Ifrits & Angels 4
The movement of the train was soothing, but Heero couldn't rest. He leaned back in his seat in the empty compartment and tried to pull his tangled thoughts in order. He had a few hours before they reached the city- before he had to meet with Chang's superiors- hopefully time enough to sort everything out.
Maxwell- or whoever he was- hadn't been happy with the idea, but he'd agreed, muttering that he had no desire to be hounded by the Church forever...
As if the thought had called him- and maybe it had- the door to Heero's compartment slid open. "May I join you now, master?"
"You don't have to call me that," Heero said automatically and Maxwell frowned, closing the door behind him.
"But that's what you are. My master- the one who freed me from my prison- the one I swore to serve."
"But then what do I call you? I don't even know what you are- let alone who you are. I mean- you can't be called Duo Maxwell-"
"Why not? It is not a bad thing to be called," Maxwell sat down beside him, leaning close, his mouth touching Heero's ear. "I liked hearing it on your lips when we-"
"About that," Heero moved slightly away. "You told that man- Chang- that you couldn't act without my permission. But you didn't ask then- all those times- I never agreed-"
"Master, you did. Don't you remember? I asked all the time- for everything that I did for you-"
Whispers in the dark, against his skin, "Master, please let me..."
"Well, almost everything-"
"Almost everything?"
"Last night- I put you to sleep. But you were harming yourself! You hadn't truly rested in days- and you wanted the translation- but I couldn't do it with you awake-"
"So you did act without my permission! And- you hid those other memories from me- made me forget-"
"Because you told me to! After freeing me from my prison- you were... frightened. You said that you wanted to forget it all-"
Black wings brushing against his skin as they had hurdled through the rock- the triumphant laughter of the being that held him close. There in the light from his lanterns- he saw what he had freed- what he had held close in the dark- what had he done? This couldn't be real! Squeezing his eyes tight, he had wished for it all to go away- a fever dream- a hallucination brought on by too much work- anything but the reality in front of him-
"Oh... I guess I did....but..."
"You asked- and-" Duo hesitated for a moment, twisting his hands together. "I didn't know what else to do. I didn't want you to be afraid of me- and I need to be close to you. It seemed the best thing to do at the time. If it wasn't- I apologize."
Taking off his glasses, Heero closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose, trying to organize his thoughts. There were too many questions- too many things he needed to know! Where to even start? One thing at a time, he told himself. Opening his eyes, he settled his glasses back in place and focused on the being beside him.
"Apology accepted," he started. "But no more hiding. I want to know what's going on- the reality- all the time."
"Yes master."
"That's the next thing. Please don't call me that."
"Yes sir."
"You can just call me Heero."
Duo frowned a little, but nodded. "If that is what you wish."
"You don't want to?"
"I know times have changed, but names have power still. I will keep yours safe, since you gift me with it, but- I am not comfortable using it so... casually."
Heero thought about this for a moment. He knew of the whole belief of names having power, but he'd never believed in it- but then again, considering his present company- "I can see your point. Just don't use master, then, all right?"
"Thank you."
Next point on the list then. "Since we're on the topic of names, 'Duo' isn't your real one, is it?"
"No. Duo is... what I became in the dark."
"What you became?"
Duo touched his chest. "It's hard to explain. I was in the dark for so long- alone. I am not the same being that they locked in there. He's here, inside of me, but he's... we're not whole anymore."
"I don't understand."
"May I show you?"
"You can show me?"
Duo nodded. "May I?"
"Will it hurt?"
A wistful smile curved Duo's lips. "It won't hurt you. I promise."
"All right."
Reaching out, Duo touched the back of Heero's neck, bringing them closer together, so that their foreheads touched. "Look...."
The train vanished. They stood in a familiar place- that room from the ruins, lit only by a single flashlight- his flashlight- resting in the middle. Duo stood beside him, and Heero moved closer to him instinctively.
"You brought him here," said a voice from the shadows. So familiar- and yet-
"He wanted to see." Duo replied and the shadows moved.
Here were the black wings, reaching nearly to the ceiling, there were the wounds where he had pulled out the silver knives- there was the face he remembered- so like the one beside him- and yet the madness in the eyes-
Panic rose up inside him. This is what he had feared-
"Don't be afraid." The shadowy being moved into the light and reached out a hand, touching Heero's face gently. "Don't be afraid of me- I would never hurt you-" Heero made himself stand still under that caressing hand.
"Who are you?"
"The one you freed from the dark. Your servant. Yours always. Do not fear me." He retreated back into his shadowy corner, eyes glinting in the dim light. "Please."
Guilt rushed over Heero. He hadn't meant- but- he couldn't- Heero cast a look around the dark room, looking for something to say. "You don't seem free here- shouldn't you-"
"No."
Duo echoed it behind him. "No. It's not safe for him- for us- to be more free than this."
But- he- you- wanted the light so much-"
"I have light here," a hand gestured at the flashlight. "Your light."
"And I dwell in your light out there," said Duo softly. "It is enough."
"It doesn't seem like enough."
"It is enough for now," the voice in the shadows sighed. "Take him back. That Church-man is returning."
Heero blinked. They were in the railway car, Duo sitting beside him. He looked at the door- Chang wasn't there yet.
"I think that gave me more questions than I had before."
"I know. I'm sorry. When we have more time, I'll answer all the ones you have. I promise."
Heero asked the one at the top of his list. "Should we- is there some way we can make you whole again?"
Duo gave him a startled look. "I... don't know." He frowned, obviously considering. "I don't think it would be a good idea. He is... not sane. I don't know what would happen-"
Oh hell. "So it could be a bad thing?"
"I don't know. I can only guess at what might happen. He wouldn't hurt you- or go against your orders, but if something happened and you- weren't there- it might be very bad."
Well, that answered the next set of questions. Guess this wasn't a responsibility that he could abandon.
The train began to slow down. The door to the compartment opened, and Chang glared in at them. "We're here. Follow me please."
Heero got to his feet, automatically reaching for his bag. Duo beat him to it, and gestured for Heero to follow Chang out first.
Considering that he didn't really want Duo right behind the officious man, despite his promises not to do anything without Heero's permission, Heero did so. As they walked down the corridor, the train came to a complete stop.
On the platform were two young men in ecclesiastical black, obviously waiting for them. Heero recognized them as the two that had given him the job.
"Chang!" The brown-haired man hailed them, waving a hand. "We got your message- what was the hurry?"
"Allah," said the blond beside him, eyes widening as he caught sight of Duo. Heero thought that the blond, like Chang, was able to tell what Duo was. But... Allah?
Duo suddenly stepped in front of Heero, bags dropping from his hands. "What are you doing here?"
"Me?" Snapped the blond. "What am I doing? What are you doing? You-" his eyes widened even more. "You weren't what was down there in that prison?"
Wait a minute. This sounded like they knew each other- and how the hell was that possible?
"Of course I was! Don't sound so innocent! You had to know!"
The blond turned on Chang. "You told me it was a demon!"
"It is a demon!"
"I am not a-"
"Gentlemen," the other man interrupted smoothly. "Here isn't a good place to have this discussion." That was for sure, heads were starting to turn. He smiled at Heero. "We rented a hotel room for you- if you don't mind continuing this conversation there?"
"I think that would be a good idea." Heero scooped up the bags and put his hand on Duo's elbow. "All right?"
"If that is your wish," Duo responded, still glaring at the blond. "Let it be so."
TBC...
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