Shinigami - The God of Death Part 8
Thursday morning started like all the others. I race down stairs as soon as my alarm goes off and wait around in frustration as I watch everyone grab breakfast and get ready for work. And then something amazing happens. You know those events during the day that just turn an entirely shitty life around? Well this is one of them, and it was all embodied in the words Heero said.
"You guys go ahead, I'll ride in separately today."
Now, granted the words I really would have loved him to say were something along the lines of "Duo, you're not Duo." But I can't be choosy here now can I? I mean him wanting to go into work by himself was a really good thing, because you know what that means? That means there is no way Solo can push me out of the car this time. Finally, after a whole week of battling to stay in that car when they went to work, I was going to be able to be with them at the Preventer's office. I still have no idea what I am going to do in that extra amount of time, but the fact that I have that extra amount of time is good enough for me.
So of course, I cheered!
"Why's that?" Solo asks as he shoves a fork full of egg into his mouth.
"Things to do," Heero mutters, shuffling through the cupboard for the new loaf of bread that was stuffed in the back.
"I'll ride with you!" Solo volunteers instantly, I immediately turn a glare of death on him, no effect.
Trowa shakes his head. "Duo, remember? Lady Une scheduled a meeting for us early this morning, we can't be late."
"But Heero's gonna be late," Solo whines.
"Hn." Heero only grunts in response as he finds the bread and pops two pieces in the toaster.
"No buts Maxwell, if I have to sit in that woman's meeting then so do you," Wufei bites out. "You aren't getting out of it."
Solo lets out an exasperated sigh and drops back in his seat, crossing his arms. Once again I cheer, and this time he shoots me a moment's glare. I quickly look around but only Quatre seems to notice me or the glare. He stands at the stove, cooking his serving of eggs in his bathrobe. Once again he's staying home for being sick.
You know, it's funny but this never occurred to me before. Quatre got sick when I turned ghost, am I affecting his health? Or was he staying home for some other reason?
"You going to be alright today, Quatre?" Trowa asks, placing his dishes in the sink.
I watch as Quatre's eyes dart in my direction (even though I know he can't see me) and then he smiles. "Think I'll run some errands. I'm feeling a little better and there's no reason for me to stay home today."
My jaw drops. No way! Can Quatre sense my emotions so much that he knows I'm planning on hitching a ride with Heero to the Preventer's headquarters? That means... that means that he's known about me from the start, that he's sensed me from the start! That means that he actually stayed home from work that Monday morning to discover what exactly was in the house.
I can't help but stare at him as I realize all of this. Quatre's known I was here the whole time! Now granted he doesn't know I'm the real Duo but he's sensed me. And that means... he probably told the guys more then I witnessed that one night in the room. If there is one thing about the relationship between Trowa and Quatre it is that they share everything. And now that I think of it Quatre wasn't hiding his glances in my direction any more. It was almost as if he was trying to communicate with me, and I hadn't even noticed it.
He'd said no reason for him to stay at home today... that means he knows I was going to go with Heero to the Preventer's headquarters. And at the same time it also means that he is giving me permission to go, kinda telling me that he would be all right if I left.
Woah woah woah me, slow down! Ok, I'll admit that I might be reading a little too much into this but it's amazing how much you realize about your friends when you can see but not be seen. I'd spent the majority of the week watching them and that coupled with what I already knew about Quatre was that that blond haired kid was a lot smarter then he appeared. I mean heck, even the scientists admitted they used him because he had the ability to bring us together as a group, even if he didn't seem like it as first.
Out of all of us, Quatre seems to be the most aware of the world around him. He isn't blinded by the mission, he still has a firm hold of his emotions, his vision isn't shaded by bias and he doesn't hide behind a grinning mask. How ironic that the most child-like of all of us was also, I'd argue, is the most mature. But maybe I am reading too much into this all once again.
In any case I'm sure Quatre had just given me permission to not worry about him and what had happened as a result of my trying to jump into his body. He'd just told me, in a very indirect way, that he was going to be all right. I can't help but smile at him and I really want to rush over and hug him. The only thing that stops me, of course, is his reaction the last time I'd tried to touch him. Oh well, I'll have plenty of time to hug him when I get my body back.
If I get my body back...
But I'm not going to think about that right now!
So, as the other guys all pile into the car to go to work, I spend my time following Heero around the house. For about an hour I make myself into Heero's shadow, making positive that the moment he decides to leave I am right there behind him, ready to jump into his jeep and ride with him to work. I can't wait! An entire day at work with Heero and... and... and what the hell am I going to do to convince to him that I exist?
I slump down in the seat of his jeep as he starts the engine. Damn. You know what? This is like a test at school. Where you completely forget about the test and then you learn you have it in an hour. You panic and hope you remember everything. And then, by some act of god, the test is delayed, but only an hour. And yet that hour still isn't enough time for you to study more, so instead you just sit there worrying and making yourself feel bad! Ack!
Yes, it has been established in my life that all acts of god suck, because they generally end in my getting a swift kick in the ass.
Well, we arrive at the Preventer's headquarters in due time and I do my usual routine. You know, dance around the room making a fool of myself; yell; scream; attempt to kick and hit things I know I can't ever touch and finally I just fall onto the floor, exhausted as Heero continues to sit at his desk, completely obvious.
"You jerk! Notice me or... or... something! I'm right here!!"
Heero doesn't respond.
With a loud sigh I drop back onto the floor and just lay there as if I were going to make a snow angel in the hardwood floor. Beside me there is a creak and the door opens, Trowa stepping in the room and walking right up to Heero's desk. And it's the funniest thing but Trowa walked right through me, as if I were a carpet. Me? A carpet on Heero's floor? That is a scary thought.
I quickly stand up and shake the feeling off. Duo Maxwell is not a bear rug!
Meanwhile Heero raises his head from the screen of the laptop and glances at Trowa in question.
"Lady Une thought you'd find these of interest. I don't know what to think." He hands Heero a small manila envelope. Quickly I scurry to the desk to get a look as he opens the envelope.
Heero undoes the string holding it shut and pulls out a pile of photographs. Upon seeing them his grip loosens and they slide out onto the desk. Both of our eyes widen as we look. Heero immediately looks back at Trowa, the confusion obvious on his face.
"Is this some joke?"
Trowa shakes his head.
Heero voiced my thoughts exactly. "This has got to be some sick joke," I mutter as I stare at the pictures. Here before me, lying on Heero's desk, are photo snaps of my own car! But they aren't just photos of my car, they are photos of my car looking like a pile of crumpled aluminum foil up against a large tree. What's worse is the majority of the paint was burnt away and the car was charred. True barbecued. I swallow as the memory of the crash washes over me and I begin to feel sick. How the hell did Trowa get pictures of the car crash if Solo had my car and it was in perfect condition?
Heero picks up one of the photos and swallows hard as he scrutinizes it. "You made it to work this morning?"
Trowa nods. "Heero, that is not the car I rode in to work this morning."
We both look at Trowa in confusion. Without a word Trowa pulls a single photo out of the pile and shows it to Heero. It is a close up of the license plate from the mangled car. My license plate.
Heero's hand visibly trembles as he takes the photo from Trowa and just stares at it. "That can't be Duo's car," he murmurs softly.
Trowa frowns. "I looked at the evidence and the photos. Heero, that is Duo's car, and yet so is the one I rode in to work today. I understand this about as much as you do."
"THAT'S MY CAR!" I scream loudly, right in Heero's ear, but he doesn't respond. Instead he carefully gathers all the pictures and places them in the envelope, sealing it shut once more. I can only stand there with my jaw hanging open.
"Thank you Trowa."
Trowa nods and leaves the room, shutting the door behind him; meanwhile Heero sets the envelope off to the side of his desk and returns to typing on his laptop. I can't believe my eyes.
"That's it?! That's it?!" I can't help but scream at him. "You idiot! How can you ignore that? That's my fucking car! Can't you see that?! The evidence is right there in front of your eyes and yet you just ignore it!? Yuy you... you... fucking idiot!"
Rage burns through me and I take a swing at his laptop, focusing all my anger into that one punch. Suddenly the room explodes into a flash of sparks. Heero jumps back from the desk as his laptop bounces and sputters, sparks flying and screen sizzling until it finally falls to the floor in a smoking dead heap. We both stand there, our eyes full of shock and even a little fear.
I watch numbly as Heero kneels down next to the laptop and carefully touches it, causing a few more sparks to dance along the edges. Slowly he stands up and looks back to his desk, his eyes fixing on the envelope and the stack of photos inside. Without a word races out of the room at a hurried pace.
I can't follow. Instead I just stand there in shock watching the smoking laptop on the floor.
I did that.
I hit the laptop and caused it to explode in a fury of sparks.
There are only two words in the English language that fit this moment in time and this single event.
"Holy shit!"
The moment those words roll off my lips my surprise melts away and I am filled with this sense of utter joy. I can touch something! I can touch Heero's laptop when I'm really super pissed off! Not only can I touch Heero's laptop but...
Out of experiment I walk over to the fan sitting in the window of Heero's office. Pulling back my fist I concentrate all my anger and let it fly, aiming right for the fan. Once again sparks fly and I shield my face, out of habit, as the air conditioner sputters and dies.
"YEAH!"
Yes! I can finally touch something! I could finally get something to react to my presence besides animals and Quatre! I finally have something to make Heero notice me. And not only that but there is actual evidence of the crash! I can't help but dance around the room and yell out my joy to the entire unhearing world.
Yes! That's it! I finally have a chance to win!
"Heero? Where are you going?" Solo's voice echoes through the hallway outside and I race out of the room to see Solo facing Heero as he's pulling on his jacket.
"I... I have some business," Heero stutters out unconvincingly. He pulls his jacket on the rest of the way and heads straight for the door. Immediately I try to follow, ducking under Solo's attempt to grab my arm.
"Heero, wait!"
Solo races down the hallway after us but he's too far behind. He won't catch up. Now if only I can catch up to Heero before he drives off...
TBC...
Back to Snow Tigra's Fanfictions Page