#sidefic

Duo sighed in annoyance as he dropped the body.

This was supposed to be Quatre’s problem.

Vampires.

They’d long-ago agreed that the blonde would deal with his own kind, especially because Quatre had a bit of a vengeful streak, and after all he’d gone through with the Noble Houses, he was usually more than happy to put the fear of Shinigami into any new troublemakers.

Or kill them, if necessary.

Sadly, this time it had been necessary.

Unfortunately, Quatre was away on other business, business Duo had sent him on specifically, and the vampire problem had, of course, cropped up in his absence.

And speaking of annoyances…

There, at the edges of his awareness, was the same human Duo had begun noticing the last several times he’d had to venture out to take care of a problem. Not just vampires either, other members of the supernatural community who hadn’t the sense to behave themselves in the God of Death’s backyard.

Intriguing.

He wiped the silver blade off on the dead vampire’s coat, his body already disintegrating - helpful, that - and tucked it away in his arm sheath, as he carefully did not acknowledge the newcomer. Let his magic reach out, instead, to investigate.

And got an unexpected response.

The man was surprisingly delicious - and clearly something more than human.

Duo grinned.

“Something I can help you with?” He called, over his shoulder, letting his magic do half the work, coaxing the other man out of the shadows - though he did love shadows - and into the moonlight filtering through the trees.

Turning, Duo tried to look inviting, or as inviting as one could look, hidden in the shadows and standing over a corpse. Though truthfully, Duo did make standing over corpses look good.

The other man - human, or something else, Duo wondered - took another step, in spite of himself, and the light fell on his face. Startlingly blue eyes and chiseled features, skin washed grey in the moonlight. His tongue darted out to lick his lips as he glanced between Duo and the dead man at his feet.

“What are you?” The other man called, his voice sounding strangled.

In fear, perhaps.

Even at this distance Duo could feel his heartbeat thrumming, the thread of life in his veins.

He shifted.

Perhaps not fear, though, and Duo wondered.

“Death,” he answered, finally, pitching his voice low, made the word feel seductive. “What are you?” The magic wrapped itself around the man staring at him across the dead and dying grass, through the brisk wind as fall settled around them. Cajoling him to answer, pressing him for the truth. Autumn, the season of Duo’s birth. His favorite time of year. When he was at his most powerful.

“Heero Yuy,” the other man answered, and sounded surprised at his own response.

Duo’s grin sharpened. “Heero Yuy.” He rolled the syllables around in his mouth, let himself feel them. Heard him - Heero - gasp slightly. “An interesting name. But it doesn’t answer my question. What, not who.”

“I don’t know.” And Duo tasted the truth of the words.

How fascinating. It had been a long time since Duo encountered a puzzle.

Duo beckoned, and Heero trailed closer to him, several more feet, before he seemed to catch himself and stopped, halfway across the clearing.

Very interesting indeed.

“Come closer,” Duo offered, “and I’ll tell you what you are.”

The other man shook his head, staying where he was.

But he didn’t retreat either.

Duo levered himself off of the tree and moved, faster, probably than the human could follow, to stand next to the man, hovering just a bit taller, and reached out, almost touching him.

Up close his features were even more striking, and Duo wondered where he was from.

“May I?” He asked, fingers hovering over Heero’s cheek.

He nodded jerkily.

Not fear, no, Duo didn’t think.

Death called to the man, and he wondered…

Duo didn’t touch him with his hand, though that’s what he’d implied. No, he reached out further with his magic, exploring and prodding, and found something completely unexpected.

He grinned.

“Heero Yuy,” Duo said again, and the other man took an involuntary step forward. “Death calls to you.” Another jerky nod and harsh swallow.

“Necromancer.”

There was a moment of incredible stillness as Duo said the word, named it and gave it power.

What a delightful addition to his retinue, if he could convince the man - the necromancer - to join him. And he could, he was sure. Heero was half-enthralled already, drawn to the core of Duo’s power, to the absoluteness of death, the darkness of eternity.

And such power, hidden there, in the depths, buried.

It would be more than worth the effort.