Halloween drabble for katleap - a little bit of Something Furry- follows the main time line!
Something Furry Part 12
Duo finished putting the last of the new shipment of cards on the shelves before turning to look at his mate. Heero was still talking quietly to the two dragons at the counter. If he tried, Duo could hear the conversation, but he knew they were simply rehashing the situation again and again, trying to find a solution.
Why had his grandmother made such a decision? Duo still didn't understand it. He was Heero's gift, the thing that pulled Heero into close association with the Pride, raised his grandmother's standing even more. Why would she suddenly want to take that gift away? Sure, she'd offered Heero a tiger for a mate- but that didn't make sense. None of Une's close relations were of tiger blood.
If only there was someone he could talk to- someone who would know what game was being played in the upper ranks of the Pride- but jaguars were barred from that sort of thing and they were the only ones he could talk to that wouldn't demand a 'payment' of some kind.
Maybe one of them had overheard something? Had a lover who talked to them? It might be worth a shot- but at the same time Duo didn't think it was too safe for him to approach the Pride by himself. He wouldn't put it past Grandmother to take him away from Heero by force. She'd sent those lions after him- though Wufei had scared them off-
He cast a glance at the trio by the counter, catching the eye of Meiran- Wufei's wife.
It was hard to believe Wufei was married... he'd never mentioned her before... She smiled at him, a big grin that was no doubt meant to be reassuring- but it had too much of a 'better to eat you with' quality to it to be comforting.
Then again- if it was his grandmother she was planning on eating...
The bell over the shop door tinkled and Duo turned in that direction, expecting to find one of the tea leaf book crowd.
A young looking woman stood there, her blond hair neatly pulled back in a soft twist, her blue eyes examining the store minutely.
Duo felt his blood grow cold. Had his grandmother sent her? But why? They weren't friends...
"Duo!" She said and smiled, the bracelets on her arm chiming softly as she waved at him. "There you are!"
As if he'd conjured him out of thin air, his mate appeared beside Duo, one hand curving over Duo's wrist. "Who is this?" He asked, his voice even.
"Lady Relena," Duo said in greeting- and in introduction. "What are you doing here?"
She glided closer to him, her eyes focused on Heero. "Oh, I was just in the neighborhood," she said, her voice sweet. "Is this your mate? The one who refuses a tiger?"
Duo did not like the way her gaze was lingering on Heero. "Yes," he said shortly.
"Such a pity," she said, shaking her head. "The council was most upset with your grandmother, Duo, truly. The magician is valuable- so many things he's done for the Pride- and yet she gifted him only with a jaguar?"
Ah, the light finally clicked on. His grandmother ruled the Pride- but if the council was pressuring her to give Heero a higher status spouse...
"After what he did to my brother," Relena continued, "I knew he was something special...."
Duo swallowed a growl. So Relena was also carrying a grudge from what happened to Zechs? She was the leader of the tigers... and very proud of her lion brother...
Was she the potential tiger spouse Heero had refused?
"I am content enough with Duo," Heero said coolly, his hand still tight on Duo's wrist. "Thank you for the offers and all, but I prefer that things stay as they are."
Relena laughed. "I'm afraid I can't let that happen," she said sweetly. "So- I've decided to put in a claim on Duo myself. Do you accept the challenge, magician?"
"You can't put a claim on me," Duo snapped, realizing that Relena was out to take down Heero any way she could. "I'm a gift."
"Breaking your own rules, Lady?" Meiran said softly, smoke curling up from her nostrils.
Relena turned slightly, finally noticing the two dragons standing by the counter. Her eyes widened slightly, but she didn't back down. "Even without a claim, I can still challenge him. Tomorrow night in the place of challenge- unless you wish to be called a coward?"
Heero shrugged. "I don't truly care what you call me, but if this challenge will stop the persecution that's been going on-"
"It will- I swear it." Relena sneered. "There's no need to persecute a dead man."
"Than I accept- and now-" Heero's eyes narrowed. "Get out." There was a small bang of displaced air and Relena vanished.
"Where did you port her to?" Wufei asked.
"Just to the sidewalk. I was tempted to send her to the zoo..." Heero's voice faded out as he took in Duo's expression. "Don't, love. We've been practicing- I'll be fine."
"She's tough," Duo protested. "She's nearly taken Grandmother down..."
Sally appeared from the back room. "Don't worry, Duo." She said with a smile. "Heero will have some tricks even she will have trouble dealing with."
Duo leaned into Heero's side, letting his mate's warmth seep into him. Heero patted his arm reassuringly. "Don't worry."
But Duo couldn't help but worry- after all- Sally hadn't said Heero would win...
TBC...
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