Author: Merula

Pairings: 1x2

Rating: PG-13

Warnings: Yaoi, AU

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine.

Ever had a plotbunny bite your leg and not let go- despite the determined shaking, shouting and smacking with sledgehammer? I tried to ignore this. Tried to write other things and it kept popping up.

I think it's weird. Bri thinks it's twisted. It's an AU, Heero/Duo and the AU world... not one they should be in.

I am hoping that I have got it out of my system now- because I'm going to hell for this. Walt Disney would never forgive me...

Tentacles

It was dark in this part of the ocean, the water a purplish color that seemed foul and tainted to one that had spent most of his life in the crystal blues of the sea kingdom. The sea floor was covered in debris, ships that the sea witch had lured to their doom lay like broken toys scattered across the sea floor.

Heero reminded himself that the sea-witch was dead, killed by his grandparents years ago. He'd heard the story many times over the years- sometimes as a bedtime story, sometimes whispered by others as they passed him...

Cursed. That's what they called him when they were kind. When they weren't... well, name-calling was the least of the torments he'd endured since being sent to live at his great-aunt's palace.

He moved faster through the water, searching for a place that he'd only heard rumors about... one that he wasn't sure even existed anymore.

Only the truly desperate- or the truly stupid- came to this part of the ocean. His grandmother had. She had traded her fish tail for legs, and paid a price for the exchange...

Heero wanted to trade his legs for a tail. He'd been born on land- and nearly died moments later. He'd been human in all respects- except that he couldn't breathe air... only the fast thinking of his grandmother had saved him- that and a close fish tank.

His great grandfather might have been able to fix him- but he had vanished a few months before Heero's birth and had never been found. So Heero had been sent to live with his aunt. His parents 'visited' but less and less as time went on...they had other children- ones without his 'problem'- that kept them busy... The last time he'd seen them had been over a year ago...

Was that a glow in the distance? Heero peered through the murky water. It was an odd golden light that sparkled on the edges. Maybe the rumors were true that someone else had set up shop in the sea-witch's home?

He swam a bit faster, dodging around the wrecks, hoping that his trip wasn't in vain... as he got closer to his goal, the wrecks became more and more derelict, covered in coral and other sea life, barely recognizable as things that had once been ships.

"Hey!"

He stopped in surprise at the greeting, peering through the gloomy water for the source.

"Hey! What are you doing here? This isn't a safe place you know!"

Heero looked down. A head was poking up out of the wreck below him only a few feet away. It was frowning.

"You do know where you are, right?" It asked. Heero moved closer, slightly horrified, wondering if this was one of the sea-witch's victims.

"Of course," he replied. "Do you need help, stranger?"

"Help?" The head blinked at him and then grinned. "Oh no..." A pair of arms appeared and then a torso as the speaker pulled himself half out of the hole in the wreck. "This is my front door so to speak. I'm Duo." The young merman shook his head, his long braid whipping through the water.

For some reason it caused a flicker of recognition in Heero's mind- though he was sure he'd never seen the merman before. Why did he look familiar?

Duo rested his elbows on the hull and tilted his head at Heero. "So- what are you doing here, who-ever-you-are?"

"I'm Heero... I... I was looking for some help. I heard that there was... someone who could help me here... in the old sea-witch's place." Heero looked towards the glow again. This close he could see the outline of a structure, vaguely fish-shaped. "Is that true?"

Duo nodded. "It is. Her brothers moved in and they do occasionally help a few- but... they always ask a steep price."

"I don't care." Steep price or not- if they could help him...

"What could be so bad that you'd be asking for their help?"

Heero frowned. Had the other truly not noticed? He moved down a bit more, turning so the other could clearly see the lower half of his body. "I want a tail." He waited to see the other's disgust, but Duo's eyes only widened a little.

"That's all? You'd pay a heavy price just to have a tail? At least most people want something a little more exciting than that."

What?

"Don't mock me." Heero snapped. "You don't know what it's like being different from everyone else..."

The other laughed, interrupting him. "I don't do I? Try being the sea-witch's nephew." He pulled himself all the way up and out of the wreck and Heero's mouth dropped open. Duo didn't have a tail either...

A tentacle moved through the water and pushed his mouth closed. "It's rude to stare."

"I'm sorry... I've just... never seen anyone like you..." The lower half of Duo's body was like an octopus... or squid... a mass of tentacles...

A memory stirred... hadn't the sea-witch been the same?

"Hm- and yet I've seen lots like you. Up there." Duo pointed towards the surface. "So I think I've got you beat on the being different thing. Seriously, I think these are worse than legs. At least you only have two."

"But- you're the sea witch's nephew! Couldn't you have asked for a change if you didn't like it?"

Duo rolled his eyes. "Hardly. My uncles tell me that I'm lucky to have taken after my aunt and not them- you'll feel lucky too once you've seen them- believe me!" He gave Heero a wry grin and a shrug. "Plus the price to change them was more than I was willing to pay- and they are useful."

The glow in the distance suddenly increased, flaring brightly for a moment before dying down again. Heero blinked trying to clear his vision and Duo swore.

"Great, they're experimenting again. If you're determined to see them, you might want to wait a bit. They won't take kindly to being interrupted."

"Experimenting?"

"Yeah, they're really not into the magic so much. They prefer science." Another flash of light. "Course- they aren't really good at it...."

Oh no... then- "So they can't help me?"

Duo shook his head. "No worries. I'm pretty sure they can. Hell, I have some of my aunt's spell books, I could probably help you. It can't be that hard."

This time the flash of light was followed by a dull boom. Heero swallowed hard. He hadn't quite expected this kind of thing when he'd set out.

Duo smiled at him. "You know, why don't you come in? Once they've started they'll go on for days. I'll look through the books I have and see what I can do first."

Heero was about to agree, when he remembered something. "What will the price be?"

"We'll figure something out." Duo's smile widened. "You don't have to accept the deal you know. Surely there is no harm in seeing if I can help you?"

What should he do? The other seemed friendly enough, not wicked or evil, but Heero knew too well how easily others pretended to be what they weren't. What should he do? Did he dare trust Duo?

He glanced down. His feet caught his eye, pale, odd, and out of place...

"All right."

"Great! Come on in!" Duo winked and slipped back down into the hole in the ship, gesturing for Heero to follow him. Heero paused on the edge of the hole for a moment. Why did it feel like he'd never be coming out again?

He pushed the thought to the side. He'd be willing to do anything to be cured. He'd decided that ages ago. He shouldn't hesitate now...

A tentacle uncurled itself from the darkness and beckoned to him. "Come in!" Duo's voice echoed back to him. The tentacle wrapped once around his wrist and tugged gently.

Heero took a deep breath and allowed it to pull him into the ship.

Once inside it was easy to push the fears aside. The interior was brightly lit, a jumble of boxes and books and a huge table covered in things that Heero couldn't identify.

"What is all this stuff?"

Duo shrugged. "Junk mostly. I spend a lot of time poking around the shipwrecks." He was poking through a bookshelf. "Hmmm... I know it was around here somewhere.... Aha!" He pulled a book from the shelf and gave Heero a shy smile over his shoulder. "Promise not to get mad if I mess up?"

It took Heero a moment to respond- the smile had caused that strange flicker of recognition again. Had he seen Duo before? Where?

"Um...."

"I'm teasing." Duo beckoned to him as he floated beside the table, a book open in front of him. "Come here."

Heero moved obediently, and then flinched as two of Duo's tentacles slid around his ankles. The one on his wrist had not let go and he felt a flicker of panic.

"Relax. I'm just looking. Have you ever walked on your feet?" The tentacles poked at his anklebones, slid up his calf. Much to Heero's surprise, the suckers tickled a little, but the sensation was not unpleasant.

Quite the opposite actually. It was rare that anyone touched him at all- he shouldn't complain that someone was doing it willingly- even if it was for the purpose of investigation...

Heero shook his head. "No, I can't breathe outside the water. I've never walked."

Duo nodded. "You would have a hard time of it at first." His tentacles touched the back of Heero's knees. "Your muscles have developed for swimming- but they could adapt to walking. Would you prefer to breathe air instead of getting a tail? It might be less painful..."

Less painful? He remembered something about it being painful for his grandmother to walk at first. He hadn't thought that it would hurt, but it only made sense.

He realized Duo was waiting for an answer. Heero shook his head. "My parents... I don't know if they would welcome me. I haven't spent much time with them..."

"You live with relatives?"

"My aunt. She tries to be kind, but she can't be with me all the time... and I'm too different..." He stifled a gasp as one of the tentacles slid over his thigh.

That felt a little too good...

"Well, at least she tries to be kind." Duo grinned. "Can't say my aunt ever did. Not that I met her- but oh, the stories I hear." He gave Heero a considering look. "Well, except for the breathing water thing- you seem to be pretty much human- no other merpeople characteristics." The tentacle tugged at the wrap of seaweed Heero wore around his waist. "Why wear this?"

Heero turned slightly red. "Because like you said- I take after the human side of my family... and unlike merpeople I can't just...uh... tuck some things away."

Duo's eyebrows lifted. "Really?" He turned back to his book, flipping pages. Heero didn't know if it was to give him a moment to cool his blush or because Duo had thought of something. More tentacles had joined the first three, poking at his ankles, coiling around his arms... and one had slipped up under the wrap...

Heero shivered at the touch, catching himself trying to lean into it. "Duo?"

"A moment..." Duo sounded distracted. "I think I've almost got it..." He was peering at the pages of the book, seemingly unaware of what his appendages were doing to his guest.

The tentacle slipped higher, and Heero couldn't control his sudden gasp as it wrapped itself gently around what it had found. Oh...

He told himself Duo couldn't have meant to do that and reached down intending to stop the thing, when the tentacles around his wrists tightened, pulling his arms behind his back, even as the ones at his ankles twisted themselves tightly around his legs and spread them wide.

"Duo! What are you..." A tentacle slipped into his mouth, gagging him.

The sea witch's nephew put down the book and turned to smile at his captive.

"Finally," he crooned, moving closer. "You have no idea how long I've waited for you to get desperate enough to come here."

Heero tried to squirm, but Duo's grasp was tight. He couldn't free himself.

"Relax, I don't plan on hurting you." The tentacle between his legs squeezed him gently. "I've been lonely stuck out here with only the two madmen for company..." Duo's hand traced Heero's chest, cupped his cheek. "I used to sneak into the capital- watch the people there... until they found me and nearly killed me... the bastards."

Heero's eyes widened. That's where he'd seen Duo before... that day in the marketplace... behind the stall... The two huge eyes watching him. He'd tried to coax the other out- encouraged that the boy hadn't seemed disgusted with him, but then his cousins had come by and swept him back to the palace before he'd managed to even speak to him.

"I saw you- and you were different like me." He kissed the side of Heero's mouth. "I knew what you were feeling when they teased you... I wanted to help you.... But once I was caught, my uncles cast a spell to keep me confined to this part of the ocean- for my own good..." His eyes glowed in the light, and Heero realized they were the same color as the water...

"I can help you. I'll give you a tail... though I think you're beautiful just as you are." Another kiss. "But... you have to give me something first..."

The tentacle slipped from his mouth, moved down his chest caressingly. Others joined it, slid over his skin, and pleasure washed over him. No one had ever touched him like this...

"What... what do you want?"

Duo's hands slipped under the wrap, pushed it up and out of the way. "You haven't guessed yet?" His hands caressed the revealed skin and Heero couldn't stop the moan that escaped his lips. "Are you willing to let me do this in exchange for a tail?"

"Yes..." was out of his mouth before he could think, and Duo smiled.

"Then it's a deal." He bent and claimed Heero's mouth.

Heero's last coherent thought was that he hadn't expected the price to be something he wanted to pay...

~*~

Duo gloated over his captive. Heero was asleep, wrapped firmly in Duo's embrace, as he had been for the last few days...

It wasn't fair, Duo supposed, that he really hadn't given Heero much of a break when he was awake- but he didn't dare. He knew Heero had paid the price- overpaid really- and that he had to hold up his end of the deal.

But... then Heero would leave... and he'd be alone again... It was wrong of him, but he'd waited for so long- he couldn't bear to give the other up quite yet. He wasn't foolish enough to think Heero would stay- or even want to return... Once he had a tail he'd be welcomed into his society, would more than likely consider these days a terrible memory...

No matter how much he seemed to enjoy them now.

He didn't want to give Heero up... though he knew he should. He didn't want to be like his aunt... cheating on the deal...

Though it was tempting...

"Duo!" A familiar voice hailed him from outside. "Duo? You home?"

What was he doing here?

Quickly he slid a tentacle over Heero's mouth, just in case. He was sleeping but if he woke up and made a noise...

Duo popped his head out of his front door before his uncle could come in.

Howard was balanced on the wreck, an unfamiliar merman beside him.

"There you are!" He snapped a claw playfully at Duo. "We have a visitor."

Duo lifted an eyebrow. "So I see- but what does that have to do with me? It's you guys everyone comes to visit."

The stranger sniffed disdainfully. "I'm not here for that. I came by to ask if any of you have seen the Prince. His aunt is very worried."

Oh no.

"Why would he come here?" Duo looked at his uncle.

Howard shrugged. "I haven't seen him, but I guess he takes after his human side of the family. Has legs or something."

"He does," the messenger sniffed again. "It's hideous. No tail like a proper merman...." He stopped as Howard tapped one of his legs on the planks.

"Yeah," Duo let one of his tentacles uncurl and rise out of the doorway beside him. "Could see how that would just wreck his life, not having a tail..." He grinned at the messenger's discomfort.

"The Prince was last seen headed this way. His aunt thinks he might have been looking to strike a deal with you." He glared at Howard.

"I told you- no one has come looking for a tail. Duo- have you seen any idiots come this way?"

"Nope, haven't seen any idiots." It wasn't a lie. Duo didn't think the Prince was an idiot. He shrugged. "Sorry..."

The messenger frowned. "I didn't think he'd made it this far anyway. He more than likely ran into something he couldn't out swim. Our lady will grieve, but perhaps it's better this way. He really was an embarrassment to the royal family, even without his deformity. Sulky and unpleasant..."

Duo bit back a snarl.

"Well, since you haven't seen him... Good day." The messenger gave them both a sketchy bow and swam away into the darkness.

Howard snorted. "The poor kid is probably better off as fish bait than with those morons. Seriously- deformed? Just because he has legs? They've probably tormented him his whole life over it. Those idiots would spoil a saint." He sighed. "Too bad he didn't make it to us- though I don't know if I'd want to send him back to them..."

Duo nodded. "No kidding..."

"Narrow-minded fools." Howard shook his head and lifted off of the hull. "I gotta get back. You be good!"

Duo waved a hand at him and slipped back into his home.

Heero's eyes met his- he was awake. Duo swallowed hard. Had he overheard?

Judging by the look on his face, he had...

Duo moved his tentacle away from Heero's mouth and kissed him. "Don't! I told you- you're beautiful just as you are! They're the idiots who can't see that."

Heero closed his eyes and Duo bit his lip. He couldn't stall any longer. He moved his tentacles away from Heero and picked up the book. "Are you ready? Once you have your tail they'll have to eat their words." He flipped through the pages, looking for the spell.

Heero's voice was soft. "I... I don't think I want to go back... even with a tail... and if I could breathe air... I don't know if my parents want me either..."

Duo turned his head to meet Heero's eyes. "You could... stay with me," he offered. "Until you decide..." He held his arms out to Heero cautiously, relieved when Heero accepted the embrace.

Heero put his head down on Duo's shoulder. "I... think I'd like that."

OWARI

 

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