Author: Merula
Pairings: 2x1
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Yaoi, AU of an AU...
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine.
And because the other one was so late, and because I'm going to be AWOL for the weekend, how about a weird one-shot. I decided to take one of my AUs and sort of turn it a bit... just to see what would happen!!
Guard vs. Mage Part 1
"So you do understand?" The Lord Mage lifted his eyebrows at the new guard. "Your employment depends on you lasting two weeks with the mage we assign you."
The guard nodded, it wasn't the most unusual thing he'd ever heard of, but it was one of the top five. "And after I last the two weeks?"
"Then we assign you to a mage full time."
"Doesn't the mage you're assigning me to now need a full time guard? I would be willing to stay with him."
A dark look passed over the Lord Mage's face. "No one wants to stay more than two weeks with Mage Maxwell. Most of them leave by the end of the second day- if they can."
Heero blinked. "If they can?"
Lord Chang shrugged. "He's one of our top battle mages- and he likes to experiment. Sometimes the guards got in the way- of either one of his spells- or in the middle of a duel. No one has been killed- but they do need to spend some time in the infirmary before they move on."
"I see. So it's sort of a trial by fire?"
"Literally. So, are you still willing to take the job? Commander Po spoke highly of your skills."
"Yes sir."
"Very good. Mage Maxwell is in the very last tower in the southernmost building. You'll know it by the scorch marks. Good luck, Guard Yuy."
"Thank you sir." Heero saluted and took himself out of the head of the enclave's office. This wasn't quite the sort of job he'd wanted to find, but he was very tired of guarding caravans. Mages might be a nice change. Sure, this first one sounded a little difficult, but Heero had dealt with difficult mages on the caravans before. They were usually old men, somewhat cranky, but they always responded well to politeness. Surely this Mage Maxwell would too.
The southernmost building was very different than the rest of the enclave. The hallways were nearly deserted, many of the rooms stood empty. After the bustle of the rest, Heero found it a bit alarming.
As he was climbing the stairs to the last tower, the floor suddenly shook under his feet. He grabbed the wall and braced himself as the tower swayed for a minute.
When the shaking stopped, Heero released the wall and hurried up the stairs- his mage was up there and for all he knew, might have been hurt in the earthquake.
He reached a door at last and flung it open without knocking. Instinct alone saved him- he hit the floor just as a large bolt of crackling energy sliced through the air right where he'd been standing.
"Who are you?" A voice demanded and Heero looked up cautiously. He blinked. A young man stood in front of him, arms crossed over his chest, one foot tapping impatiently. Despite the blast, he knew this couldn't be the mage. The man wasn't in the school's blue mage robes- and he had a dagger strapped to his waist. Mages didn't carry weapons.
Maybe he was Mage Maxwell's servant?
"Guard Yuy," he said and got to his feet. "Lord Chang sent me."
The young man rolled his eyes. "Another one? Look, just move your things into the room two floors down from here and hide out. At the end of two weeks, you can tell Chang you made it."
Heero frowned. "That wouldn't be very honorable of me. Besides- how bad can Mage Maxwell be?"
That made the man laugh. "I can be pretty damn bad," he said and Heero blinked again. This was the mage?
"You're the mage?"
"I am."
"But you aren't..." Heero stopped himself before he could embarrass himself further.
"I hate mage robes. I am not wearing a dress." The mage picked up the heavy braid of hair that hung over his shoulder and waved it at Heero. "Bad enough I get comments on my hair- and don't tell me to cut it. I am not wearing those stupid things- which are totally impractical in a battle situation, I may add."
"That makes sense." Heero remembered one mage on the caravans who had tripped over his robes during a raid.
"I'm glad you think so." The mage lifted an eyebrow. "So, why haven't you headed downstairs? The last two did."
"That wouldn't be right. I'm supposed to guard you, sir." Heero managed to pull himself together. Not the best of beginnings...
"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."
"I'm sure you are, sir. But it never hurts to have a backup."
"And you're willing to be backup?"
Heero nodded. "I am willing to do whatever is needed for your security, sir."
Mage Maxwell smiled, tilting his head to the side. "Hmm." He studied Heero for a moment. "You are better looking than the last ten or so. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have you around- if only to look at."
The corner of Heero's mouth twitched. He wasn't going to let the mage rile him. "I'm glad to be of service anyway that I can, sir."
"Now there's an idea," the mage's voice dropped to a purr. He stepped out of the doorway and gestured Heero inside. "Let's talk about all the ways you could serve me."
Heero bit his lip. He knew perfectly well what the mage was up to- he'd seen it before. Because he'd been polite, Mage Maxwell couldn't drive him off with rudeness- some people would've pushed the rudeness anyway, but apparently the mage was not one of those types. He was the type that was going to try and make things uncomfortable for his guard in the hopes that Heero would quit.
"Lord Chang said you were a battle mage- you must have lots of enemies, sir," he said in as bland a tone as he could manage.
"Less than you think." The mage chuckled. "I am a very good battle mage- I have to be. So most of my enemies are dead." He sat down on a chair and studied the guard. "It's not my enemies that made me the testing ground for new guards."
"That must be very tiresome for you, sir." Heero didn't relax his pose. "I told Lord Chang I would be willing to continue in your service after my trial period was up."
The mage looked faintly surprised. "Surely Lord Chang warned you-?"
Heero nodded. "Yes sir, he did."
"And you thought you could survive me?"
"I survived five years on the Sion Desert caravans, sir."
Another smile- softer and more real. "That's dangerous duty. I can see why you aren't too nervous about this sort of thing."
Heero relaxed slightly. "Yes sir."
The mage tugged thoughtfully on the end of his braid and Heero wondered what he was thinking. Had he disarmed the other enough?
"Very well. You can at least try to guard me for the next two weeks. Drop the 'sir', it's already making me want to blast you. My name is Duo- if you have to call me anything, I'd prefer that." The mage got up from his chair and nodded at the pack Heero carried, "Your things?"
"Yes-" Heero bit off the automatic 'sir'.
"Good. Follow me and I'll show you where you'll be sleeping." Duo led him over to a small flight of stairs. "Up there." Heero climbed the stairs, mentally congratulating himself on his handling of the mage. The stairs led into a sumptuously draped room- an enormous bed dominating the floor space.
Heero stopped dead. This wasn't a guard's room.
"You can put your things over there," Duo nodded at a tall cabinet. He smiled wickedly at Heero's surprise. "You did say you were willing to serve me any way that you could- and as you can see, my bed is too big for just me. I think you'll make an excellent bed warmer."
"I'm supposed to be your guard."
"What better way to guard me? This way you will always be close."
Heero saw the slight twist of the mage's mouth and knew Duo was expecting him to refuse.
This was going to be a challenging assignment.
"Very well," he said and took his pack over to the cabinet. It only took him a minute to stow it, then he turned around and faced the mage. "Guard, bed warmer- anything else?"
"I think that will be enough to start," said Duo as he turned to head down the stairs. "We can always adjust your position as we go along."
TBC...
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