by Arithkenshin
Disclaimer: Stop rubbing it in, I don't own them, just playing.
Notes: Thanks to Bronze Tigress for pre-reading.
Thanks to Sol for being glompable and taking the time to go through my technically finicky work, whilst still insisting that my story telling makes up for it and that I'll learn anyway. This chapter wouldn't be here without her encouragement or the fact that she was drafted by CYT /snicker
Thanks to CYT, as always, for being a brilliant muse and for providing me with a replacement beta whilst she was busy this weekend *glomps*
Thanks Bronze Tigress for letting me bounce and to CYT for her wonderful musings, betaing and ranting. It wouldn't have been nearly as entertaining and easy to get through without her.
Momentary silence descended over the room. To Trowa's credit, nothing but a slight widening of his eyes showed his surprise. Duo flung books and wood off himself as he stood up. Trowa dropped into a ready stance, face calm. His coat shimmered around him with a life of its own animated by the wind at its master's beck and call.
Brushing himself off, Duo looked up. Violet orbs had deepened in colour and his Aura was flickering with unbridled power. He fed on anger, and right then he was furious. There was no way Trowa should have had access to his own powers, not yet.
Locking his gaze with that of his green-eyed guest, Duo grinned; his expression predatory. "That was not very polite, Mr Barton." The shadows surrounded Duo, dancing, feeding him.
Iridescent wings broke free, unfurling to either side. Their span was impressive, but that wasn't the thing that drew attention the most. It was the expression on Duo's face.
Eyes sunk to a deep, blood red. The smile on his face could only be described in one way:
Evil.
His voice, when he spoke was dangerously soft, like a caress from death.
"No Mr. Barton, that wasn't very smart at all." The power crackled around Duo's form, shadows dancing on the energy waves. His voice changed a little, mocking tones overshadowing - but not quite hiding - promised agony.
"Now you've pissed me off."
Trowa shrugged indifferently. "It would seem we are not as we appear, Mr. Maxwell." Eyes flashed, hands moving quickly. The motion they made was curious, the effect even more so.
A miniature whirlwind formed, streaking towards Duo, who narrowed his eyes and held up a hand. He needed to take a few steps back in order to brace himself against the momentum. But the whirlwind stopped against an invisible barrier.
Smirking, Duo snapped his fingers, making the whirlwind disappear. Trowa's face frowned a little in concentration.
Duo laughed. "You shouldn't have any abilities yet. Stop playing with something you do not understand!"
Trowa's eyes shone with steely resolve. "I understand enough to know you do not deserve to live."
"And people keep making the mistake that I give a shit about what they think I deserve!"
Another gust of wind tried to slam Duo against the wall, but he was better prepared. Knees braced, his wings seemed to absorb it.
"If you insist on playing out of your league, Mr. Barton, then pretend you mean it!"
A slight snarl escaped Trowa's lips as he hurled a burst of cold air at the winged man. Duo stumbled; smile never faltering. He knew that he needed to force Trowa off guard. He couldn't get close enough to the man if he wasn't off guard.
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Quatre holding Wufei back. The winged man grimaced. Great, just what he needed. Wufei had recognised Trowa for who he was. The essence Trowa was bleeding into the air was sign enough.
Trowa was diligently concentrating that essence. The winds rushed through the room, flinging the shelves contents to the floor and making the curtains beat wildly against the wall. But it didn't touch any of the other occupants of the room. The frown on Trowa's face demonstrated his frustration.
Unexpectedly, Wufei gave Duo the needed distraction. Wufei wrenched himself free of Quatre's hold, taking an involuntary step forward.
"Trowa?" Right then Fire didn't seem vengeful or arrogant, he sounded bewildered.
It was all the distraction Duo needed, as Trowa's eyes sought out the voice that addressed him. Face crinkling in confusion Trowa hesitated.
The shadows rallied around Duo, waiting for direction. With a simple thought, Duo had them cloud the room, choking out the light. It was the environment Duo worked best in, darkness. All he could do was hope that Trowa didn't have that much power yet.
An angry cry emerged from Trowa as nothing he did, made a difference. "Damn it. Curse you. "
Duo smiled, his voice once again that velvety smoothness that made Wufei shudder with remembrance. "Been there, had that done. So, Mr. Barton, why did you say you were here?"
The answer was forced between clenched teeth as Trowa focused on the source of the voice. Concentrating on his grasp of power, Trowa flung everything he still had in the direction of that mocking voice. "I'm going to kill you."
"Famous last words."
The laugh echoed in Trowa's ears as he faded into oblivion.
The shadows cleared, allowing the afternoon light back into the room. Duo swayed. As the others got used to the light again, he motioned with a flick of his hand. The annoyed movement caused Trowa to vanish. Wufei cried out involuntarily.
Anger flashed through Duo's eyes as his gaze came to rest on the other man. "As much as I appreciate your distraction, Wufei, do not ever presume so much again. That could have gone terribly wrong and we would have lost air." Duo saw the other man blanch at that thought. "And I am sure that is something you would not want."
The chestnut haired man's was fading. Vaguely he registered Hilde looking up from her tome for the first time since Trowa had arrived. Her voice sounded a little exasperated and she looked worn out. But he wasn't really paying all that much attention.
"Catch him, Quatre."
"What does it look like I'm doing."
The voice was a murmur as Duo fell to his knees.
Sweeping the unconscious Duo up, Quatre glared at the man in his arms. It was damn difficult to carry someone with wings. Duo had not had the energy to seal them away before passing out. Quatre glanced briefly at Wufei. The other man was a bundle of confusion.
"Keep him here, Hilde." Quatre's voice was almost a growl.
Wufei's head snapped up, resentment coloured his eyes. "I am perfectly capable of handling myself."
"Actually Wufei, you're not. I do not have time for this. We do not have time for this." His glare intensified and Wufei held his tongue. "You want to go to him because you are feeling something you can't understand yet. Let me get Duo settled and we will talk."
"But I warn you this once. Go anywhere near Trowa Barton before the Waking, and you will have me to deal with. We have not gone through what we have been through, and endured the pain we have, just so you can go and fuck things up. For once in your existence, listen to someone else, and just do as you're told!"
Abruptly Quatre turned and walked away, carrying his burden. Wufei could have sworn he heard the blond mutter under his breath, "I've fucked things up bad enough for all of us right now."
The man stood outside a set of imposing mahogany doors. That is, the doors were imposing to people who were easily intimidated. The man waiting outside of them, however, was almost impossible to intimidate.
And he was impatient.
Tapping his foot, he glanced at his watch, a scowl on his otherwise handsome face. When the steward beckoned him into the room, he brushed passed the man without the barest acknowledgement.
Neglecting to bow to the man behind the desk, he stopped just short of it and crossed his arms. "Yes, Senator?"
The man flinched at the voice and looked up. "Ahh yes, Wielder Heero Yuy."
The beady black eyes annoyed Heero, as did the slimy appearance of the Senator. Considering he knew from personal experience just how much of a rat the man could be, Heero was sorely tried. It took almost everything he had not to level the office with a thought and walk out.
Instead of responding, Heero simply glared at the man. It didn't take the Senator long to take the hint.
"Ahh yes." The beady eyed man ruffled through a stack of papers on his desk. "You have been recalled to the Governmental palace."
The Prussian-blue glare intensified. "By whom?"
"Um yes. Prince Merquise requested your return, Wielder." his voice tapered off as he realised Heero was no longer standing in front of his desk. Black eyes only caught the tail end of the man as he left the room with something akin to a growl.
Heero was not impressed. In fact, he was livid.
Sun shone into the room, lighting it. Yet there was no warmth evident. Like everywhere in the Citadel, the temperature was measured. A simple display of squandered power that said so little and yet so much.
Each of those present bore contentious expressions. They were measuring each other. It was a tendency they had perfected over eons. Power rippled from each of the six occupants, clashing, suffusing and heady in its intensity. The tension in the room was cloying, suffocating, yet electric.
"We've been here long enough, Michael!" Gabriel broke the standoff. "Some of us would like to accomplish other tasks today."
"His dream has significance, Gabriel." Black eyes flashed through silver, before returning to black. The speaker pushed his black hair out of his eyes, resting their intense gaze on his brother. It was almost a dare to start something.
Gabriel twitched his wings irritably. "Significance of what, Uriel?" His voice had dropped in tone, cold like a tomb; it was dangerous.
Its effect seems to roll off Uriel, who shrugged nonchalantly. "We rarely dream, brother mine. Everything unusual has significance."
The golden angel snorted, the danger vanished. "Rarely, perhaps! But paranoia should not make it habit." He ignored the wave of anger directed at him by Michael, his eyes still focused on his black haired brother. "Significance is irrelevant. We know very well that we killed one of our kind."
"He was never one of our kind!" Michael's eyes were blazing. Light rippled off him in waves as he barely contained his short temper. "We fought. We defeated them all. Our kind would not have been against us." His voice finished low, so deep that the room shuddered.
Uriel instantly looked at Michael and made a quick decision. When he spoke, Uriel's voice was soothing and calm. "Everyone has a different view Michael. Balance was necessary."
A harsh, barked laugh emerged from Michael's throat. "A necessary evil, then? I prefer to think of them as a necessary extermination. And we missed one."
"Well, that may be, Michael." Raphael pushed himself away from the pillar he was leaning against, lazily walking forward. "Arguing all day is not going to change the past." He affected a yawn. "And frankly, it won't ease your insecurities, either."
Michael's brow furrowed in annoyance. Crossing his arms, he drew himself up and spoke through clenched teeth. "I do not have insecurities."
"No?" Raphael grinned insolently. "Could have fooled me." He stretched, apparently playing with a breeze just for the fun of it. "You know as well as I do, that there's no way they could have pulled themselves back."
"Pulled back?" The plainest looking of the bunch looked thoughtful. "One without the other five is useless anyway, isn't he?" His questions were rhetorical, yet they demanded consideration.
"Raguel, you sound as if you question it. Care to share?" Raphael continued to grin. His green eyes were narrowed, calculating.
Raguel shrugged, bored with the topic. "Full power has prerequisites. One cannot stand alone, therefore it is irrelevant." Seeking a way out of the conversation he had inadvertently entered, Raguel glanced over at his smallest brother. "Isn't it, Zarrachiel?"
Zarrachiel started. Having barely paid attention thus far, he floundered for a second before tracking what stage the conversation had arrived at. "Well, I.why ask me? It wasn't my fault. Gabriel was the one supposed to be watching him!" He directed a glare in the direction of his golden sibling.
It was as much as Gabriel could take. He glared at each of them in turn; power flaring abruptly before he clenched it down. The desired aim was achieved. He had everyone's attention.
"We are not doing this again. I refuse to go over this guilt trip every time one of you has a fucking dream." His wings snapped shut as he turned to the door, talking over his shoulder as he walked. "This discussion is over"
The door slammed, punctuating Gabriel's departure.
Quatre laid Duo on the bed. He managed to position his lover in what he hoped was a comfortable position on his stomach. His own power reserves were low. Quatre had almost drained the node of gathered power under the house, the night before.
Even Quatre had to admit he was weary. Running a hand through his hair he made his mind slow down. He needed to think coherently. They couldn't afford another slip like that. Idly he traced a hand along his lover's wings. He could see the inflamed skin where the wings had sprouted. His abilities allowed him to feel the pain they inflicted.
Alone in their room he could let go, let go of the feelings of guilt he felt every time he had looked at Duo's scars. The stronger guilt he felt when he looked at the wings that replaced them now. He knew the reserves he had right then were not enough. But he also knew they were alone.
Quatre did the only thing left available to him. He closed his eyes and drew his power away from masquerading his false image. A soft, golden light bathed the room. Shimmering waves spread out from his body as his skin took on its true hue.
Acting with other senses, he stretched out a gold toned hand, bringing it to rest at the base of Duo's wings to his body. With the contact, Quatre exerted his healing power and let flow as much as he could spare into his lover.
A lone tear of blood snaked its way down Quatre's cheek. It was dangerous, but necessary. He just wished he hadn't lost control the night before. Duo couldn't afford to be weakened further. There was too much to be done in too short a time.
Quatre was so intent on healing that he didn't detect the intrusion. It wasn't until Wufei had crossed the threshold that Quatre's senses were alerted.
Hair like spun gold crackled with electric currents as Quatre spun to face the intruder, eyes flying open. Angelic as he might appear, his real eyes revealed his true nature. They would always contradict his constant and adamant denials that he was a Fallen.
Quatre's eyes were an abyss of swirling blood.
The angel's reaction triggered recognition in that slowly waking part of Wufei. His own eyes flashed red, his hair ripped free of its bind.
"You are unwelcome here." Quatre managed to barely contain his rage.
"And you are being foolhardy."
"Hold your tongue! Even weakened I can put you back from whence you came." It was no idle threat, and Wufei knew it.
"You are drained. You have no energy left. At least take some of mine."
Mistrust shone briefly in Quatre's eyes before he allowed himself to blink. Opening his eyes again, the colour had changed. They were blue-green once more, exhibiting more restraint. His voice was soft as he spoke, somehow mixing well with the golden waves still flowing off his body. "You remember that you can give?"
Exasperated Wufei crossed his arms, dampening down on the anger that had risen in him. His eyes returned to normal, but his voice was strained. "I would remember more if you would deign to remind me. My Waking. is hampered. My.host. was rebellious."
Relief, and a little guilt, flooded Quatre. "Do you remember how to link?"
A frustrated growl escaped Wufei's throat. "No. But I remember that you can take."
A cold smile passed over Quatre's face. "Oh, I can always take, Wufei. I need no one's permission." Motioning the other man over to the bed Quatre removed his hand from Duo, breaking off the flow of power. He had to steady himself against the bed. His energy was so low that he couldn't even damped the effects of his visage, or keep his eyes concealed.
Wufei had to squint to stop the brightness from hurting his eyes. He heard Quatre sigh in resignation.
"You'll have to forgive me. It seems you're right. I think I've overdone it a little." All Quatre had left was his life force, and that was something he couldn't afford to sacrifice. Forcing himself to his feet, he took hold of Wufei's hand. The grip was a little tighter than he had intended, but Wufei merely grunted.
Resting the second hand on Wufei's chest just over where the heart should be, he looked at Wufei, intensity in those red eyes. "But you are a brother, so I will ask. Do you offer freely?"
The question was almost ritualistic and Wufei nodded solemnly. "I give freely of my power, I give freely of my blood."
A nod of his head was all Quatre had the strength to give before his concentration took his attention. He focused. There was no energy left for him to cushion the transition with. So he didn't drag it out. With an abrupt pull he drew the energy from Wufei that was so freely offered, not letting himself notice the cry emerging from the other man's lips.
Trusting his abilities not to let him overdraw, Quatre cut off the flow just short of exhausting Wufei. The other fell to his knees, sweat covering his forehead as he tried to regain his composure.
Exerting only a little of that energy Quatre dampened his own visage and turned to replenish Duo's reserves. Slowly but surely Duo's breathing evened out and finally Quatre pulled away, letting the sleeping man regenerate peacefully.
Fatigued, Quatre realised that they would all need actual sleep that night if the Waking was to be any success the next day. But first there was something he needed to do.
"Come with me," Quatre said, as he stood. He offered a faintly glowing hand to Wufei, who gratefully accepted it. "There are things we need to discuss."
Wufei felt like a freight train had run over him and did not feel partial to moving. "Can we not stay here?"
A slightly scornful look covered Quatre's face briefly before he hid it, knowing it wasn't fair. "I didn't drain everything, Wufei. You can make it to Duo's room. We need the shielding to talk properly."
Understanding spread through Wufei's eyes and he nodded, forcing himself to move towards the door. The sooner he got to where they were going, the sooner he could let himself rest.
Quatre followed Wufei silently once he was sure that Duo would get the type of sleep he needed. Frustrated, Quatre mentally listed the things they had neglected to tell Wufei.
There were things Wufei needed to know, that he should by all rights have already known. The knowledge should have been awoken when Arioch was. Quatre had just assumed that his brother was being his usual arrogant, self-important self, but he had seen the look of confusion as Wufei fought to identify his recognition of Trowa.
There was a problem. When they had Woken Arioch, something had gone awry. All Quatre could hope was that they wouldn't make the same mistake again.
And he fervently hoped that the damage to Wufei was recoverable.
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