Step Inside the Circle Part 3

It was by far one of the easiest, most pleasant days Duo had ever experienced at work, which failed to explain why he felt so jumpy.

Work had begun at 11AM - Trowa and Quatre (with tattoos properly hidden!) were instant hits at the Pub. They had decided the night before that, for simplicity's sake, Duo would introduce them as old college friends of Wufei's, and that in itself had started a waterfall of questions - were they single, how did they meet Wufei, were they also teachers...

Duo ignored them to the best of his ability. It wasn't too hard, given that his fellow employees, Lily, Marilyn and Gloria, spent every moment they could either basking in Quatre's easy smile or listening with rapt attention to another of Trowa's stories. It was quite obvious, as he watched and listened, that Trowa was a gifted bard; even if he hadn't been a good-looking man tucked into a corner of a quaint-looking old pub, the patrons and employees of the Eagle's Nest would have still been entranced by his storytelling and his soft, lilting accent.

"Hey, Duo! Order's ready!" the cook yelled from her spot.

He absently wiped his hands on the bar towel and rolled his eyes. "They could hear you in Boston, Marilyn," he commented, strolling over with a small grin.

The cook - her name was Martha, but due to her tendency towards dying her hair platinum blond and wearing a ridiculous amount of makeup for a Pub cook, everyone called her Marilyn - was in much better spirits today, it seemed. Then again, with the sensitive, caring Quatre willing to listen to her tale of woe at the death of Buck, her faithful old, and sadly departed, hunting dog... Duo was almost certain Quatre had given her one of the 'suggestions' he'd referred to the night before to get her to shut up. She now flashed Duo a smile. "Don't sass me, Maxwell! I'll spit in your beer!"

"That's why I'm the bartender, and you're not, darling," he carolled back as he swept out of her range. He actually managed a real smile as he headed out to serve the two cops sitting near the window.

Wiping his hands on his apron, he threw a glance at the clock as he turned back to his bar. Wufei wouldn't be off work for at least another hour, and he was expected to be there until Clive, the pub's owner, finally showed up.

He was tired - he hadn't slept well the night before in the slightest.

That was perhaps why he didn't notice the hand that sneaked out until it was too late and it attached itself to his braid and yanked.

Hard.

"Son of a..." Duo yelled, hands flying up to his head. He whirled around - it was the same creep from the day before, smirking at him from beneath infernally-split eyebrows. He glared at the man. "Buddy, that's not the right way to get my attention."

~*~

Quatre was fidgeting.

Trowa noticed it and had to struggle to maintain his calm façade. The Banshee was considered the strongest of his kind for a reason; Quatre could feel things, other people's feelings, desires, loves, hates... For the blond to be so disturbed after he'd sat there, composed and calm for so long was not a good sign.

The druid spared a moment to look around the pub, but he could see no reason for Quatre's unrest. The few late afternoon patrons were mostly either engrossed in Trowa's current tale, or calmly eating their food and nursing a beer...

"Son of a..."

His head came up, surprised. That was Duo's voice, but...

He looked over. Duo was carefully holding the end of his braid and glaring at a customer with reddish hair. Trowa could see no more of the man, whose back was to him, but Duo's body language was pretty clear. He was pissed.

Quatre caught his eyes and started to his feet but, before he could get there, Duo stalked away, still clutching the end of his braid in his hand.

Barely masking his unease, Quatre sat back down.

~*~

The cops had tipped him very well.

Duo couldn't help a small smile. In a village this small, it was rare that anyone truly gave a good tip. They were all neighbours, after all, and no one wanted to make it seem as though they were giving charity to one another. But every now and then...

He slipped the bills into his pocket and made his way back-

"Would it be better if I told you your rear view is quite impressive?"

Duo flushed bright red and, growling, turned to face the red-headed stranger. He stared at the man's amused countenance, counting to ten quickly before he said something he'd regret. "Did you need something, sir?"

"Not at all," the man responded, seeming unusually pleased with himself to have insinuated the beginnings of a conversation. "I was just making small talk. It's what people do."

"Really." Duo stepped back and carefully managed not to growl as the man winked at him. Who did this creep think he was, coming on to him? "I'm not interested in your small talk. Sorry." He turned away.

The man's hand snaked out and caught the end of his braid as it swung in the air, and Duo immediately froze. The man stood, still holding the braid, and stepped closer. "Don't you want to know why I am here, Duo?"

The braided man's nerves began waving red flags at him as the man stepped closer. "I don't care, buddy. Let go of the hair."

"It's such nice hair," the man said, and Duo heard him sniffing-

He spun around to find that the man had lifted his braid to his face and smelt it! Aghast, Duo yanked his hair free. "You've got about five seconds to leave, sir, before things will get nasty. You are no longer welcome in this pub."

"Does it really have to come to that?"

~*~

His story forgotten, Trowa surged to his feet as Quatre grabbed at his head and turned to dash from the room with a light whimper, headed for the restrooms. The druid headed after him with barely another thought, dimly noticing that Duo was talking to the strange man again.

~*~

"Oh, dear," the man continued, "it appears your Banshee has developed a headache. I do hope he'll be okay."

Duo's eyes went wide and he stepped back, feeling his proverbial hackles rising. "Who the hell are you?"

"My name is Treize," the stranger replied easily. "Does that name mean anything to you?"

"No," Duo replied, trying vainly to hide his confusion.

"No matter," Treize batted it away. He stepped closer and smiled again. "As I was saying before, I do have a purpose for being here. Would it interest you to know it?"

Duo crossed his arms over his chest, rubbing at his wrists and the tattoos he knew were hidden in his skin. "Fine. Say whatever the hell it is you want to say and get the hell out."

"Temper, temper." Treize's hands shot out on either side of Duo and, as he quickly moved in to follow them, he trapped the young man against the polished edge of the bar. "I just wanted to meet the new Tuatha De warlord and see if he was worth my bother. It helps to know one's enemies."

~*~

"Shhh, Quatre... Talk to me!" Trowa whispered urgently, cradling the blond against his chest.

Quatre was struggling to breathe steadily, clutching at his throat, but he slowly seemed to relax and finally looked up again. "I felt... Goddess, I have never felt anything like that before in my life! It was like... it was like stepping into icy water and being sucked in, and your blood freezing in your veins..."

Trowa's eyes went wide, and he mumbled, "Few could face the man whose touch was Death and whose wrath was King, for Death was his name..."

Quatre stilled in his arms. "What does that mean, Gwydion?"

Trowa's eyes flashed as he suddenly remembered where he'd seen facial features like those of the red-headed stranger before. "He is here, Quatre. Balor is here."

"DUO!" The blond turned and ran back out again without a second thought, and Trowa could do nothing but curse under his breath as he made to follow.

~*~

Duo placed a hand squarely in Treize's chest and pushed him back and away. "I don't know what you're talking about, mister. Get out of here."

For every step he moved away, though, the red-headed man just kept coming forward. "You don't know? Or you won't admit to knowing? I'm almost insulted you've forgotten me, boy."

Duo's eyes flashed angrily. "I am no boy," he growled, clenching his fists and absently wishing those cops were still at their window table.

"Your Zechs had forgotten me, too," Treize whispered, coming closer again. "I fed his still-beating heart to my hounds while his man looked on helplessly, did you know that? Ah, vengeance! Perhaps thousands of years later than expected, but it was mine and it was exceedingly sweet."

Duo felt a moment of cold fear. Zechs! The man had to be talking about the former Tuatha De prince, and that meant... He scowled darkly. "Almost as sweet as setting a demon on your own daughter, Balor?"

"Your druid told you, did he?" Treize said, backing away and looking quite pleased at his own infamy. "She's not dead, you know. She probably wishes she were, but she still lives."

"You sick bastard..."

"Duo!"

Duo felt a flash of relief as he recognised Quatre's voice yelling his name. He felt the blond drawing closer, like an approaching storm cloud. It even seemed to affect Treize, whose smug grin faded from his face completely.

The Formore turned on the Banshee with a sneer on his face. "You dare to challenge me, Bean Sidhe?"

The blond's eyes flashed with thunder, and Duo actually felt the temperature drop as Quatre seemed to grow in size, dominating the small group with anger, power and menace. Trowa joined them and began to slowly pull Duo back and away. "The sun still shines outside, Formore, and the Goddess hears my voice. Do you dare to challenge me?"

Holwing with rage, Treize struck out at the blond, but before he could reach him, two things happened.

He belatedly felt the druid's power slamming into his back and knocking him off balance, and the Tuatha De lord's right hand caught his flying fist and held it as though it were child's play.

There was a flash of silver as Duo's tattoos momentarily made their presence known. Treize cried out as he felt the Tuatha De's grip tighten and grind the bones of his hand together as hard as he could with seemingly no effort at all.

"Get out, Balor. This is my domain and you are not welcome. I will not ask it again," Duo growled, releasing the other man's fist and shoving him away as hard as he could. He was amazed when the Formore practically flew backwards to slam into a small table and knock it over.

With an enraged look on his face, Treize stood and made to step closer, but Trowa was there, green eyes blazing with hate as he raised an empty hand and allowed the beginnings of his power to show in it.

Treize went absolutely still, but his look of rage quickly faded to one of amusement. "So the little lord has teeth, does he? I'm thankful. For a moment, I thought it would be entirely too easy. Fine, Duo, you win this time, but we will meet again, I promise you that."

Huffing from her dash from the kitchen, Marilyn stepped up to Duo's side, brandishing her soup ladle as threateningly as a woman who looked like her could. "Who d'you think you are, bothering our Duo? Get out! You heard him already - leave!"

Treize gave her a mocking bow and strolled lazily back towards the door, but stopped just before he opened it and turned again, locking eyes with Duo.

The braided man shuddered as he felt the cold touch of Treize's power in his mind-

::We will meet again, Tuatha De Danaan. I killed you in the past - I shall take great pleasure in doing it again, and all your people will suffer for it. Mark me, boy - be ready to face me on Samhain.::

Duo yelped and would have fallen if not for Trowa's quick reflexes. He stared up into the druid's soothing green eyes, shaking at the cold, horrifying feel of the Formore's mind. Trembling, he finally gave in and buried his face in the man's shoulder.

Treize's mocking laughter was cut off as Trowa glared at the door and it slammed shut.

~*~

Wufei nearly turned and walked back out again as he stepped inside the Eagle's Nest. If looks could have killed, the glare on Quatre's face would not only have murdered him on the spot, but dug him a ten foot deep grave, put him in it, and filled it back in over him. He took one look at Duo's face, though, and walked right in and up to the bar.

He stopped long enough to put down his bag and take off his jacket before he stepped closer to where Duo was wiping glasses and darting suspicious looks at the door. "Duo?"

The braided man met his eyes slowly. The transformation in him was incredible - the tension seemed to break, and he set down both glass and towel, sighing heavily. "Wufei. God - this has been a fucked up day."

The Chinese man attempted a small, reserved smile. "I noticed Quatre trying to make visitors spontaneously combust as they walk in... What happened?"

Duo absently glanced in the blond's direction and frowned. "He shouldn't do that - he'll scare the customers away..."

"I only saw him because I was looking for you three," Wufei reassured him as quickly as he could, reaching out a hand to catch his friend's shoulder. "Now tell me."

Trowa joined them as Duo began to speak in a shaky voice. "He was here - the guy they told us about last night who sent that bull demon to catch his daughter."

Wufei drew back, surprised. "How..."

Duo cut him off, though. "It was the same creep who kept pulling my braid yesterday. BEFORE I met either Trowa or Quatre. He already knew where and who I was... Wufei, had I not found Trowa last night, I might have been dead by this morning."

Wufei turned to Trowa for confirmation, and got a firm nod. He turned back to Duo with a serious glint in his eyes. "You talked to him?"

Duo shrugged. "Yeah - bastard was actually coming on to me at first. I practically threw him across the room, though..."

"What?!"

Trowa nodded again, this time with a small smirk. "He did - it was pretty impressive to see him tap his power, even just for a moment."

Quatre walked over, eyes still scanning the room as he moved. "Tell him what else the filth said."

Duo looked away, clearly uneasy. "He said... he said that in our past lives, he'd killed me."

Wufei's eyes flashed angrily. "How long ago was this? Where did he go?"

Trowa shook his head. "It was about an hour and a half ago. I don't know where he went. Quatre tried to trail him for a while, but the Formore bastard is good."

Wufei stood up and immediately reached for his jacket. "We'll take you back to my house - he can't know who I am..."

"On the contrary, if Treize Khushrenada already knew enough to look for a Tuatha de Danaan in this village, you must assume he knows everything about his intended target," Trowa said, frowning.

Duo looked away miserably just as the front door opened again, and a man walked in. He promptly forgot to breathe.

The man standing at the door was one of the most attractive people he'd ever seen in his life. Not too tall, but obviously well-built under his clothing. He looked up, and Duo gasped. Staring right back at him from under an unruly head of dark brown hair were the most arresting blue eyes he'd ever seen - slanted like a Japanese person's eyes.

Duo felt a jolt of awareness running through him, and he was ever so slightly weirded out by it. It was as though the newcomer was magnetic, and he didn't even know the man's name, hadn't even spoken to him yet!

What was worse, he was headed straight in Duo's direction.

He was dressed much as Trowa had been dressed when they met, only that all the stranger's clothing was in shades of grey and black. Black cargo pants, topped by a grey sweater that, even from under the long, black leather coat, showed strong shoulders and a muscled chest quite nicely. And the way he moved - it was more like watching a prowling cat than a person.

It was incredibly sexy!

His mouth was dry - his hands were sweaty, and he desperately looked anywhere but at the approaching vision...

Both Trowa and Quatre tensed as the man approached, but turned with smiles on their faces. "Heero, you made it," Quatre said.

The stranger - Heero - stepped right past Duo as though he wasn't there, and didn't acknowledge Wufei's presence, either. He frowned his displeasure at the other two. "And if I couldn't have come? The both of you - I've never seen you act so irresponsibly!"

Trowa's eyes narrowed slightly. "We can't all be perfect, Heero. Not even you."

"Hn," the newcomer grunted, turning his eyes on Quatre, instead. "And you, running out into the night like you did..."

"Are you forgetting, perhaps, that I am at least partially a creature of the night, myself?" the blond said, eyes twinkling. "It all worked out in the end, anyway, so I don't see why you can't get over it. No - not now, Heero! You're being abominably rude! Come meet our new friends! Gentlemen, this is Heero Yuy, or Greine, as he's known in our circle of acquaintances, if you catch my meaning. You're not seeing things - he's half Japanese, ergo those lovely eyes..."

Heero's glare darkened.

The Banshee forcibly turned his friend to face Wufei. "This is Wufei Chang. He offered us shelter last night and has been very kind. He's a very good friend of..."

"I know who he is," Heero said quietly. "Nice to meet you, Chang." He gave him a small bow.

"Yuy." Wufei returned the bow just as solemnly.

The other three blinked and stared the abruptness of his greeting. Quatre recovered quickly, though, and turned the Japanese man to finally face Duo. "And this is..."

"Duo Maxwell. Nice to meet you," Duo finished for him, holding out a hand.

Heero stared at the outstretched limb, but declined to shake. "Honoured to meet you, my Lord," he said stiffly, looking anywhere but at the young man's face. Trowa gave him a not-so-subtle nudge, and he grudgingly shook Duo's hand, his face sullen.

Duo was taken aback. Trowa and Quatre had spent a large portion of the day telling him all about their various companions, and the Heero they had described... Well, he'd expected someone rather different. He forced himself to tear his eyes away from his study of Heero's features. "How was your trip?"

"Unnecessary," Heero said, releasing his hand. He glared back over his shoulder. "We had no business around here."

Trowa pushed Heero down onto a barstool and sat next to him. "Balor was already here, Heero. Before I came anywhere near this village. Had we not come when we did..."

The Japanese man turned his eyes on the long-haired man, still behind the bar. "Is this true?"

Duo nodded. "He showed up for the first time yesterday afternoon, and again today. A real shithead."

Heero half-smirked for a short moment, undoubtedly agreeing with Duo's assessment of the Formore. It faded away quickly, though as he looked out the window, and was replaced by a frown. "In that case, we cannot stay here any longer. Trowa, Quatre, you escort Mr. Chang to his home and help him gather his things..."

"Me?!" Wufei said, choking ever so slightly. "But I'm just..."

Heero turned his cold, serious gaze on him. "He will come looking for you - it is surprising he did not attempt it last night when Duo's home was found empty. You will not be safe."

"I have a job and responsibilities!" Wufei protested. "I can't just pack up and leave."

"You can and you will if you want to survive," Heero replied, though his face softened for a moment. "I'm sorry we must disturb you, but you saved two of mine yesterday, and I will not leave you to die on your own, now. Please do not fight me on this."

"Wufei?" Duo echoed, looking nervous, but steady. Wufei met his eyes.

He finally broke off their stare and nodded. "Fine. How long will we be gone?"

Trowa shrugged. "Hopefully not too long. We will help with your job and making sure it is still there for you when you return."

Quatre and Trowa stood to leave, but Heero stopped them with a quiet, "Just a moment." They turned back to him, surprised.

Heero looked away, his face pinched tight in an expression of melancholy. "I didn't mean... You know I worry because you're... Since Zechs..." He shuddered hard, anger and self-loathing lighting his eyes. "I'm sorry. You can both handle yourselves, and I recognise that."

Wearing a gentle smile, Quatre stepped in close and gave the Japanese man a small but heartfelt hug. "We know, Greine. It's okay."

Duo watched at a loss for words as the two dragged Wufei back out of the bar again and into the fading sunlight.

Heero turned his eyes to the Tuatha De as soon as the door closed. "I will escort you back to your home, my lord. Only take what you need - we won't have long since the sun is already setting."

"Okay, but please don't call me that," Duo protested, "And I can't leave yet - Clive will have a fit if I'm not here when he gets in. Even though he's late already - he's funny like that."

Heero's eyes narrowed again, and Duo couldn't help a momentary thought that the guy had to be careful, or his face could get stuck that way. "We don't have time for..."

"Yes, you do," Duo said sharply, his own frown darkening. "This is my life in this town, and though that might not mean too much to you, it sure as shit does to me. I will not disrespect the people here just to outrun some pointy-eyebrowed freak with a hair fetish!"

Heero couldn't help a small grin. "Hair fetish?"

Duo waggled the braid at him. "He's gonna lose his hand the next time he tries to touch it, I swear."

The grin faded ever so little, but didn't disappear this time. "Fine - we'll wait twenty minutes, then leave if this Clive doesn't appear. Is that acceptable?"

"Very." Duo flashed the man a quick smile. "You want anything in the meantime? A beer?"

"I don't drink."

Duo rolled his eyes as he turned away to serve another customer. "Why am I not surprised?"

~*~

Heero sighed in relief as the Tuatha De turned away. The man was... exhausting, and they'd only just met.

He watched him surreptitiously from his place - the man had an easy, friendly manner, and seemed to be very well liked by the pub's patrons. 'Especially the ladies, but it is to be expected with that handsome smile, gorgeous hair and well-formed body. Just as a real Tuatha De Danaan should look,' Heero told himself. All the same, Duo's eyes flicked to the doorway quite often, and for someone who seemed so comfortable in his own skin, his movements were a bit jerky and uncoordinated.

His opinion of Duo silently climbed a few notches - the man was smart enough to be unnerved by what was going on, and even smarter to admit he was scared by it all.

Heero had seen it before with other Tuatha De Danaan reincarnations. They found out they had power, and suddenly there was nothing they couldn't do and no one they could not handle. And then along came the Formorii. They were bad enough before Balor was released from the Underworld; they were a hundred times worse, now.

He tore his gaze away, scowling. That Treize, himself, had paid the pub a visit did not bode well. It meant this one was special in more ways than one.

"Hey, Duo, I changed my mind."

The man looked over his shoulder and gave him a grin. "Be right there!"

Sure enough, Duo was there in less than a minute. "So what'll it be, partner?"

"Coffee?"

Heero couldn't help a small smirk as Duo made a face at him. "Coffee? Y'know, it won't hurt to lighten up a little."

He shook his head. "Not right now, Duo." Heero's smirk faded away.

'Lightening up' would just get someone else who was close to him killed. And he would never fail his friends - his family - as he'd failed Zechs. Never again!

The man seemed to know when enough was enough - he backed off immediately. "You win this time, man."

"Thank you."

He sipped his coffee in peace, giving himself a mental pep talk. 'You can do this - you just need to get the Tuatha De into hiding - get him to safety. Everything will be fine once we leave this place behind us...'

The door opened, and a bear-like mountain of a man walked in, not bothering to close the door behind him. Heero tensed as the man walked straight up to the bar. "Duo! Thank God you're still here, son."

Duo obviously knew the man - concern was written over his face for all to see. "Clive! You okay? You don't look so good..."

"Duo, listen to me," the man, Clive, said solemnly. All other conversation in the pub stopped. "Your house - the firemen are headed in from Kellis Point, but they'll never get there in time..."

"My house?!" Duo said, eyes wide in his pale face. "What do you mean?"

The big man reached across the bar and put a fatherly hand on Duo's shoulder. "I'm sorry, son. There's a fire. I was worried - I thought you might have left early... I've never seen anything like it. The flames are everywhere all at once - it's as though a fireball fell from the sky."

Duo could do no more than stare at his boss as everyone started talking at once around them.

Heero, however, was grabbing for his coat and throwing it back on hurriedly. "Duo, where does your friend Wufei live? We must get to him before Treize does!"

The man stared at him with unseeing eyes. Shocked, Heero recognised the signs of a precognizant trance.

"Duo!" He reached across and firmly gripped the man's arm, shaking it a little.

Duo seemed to focus on him this time. "It was... the serpent of fire... is there one of those, Heero? A fire serpent?"

"How did you see that?" the Japanese man replied. There weren't many fire serpents left in the world, and if Treize sent one after them... It would be a very harrowing escape, if they made it at all!

"I have no idea."

They stared at each other for a moment.

"Go on, son," Clive said, coming up behind the bar and pushing Duo towards the 'Employees Only' area. "I've got it, here."

"Right... Right - hey Clive?" Duo couldn't manage a smile to say good bye. "Thanks. For everything."

Heero watched as the Tuatha De turned and ran for his things. He was right, before - Duo was definitely not like the other Tuatha De Danaan purebloods he'd met over the years, not with the sort of powers he was exhibiting.

So just who the hell was he?

TBC...

 

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