Banshee Part 6
I could feel Wufei watching me as we spiraled down into the Compound toward the Matriarch's apartment. It was hard not to growl at him, though I was grateful- he was the one asking for Sanctuary for Heero- not me. No one worried about Wufei's judgment after all...
No one worries about yours either, dearest, the Matriarch's voice echoed in my head. Except for yourself of course.
Grimacing, I landed neatly in front of her door, the grass cool under my feet. Can you blame me?
I never have blamed you. Nothing that happened was your fault. Send your banshee in.
He's not my banshee.
Whatever you say, dear.
Be kind- he's had a rough night.
Heero slid off my back and I quickly changed, reaching out for his guitar case. "Here- let me take that. You can go right in- she's waiting for you."
He handed me the case, looking apprehensive. "What- what do I say to her? The Grove had a ritual-"
"No rituals here- she knows why you're here. Just-" I bit my lip, not wanting to say too much. "Just be honest with her."
"All right," he squared his shoulders and headed for the door. It opened silently as he approached and I sat down on the grass as he vanished inside. I could feel curious eyes on me as I sat there and silently wished that the Matriarch's apartment wasn't right on the ground floor in front of everyone.
"He'll be fine," Wufei told me, shifting forms and sitting down beside me.
I didn't really want to discuss his chances. "That's more than I can say for this," I countered and popped open the case to look at the ruin inside. "How are you on mending spells?"
"This is going to take a delicate touch- I'm not sure I could do it properly."
"Need some help?" Said a voice above my head and I squinted up at the emerald-tinted dragon hovering over my head.
"Trowa? I thought you had a date with Quatre tonight."
He dropped into the grass beside me and shrugged. "He had to leave early- some sort of family emergency. What happened to the guitar?"
Wufei and I exchanged a look. "As it turns out," he drawled, "Zechs wants the banshee rather badly. Some of the elfkin trashed his place, squashed his guitar and left a trap spell for him."
Trowa growled. "Did you teach them a lesson?"
"No, we just snatched the banshee out from under their noses. They only spelled the front door- not the window."
"Idiots. Did you-" he paused for a moment, looking uncomfortable, "see them?"
I shook my head, knowing what he was worried about. "No- but we heard them- neither was Quatre, I'm pretty sure."
"And now Heero's in with the Matriarch?"
"I asked for sanctuary for him," Wufei glanced towards the Matriarch's door. "I hope it's going well- I need a new tech rather badly."
Elbowing him in the ribs only made him laugh, so I focused on Trowa. "Do you think you can repair the damage?"
He leaned over the mangled guitar and studied it for a few minutes. "Yes, I think so. Give me some room?"
We backed off and watched as he cast his circle. "How do you think it's going?" I asked Wufei, glancing towards the door again.
"I'm sure it's fine, Duo. If she tried to eat him we'd hear screaming or something."
"Not funny."
I thought it was hilarious, myself. I'm almost finished with your banshee. Tell Wufei to get the contract ready- and oh- he'll need the basics- and an apartment. Unless you want to keep him with you?
I think he'd feel more secure in his own space, I countered, feeling my face warm at the thought. "Wufei- she says to get the contract ready- and we need to find him an empty apartment-"
"He can have the one Kaz left- it's close to you and to the tech department. I think there's furniture in it- and he'll need the lift charm. I'll go get what he needs- you wait for him. Meet me there when he's finished."
"I will. Thanks."
He grinned. "Don't thank me- I figure your banshee will be so grateful I won't have to worry about anyone hiring him away." He was gone before I could even think of a retort.
"He's not my banshee," I muttered as I turned back to watch Trowa. I hoped no one called him that where Heero could hear them. I remembered the way he asserted his independence those first few times we met. He wouldn't appreciate being called mine.
Much as I might want him to be...
Thought so. I rolled my eyes at her smug tone. I'm sending your banshee out now. He has been granted sanctuary. I'm very pleased that you brought him to me.
Thank you.
And dear one? He's safe to trust- I promise.
I inhaled deeply, relief washing through me as the door opened and Heero stepped out. He looked towards me and I was surprised to see him smile- truly smile- at me.
Oh. I needed to get him to do that again...
"All finished," Trowa said and I blinked. I had forgotten he was there. He dropped the case into my hands and winked. "I'll see you tomorrow, Duo- and I want details." He added in a whisper before taking off.
Heero stepped towards me, watching Trowa's departure. "Who was that?"
"My cousin, Trowa. You met him at the club? I don't think you saw his dragon-form-"
"No I didn't." His smile hadn't faded, only turned a little shy. "She said I could stay- do you need to talk to her?"
"She already told us," I handed him the guitar case. "Wufei is getting things ready for you. We're supposed to go meet him."
He started to swing the guitar case over his shoulder and stopped, his smile fading. "What-" he ran his hands over the case. "It was dented- what-?"
"I had Trowa fix it. He's good with delicate work like that-"
Heero dropped to his knees, hesitantly opening the case. He reached inside and lifted the guitar out, running his hands over the silken wood, touching the strings reverently. I heard his shaky inhale and caught the barest glimpse of silver at the corners of his eyes.
"It's all I had left of them- I can't thank you enough-"
"It was Trowa really. All I did was ask." I admitted as he put the guitar away and closed the case. Slinging it carefully on his back, he stood up and looked me in the eye.
"But you thought to ask. I can't thank you for all you've done for me today-" he leaned forward and brushed his lips over my cheek.
Not yours at all, hmmm?
~*~
I stood in the middle of the apartment and blinked at Duo. "This- is mine?" I had thought we were in his apartment- or Wufei's. He hadn't told me where we were headed after I had finished with the Matriarch.
"Yep. It belonged to the last tech." He looked around with a critical eye. "The brownies have kept it clean- and the couch and tables are good- but you might need a different bed."
I looked around the apartment again. It was a small studio-type apartment- The kitchen was tucked into a corner of the larger room- there was a bathroom off to the side by a closet- and above the closet was a loft type space filled with large cushions. I didn't see a bed, but I really didn't care. At the Grove I had been in a bunkhouse with several other elfkin- I hadn't expected anything different here.
Duo nodded towards the loft. "That's the bed- it's meant for dragons. I can merge the cushions together for you tonight- tomorrow we can do better. I have a few extra blankets at my place- I'll get them for you."
I followed him out onto the balcony and he nodded upwards. "I'm over and up one- I'll be right back." Watching him fly up to the balcony I had a sudden thought. Looking back into my apartment, I realized that there was no inside door. The only door was the glass one out to the balcony- how was I going to get around? I couldn't fly- and I didn't want to rely on Duo all the time-
Something landed on my balcony and I turned to find Wufei there, already back in human form. "I brought the contract," he said and I followed him over to the kitchen table. I scanned it quickly, noting that the rent for the apartment was included- and I still was making more than I ever had before.
"The Matriarch told me that you might want a part of every check sent somewhere? If you could give me the address- or is it an account? Our financial department can arrange it for you- she said the elfkin would have a harder time tracing it that way."
Blinking, I signed the contract and then put the address down on another sheet. After my interview- hell, even as she had welcomed me- I had known she was a different leader than Zechs. That she would care enough to make sure I knew that arraignments could be made- that they could help me-
"It goes here- it's a retirement home- for the care of this man-" I wrote Jay's name down beside the address. "If- if there's a way they could keep me notified of his condition? I used to call-"
"You can call here- we have secure lines," Wufei reassured me. "Tech has one- I'll show you how to use it on Monday- that's your first scheduled day."
"I can start tomorrow-"
He shook his head. "No, no. We'll be okay until then. You need some time to settle in. Speaking of-" he pulled a card and a small book out of another pocket. "You have a new account here- with the Hoard. This is the debit card- this is your account book. Your sign in bonus is already deposited. The Matriarch wanted you to leave your apartment alone- make it look like you really did run, so you'll need to get some things for here- clothes and such- all those things they destroyed. Duo can help you with that."
I could only gape at him in surprise.
"Did someone say my name?" Duo stepped in, his arms full of blankets and a couple of grocery bags. "Is he all set up?"
"I think so-" Wufei paused and then snorted. "No- forgot the lift charm." He dropped a small cord on the table and grinned. "The one thing he really needed! Sorry about that!" He gathered up the papers and nodded at me. "See you Monday."
"Thanks," I managed, still a little shell-shocked.
He left with a backwards wave and Duo joined me by the table. "You okay? You look a little-"
"I just-" I gestured at- everything. The apartment, the account book, Duo's blankets- "It's all-"
"Overwhelming?"
"Too much! I mean- I'm just a half breed banshee- there's no point in going to all of this trouble for me-"
"Heero," Duo put down all the things he was carrying and put a hand on my shoulder. "We aren't going to all that much trouble. Trust me- you'll be working your ass off for Wufei- the techs are some of the busiest people here. We have lots of empty apartments- on purpose- dragons like to move around- and you are paying for it. You should see what the warriors get when they move in- this is nothing really."
"It's just- compared to the Grove-"
"Ah, There's the problem. Don't compare us to them." Duo nudged me and smiled. "Besides, keeping you here and foiling Zechs makes the Matriarch- and a lot of other people here- very happy."
"Really?"
"Truly. Ever since Zechs took over most of the other non-elven races are unhappy. He's trying to make the elfkin 'better' than the rest of us. Hell, he even-"
Duo paused and I saw a shadow cross his face. "He even what-?"
"He sent- a spy here- about a year ago. A sorcerer- though we didn't know it at the time. The guy got access to the archives- made friends with everyone- and then-"
I didn't like the expression on Duo's face at all. Leaning closer to him, I put a hand on his elbow. "What did he do?"
"I... I caught him- sending a message to Zechs. He thought he was alone in the archives- and I found him. He-" Duo's hand covered mine and he squeezed tight for a moment. "I know some magic- but it's not my strong point- he- well, let's just say that I ended up with a tendency for panic attacks- and some other things."
I suppressed the urge to growl. "He was a friend?"
"I thought he was. I had even helped him get the job in the archives. He- he was another dragon- so he didn't need sanctuary, but we still should've had him meet the Matriarch- but she usually doesn't check all the other dragons who come here- though now that's changed a bit-"
That explained a lot- the looks between himself and Wufei- and what the Matriarch had said when I told her my magic had spoken for Duo.
~*~
Has your ring ever spoken up for anyone?"
I bit my lip. She had been kind enough, but how was she going to take this? Duo had said to be honest. "Yes. It spoke for Duo."
A delighted smile curved her lips. "Duo? Truly?"
I- I think so. It's never happened before- of course- but they said I'd know-"
Did you say anything to him?"
No- it didn't seem like the thing to bring up on a first date," I said and she laughed.
Yes, but-" She tilted her head to the side, obviously thinking carefully. "Duo is... He needs someone like you. Someone he can trust. He's been... hurt. I will let him tell you the details, but we've all been very worried about him. I know you'll be very good for him."
~*~
"Thank you," I said and he blinked at me.
"What-"
"Even after all that, you still helped me. That had to be hard. Thank you."
He smiled for me and then released my elbow. "Come on- let's get you set up. I brought you some of my spare clothes too- I think they'll fit-and some towels-" he scooped up the blankets and I followed him up to the loft. A quick incantation later and instead of many cushions, I had one large one and two smaller ones for pillows. We moved it closer to the wall and settled the blankets over it. I had a lot of space left over- but then dragons needed more sleeping room than I did.
Duo led me back down to the kitchen. "One last thing-" He picked up the cord Wufei had left on the table. "You can't fly- and you might have noticed that there's no stairs or anything like that?"
"I did-"
"This is a lift charm-" He wrapped the cord around my wrist and I saw that there were small silver arrows entwined in the cord. "It's a levitation spell. Think up-"
Of course the moment he said it, I did- and found myself rising slowly up towards the ceiling.
"Or down," he added and I came back down with a feeling of relief. "See? Easy. Keep it on all the time- and you'll be fine."
"You've thought of everything."
"Not me- just centuries of trial and error with our non-dragon kin." He laughed and I followed him towards the door. "Anything else I can do for you?"
~*~
"Anything else I can do for you?" I hoped there was- I couldn't think of another reason to stay longer on my own.
That got me another one of those real smiles- damn, I'd do anything for one of those. "Actually-" Heero stepped a little closer to me, "I would like to give you something- after everything you've done for me-"
For some reason, my heart decided to speed up a little. Heero reached up and swept his hair behind his ear- and I caught a glint of gold at the top of it, before he closed his fingers over it. His eyes closed for a moment and then he held out his hand to me.
In the center of his palm was a small twist of gold and sapphire that I couldn't resist reaching out to take. Dragons have a thing for gold- supposedly- and though I never had felt it before- I wanted this piece- but- I thought he'd taken his earring out- and I didn't want to take something so valuable of his.
Yet, when I glanced up at him to refuse, I could still see his glinting in his ear.
"It's a banshee thing," he said and reached up towards my ear.
"A sign of friendship?" I asked- and bit my tongue. I didn't want to just be friends.
"Yes," he said and I heard a faint chiming sound as he fixed the ring to my ear. "Among other things."
Before I could ask what other things, the chiming turned into- music? Beautiful, joyful- I tilted my head trying to hear it better. "I can hear... it's faint- music?"
"Banshee magic," He explained. "The ring is tuning itself to you. It will stop soon."
It didn't have to stop. "I like it," I closed my eyes and listened. "It's beautiful..."
When I opened my eyes, he was still close to me, that smile still on his lips- and I couldn't help it. I kissed him.
Even though he had kissed me earlier- I think I half expected him to pull away. But he didn't- he wrapped his arms around me and opened his lips under mine.
Too much- too soon- I pulled away reluctantly. "So- not a bad first date?" I asked and he laughed.
"I'd call it a pretty good date. Maybe we can try again tomorrow?"
"Lunch?"
"I'd like that."
So would I, I thought and kissed him again.
TBC...
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