The last one- for lavendarlizard- *hugs*!!
Something Furry Drabble 7
The last time he'd been to the fae's teahouse- only a week ago-the entrance hallway and all the rooms off of it had resembled a forest. Hell, it had been like that since the first time he'd seen it, all those months ago when he'd first come here with Heero.
There was no sign of the forest now. The hallway was a series of graceful arches, the marble carved in fanciful shapes. In between the pillars were rocks and ferns, streams and waterfalls with dozens of tiny butterflies and birds darting about.
"Did they do this just for the party?" He asked softly and he heard Heero snort under his mask.
"Yes. According to Wufei they change the décor for the party every year- last year was a disco theme."
Duo shook his head. What's the theme this year? The Hobbit?"
"More than likely," Heero chuckled as they moved down the hallway. "Stay close- it would be easy to get lost in here."
Duo agreed- it all seemed much bigger than usual- and though he was used to the fae teahouse that was bigger on the inside than the outside, now the rooms seemed even larger- and crowded with masked guests.
He adjusted the mask over his face and wondered if all the other guests had been sent costumes as well. Sally had seemed unsurprised when the packages had arrived- but then Sally was rarely surprised by anything.
The costume they had sent him matched the decorations, like something out of a fantasy movie, a sort of Hollywood medieval style, not exactly armor, but something that looked like it, accompanied by a white tabard decorated with the picture of a leopard. His mask was white as well. Heero had smiled when Duo had wondered aloud what he was supposed to be.
"A white knight."
But what did that make Heero? His costume was a black cloak that shrouded his figure completely, the hood covering his head. His mask wasn't a half one like Duo's, but a full face mask- a white one with black markings on it.
Heero had shrugged when Duo had asked him about it, saying he had no real idea of what it was, but since Quatre had sent it, he'd wear it.
Had he been lying? Duo wasn't sure- but he knew the only reason that Heero had even agreed to come to this party was because of him. Duo had gotten stuck in his magical studies, hit a sticking point that neither Wufei nor Heero could get him past. Quatre had volunteered to help- asking only that Heero and Duo attend his party at the New Year. Heero had been grateful enough that he hadn't even complained.
Duo was feeling guilty- and even more so because of that costume. What was Heero supposed to be?
He turned at the sound of their names being called, smiling to see Wufei and Sally seated at one of the tables, a few other familiar faces from the neighborhood with them. Once they sat down, Wufei engaged Heero in a conversation with one of the other practitioners about a rather nasty curse spell they'd taken off someone the day before.
It was all a little technical for Duo, so he focused instead on Sally's conversation about scents with one of the owners of the smoke shop.
As he listened he looked at the people around him- none of them had a costume like Heero's. There were knights and ladies, jesters and fantastical animals- but no other black cloaks and odd masks.
"You really want to know?"
Duo turned at the familiar voice and smiled at the man seated behind him. "Trowa? That is you?"
"It's me." Trowa was dressed in green and brown, crowned with leaves. His eyes focused on Duo with a strange intensity through his mask of leaves. "Do you want to know? Quatre wants to see you- and explain if you like."
Explain? "Yes, I would-"
"Then come with me."
Duo turned a little, to tell Heero he was leaving, but Trowa took his arm in a tight grip. "It's all right- don't bother them now. Come with me- Quatre is back in his rooms."
They slipped through the crowd quickly, almost as if the other partygoers couldn't see them at all. He felt a chill down his back- but the fae had always been kind to him. There was no reason to worry.
"Not tonight anyway," Trowa murmured as they reached Quatre's door.
Duo blinked in surprise, but before he could speak they stepped into Quatre's room. Last time he'd been here the room had resembled a tent- now it was simply a starlit sky.
He took a breath as they seemed to step into air, the stars moving slowly around them, twinkling with a cold light.
"Duo," Quatre stepped out of the darkness, his dark cloak blending into the shadows around him. Here was one dressed like Heero- but Quatre wore no mask. "I am glad to see you. I've wanted to have a little talk with you- and tonight was the best time- as the old year dies and the new one starts."
"What do you want to talk about?"
"You know that my sisters and I can see the future?"
"Of course. Just like Sally."
"Well, there is something that we've seen- something that we didn't tell you about when you arrived- something I think Sally would prefer that we not tell you. But I think you need to know."
Sally had been keeping something from him? Duo got a sick feeling- it wasn't going to be good news. "All right, please tell me then."
The star swirled faster now. "Very well- look here.... This is what would've happened if you hadn't chosen Heero...."
Duo gasped as the images formed.
"And this is what would've happened if he'd lost the match with Relena..."
"And these futures might happen if you are killed..."
"And these futures might happen if you survive..."
The images halted, the stars faded, and they stood once again in the familiar tent-like surroundings of Quatre's room.
Duo took a deep breath, pulling off his mask and rubbing at his eyes. "I understand my costume now," he said and Trowa laughed gently.
"Heero needs you," Quatre met his gaze serenely. "I hope you can see that. You are the key to his- well... everything. Sanity, future, goodness, heart- choose any and it's the truth. You need to know this- you need to realize how important you are to him."
"I know I am," Duo answered, a little sharply. "I know I'm important to him- maybe I didn't realize the extent, but I knew it. Why-?"
"Insurance," Trowa answered. "If you know these futures- you might be able to help the best ones arrive- and stop the bad ones. The future changes every moment- and Heero's can go many ways- and they all depend on you."
"I understand that." Duo shook himself a little and focused on Quatre. "So that's his costume- the unknown."
"Exactly."
"So is yours."
"Yes."
"That's not reassuring."
"It's not really meant to be." Quatre tilted his head to the side. "If you don't have any other questions, you'd best return to Heero's side."
Duo had quite a few, but after what he'd seen he wanted to return to Heero more than play conversation games with the fae. "Yes, that would be for the best."
He slipped back to the table, harder now without Trowa's magic and seated himself beside Heero who was still speaking with Wufei and a few others. His mate reached out for Duo's hand, clasping his fingers around Duo's chilled ones.
"You didn't see anything at the buffet you liked?" he murmured and Duo shook his head.
"No," he replied and moved closer to Heero's side.
No one was going to take him away from his chosen place.
OWARI
Back to Merula's Fanfictions Page