Library Part 3
Duo scowled at the top of the building. "Idiots. What a place to choose. What if one of them falls off?"
"I think that's the idea," his partner growled. "They warded the stairs. The Commander is trying to get one of the staff to take the wards down- but you know how fast they move."
"Can we go up the outside? Get them with one of the stun-charms?" The stun charms had also been the Chancellor's idea- the safest way for the security guards to break up student fights. The only problem was that the guards had to get close to the students to set them off. The Chancellor was working on a ranged version, but it was still "in development".
"I can't fly in this weather." Wufei shook his already drenched wings. "Someone would have to climb the outside- and you know Lopez is not on duty today."
"Of course. Someone try calling her?"
"Left a message. Could you do it?"
"Maybe. If it wasn't too slippery- do you see any anchor points?" Duo squinted at the building. He could use his braid as a line to help him climb, but he had to have things to wrap it around. He frowned as he studied the outside of the building. It would be slow going at the best-
"Not a lot. Could you undo your braid? Give yourself more lines?"
"Doubtful. If I'm not concentrating, it tends to do its own thing. One strand is easy- but more than one? There's a reason I leave it braided, you know."
"We might have to wait for the Arch-Chancellor to deal with this..."
"You honestly think he's going to leave his office in this weather?"
"Not unless they start damaging the campus instead of each other." Wufei wandered a few steps away, squinting up at the top of the building. Duo sighed and shoved his rain-drenched bangs out of his face. It was obviously going to be one of those days...
"Look out!" Someone shouted and Duo looked up to see a large chunk of building hurtling down towards him. Chang shouted too, but before Duo could move, he was yanked out of harm's way. The chunk of stone smashed into the pavement, right where he'd been standing, throwing debris into the air.
"You okay? Duo? Are you hurt?"
He turned his head, still in shock, and found himself looking into a very familiar pair of blue eyes.
"You made it!" He exclaimed joyfully and flung his arms around his lover.
"Just in time too," Chang remarked dryly as he joined them. "Nice save."
"Duo-" Heero pulled away a little bit and touched Duo's cheek. "You're bleeding-"
Duo reached up and felt the wound with the tips of his fingers. "Just a scratch. Bet one of the little pieces hit me." He looked at Chang with a grin. "Chang, this is Heero, Heero, this is Wufei."
"Pleasure," Wufei nodded in greeting. "Do you suppose that chunk of stone counts as damaging the campus?"
"It might," said a new voice and their Commander strolled up to join them. "I sent Davis off with a note for the Arch-Chancellor- but..." he smiled, pushing his ever-present sunglasses up on his nose, "I was thinking we might have a solution right here."
"What do you mean?" Wufei asked. Duo leaned against Heero, not quite willing to let go yet.
"Can you use those things to climb?" The Commander asked Heero, who suddenly seemed to realize that he'd popped the seams on Duo's coat and was holding onto his lover with all of his arms. He made a small sound and stepped backwards, trying to tuck his arms away.
"Relax, love," Duo held on, ignoring his boss for the moment, hoping Heero wasn't going to bolt. "There's only us here- all the students have taken shelter- we evacuated the area."
Heero took a deep breath, obviously trying to relax. "I climb the shelves with them all the time-" He looked up at the building, squinting up at the top. "It doesn't look that much different."
"Perfect!" The Commander grinned. "Then you can take one of the stun charms up there- just get to the edge, toss it over and those two will go out like a light."
Duo frowned. "I can do it-"
"No," his Commander shook his head. "You'd only have the one line. Thought of that already. But I'll bet your friend here not only find lots of anchors- he'd also dodge a hell of a lot easier than you could if another chunk falls off."
"He's not security-"
"But he does work for the campus- and we're allowed to use campus workers when needed."
"I'll do it." Heero said softly.
Duo bit back a soft curse as the Commander gave Heero one of the charms and explained how it worked. He followed Heero to the base of the building, hoping that something would happen- the Arch Chancellor appearing- the mage duel ending- Duo wasn't picky as long as it meant Heero wouldn't be climbing the building.
"You need to get back," Heero said, his eyes focused on the top. "It's not going to be safe-"
"You're risking it. I'll risk it for you." Heero gave him a startled look and Duo pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. "Be careful."
"I will."
Duo stepped back by Wufei as Heero started the climb, twisting his fingers in the end of his braid nervously. Why hadn't he practiced controlling all the strands more often? Then he'd be doing this and Heero would be safe.
"He's doing well," The Commander said in a soothing tone as he joined Duo and Wufei.
"I know." Duo watched as Heero swung himself up the outside of the building, his tentacles stretching and contracting as he climbed.
"So- not only are those things powerful enough to pull him around- but they change width too?" Wufei asked.
"Yes."
"You lucky bastard."
~*~
It wasn't much worse than climbing the shelves in the Adventure section of the library, Heero thought as he pulled himself up the building, stopping occasionally to shake the rain off of his face. True, it was a lot taller, but he didn't have to avoid any poison darts or snakes.
Fortunately, the duelers seemed to have stopped doing whatever it was that made pieces of the building fall off. Now strange clouds and weird vapors swirled around the top of the building. Heero took a deep breath of clean air, just in case, and pulled himself up to the ledge.
Risking a quick glance over the side, he saw the two students facing each other- about ten feet apart in the middle of the roof. Perfect. If they had been at opposite ends, he'd have to throw two charms. One would be a lot easier.
Carefully, he pulled the charm out of his pocket, activated it, and popped over the edge to toss it in between the two students.
Unfortunately, one of the students saw him- and thought he was an attack of the other duelist. Heero tossed the charm- but even as he was ducking back down- a mage blast hit the edge of the roof he was clinging to...
And he was flung out into space.
TBC...
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