pitcher. His chest tightening from the pressure that was building inside him, but his anger was blinding and he was left standing there glaring at the table as it shook. Duo didn’t react to the heavy hand settling on his shoulder nor did he try to resist the grip that pushed him back down into his seat, his knees buckling under him.
Duo blinked at the touch to the side of his face, his eyes watering for not having moved them for so long. The rough fingers touching his cheek slid down to his chin, tilting his head back and up to look at the older man. He flinched expecting to be hit in some way but nothing happen. Fraix just stared down at him with a sorrowful expression in his eyes and a droopy beard. Then he felt everything else - his chest heaved as he inhaled, demanding the air he’d unknowingly stop breathing. His eyes stung when he blinked up at the older man, and felt his anger melting away.
“Ye name, son.” Fraix searched his eyes and Duo found he couldn’t look away, not even at the sound of something like glass breaking.
“Duo.” his name, it spilled from his mouth like air and he couldn’t find the anger in it or anger at himself for telling it. He knew he should be but he couldn’t. He felt that if the older man asked him anything else at that very moment he would’ve told him.
Fraix smiled, nodding his head and releasing his shoulder with a warm pat.
“Fraix, I have his clothes.” Ethan muttered, pushing the door open and tossing a sack at Duo’s feet.
Duo swayed again and rubbed at his aching shoulder.
Suppressor. The word came to him like a whisper through his mind - a breath against his ear and left too quickly for him to hold onto. It was important but he couldn’t figure out why.
Duo watched, oddly numb again, as Fraix touched a black stone on his right shoulder. “Heero, the tether?”
Duo tilted his head, curious at the admonishing tone Fraix had with Heero.
“Saa.” He heard Heero say as the black stone pulsed.
Amusement! He fumed silently to himself. He could hear the laughter in the voice of the cold face Captain. Duo scowled, this wasn’t some joke for him. The numb feeling was wearing off and he was getting angrier. He felt his hands fall free as prickly pain raced up his arm, his hands were no longer bound.
“And is he...” Duo saw the black stone pulse in time with Heero’s voice.
“Ay, that be his name. He has no memory of the other.” Fraix smiled at him and turned so Duo could see the stone better and continued. “He be of age and... nescient.” Fraix shook his head and rested his hand on Duo’s back as he retrieved the sack, lifting it by the strap revealed it to be a satchel. “Ethan, we be fine. Ye need not be bothering with this. Ye can go.”
Ethan left with a blank look on his face and no argument. Duo watched him leave and let Fraix steer him out into the long hall where his daughter had entered from. Duo bit his lip, shrugged off Fraix and put plenty of distance between them.
Fraix looked at him questioningly, staying close enough to reach out and grab Duo if he tried to runaway.
“I’ll not run.” Duo offered, walking more to the side and keeping an eye of Fraix’s hands.
Fraix smiled with a nod, “That be good of ye. It be further down.”
“What did you do to me?”
Fraix arched a brow, “Me calmed ye, be all.” He shook his head at him, “Ye need discipline.”
Duo frowned to cover up his confusion, turning right, then down a winding instep to the left then right again before stopping at a large door that didn’t look much different from several others in this hall. Fraix looked through contents of the satchel and put a wrapped bundle in one of the pouches on the side.
“Everything ye need be in there. Go in and clean up, then me be taking ye to yer room. If ye be needing me, just touch the black stone on the right shoulder of ye shoulder guard.” Duo said nothing and Fraix folded the guard and put it back in the satchel before handing it to Duo.
Duo stared at the offered satchel before taking it cautiously but his movements were too slow. Fraix caught his arm near the back of his elbow. Duo jerked in his grasp and felt his heart seize up before screaming in his chest. He glared in half shock at Fraix, feeling foolish for accepting the bag. He looked up into the aged visage and found Fraix’s face was grim looking, cold, his thick beard drooping in what he could only assume was a scowl hidden beneath the hairy mass. He bit his lip, frowning at Fraix and getting nothing in return for the sudden change in his mood.
Duo pulled on his arm again when Fraix tighten his grip.
What’s he trying to say?! Duo thought in frustration letting, his confusion show on his face and through his expressive eyes. He jerked on his arm again when he felt his heart slow. He swallowed; fear grabbing at him because he was anything but calm and his heart was slowing without him doing anything. Duo struggled, trying to pry Fraix’s fingers from the back of his elbow. Duo gazed at Fraix in confusion and a little fear and understood what Fraix expression was demanding of him. In one word it said, “Don’t.”
Fraix nodded to him, releasing his arm. Duo hugged his arm to his side, the satchel lying forgotten on the floor. Duo squeezed his arm and felt nothing. He could move his fingers but his arm remained a heavy weight against his side.
Duo pushed past the older man when the door was opened. There was no lock, but his shoulders were too tense to slump like he thought they should. He let go of the breath he’d been holding once the door fell shut and barely noticed the satchel landing by his feet. He looked around for windows. There were none. Duo cursed, kicking the wall until his foot started to hurt. He turned around in a huff of frustration, thumping his back against the wall before he slid down into a ball with his limp arm between him and his knees. He wasn’t completely in the room but in a short hall that opened up further in. He leaned to the side, trying to peak around the corner without moving until he fell over onto his side.
He rolled onto his stomach and let his face rest on the cool stone floor. His once numb arm tingled beneath him, he shifted bringing his hand up to his face. He stared at his hand as he ran his fingertips over the surface of the floor, it was rigid like a natural formation and nothing like the man made halls on the other side of the door. He looked around as he stood up and tripped over the satchel on the floor. He stopped himself from kicking it when he saw the thing Fraix had wrapped and put in the side pocket sticking out. He squatted down over the bag and poked at it. It was the size of his two hands put together, and weighty. He pulled the knot and gasped.
“I don’t understand.”
Duo looked away, pained and confused, letting the cloth and its contents fall to the floor. He bit his lip and caught the cheese before it could roll away. He put it back in the cloth with the bread, re-wrapped it and put it back in the satchel before picking it up and walking into the large room. The floor sloped downward but wasn’t slippery. There was this sound that grew louder the deeper he went into the dimly lit room - chamber. His foot splashed down and he forgot to breathe. The bathing chamber was like an underground cave with smooth stone walls in some places, little water spouts that came out of several places in the walls and drained off into small recessed holes alit by furry masses. Further toward the back there was a large waterfall and several communal baths that were stacked like steps. They were continuously refilled with water from its corners where they touched the waterfall. They overflowed into mini falls themselves that all ran into a stream emptying into another recessed hole.
He ran his fingers along the wall and across a glowing mass, one of many that he could saw all over the chamber and seemed to be the reason why the place had light.
Glow fuzz? He shook his head, that’s not it. He smiled, a child’s voice - his voice? He wasn’t sure, but he heard it. Remembered it saying ‘glow fuzz’ again and again in a child’s excited glee as he ran his fingers through the softly glowing mound. It sparked under his touch and grew brighter. It didn’t hurt. The chamber lichen gave off a yellow, blue-green light that coalesced into the chamber’s overall soft yellowish glow.
Duo grabbed at his worn tunic, there was an odd pull in his chest that directed his steps. The strange pull had him moving away from the wall to step fully into the large chamber and closer to the waterfall. He saw several more doors and suddenly he knew why all doors on this level looked the same. They all lead to here and there’s so much water. Duo’s next step had his arms flailing for something to grab onto. He barely had a grip on the ledge, his fingers slipping on the smooth but bumpy surface. It was warm, warmer then the rest of the chamber and Duo managed to get his arm over the ledge. He was panting and his ribs hurt every time he breathed after slamming them into the side of the shaft. Duo squinted as he strained to grab on to what looked like a rocky protrusion and he could only hope it was rooted to the chamber floor. His hand closed over it and his fingers dug in to... warm fuzz. He squeezed it and it exploded into water. He lost his hold at the shock of cold that shot through his arm. He gasped, feeling nails break and scrapes reopen as he tried to get a grip on the slick surface.
Then the chamber’s light was fading, the shaft he’d fallen down rising up around him along with the warming darkness. He was falling and there seemed to be no end.
tbc
Italics ~ thoughts
Warnings: Duo torture, MXM goodiness, suggestive content
Pairings: 1x2 eventually
Feedback - appreciated.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I don't own any of the sexies in Gundam Wing AC, I just love to help them live a little.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He was numb and queasy. He watched his bound hands shake. He’d tried to will them to stop but they shook anyway. He interlaced his fingers, joining his hands together and then squeezed them to try and stop the shaking. It proved to be a wasted effort because the scraps in his hands reminded him they were there, so now they ached on top of the shaking.
He was hungry. Too hungry to feel sick about what had been in his mouth earlier. The old man had made him swallow his blood and he couldn’t work up enough spit in his mouth to try and rid himself of the taste. He dry heaved against Heero’s back but nothing came up. Though he would like to see what his stomach acid, spit and blood would’ve looked like on him. It would have been one of the brighter points of his day.
Duo grimaced at the roiling growl that came from his stomach. He knew he was hungry but he’d hoped that his stomach wouldn’t hold it. Heero pushed him onward. The other men were saying something but he didn’t care enough to try and listen. All he saw were the strangely familiar walls shrinking away from them as they went deeper inside the compound. He scuffed his shoes in the sand when Heero tugged him forward again and he stumbled. He couldn’t catch himself this time and he fell to his knees in a cool, soft cushion of green.
“Look!” He growled, whipping his head up and causing his hood to fall back from his head. He glared death at the leader of this group. He’d had enough of being tugged around like some wayward dog. Duo punched the ground and felt cool droplets sprinkle onto his arm. “ I’m not-” Duo stopped, looking down at the green stalks surrounding him.
Grass. He could barely remember seeing grass this green. Outside the walls of the temple, by the Gault’s shop, near the farms - grass, if there was any- was tawny, sparse and always more yellow than green. He leaned forward and buried his face in it. He didn’t think he’d get up again.
“I think he fell asleep.” He heard someone say curiously behind a chuckle.
“This’ll wake him up.” He heard shifting feet but still he couldn’t will himself to move.
“Ah!” Duo’s shocked gasp ended in a coughing fit, the sudden cold bringing him to his feet with his hands flying to his face as he gulped big lungs full of air. He was hopping around now, his heart pounding in his ears, but he could still hear them laughing.
“That brought you back to the world boy.” Duo shivered, his uneven bangs a thick, soggy mop in his face. He fisted his hands at his side and glared at the five men before him before his eyes settled on Heero.
Heero’s brow quirked at Duo’s regard, he hadn’t laughed at the boy and neither had his third in command. Tamien just had an amused look on his face. He snorted, “Enough. He’s going to be a part of this company, he needs to be fed and clothed.”
Duo watched as Heero nodded to two men on his left, one of which was Tamien, who bowed lowly to Heero then rushed off. Duo was jerked forward before he could look back at Heero. Duo glared at Ethan, Heero had given him the tether. Duo spat at him and Ethan jerked the rope again. Duo could see the muscles in his face twitch as Ethan ground his teeth and glanced behind him. Duo didn’t need to look over his shoulder to know who was there.
“You’re going to the kitchen and then you’ll be taken to wash up before you’re shown to your room.”
Duo glared as much as he could, but the thought of food made his mouth water. The promise of food where the guarantee of it was real, right here and he could smell it. It made him forget the coppery taste in his mouth and queasiness in his stomach.
He swayed as they walked on, this place could have easily been a small city without the great walls and the smells. They were good smells, clean and some heavy but most of them equated to food to his famished body and senses. Duo’s stomach cramped and his mouth was now dry and pasty tasting. He groaned and earned a glare from Ethan. He ignored him and slowed when they did, trying to keep track of where they’d come from versus where they were headed.
“Fraix.” Duo glanced up, another name to match to, this time, an aged face among his now three captors. Although this man- Fraix- was much older than any of the others in Heero’s company. Fraix had a scraggly, black beard that covered all of his mouth. He could tell that if the man smiled all you’d see was his teeth. Fraix wore the same embroidered tunic and shoulder guards as Heero, with two lines beside a black stone on his shoulder labeling him as Heero’s second and had a mass of black coarse hair stuffed under a two horned helm, one horn had a broken jagged edge.
“Take him on and Ethan,” Duo quirked a brow when the older man snorted in Ethan’s direction. Heero continued with a slight upward curve to the corners of his mouth, “will bring him back uniforms and offer you any assistance if the boy won’t go to the bathing house.”
Fraix nodded his assent, before they left him standing with Fraix. Duo looked around and figured they were somewhere near the back... as far as he could tell, but he couldn’t tell much. There was so much green interlaced with sandy, foot worn paths that seemed to lead everywhere. The homes looked sturdier and seemed to be made of the same stuff the walls were. Duo shivered, it was cooler here than outside the walls and he looked up into the leafy branches of trees. He had heard the stories from the vendors who commonly ventured through the palace-temple grounds, about the One’s greatness and the beauty of any place she resided in. He’d had his own proof, for a time, he had a leaf bigger than his hand that oddly wouldn’t dry out like leaves usually did. He always thought it was because the One had gifted it and that the leaf had came from here, inside these walls where life was better and the One cared for the people. But he never thought he’d actually see trees this large. This alive!
He found himself lulled and comforted by the sound the wind made through the leaves then there was a loud noise in his ears. It was like the sound the fat made in a hot skillet when he’d sometimes watched Angie cook. Then it slammed into him - someone was running and they were afraid. He reached out, wanting to help but his hands dropped to his stomach, his head a heavy weight on his shoulders. Duo felt his eyes grow heavy and he saw the shadows among the leaves grow, blocking out the sun.
“Whoa, there me boy!” Duo closed his eyes tightly against the swimming and nauseating feeling sweeping through him. He thought he’d thrown up but there was only the burn in the in back of his throat and his mouth was dry. He tried to jerk from under the hands on his shoulders but they held on firmly to him. “Come on,” he cracked an eye open as the older man half carried him to a back door. His stomach seemed to love making things worse for him, it took that moment to twist up, cramping and making him groan again.
“Ye’ve been teased enough. Let’s get something in ye.” Duo’s hands braced his stomach, a sweet smell floated on the air and assailed his nose. Duo hesitated at the stairs, feeling lightheaded and frowning at the throbbing in his head. He was sure that he was going to fall over before he’d even taken his first step toward those delicious smells.
Fraix patted the top of his head and then lifted him up under his arm. Duo’s face scrunched up when the pain in his stomach made him gag. He could feel spit dribbling down his chin as he dry heaved and a burning sensation welling up in his throat then it strangely subsided. He looked curiously at their moving feet and watched the spittle drip off his nose when his head drooped. Or maybe it was snot. He couldn’t tell. He tried to move his hand to wipe it away, and then remembered why his own feet weren’t touching the ground, Fraix. But when had Fraix grown two other feet? He looked down at his hands, seeing only one set, and Fraix had only one hand on him. He figured that it was the movement making him see double. His lips quirked to one side, it was funny how the older man’s big hand dwarfed both of his but wasn’t squishing him to death. He was being gentle. Though he couldn’t make himself care enough to think why that seemed off. The lightheadedness blanketed him and his eyes closed, too heavy for him to keep open.
“Come on ye lil’imp! Just ‘cuz ye be an acolyte don’t mean ye be lagging in yer duties.” He heard the door bang open and jerked, opening his eyes to a dim lit room. Fraix dropped him onto a high backed bench at a table and strutted off toward a large oven. Duo shook his head, his hand was still resting on his oddly calm stomach. He looked back to the door, swinging on its hinges still, baiting him to take that chance. To run while the older man was distracted. He sighed going limp in his seat, slouching downward as he ticked off in his mind all reasons why running now would be pointless. Duo especially found he didn’t want to be caught by the white haired man with the weird hand, by himself where there would be no witnesses. Or just among the people in these walls who would most likely not care about what happened to him since he’d seen nor heard any protest about his mistreatment on the way to the kitchen.
“Yea, yea! I got Heero’s summons. I’m here aren’t I? You’d think that would please you old bugger!” Duo smirked at her grumble and saw a shimmer of blue breeze by his table, one of many in the large kitchen and past the stove by a large counter.
Duo glared down at the floor when Fraix reappeared in the girl’s place by the counter. “Aw, quit yer gripin’ girl and be on with it. The boy’s skin and bones!” Duo flinched, feeling uncomfortable with the older man’s eyes on him when something heavy settled on his shoulders. His brows furrowed then he gasped loudly at the soft cloth-rubbing and covering his face.
“No!” He struggled, banging his knees painfully against the underside of the wooden table.
“Quit that me boy!” Duo tried to fight off the cloth and Fraix, but found himself gasping and his chest hurting, so he stopped resisting and pressed his bound hands to his chest in hopes of easing the pain. The cloth worked vigorously over his head, down his neck and then his arms. He glared up at the man, his hair sticking up at odd angled curls from his braid and his bangs, a damp but weighty cowlick to one side of his face. Fraix brought the towel to his chin, tilting his head up to him and laughed before he continued.
“Can’t have ye being a soggy mutt at the kitchen table. Me misses wouldn’t like it,” Fraix said thoughtfully and couldn’t help the mirth in his voice when Duo half squawked and kicked out at the brusqueness of the towel going over his legs. “Me’ve suffered many a meal out in the yard or on the porch for it.” He added catching Duo’s other leg when Duo tried to kick him and smirked back at Duo’s continued glare. Duo leaned back on one elbow, resigned to take the toweling with a sullen pout and flushed cheeks.
“There. A real bath’ll do ye good.” Fraix released Duo’s leg, and Duo scrambled back into his seat, tucking his legs under him and leaning on his bound hands. Fraix shook his head, allowing himself to settle in the seat and stare at Duo. Duo glared at him under his lashes, watching the powerful arms and large hands for any sudden movements. But Fraix simply sat there seemingly lost in thought and watching him.
“Ay, ay.” Fraix said with a great sigh, but mostly to himself, snatching up the dirty towels off the table and folding them together at his side. Fraix patted the acolyte he’d been speaking to earlier on top of her head before passing her to lean against the kitchen’s long counter. The acolyte kept her head half bowed and didn’t look at Duo as she put a bowl of steaming broth in front of him.
Duo eyed the soup wearily and bit his lip at the mouth-watering smell of it. He glanced up and saw the girl come back again with a plate holding a piece of bread and cheese then a cup and a pitcher of water. He blinked at it all, his head tilting to the side in wide-eyed amazement. He hadn’t had so much food given to him alone before. Duo looked to the girl in confusion and found her watching him. She jumped slightly when their eyes met, her cheeks flushing before she turned her head away from him. The girl had her hair up in a ponytail, her shoulder bearing the same mark as all the acolytes. Yet, he glanced back up to her face and caught her eyes again even though she huffed and returned his curious gaze with a glare, he knew her.
The girl frowned at him before crossing her arms over her chest. She stomped over to his table.
“What?” She grouched, her cheeks coloring further under his intense perusal. She fidgeted then grabbed his cup and poured water into it before slamming it on the table closer to him. “Eat.” She huffed and Fraix slapped her across the rear.
“Ow!” She spun around and glared fire. Duo sat up at the odd stirring in his chest, glancing between the two and watching Fraix brushing his hands together with a smirk. Fraix glanced over at him, his eyebrow twitching up into the coarse hair peeking out from under his helm, before returning to the girl in front of him, his expression dark.
“Me’ve been the one t’rear ye, me girl. Don’t be forgetting where ye’re from.” Fraix was half crouching with a hand patting his knee, the girl’s defiant expression melted into a pout. “Hilde, ye ain’t too old t’go across me knee again.” He reminded his voice stern unaffected by her pout.
Hilde flushed and looked away. She glanced at Duo and then back at Fraix, expression sincere. “I’m sorry, me Da. Trieze’s men made me so mad Da!”
Fraix nodded, his own expression softening and Duo couldn’t help smirking at that. “Ye be knowing not t’mind them eyes. They be knowing t’mind their hands and manners. If they touch ye-”
Hilde smiled, hugging him and stopping his rant with a shake of her head. “They don’t. They wouldn’t. They say things about Sophil,” she pressed her face into Fraix’s shoulder, “and she lets them. I just don’t understand it is all.”
Duo watched them; his chest aching as he swallowed passed the lump in his throat.
Fraix stroked Hilde’s back with one big hand until she let him go, “But ye be knowing that not all of us are like that.”
Hilde nodded, with one eyebrow raised in question before glancing in Duo’s direction. “Yea,” She said, smiling at Fraix then her smile grew when she turned to him. Duo felt heat flush across his nose at her sudden attention, but he didn’t look away.
“Off with ye girl, don’t want ye t’be late t’be seeing to the One.”
She nodded, sprinting away, only to turn back from the door, run up to Fraix and kiss him on his cheek before leaving out the way she came. Duo watched him stare wistfully after his daughter before he picked up a towel he’d dropped then came over to him and put the towel back on Duo’s shoulders. “Clean, bruises and all, ye stun me girl.” He heard Fraix mutter, shaken by the heavy-handed pat on his shoulder that followed. “Dig in me boy. Me girl’s put heart into that meal for ye.”
Duo made a face at him, then the food and that got him a bop on the head. “Go on,” Fraix encouraged before disappearing behind the counter. Duo eyed the broth and the bread, then grabbed for the bread when his stomach sent him a painful twitch to remind him he was hungry.
Fraix returned and smirked at Duo, whose cheeks were puffed out on either side of his face with food and broth trickled out one corner of his mouth as he chewed. He sat down in front of Duo, looking at his still bound hands.
Duo chewed slower and watched Fraix under his lashes. The older man said nothing, seemingly entranced by the tether that bound his hands. Duo gulped down the food in his mouth, looking away from Fraix and slowly reached for the water cup.
Fraix grimaced, “Ye don’t have t’swallow the table me boy. It’ll still be here if ye take yer time.”
Duo froze, realizing that he wasn’t just looking at his hands. Duo went back for the bowl of broth, Fraix sounded mad and food disappeared more often then not when people were angry with you about something. He started gulping again, trying to ignore the weight of the eyes watching him.
Fraix sighed, snatching the bowl out of Duo’s hands and pulling his hands down to the table. He smirked when Duo growled at him. Fraix put the bowl down near Duo’s hands, his thumb rubbing over redden skin the tether had rubbed raw and spoke like a person calming a skittish animal, “It’ll still be here. Ye gonna make ye’self sick. Ye don’t have t’go anywhere until me say so.”
Duo licked his lips and looked anywhere but at the older man. “What ye be called me boy?”
Duo flinched. He didn’t know why he did but the man was be friendly, too friendly and it made him wary of him. Duo moved back as far as he could on bench and gave his hand a good jerk. He bit his lip when Fraix jerked him back toward him and nearly on top of the table, his ribs hit the table’s edge making him groan in pain.
“Ye don’t want to be renamed do ye?” Duo glared at the tender tone Fraix using with him and for some reason Tamien, someone he hadn’t bothered looking at much in Heero’s company, popped into his mind. He frowned at Fraix and jerked his arms, trying to free his bound hands of his hold.
“Is this what you guys did to the others? To Ethan? Show them this place,” Duo jerked his chin to the left and right to indicate the room, “gave them water and gave them food?!” Duo spat out the last with distaste and a grimace. “You made them feel safe so you could trick them!” Duo jerked free, shaking the table hard enough to knock the pitcher and the bowl over onto the floor. Duo’s watched it fall without really seeing that nothing hit the floor but an empty bowl and pitcher. His chest tightening from the pressure that was building inside him, but his anger was blinding and he was left standing there glaring at the table as it shook. Duo didn’t react to the heavy hand settling on his shoulder nor did he try to resist the grip that pushed him back down into his seat, his knees buckling under him.
Duo blinked at the touch to the side of his face, his eyes watering for not having moved them for so long. The rough fingers touching his cheek slid down to his chin, tilting his head back and up to look at the older man. He flinched expecting to be hit in some way but nothing happen. Fraix just stared down at him with a sorrowful expression in his eyes and a droopy beard. Then he felt everything else - his chest heaved as he inhaled, demanding the air he’d unknowingly stop breathing. His eyes stung when he blinked up at the older man, and felt his anger melting away.
“Ye name, son.” Fraix searched his eyes and Duo found he couldn’t look away, not even at the sound of something like glass breaking.
“Duo.” his name, it spilled from his mouth like air and he couldn’t find the anger in it or anger at himself for telling it. He knew he should be but he couldn’t. He felt that if the older man asked him anything else at that very moment he would’ve told him.
Fraix smiled, nodding his head and releasing his shoulder with a warm pat.
“Fraix, I have his clothes.” Ethan muttered, pushing the door open and tossing a sack at Duo’s feet.
Duo swayed again and rubbed at his aching shoulder.
Suppressor. The word came to him like a whisper through his mind - a breath against his ear and left too quickly for him to hold onto. It was important but he couldn’t figure out why.
Duo watched, oddly numb again, as Fraix touched a black stone on his right shoulder. “Heero, the tether?”
Duo tilted his head, curious at the admonishing tone Fraix had with Heero.
“Saa.” He heard Heero say as the black stone pulsed.
Amusement! He fumed silently to himself. He could hear the laughter in the voice of the cold face Captain. Duo scowled, this wasn’t some joke for him. The numb feeling was wearing off and he was getting angrier. He felt his hands fall free as prickly pain raced up his arm, his hands were no longer bound.
“And is he...” Duo saw the black stone pulse in time with Heero’s voice.
“Ay, that be his name. He has no memory of the other.” Fraix smiled at him and turned so Duo could see the stone better and continued. “He be of age and... nescient.” Fraix shook his head and rested his hand on Duo’s back as he retrieved the sack, lifting it by the strap revealed it to be a satchel. “Ethan, we be fine. Ye need not be bothering with this. Ye can go.”
Ethan left with a blank look on his face and no argument. Duo watched him leave and let Fraix steer him out into the long hall where his daughter had entered from. Duo bit his lip, shrugged off Fraix and put plenty of distance between them.
Fraix looked at him questioningly, staying close enough to reach out and grab Duo if he tried to runaway.
“I’ll not run.” Duo offered, walking more to the side and keeping an eye of Fraix’s hands.
Fraix smiled with a nod, “That be good of ye. It be further down.”
“What did you do to me?”
Fraix arched a brow, “Me calmed ye, be all.” He shook his head at him, “Ye need discipline.”
Duo frowned to cover up his confusion, turning right, then down a winding instep to the left then right again before stopping at a large door that didn’t look much different from several others in this hall. Fraix looked through contents of the satchel and put a wrapped bundle in one of the pouches on the side.
“Everything ye need be in there. Go in and clean up, then me be taking ye to yer room. If ye be needing me, just touch the black stone on the right shoulder of ye shoulder guard.” Duo said nothing and Fraix folded the guard and put it back in the satchel before handing it to Duo.
Duo stared at the offered satchel before taking it cautiously but his movements were too slow. Fraix caught his arm near the back of his elbow. Duo jerked in his grasp and felt his heart seize up before screaming in his chest. He glared in half shock at Fraix, feeling foolish for accepting the bag. He looked up into the aged visage and found Fraix’s face was grim looking, cold, his thick beard drooping in what he could only assume was a scowl hidden beneath the hairy mass. He bit his lip, frowning at Fraix and getting nothing in return for the sudden change in his mood.
Duo pulled on his arm again when Fraix tighten his grip.
What’s he trying to say?! Duo thought in frustration letting, his confusion show on his face and through his expressive eyes. He jerked on his arm again when he felt his heart slow. He swallowed; fear grabbing at him because he was anything but calm and his heart was slowing without him doing anything. Duo struggled, trying to pry Fraix’s fingers from the back of his elbow. Duo gazed at Fraix in confusion and a little fear and understood what Fraix expression was demanding of him. In one word it said, “Don’t.”
Fraix nodded to him, releasing his arm. Duo hugged his arm to his side, the satchel lying forgotten on the floor. Duo squeezed his arm and felt nothing. He could move his fingers but his arm remained a heavy weight against his side.
Duo pushed past the older man when the door was opened. There was no lock, but his shoulders were too tense to slump like he thought they should. He let go of the breath he’d been holding once the door fell shut and barely noticed the satchel landing by his feet. He looked around for windows. There were none. Duo cursed, kicking the wall until his foot started to hurt. He turned around in a huff of frustration, thumping his back against the wall before he slid down into a ball with his limp arm between him and his knees. He wasn’t completely in the room but in a short hall that opened up further in. He leaned to the side, trying to peak around the corner without moving until he fell over onto his side.
He rolled onto his stomach and let his face rest on the cool stone floor. His once numb arm tingled beneath him, he shifted bringing his hand up to his face. He stared at his hand as he ran his fingertips over the surface of the floor, it was rigid like a natural formation and nothing like the man made halls on the other side of the door. He looked around as he stood up and tripped over the satchel on the floor. He stopped himself from kicking it when he saw the thing Fraix had wrapped and put in the side pocket sticking out. He squatted down over the bag and poked at it. It was the size of his two hands put together, and weighty. He pulled the knot and gasped.
“I don’t understand.”
Duo looked away, pained and confused, letting the cloth and its contents fall to the floor. He bit his lip and caught the cheese before it could roll away. He put it back in the cloth with the bread, re-wrapped it and put it back in the satchel before picking it up and walking into the large room. The floor sloped downward but wasn’t slippery. There was this sound that grew louder the deeper he went into the dimly lit room - chamber. His foot splashed down and he forgot to breathe. The bathing chamber was like an underground cave with smooth stone walls in some places, little water spouts that came out of several places in the walls and drained off into small recessed holes alit by furry masses. Further toward the back there was a large waterfall and several communal baths that were stacked like steps. They were continuously refilled with water from its corners where they touched the waterfall. They overflowed into mini falls themselves that all ran into a stream emptying into another recessed hole.
He ran his fingers along the wall and across a glowing mass, one of many that he could saw all over the chamber and seemed to be the reason why the place had light.
Glow fuzz? He shook his head, that’s not it. He smiled, a child’s voice - his voice? He wasn’t sure, but he heard it. Remembered it saying ‘glow fuzz’ again and again in a child’s excited glee as he ran his fingers through the softly glowing mound. It sparked under his touch and grew brighter. It didn’t hurt. The chamber lichen gave off a yellow, blue-green light that coalesced into the chamber’s overall soft yellowish glow.
Duo grabbed at his worn tunic, there was an odd pull in his chest that directed his steps. The strange pull had him moving away from the wall to step fully into the large chamber and closer to the waterfall. He saw several more doors and suddenly he knew why all doors on this level looked the same. They all lead to here and there’s so much water. Duo’s next step had his arms flailing for something to grab onto. He barely had a grip on the ledge, his fingers slipping on the smooth but bumpy surface. It was warm, warmer then the rest of the chamber and Duo managed to get his arm over the ledge. He was panting and his ribs hurt every time he breathed after slamming them into the side of the shaft. Duo squinted as he strained to grab on to what looked like a rocky protrusion and he could only hope it was rooted to the chamber floor. His hand closed over it and his fingers dug in to... warm fuzz. He squeezed it and it exploded into water. He lost his hold at the shock of cold that shot through his arm. He gasped, feeling nails break and scrapes reopen as he tried to get a grip on the slick surface.
Then the chamber’s light was fading, the shaft he’d fallen down rising up around him along with the warming darkness. He was falling and there seemed to be no end.
tbc