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The Shadowman	By : ColdSilence Category: Gundam Wing/AC > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 2328 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing/AC, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Title: The Shadowman

Author: Cold Silence

E-Mail: writer.coldsilence@gmail.com

Category: Alternate Universe. Medieval Times.

Pairings: So far: 4 x Relena, 5 x Meiran, Odin x Catherine

Warnings: NC-17. Yaoi. OOC. (I'm trying to keep them IC, but I don't think I've succeeded.) Death. Squick. Incest. Rape.

Website: http://coldsilence.tumblr.com/post/433113072/index

        For the first time in a long time, they felt peace.

A peace that lasted for all of its five seconds.

The Shadowman

-Chapter Six-

(The Farming Arc - Day One)

In one smooth movement, the shepherd's staff slid from Heero's shoulders and swung wide to smack against Duo's arm. The braided boy yelped in pain as he began slipping from the slope on the dewy grass.

        "What the blazes is your problem?! Wuaaa!!" Duo managed to duck the second swing from Heero's staff, and rather than stand there and let himself get pummeled by a rabid sheepherder, he allowed his boots to loose their traction. Soon, he was skidding down the side of the hill as if he were on a skateboard, with Heero hot on his heels as he chased after him.

"Poach someone else's sheep, kisama! (1)"

Unfortunately for Duo, there had been a recent string of trespassers stealing sheep from the country folk. Because of this, Heero had adopted a Zero Tolerance policy which went something like this: Kick their ass now. Ask questions later.

"Sheep?!" Duo barely had time to unhook his sheath from his belt and use it as some sort of shield against the flying wood. "I don't want your stinking sheep!"

"Then why are you on MY hill?" demanded Heero.

"I'm here to see Odin Lowe!"

At his words, Heero froze mid-swing at Duo's head. A scowl marred his tan features as he withdrew the staff with a low "hn". Tucking it back under his shoulder, he started ascending the slope once more to make sure his flock was okay.

"Well hello to you too, jerk," The Shadowman muttered grumpily. His sheath was returned to his side, and he began trudging up the hillside once more.  "You know where Odin Lowe is?"

"He's busy," came the curt answer. Heero had seen Duo's type lots of times before. Snobby, rich merchants would run into a bit of trouble with creditors, and then come running to the countryside to live with the very people they looked down on. Once the problem in the city was fixed, they would return to their luxurious homes with neither a thank you or so much as acknowledgment for the people that had put them up.

Light, did he ever HATE them!

"Then I'll wait until he's not busy," said Duo.

        "Wait somewhere else."

"No way!" said Duo with a frown. "So far, you're the only guy I've run into in this godforsaken countryside that speaks the common language. I'm sticking to you like a burr until you take me to Odin."

"That's your fault for being here, gaijin." (2) Heero tilted his head to glare at the boy struggling to stay beside him. His skin was so pale, he probably never saw a decent day of work in his life.

"Hey, I already told you I don't want your sheep, so don't bother trying to persuade me to go." Man, I heard commoners were dense, but this guy takes the cake. "Soooo I'm just going to sit here.. under this tree.." Duo huffed as they finally reached the pasture once more. Wasting no time, he dropped beneath the sole tree growing on the hilltop and folded his arms. "..and wait until you come around."

"Hn."

"How long is it going to take until you change your mind?" asked Duo.

"When the sheep are done grazing."

"You know, you have an unhealthy obsession with sheep."

"...."

They settled into an electric silence, and eventually Heero moved to the other side of the pasture as if he couldn't stand Duo's presence. Heaving a loud sigh, Duo wondered for the umpteenth time what exactly did he do to deserve this.

"Grrrrrrr," came a low growl.

Blinking, Duo drew his gaze downwards until his cobalt colored eyes settled on Wing. The dog had its lips curled back with a snarl and its ears flattened against the sides of its head. Whether it was reacting this way because its master disliked him or it sensed what he really was, the Shadowman couldn't tell.

Glaring back at the lesser creature, Duo bared his own teeth and let out a snarl of his own. The dog's ears flew forwards in surprise, and with a little yelp, it turned around and trotted away from the loud human.

"Humph. Stupid dog," muttered Duo.

        Sweat poured from Odin's pores as he swung his ax against a tall tree. Heavy thunks resounded throughout the empty forest as the wood shivered violently against the onslaught.

"You'll spend hours doing it that way."

The repetitive sound stopped, and the heavy ax was lowered. Odin turned around to face the source of the voice, a smile breaking across his face. "And I suppose you have a better way, ne?"

"Since you ask." A smirk spread across Wufei's lips. Intermittent sunlight filtered through the canopy of leaves, bathing his red coat in alternating patches of brightness and dark. Mahogany eyes glinted as he took his place beside the tree, and tapped the wounded bark. "Everything has a breaking point." He ghosted his fingertips over the trunk, before suddenly jabbing forwards at some random spot. Emitting a loud groan, the oak slowly tilted back before toppling over with a crash.

Odin emitted a short chuckle. "Well I'll be damned. To what do I owe this visit?"

Wufei seemed to sober at the older man's words. Folding his arms, he nodded towards Odin's home several spans away. Beyond the trees, the horizon was dotted with several sheep, accompanied by two figures who were following them into the pens. "You never told me Nataku had a son."

The older man's smile faded somewhat as he looked in Heero's direction. "He looks a lot like her, doesn't he?"

"He does." Almond shaped eyes turned back to regard Odin. "Actually, I'm here to collect the debt you owe me."

Odin whistled through his teeth as he leaned against the ax. "I knew this would come sooner or later. I'll bet it's not pretty."

"It's not." Raising one gloved hand, Wufei pointed to the black clad figure following alongside Heero. "That's Duo. I want you to watch over him for a few days."

"That's it? I thought it would be worse than that. He run into some kind of trouble?" asked Odin.

Wufei hesitated. On one hand, Odin would have a better peace of mind if he left the next tidbit of information out. On the other, it would be disrespectful for him not to know the truth.  "He's the Shadowman," he answered curtly.

        "WHAT!" Flinching at the outcry, Wufei stood his ground as Odin stalked up close to him and almost shouted in his face. "How DARE you bring that vile creature here! I will not, repeat, will NOT house Nataku's killer beneath my roof! I thought you were a man of justice!"

"Calm Odin! Your emotions are clouding your judgment." Wufei placed his hands on Odin's shoulders, trying to instill some sense into the farmer. "The Shadowman that killed your wife is gone. That boy is just his son. Just his son."
        By increments, Odin's seething began to settle down as he listened to the other's words.

"Duo has never known his parents. He is a completely different person, therefore you will treat him as such. You know I would never make you do anything to disrespect Nataku's memory," said Wufei.

        After a long moment, Odin finally shooks his head in assent.

"He cannot use his powers, so it will be like having another child," explained the Dragon Leader.

        "I will let him stay with us, but mark my words, I won't have a slacker in my house. If he wants to eat and a place to sleep, he's going to work hard like the rest of us," said Odin sternly.

        Grinning almost wolfishly, Wufei answered quietly, " I wouldn't have it any other way."

        Duo stretched lazily as Heero finishing locking the pen behind him. "How can you do this all day? It's soooooooo boring."

"......"

"Still on the silent treatment huh? If you think this is annoying me, it's not working. I happen to be the king of annoyances," said Duo. The answering snort from Heero said that he agreed completely.

"Heero!" Catherine's voice reached them as she called from a distance. She was walking towards the Odin home with bundles of clothing in her hands. Trowa followed next to her, leading a beautiful white mare by the reins next to him.

"....Heero?" said Duo incredulously, just before breaking into laughter.

        The Shadowman's mirth prompted the short haired boy to look at him. "What's so funny?"

"Heero! As in, 'oh please save me my hero!' Hahhahah! Don't you see the irony in that, Sheepherder?" said Duo in amusement.  In the next moment, he had to duck a swing from Heero's staff, laughter falling from his lips the entire time.

"Inu," said Heero with a glare. (3)

"What the hell does that mean?"

Heero never answered, and Duo's second inquiry was cut short when Catherine and Trowa arrived within speaking distance.

"Oi Heero, do you think you can help me bring these things inside? I never knew moving women's stuff would be a man's job." Catherine chuckled softly as she shifted the bundle in her arms. "Who is your new friend?"

"The name's Duo." With a charismatic grin, the Shadowman graciously took the load off Catherine's arms before Heero could so much as blink. "Where I come from, pretty ladies aren't allowed to carry heavy things."

"Ooooh, how charming! You better stop acting so suave, I'm getting married in a few days," said Catherine with a grin.

        "Congratulations! And the lucky man would be..?" asked Duo.

"Heero's father, Odin," she answered proudly.

"I see." Turning around with the goods in hand, Duo used his back to disguise the smug, triumphant look on his face directed at Heero. "Odin Lowe. Heero's father. That's good to know."

Heero gave Duo a dark look as Catherine led him into the house. Great, so much for hiding his father from the braided fool, now there was nothing he could do about it.
        "Who's the gaijin?" Trowa's soft voice broke into Heero's thoughts. The white mare next to the stablehand pranced until he granted her wish and rubbed her nose.

"Apparently, it was Duo," answered Heero blandly.

"Another rich merchant down on his luck?"

"Hai."

Trowa wrinkled his nose in distaste. "We know how to take care of snobs, don't we Stepper?"

The horse whinnied in affirmative.

        It didn't feel like his home anymore. Everywhere he looked, Heero saw signs of Catherine everywhere. Catherine's knitting. Catherine's cooking. Catherine's curtains. Catherine's dresses. Even Catherine's smallclothes were hanging out on the line to dry besides the more manly breeches of Heero and Odin.

Sometimes he wished he could go back to that fateful dinner, and instead of nodding yes, thrown his chicken at the woman's face and screamed out "NO!"  Of course, that's not the way things happened. Now she was encroaching on the space his real mother had filled, decorating their otherwise spartan home with color, and standing by the window where his Mom used to sit.

Light, did he ever hate change.

Now added to the mix was this Duo - person, whose presence seemed just as loud as Trowa's mother. He didn't even have to say or do anything to attract attention, his presence was like a siren on Heero's senses. His hair, his clothing, that sword, he just didn't belong on this side of Sanc.

"Your mother told me your name is Trowa. Nice to meet you," said Duo amicably to the stablehand. Reluctantly, Trowa lifted his long fingers to shake Duo's outstretched hand. He wondered at the softness he found in those palms; it was a sharp contrast to his own calloused skin. Once the greeting was done, the Shadowman gestured to the white mare.  "That's a nice horse. But um, what's wrong with it?"

Trowa glanced over at Stepper, who was now munching on a stack of hay. She was perfectly normal, except for her belly which swelled out to the sides and almost dangled to the ground. "She's pregnant," he answered easily.

        "Whoa, I didn't even consider that horses could do it."

"Contrary to popular belief, they don't fall out of trees." Trowa gave Duo a flat look, his green eye glinting with barely checked annoyance. "I don't know how she keeps breaking out of her stall to go into the other ones. That's why we're moving her to Odin's farm, at least then she can't run away."

"Is that so? Bad horsey! Sneaking out to run with the man horses like a common bar wench!" teased Duo.

"Iie, (4) not like a bar wench. She's just in love."

Duo looked at the unibanged boy oddly. A horse in love? That was as weird as Heero's obsession with his sheep. By the dark, they're ALL crazy.

Heero watched the exchange with no small about of chagrin. It was just like a city dweller to say something brass like that. He hoped his father would hurry up and get home so that they could be rid of him already.

His prayers were answered when Odin came strolling down the field with stacks of wood over his shoulders. Placing the firewood down on the ground, he addressed the braided boy with a sharp voice. "You Duo?"

        Surprised that the man knew his name, Duo nodded in response. "You're Odin Lowe?" The Shadowman glanced at Heero and back at the taller man, noting the almost zero similarity between them. "Chang Wufei sent me --"

Odin held up a hand to stall Duo. "I already know. You may stay here, but if you want to eat, you better pull your weight or you'll be sleeping in the outhouse."

Nobody ever lets me finish what I want to say around here! "Pull my weight? As in... work?"

"Exactly. Starting tomorrow morning sharp, you'll be helping Heero from now on," affirmed Odin.

        Meanwhile, Heero was staring at his father as if he had grown a second head. He was actually letting the gaijin stay? What was going on?

"How wonderful! Heero can use a few more friends." Catherine's merry voice broke into the conversation.  "Since Trowa and I are still staying in the cottage, he can sleep in Heero's room."

"..." Heero had no comment for this.

"Eh heh heh..." Duo laughed nervously as he glanced over at the scowling boy. "That's just.. peachy.."

        "That is your side of the room. Do not come to my side for any reason," said Heero sternly.

        "How come you get the side with the window?" pouted Duo from his place atop the makeshift cot Heero had set up for him. Of course, the Shadowman had helped 'supervise' the entire process of setting up another bed while Heero did all the lifting and unfolding. It wasn't he fault that he was inexperienced, right?

"Because it's MY room."

"Noooo really? I didn't know that." Slumping against the bed, Duo winced at the hard mattress beneath him. It was a far cry from the silken bedspreads he was used to, and he wondered how anyone could live this way. Since he didn't bring any of his own clothes, he was stuck wearing a loose, beige shirt from Trowa's collection as bed-wear. He couldn't borrow any of Heero's things since he was taller than the farm boy.

Not that he wanted to anyway.

"Why do you wear that thing?" asked Heero from his side of the room.  His glare was fixed on the collar that Duo wore.
        Silver moonlight made the studded metal glow almost eerily.  The Shadowman lifted his hand to brush against the Gundam, then he shrugged his shoulders and put on his poker face.  "Oh, this thing. I bet you wouldn't know fashion if it bit you in the ass."

"You look like a baka." (5)

        "What's that?" asked Duo.

"You are."

"You know what? I'm going to turn my back to you now and go to sleep." True to his word, Duo flipped onto his side, facing away from Heero.

"Good." Heero did the same, and turned until he faced the window.

Duo muttered for about a minute before he settled down. After a while, Heero's even breathing announced that he had fallen asleep. The Shadowman however, could not get comfortable, especially with the moonlight only reaching Heero's side of the room. Normally the lunar light was a calming presence that helped him relax.  He sighed heavily as he shifted to face the window once more. At least he could see the sphere of light, even if it didn't touch him.

For a long time, he gazed at the stream of white as it filtered through the window, even when it began to mix with images of Heero lying peacefully in his bed.

End Chapter Six

(1) Kisama: Asshole

(2) Gaijin: Outsider

(3) Inu: Dog

(4) Iie: No

(5) Baka: Idiot
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The Shadowman