This part is a Halloween 'drabble' for razberrycreme who will hopefully forgive me. This didn't turn out as scary as I wanted it to....!!
Quarry Part 2
Duo turned over in bed, trying to get comfortable. The bed was too soft, much softer than his one at home, and too big.
Well, after tomorrow, he'd be sharing one with someone, he told himself. Maybe it wouldn't seem so big then.
That was an uncomfortable thought. True, he'd spent most of the day with Heero- and it had been a good day- but one day was not enough for him to feel like he really knew his spouse to be.
But according to the laws, he now belonged to Heero. The giggling girls that had come in to tidy things up before he went to bed had seemed surprised that Duo was alone. Apparently they had expected Heero to be there, though one of them had said something about Heero 'being honorable enough to wait for the claiming ceremony.'
That phrase raised a whole slew of questions- but Heero hadn't been around to ask, and Duo hadn't wanted to ask the girls. It bothered him though- why a claiming ceremony and not a marriage?
Then there was the thing he'd heard one of the girls whisper to the other, something about 'milord Heero's affliction' and 'no wonder this is how he got a spouse'.
What was wrong with Heero? Was he ill? Did he have some deformity? He hadn't seen signs of anything wrong with the other man, but then they'd only spent the day together.
Which led him right back to the beginning of his thoughts...
A soft thump made him sit up and peer into the dimness of the room. The girls had left a small lamp burning beside his bed, but it wasn't enough light to let him see past the end of the mattress.
Something glowed in the darkness. Duo blinked, realizing it was a pair of eyes. Low to the floor and gleaming green. He sighed in relief for a moment, thinking it was just a stray cat, until the thing leaped onto the bed.
His heart stopped and he opened his mouth to cry for help, but nothing came out. An enormous animal, as big as himself, was perched on the edge of his bed. It was somewhat catlike, Duo thought, but he'd never seen one as big as this! It yawned, displaying a set of sharp teeth and Duo pressed himself up against the headboard, one hand reaching for his dagger. What the hell was this thing?
It finished its yawn and blinked at him as he pointed the dagger at it. The beast tilted its head to the side and made a soft muurp! sound.
Maybe it wasn't there to eat him?
Duo kept one hand firmly on his dagger and reached out his empty one to the cat thing. "Kitty, kitty?" He tried and wondered if it would take his hand off.
It rubbed its head against his hand exactly like one of the cats back home and began to purr.
Duo relaxed and put the dagger down. "Sorry cat," he said. "I didn't know you were friendly."
The cat appeared not to hold this against him. It wiggled closer, butting Duo's hand with its head, its purring loud enough to reassure Duo of its good intentions. He chuckled and rubbed its ears. "Well, you do take up some space, but the bed's too big anyway." Duo lay back down, keeping one hand on the cat. "Wonder who you belong to? Or do they just keep things like you around for mice?" He sighed. "I wonder if I'm ever going to get the hang of this place."
The cat didn't reply of course, but it felt good to talk out loud to something, instead of chasing his own thoughts around his head. "I mean, Trowa's already doing well. Quatre's father is pleased with him. But he's been trained to fit in. Me? I've been on the edges of court all my life- what do I know about this stuff? Heero says he's a bastard son too, but I'd bet that's not the same as it is back home. Nothing is."
The cat snuggled closer, warm and comforting. "Like tomorrow. What the heck is a claiming ceremony? That just sounds..." Duo trailed off. "I know, I should've asked Heero when they mentioned it at dinner, but I didn't want to do that in front of all those people." He scratched the cat's chin and yawned. "I didn't want to seem totally ignorant- but then again Heero said he wanted me because of my looks, so maybe he won't care that I'm clueless and ask stupid questions and... Blergh!" The cat had swiped its tongue over his chin. "Ew! Don't do that cat!"
The cat just purred in response.
"Yeah, yeah, last time I let you sleep here. Course tomorrow I'll be wherever Heero sleeps- don't think he'd like sharing the space. Then again, who knows what he'd like?" Duo shivered. "I spent a lot of time with my mom in the women's quarters growing up- some of the stuff I heard..." He pushed it from his mind. He hoped Heero wasn't into some of those things.
He was getting sleepy. He kept one hand on the cat and closed his eyes. He'd survive tomorrow. "Oh well. If things get too bad I can always run away, right?"
~*~
Duo dreamed of warmth. Warmth that wrapped around him, whispered to him, comforted him and caressed him. He awoke in a tangle of blankets and found himself nose to nose with Heero.
"Good morning," his soon to be spouse smiled at him.
Duo opened his mouth and closed it again. "When... when did you come in?"
"Last night." Heero moved closer, pressed a kiss to the underside of Duo's jaw. "I had stayed away because I wanted you to know that I was serious about marrying you." He smiled. "But I couldn't stay away. I was afraid I had scared you. I don't want you running away from me."
"Ah," Duo managed. Heero smiled and slid one hand under the back of Duo's shirt. Duo tensed. What was he doing? Heero ran his fingers up and down Duo's spine soothingly.
"Relax," he said and Duo tried. "I know this will be awkward for a while, but I want you to feel comfortable with me. We have quite a bit before the ceremony tonight- and then of course, our brothers wed tomorrow." He smiled. "Quatre is very nervous."
"Why..." Duo wet his lips and tried again as Heero looked at him encouragingly. "Why do we have a claiming ceremony and not a wedding?"
"Because technically, you already belong to me." Heero smiled. "So the ceremony is going to be your way of claiming me in return. It's not that much different than the wedding ceremony. You're just showing that you accept me as yours."
Duo relaxed, much relieved. That sounded better than what he'd been thinking. "Oh good. I was imagining all kinds of things."
"I'm sure," Heero's smile warmed as he moved a bit closer. "I know our ways are strange to you. I want to help you feel more comfortable here- and with me." Duo swallowed hard as Heero's lips brushed his. "Kiss me?"
One kiss turned into two, then three, then Duo lost count. Each one was different than the last, each one raised the heat in his veins, made him arch against Heero. When Heero tugged him free of the blankets, Duo helped. Heero slid his hands down Duo's body, swallowing Duo's moans with his mouth as his leg slipped between Duo's knees. A hand followed and all Duo could do was close his eyes and plead with Heero not to stop.
Then Heero replaced his hand with his mouth and the world went white for a bit.
Duo recovered enough to look down at Heero, who gave him a satisfied smile. "I've been wanting to do that for so long." He slid upwards and Duo wrapped his arms around Heero's waist. Well, that part was rather good. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all?
"Mm," Duo managed after a moment. "Thank you."
"I assure you, it was my pleasure," Heero said formally and they both laughed. Duo leaned up and brushed a kiss over Heero's mouth. Heero gave him a warm smile. They curled up under the blankets and once again Heero let his hand stroke over Duo's spine. Duo felt himself drowsing off and didn't care. It was very pleasant under the blankets with Heero.
"There's something else I wanted to talk to you about- before tonight." Heero said quietly.
Duo opened his eyes and looked at him. "What's that?"
Heero sighed. "You should know that I'm, well, I'm more tolerated than welcome here at court."
"I know that feeling," Duo said before he could stop himself and Heero smiled.
"I thought you might. That's one of the things that drew me to you when I saw you at your father's court." He nuzzled Duo's ear. "My mother was given as a peace offering to my father. Her kind are not well liked here and so, despite the fact that I share half my blood with my father's family, I'm not really accepted here."
"My mother was also a peace offering." Duo smiled, trying to reassure Heero. "I do understand what it's like."
Heero kissed him. "Then you might understand why I don't live here most of the time."
"Where do you live?"
"I have a lodge out to the west in the middle of a forest. I thought we might go there for a bit after the wedding."
"That sounds good," Duo said after a moment. It would be much easier to learn about this place with just Heero around rather than the entire court.
"I hoped you'd agree." Heero smiled and pulled away a little. "I should go and make sure everything is going smoothly." He kissed Duo's cheek and slid out of the bed.
Duo sat up and stretched. His nose itched and he brushed it off, a soft hair falling into his palm. That reminded him of his first visitor last night. "Did you see a cat here last night when you came in? I had no idea ones existed that were that size."
"It's a very rare breed." Heero gave him an odd look. "Did it frighten you?"
Duo shrugged. "At first yes, but not for long." He smiled. "It was a very nice cat."
"I'm glad you thought so." Heero's lips curved up at the corners. "Mind if I borrow a pair your pants? I didn't bring any."
"Sure," Duo gestured towards his trunk and then his brain caught up. Heero had come in here last night without any clothes on? Duo was fairly sure Heero's rooms were some distance away.
His brain was still trying to process the information when Heero leaned over and brushed a kiss across his cheek.
"I'll see you at breakfast." Duo turned his head and accepted another kiss. Heero held him close for a moment and Duo's eyes widened.
Was Heero purring?
"Breakfast," he said and Heero let him go.
"See you there." He said and left.
Duo blinked at the door. Then he looked at the bed, the open window, and then the door again. Thought about what Heero had said. His mother's people. His 'affliction'.
No.
Couldn't be.
Could it?
TBC...
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