by Arithkenshin
Disclaimer: Stop rubbing it in, I don't own them, just playing.
Notes: *glomps* Sol. thanks hon, you have amazing perseverance with me and my absent beta, thank you for doing such a wonderful beta job as usual. *hugs* CYT btw. *hugs* Casey, *hugs* Trowacko and *hugs* Makoto
~#~ indicates flashback
Duo let the shadows engulf him, hide him, distract him. He hadn't gone very far at all, in fact, he had simply retreated to his haven. Not even his lover could find him in there if Duo didn't want to be found. And right then, Duo didn't want to be found.
He let his mind wander, letting it rise above human constraints to be that which he was capable of being. The sense of power that came with it was almost overwhelming, and yet it was something he loved the tenuous control. It seemed to ground him, to dare him. If there was one thing Duo prided himself upon, it was never losing a dare.
Duo heard Quatre come and go, but was in no mood to soothe his worried lover. Duo was annoyed at Quatre, as well as the rest of his brethren. As usual though, it would be Quatre he took it out on. Sometimes Duo wondered if they weren't too much alike, but the thought never lasted for long. Quatre balanced him.
Duo's gave his mind free reign; diving through the aethyr, skimming the mundane plane of existence. He was trying to find a trace; any trace of Water. His mind filtered out the useless babble as he passed over people's conversations. It filtered out and stored away anything that could be of future use to them. For a brief time, it hovered over the Archangels, listening. A cruel smile crossed Duo's face before he moved on.
His foresight was giving him great difficulties. It was hazy and inaccurate. In short it was seriously starting to piss him off. Although he knew that as more and more possible future paths came into existence, that foresight would become less and less reliable, he stubbornly refused to let go of something that had always given him an edge.
Every time he tried to concentrate on Water, he drew a blank. It was as though an invisible barrier blocked his way. He was getting frustrated. It shouldn't have been as hard as it was turning out to be, but then he had to remind himself; when had things ever gone according to plan?
That train of thought was never a good one for him to remember. Before he could distract his mind, it clung to the memory and brought every bloody detail back to the surface, almost revelling in the pain that tore through Duo's body in remembrance.
~#~
Duo struggled to get free of the bindings, but the Zaun in his system prevented his limb's from answering his mind's commands. He could feel every fibre of his flesh rip away from the tendons as the Archangel's flayed him.
Inside he screamed, but he refused to give his enemy the satisfaction of screaming out loud. He refused to let Michael feel triumphant. As long as one of his brethren was out of Michael's grasp, Duo knew they still had a chance for payback. Revenge was going to be sweet.
Another ribbon of flesh was shred from his body. The hold on his guise was wearing thing. He could feel himself transforming. Sweat started to mingle with the blood running down his body as Duo tried to suppress the pain.
The next strip of flesh started to undo him, and he closed his eyes even tighter. Duo could feel the shadows writhing around him, trying to help him, wanting to lend him their strength. It was to no avail. They were bound as much as he was. He knew he was losing control when his body started to heat.the façade was falling away, he could feel it.
Yet another piece of flesh was torn from his back, Duo's regeneration capabilities were allowing his enemies to have more fun with his body than they could ever have with a human's. It was that final shred, from his back, that shattered his control and his eyes flew open. But he couldn't see a thing. His mouth opened involuntarily and it was all Duo could do to swallow a scream as his hair transformed from the guise he wore into the fountain of blood that was his reality.
Duo could hear Michael's breath. In his mind, he could picture the look of ecstasy on the Archangel's face. It repulsed him, made him want to spit in the other man's face, but Duo entirely focused on maintaining awareness.
Then the hands changed their grip and Duo's entire body tensed. His mind refused to believe that they were about to do what they appeared to be. It was a crowning insult. First the use of /Zaun/ and now this? Michael was going to suffer for torturous agony he was putting Duo through. The Archangel would suffer for the betrayal he had committed.
All thought stopped as the hands gripped his wings tighter and began the long drawn out process of literally dragging them out. It wasn't possible to maintain his control any longer.
Duo screamed.
It was enough to make blood curdle, it was enough to wake the dead, and it was enough to make his captor laugh.
But Duo only vaguely registered anything at all. The pain that tore through him was undoing him one molecule at a time. He felt the blood pooling around him; the pain searing his nerves, somehow still getting through the numbness that was surrounding him.
He screamed until his voice ran out and then still continued to do so silently. As every tendon stretched, he felt it. As every muscle snapped, he felt it. As the wings were dragged further and further out of his body he cried his bloody tears and screamed in agony.
One thought and one thought alone, pulled him through those countless hours. They will pay, they will pay dearly.
~#~
Violet eyes blinked as the memories left him. An uncharacteristic scowl spread briefly over Duo's face. Someone had entered his haven. Shaking his head clear of the last of his reverie he concentrated briefly, recognising Trowa only moments before the Wind fallen spoke.
"Duo, I know you're in here."
Duo glowered, but remained silent. The silence hung in the air until it became almost suffocating. An exasperated click of the tongue echoed through the room, even overpowering the sound of the trickling water. Duo frowned, knowing that Trowa had magnified the sound on the wind.
"Duo, I'm staying right here until you show yourself. So either you show yourself, or we both sit here for a hell of a long time." There was a rustling, which was very obviously Trowa settling himself on the ground. The voice sounded bored when it spoke next. "Just between you and I, that would be fine by me. I wouldn't have to think about that.human excuse for my Wufei, ensconced in my lover's room."
Despite himself, Duo chuckled. Trowa had always been able to do that. His dry wit rarely failed to draw Duo out of hiding, whether it was in plain sight or literal.
The camouflage of shadows dropped from Duo, the smile still fixed to his face. "Better?"
Trowa was leaning back against a large stone. He opened one eye and raised an eyebrow. "Much."
Duo frowned briefly, before the smile settled back over his face. "So, going to tell me what happened up there?"
"Going to tell me why you're hiding from Quatre?" Trowa retorted smoothly.
"Touché!" Duo sat down next to Trowa, looping his arms around his knees and looking up at the almost hidden domed ceiling. He nudged his friend with an elbow. "I'll tell if you tell."
Trowa laughed, a sound that was musical when he let it escape. "Maybe. if you go first."
Duo affected an indignant pout. "I asked first." They both laughed. The sound echoed around them, accentuating the sounds of nature in the room. Shadows wove around them, dancing as they felt the tension lift.
Duo recovered first, and wiped a hand across his eyes. He let his gaze shift to Trowa who was unconsciously mirroring the action. Duo's voice was soft when he spoke. "Thanks, Zak. I sometimes get overwhelmed. Sometimes it's nice to be young again. to forget who we are. Don't you think?"
Trowa's eyes were thoughtful. "Yeah. Sometimes it's nice.but that still won't get you out of telling me why you're hiding.again."
The longhaired man laughed. "Okay, okay." He raised the palms of his hands in a defensive gesture. "I give. You win.for now."
"I expect nothing less." Trowa's voice was lightly mocking, but his smile took away the edge.
Duo sighed. "I just.he. gods, he can be such a handful sometimes. He is so sensitive. He can feel everything I'm thinking, feeling, needing or wanting, unless I guard myself."
Trowa raised his eyebrows. "You constantly know what we're going to say."
"That's different!" Duo's posture was defensive. "I read the future, not minds."
"You're splitting hairs."
Violet eyes flashed briefly, and Duo's shoulders slumped. "I know. I just. didn't have the energy to deal with conflict today. I have so much to do, so much to take care of. so much to worry about, because everything seems to be going wrong."
"Settle down. You rarely get this tense. What's the real problem?" Trowa's voice was almost hypnotic.
Another sigh, some more fidgeting and Duo was ready to speak. "Something is.not right. I can't put a finger on it. Blight is feeling it. Even the durmanis are feeling it. Quatre is irritated by it. Hell, it's affecting all of us. There is something. not right. Damn! I don't know how else to say it. Even the shadows are disconcerted by it. Can't you feel it?"
Trowa considered it seriously. There was something.perturbing about the atmosphere, almost as if something was subtly manipulating things. But it didn't feel deliberate; it wasn't manufactured. Something occurred to him. "Milliardo? We still haven't found him. correct?"
Duo nodded and buried his head in his hands. "That's it. You're right. We don't have our sixth yet. Even though we haven't woken Agares yet. the fact that we have no idea where Leviathan is. Shit." He through his hands up in the air, before mumbling, "why me? I would have made a great farmer."
Trowa chuckled. "We'll find Lev, don't worry. It'll work out, Duo. This isn't like you. It's uncharacteristic."
Duo grinned. "Yeah, but if I acted the same all the time. you'd all lose your touch." He turned serious once more. "I know though, it's okay. I'm not losing it."
Trowa frowned. "Astaroth is. He's losing his grip. he needs to refocus."
"It's the feelings, the uncertainties. They always throw him. You know that, Zak."
"Yes, but we don't have time for that. He's had a few millennia. I thought he would have managed by now." There was a sparkle in the green eyes, which told Duo that Trowa wasn't being completely harsh.
A wave of irritation rolled over the area, and Duo tensed. "Damn."
Trowa shrugged off the feeling and looked over at his friend. "He'll be here in a minute."
Duo grumbled. "Oh thank you `Mister I can state the bleeding obvious'. You still owe me a Wufei explanation. don't think I won't get it."
Trowa grinned again. "Oh, I didn't think you'd forget. I know I only delayed the inevitable. Oh. by the way. Heero got out of his room while you were sulking and followed Quatre into the garden. They were talking nicely when I joined them. I made Heero go to sleep again."
"And you tell me this now?" Duo's tone was incredulous.
Trowa shrugged. "Slipped my mind.what with being busy trying to avoid the inevitable."
"Duo." The voice behind the two friends was not friendly.
Duo rose smoothly to his feet, turning to face his somewhat annoyed lover. Trowa just closed his eyes again.
Quatre glared. "Hiding is something you /should/ have outgrown a long time ago."
Duo winked and moved fluidly to his lover. He leaned in so his lips were but a fraction away from Quatre's ear. "But I am so good at it. And look. you found me in the end."
Quatre shivered, and pulled away to glare once more at Duo. "Yes.you are. Sadly, we have more important things to discuss at the moment."
Duo sighed. He had tried to distract Quatre from the necessary talk. But it was something they all needed to discuss.
He turned to look at Trowa. The green-eyed man could have been asleep, but Duo knew him better. "No more games, Zak. We need to know how far along Arioch is."
Trowa opened an eye and sighed softly. He floated to his feet, setting himself back down on the ground. One leg crossed over the other as he leaned himself against one of the trees in the habitat. "He's about 50%."
Quatre looked disappointed. "That all?"
"Yes, Astaroth. I would have said 65% if I meant 65%."
Quatre's eyes flashed. "Moody today, aren't we, Zakkiel."
"No more than the rest of my present company. Must be catching." His voice was playful, his demeanour not.
"What? He got us there." Duo retorted as his lover glared at him.
"This is serious, Abaddon!" Quatre clenched his fists and took a deep breath.
Duo frowned at the blond. He was unusually off balance and Duo couldn't figure out why. "Astaroth? Are you all right?"
Quatre looked into deep violet eyes and his shoulder slumped in defeat. His voice spoke softly. "No. I feel. off balance. And I don't know why."
Duo closed his eyes and reached out his awareness to probe at his partner. What he saw almost made him lost his temper, but he managed to contain it. His voice was stern when he spoke. "Astaroth. How many of us are you feeding?"
Blue-green eyes looked away, a blush crossing his face. "You needed. you all needed." His voice was defensive, as was the rest of his posture. "I can pull enough from the reserves."
"You emptied the reserves for me, only a few days ago. They were never full and at this rate of use, they will never be full. Just because you are tapping power, doesn't mean acting as a funnel for it, isn't going to tire you out. You know this. Hell! You taught me this!" Duo's arms were crossed and the shadows threaded around his body, once more taught with tension.
"Mal'akh is in pain. Agares is damaged, as is Arioch. Doro got injured on a mission for us. I can't not do it, Abaddon, and you know it!" Blond hair flashed to gold and back as his power bridled.
"Damn it, Quatre. I need you at full power. I need you!"
Quatre scowled. "I know. But we need the others as well." His tone changed and his face softened as he stepped closer to Duo and cupped his lover's chin in one hand. "I'm a healer, Duo. It's what I do. Just as I cannot watch someone half dead on a battlefield suffer, I cannot watch someone suffer that I can possibly heal. I'll be okay. I'm just feeling a little off centre. That's all." He leaned his lower body against his lover's chest, and kissed Duo once, chastely.
Duo sighed. "I can't be angry when you're being logical. Just. be careful."
"Always am, Duo. Always am." Quatre turned and walked away from Duo, swinging his hips seductively and wrenching a groan from Duo's throat.
Trowa's chuckle was cut short as Quatre stopped, paled to a light sheen of gold. and fell towards the ground. Shadows cradled the blond man to the ground.
Duo sighed as he approached the still form of his lover, mumbling under his breath. "Great. That makes each of us, at least once. Time for round two to begin."
"Say what?" Trowa looked at him curiously as Duo picked Quatre's unconscious form up and began carrying him.
Violet eyes flickered back to his friend. "Oh.we've all fainted, blacked out whatever you want to call it, at least once. Time for round two." Duo winked as Trowa snickered softly.
A sigh escaped Duo as he head out of his haven with his burden. Sometimes it was nice to forget just what it was they had yet to accomplish. Sometimes it was nice. to pretend to be normal.
Michael idly watched two of his brothers playing chess. He was preoccupied. Gabriel had been gone a long while, and it was getting late. very late. Soft footfalls sounded behind him. Without turning, he knew who it was. He also knew his black-haired brother could have snuck up on him silently.
"What is it, Uriel."
A soft laugh emerged from next to him. "Ahh, so you are not completely lost in thought." Uriel turned to watch the chess match between Raguel and Zarachiel.
"No, I am not. And you still have not answered my question."
Uriel laughed again. "I am your brother, Michael. Do not seek to command me. A politely asked question will get you a hell of a lot further." Uriel's voice sounded friendly on the surface, but anyone who knew him would have realised the underlying tone was dangerous.
Michael turned to level a glare at his brother, but he knew Uriel was right. Michael was in a bad mood and he was taking it out on everyone else. If he wasn't careful, he was going to chase away those that should be his allies.
"Damn it, Uriel. We fucked up. Big time. I fucked up. I let him go. I thought he was dead. How can one of them have caused the rest of them to emerge?"
Uriel struggled to find a reply, momentarily distracted by Michael's rare bout of swearing. "And are you certain that they are all alive?"
Exasperation crossed Michael's face. "You were here. You felt it when Raphael said his name. One of them, at least, is here. And he is one that we assumed we destroyed."
A mocking voice spoke from in front of them. Appearing as if out of thin air.which, considering who he was, was entirely possible.
"Ahhh, the infamous word. Assume." Raphael played with a baby whirlwind, eyes concentrated fully on his hands. He chuckled before turning glowing green eyes to look at his two brothers. "Didn't you know, brothers dear?" He smiled at their wary expressions, but his voice was icy. "Assumption is the mother of all fuck-ups."
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