on the hunt

[windandwater]

It felt like he had been wandering the hallways of Castle Anthrax for week, but Yuy knew that it was just a trick of his mind. Nearly everything in Castle Anthrax was malleable, from the floorplans, to the air you breathed (usually doused with some form of bunnycrack), and even time itself. It was all because the Mistress of the place, the Writer, was psycho-nuts and preferred everyone to be on the same wavelength as Her. Still, Yuy couldn't fight the feeling that something was seriously *wrong.* He hadn't run into a single Muse in the hallways, and he had the distinct feeling that he was being followed. He hadn't been a terrorist for most his life without learning to trust his instincts, but whenever he turned around, no one was there.



Also, Yuy didn't know where the *hell* he was. He'd committed the floorplans of the Castle to his memory, but he still couldn't figure out where he was. Just when he was considering turning around and retracing his steps back to the GW Common Room to start over, he heard a faint noise. Stretching out his senses, Yuy made his way through the dimmed hallways, following the strange snuffling, gurgling sound. Turning a corner, he spied a light spilling from a partially opened doorway. Easing to the door, Yuy looked into the room carefully, and was very much *NOT* expecting the sight within.

There were computer terminals all throughout the room, and every screen was glowing. Every screen also showed the same variants of blinking red words, filling the room with an eerie glow.

Subject: Muse Search: Yuy, Heero
Searching... Muse Wings...
Subject not found
Searching... Common Areas ...
Subject not found
Searching... Work Rooms...
Subject not found
Searching... Castle Anthrax, Proper...
Subject not found
Searching... Castle Anthrax, Restricted Areas...
Subject not found

There was a hollow sound from a corner and Yuy stepped farther into the room, searching for its occupant. What he found was Duo, sitting on the floor, propped up against the base of a computer terminal. The braided boy was disheveled, his hair coming loose from its braid to twist around his face. His clothes, a simple pair of black cargo pants and a green tank top, were wrinkled and worse for wear. His violet eyes were hollow, empty, completely devoid of the life that usually sparked within. Yuy stepped closer, his foot accidentally kicking something that Yuy recognized as an empty bottle of tequila.

The glass bottle rattled as rolled across the floor and came to a stop against a bunch of others, and Duo's empty eyes raised, folowing the bottle before looking up at Yuy. Those violet eyes widened in recognition and Duo's mouth dropped open in surprise.

"He-Heero?" Duo asked, slurring the name a little.

Yuy shook his head. "You've got the wrong Yuy," he replied.

But Duo didn't seem to hear him, instead taking the opportunity to give a rather insane laugh. "N-no... it's not you, is it?" he asked rhetorically. "'S never you. 'S only me... only my... mem'ries... playin' gamess... can't ever... can't ever forget you... ya won't let me..."

Yuy was well and truly disturbed at this point. Duo wasn't reacting to *anything,* not the hand he was waving in front of his face, or even his presence. Instead, Duo continued to talk to him, caught up in a fantasy of his mind's own making.

"Wha'... wha' did I do th's time, huh, Hee-ro...? 'S all tha' same ta you, ne? Li'l Duo Maxwell... caann't keep 'is legs closed... li'l Duo who ya gots 'roun' yer finger... li'l Duo who's aaa-alwaays rady ta fuck..."

"Duo, that's not true!" Yuy exclaimed.

"'S'not?" Duo asked, his violet eyes blinking in confusion. "Why not? Tha's all ya use me for, any-waaaays. Same wit' eeeeeeevvverrryyyyooonnneeeee else. I give 'em what they wants an' they don't give me what I wants an' it's always tha same."

"And what do you want, Duo?"

The braided boy was silent, raising another bottle of tequila to his lips and chugging before he answered. "I dunno wha' I wan'. No one ast befoore."

Yuy was rapidly losing patience with this conversation. Duo was obviously too drunk to be helpful. The best thing to do now would be to take Duo back to the GW Wing and get him taken care of. Then Yuy could go back and look for Max and Heero. With that plan in mind Yuy stepped forward, grabbing Duo by one arm. "That's enough, Duo. Now listen to me--"

That was the wrong to say. Duo turned into a whirlwind of fighting fury, punching, kicking, biting anything that came into his reach. Yuy was totally surprised, and soon found himself pinned on his back, with a violet-eyed demon at his throat. Somewhere along the line Duo had mode!shifted again, and now a leather-clad psychopath was straddling his chest, loose chestnut hair tumbling everywhere to form a curtain around them.

"Why the fuck should I listen to you, Heero?" Duo snarled out softly, his voice a dangerous mix of honey and poison. Yuy looked into his eyes and could still see the sheen of alcohol and madness in them. Duo tightened his hands around Yuy's throat. "You wanna order me around? You wanna make me you little fuckin' lapdog? How's it feel to be on the other side? To have me chokin' the life outta you, while your helpless?"

Yuy's Prussian eyes narrowed in anger. "I'm never helpless," he rasped out. Then he burst into action, kicking up his legs and managing to buck the braided boy off of him. Startled, Duo tumbled to the floor, but was up almost as quickly. The two faced each other across the small room, Heero taking a defensive position since he didn't want to *really* hurt the other boy.

Then Duo attacked, his punches and kicks flying out in a random, chaotic manner that was almost crazy -- but Yuy could see the calculation and precision behind the attacks. He was still hard-pressed to dodge and counter though, Duo's temper fueling his actions. Finally, as Duo tried to slug him, Yuy grabbed the outstretched arm, pulling Duo flush against him to unbalance the other boy. As he expected, Duo stumbled forward, and Yuy used to opportunity to twist Duo's arm behind his back and finally pinned the boy down against a table, using his whole body weight to keep Duo from fighting more.

But this didn't turn to be a good idea either. Duo fought like a madman until he was pinned against the table, face flat against its surface, one arm twisted behind him, and Yuy bent over him. There was a flash of light and instead of a leather-clad psycho, Yuy found a braided boy with pajamas bottoms one pinned beneath him. Duo's whole demeanor changed too; instead of spitting and cursing, Duo actually burst into tears and started to beg.

"... oh... oh god... oh god, Heero! Oh god! Not again! Please! Please! Please! Oh god, please! Let me go! I didn't mean anything, I swear! Please, oh god, Heero! Please! Let me go! Not again! Please!"

Yuy dropped Duo like a hot potato, stepping back and for some reason feeling very dirty. Duo didn't even stand up, he just slid down to the floor, crumpling into a little ball and sobbing brokenly. Uncomfortable, Yuy crouched down, holding out one hand and approaching Duo like one would a wild animal.

"Duo?" he asked softly.

Duo actually flinched and covered his head with his arms, as if expecting a beating.

"Duo! I'm not going to hurt you."

Duo shivered, but didn't uncurl from his protective ball.

"Duo..."

"I didn't mean it," Duo whimpered, his voice muffled. "Whatever I did, I'm sorry. I'm sorry! Don't hurt me, Heero..."

"I'm not Heero."

*That* brought Duo out of his wretched sobbing. The braided boy uncurled and blinked at Yuy. "What do you mean? Are... is this some sort of test? It's you, I know it is!"

"No, I'm not your Heero. It's me, Yuy. Do you remember me, Duo?"

Fine chestnut brows drew together as Duo tried to bring together the scattered parts of his memories. "Yuy?"

"Yes. I'm Heero's counterpart. From the other Mansion."

"Oh." Then Duo wrapped his arms around his middle, hugging himself. "Are you going to hurt me?"

Yuy winced and wondered for the upteenth time just how fucked up his counterpart was. "No. I'm not going to hurt you."

"Then why are you here?"

"I was trying to find you."

"Why?" Duo asked, immediately suspicious again.

The Japanese boy resisted the urge to growl in frustration. It would only scare Duo. "I'm here to take you back to your Wing. Trowa, Quatre, and Wufei are worried about you."

"And... He-Heero?"

Yuy felt bad about having to crush the tiny light of hope that appeared in Duo's violet eyes. "No one has heard anything from Heero."

Duo went silent at that, still holding himself tightly. It was if was afraid that if he let go he would break into a million pieces. "Everything's all funny," Duo finally said. "I can't... I can't remember very much..."

Yuy didn't know what to say to that, so he said nothing. So the two boys sat in silence for a long while.

"Yuy?" Duo's small voice asked.

"What?"

"Would... I mean, you don't have to, but..."

"What *is* it, Duo?"

"Do you think you could give me a hug?"

Yuy looked at the braided boy, reading the scared and uncertain expression on Duo's face. He nodded and opened his arms. Immediately, Duo threw himself into his arms, wrapping his own tightly around Yuy's middle. As Yuy pulled Duo into a hug, he couldn't help but feel the fine tremors that worked their way across Duo's body. It was like the American was crying, but Yuy didn't feel hot tears dampening his shoulder. Duo gave one last shudder, and when Yuy looked down he was surprised to see that Duo was fast asleep in his embrace. Yuy sighed, tightened his hold, and leaned back against the terminal behind him.

It was going to be a long night.

Comments

[skyblueandblack.livejournal.com]

Aww... please tell my Heero for me that if Duo needs some vaca time, he can swing over here for awhile. ^_^