"Man...this place is deserted!" Duo brushed his bangs out of his
eyes, leaning against the wall out of pure boredom. "Are you sure we have
to blow this place up, Heero?"
"Keep moving," was the tank-top clad boy's emotionless reply. "And
don't ask questions. The more you hesitate, the greater a chance we have
of failing. And you know what we'll have to do then." He continued
walking, not noticing that he was already far ahead of his companions. He
probably didn't care much, either. "This shouldn't be hard to understand,
even for you," his voice trailed on after he was out of sight. "Just
detonate the explosives when I say 'Now'."
The long-haired boy didn't move. "Right, right," he muttered to
himself, only mildly insulted. It was pointless to argue with Heero when
he got like that. Pointless to argue with him at any time, really...
"Get moving!" Wufei admonished, starting to follow Heero down the
tunnel. He glared at Duo as he passed by. "If we fail, it will be your
fault! And it'll be my fault, too, for associating with such a weak fool!"
Duo shrugged. "Whatever." He continued to stand there, not even
blinking as Quatre passed him and gave him a nervous glance. How
stupid...there was nobody there. It was probably just Heero's way of
having fun, the loon. He couldn't be complete without blowing something
up, preferably himself... Surprisingly, Trowa remained by his side, very
thoughtful. "What's up?" Duo asked.
"I was wondering if we remembered to find an escape route that would
be safe from the explosion," he said with characteristic solemnness. "I
know I didn't check before we set the bombs."
"Hmmm...." Duo thought about this for a minute. It was boring. He
stopped thinking about it. Much better.... "This might be messy..." he
said anyway.
"Our mission is to destroy this base," Heero's disembodied voice came
from far ahead. He must've had superhuman hearing. "We're weapons in this
war. And you don't understand that, even now."
Duo smiled suddenly. A strange light glinted in his blue-violet eyes.
"I hear you." He reached into his pocket, pulling out something that
resembled an old Atari controller (remember those?). "See you in hell!" he
called gleefully.
"NOOOOO!!!!!!" Quatre screamed. Was he nuts?!
Too late. Duo pressed the little red button on the top. There was a
moment of strange silence, then the world went up in flames. A tremendous
shock wave sent the five pilots flying through the air. Heero was flung
from the far end of the tunnel, colliding with Wufei and Quatre. The three
hit the dirt floor with a sickening thud.
Duo opened his eyes, coughing. He looked down, then let out a cry of
alarm when he realized that he was ten feet off the ground. "What the-" he
choked. Somebody was pulling on his arm...
"There's a pipe on the ceiling," Trowa's voice came from above. "I
grabbed onto it as soon as the bomb went off. I also managed to catch you
as you flew by." As he said this, his voice was completely expressionless.
"Going down?" Before Duo had a chance to reply, he let go of the pipe,
somehow cushioning both of their descents as they fell.
Duo rubbed his eyes, trying to clear his vision. "You rock, Trowa,"
was all he could think of saying.
Now that the worst was over, they could see exactly what had happened.
Apparently, resourceful Heero had set an explosive directly in front of
him at the end of the tunnel. Just in case they were to be
cornered--better to die in a cloud of smoke and hellfire than to be
tortured by the enemy.
Either that, or he really wanted to kill himself. And while he was at
it, why not take out the rest of them?
Unfortunately, Quatre and Wufei had absorbed much of the damage
themselves. They lay next to Heero's motionless body, out cold. "What
happened...?" Trowa wondered out loud.
Duo thought about it for a minute. "He said 'Now'," he finally told
him, grinning sheepishly.
The odd-haired pilot didn't get it. "We have to get them out of
here," he said. "I'll take Quatre. Can you handle the other two?"
"Of course I can handle them. They're out cold!" Duo smiled,
saluting awkwardly. "Leave it to me!"
"Leave it to me...what was I thinking?" Duo muttered to himself as he
rather unceremoniously dragged Heero and Wufei along. His arms felt like
they were about to fall off. "Why did I let Trowa get off so easy? At
least Quatre's light!" This sucked...he would've done okay with just
Heero...but Wufei, too? But this was his fault...wasn't it? Better not
blame Trowa...
"Guess I should stop for a minute," he decided. His arms ached with
fatigue. It would feel so good to rest for a while. But as he loosened
his grip on Wufei's shirt, the boy stirred. His eyes flew open, and he
jerked away from Duo with a startling motion.
"You damn fool," Wufei growled, his black eyes blazing. "Haven't you
done enough?!"
Duo's own eyes grew wide with confusion. "Hey, wait a minute!" he
protested as the fuming pilot got to his feet. "I didn't-"
"I won't let you destroy my honor!" Wufei practically screamed.
"You're pathetic!" With that final insult, he broke into a run and
disappeared into the distance.
"Man..what's his problem?" Duo sighed, frustrated. What an ingrate.
Well, at least he had a lighter load to carry....
Trowa laid the sleeping Quatre on the cot in the corner of the dimly
lit room, his green eyes dark with still-concealed emotion. He shouldn't
have let him out of his sight...the boy wasn't showing any signs of
reviving. If he didn't wake up soon, he'd have to take him to the hosp-
"Trowa..." Quatre whispered suddenly.
Trowa blinked, very nearly startled. He sat down on the cot by the
boy's side, watching him. He was so pale..."You've been in an accident,"
he told him, his voice still steady despite what he was experiencing
inside. "Tell me where it hurts. You need to-"
Upon hearing this, Quatre sat up abruptly. He let out a cry of pain.
"Trowa..!" he gasped, his blue eyes wide as he blindly reached for his
companion. It hurt so much...
Trowa let the boy cling to him as the wave of pain passed, his resolve
fading. "It's all right..." he said softly. Quatre became still then,
finally beginning to relax. Trowa started to get up, planning on letting
him sleep a little more. But he couldn't move--the boy had wrapped his
arms around his neck and wouldn't let go. "Quatre..." Trowa managed to
blurt out, feeling himself choke.
Quatre looked up at him, smiling. "What is it..?"
"I...I have to go now." He placed his hands firmly on the boy's arms,
trying to pry him off. "Rest. I have to-"
Quatre tightened his grip, giggling. His eyes sparkled strangely.
"You have to what?" he asked, the very picture of innocence.
Trowa shuddered. He had a very bad feeling about this... "I...I have
to use the bathroom," he explained, his voice trembling slightly. He
swallowed hard, trying to regain his composure. Stay in control... He
stood up, hoping that this motion would dislodge him. It didn't work. The
blond pilot was hanging around his neck like the proverbial albatross.
"Quatre!" he admonished, gazing at the blond pilot reproachfully.
Quatre gave him a mildly naughty grin. "Boku mo iku," he said.
"No!" Trowa reprimanded, a lot louder than he wanted to be. "I'm going
alone!" He made another motion to shake him off, but the boy stayed stuck
to him, as if he had been glued there. Something was wrong. His face was
starting to turn blue. If his calculations were correct, it wouldn't be
long before he passed out. Something was terribly wrong. Quatre had lost
his mind.
"Looks like you really are immortal." Duo smiled to himself, watching
Heero doze off on the couch. What a guy...blew himself up about a zillion
times and still hung in there...he was going to need a little more time to
heal from this little "accident", though. He had woken up for a little
while, but he was acting really weird...Duo frowned slightly at the memory.
Heero had obviously had one brush with death too many, but that didn't
explain his behavior earlier...for some reason, he kept trying to play with
his hair. Oh, well...better not worry about that...
"Man..." he said out loud, "...that was rough..." He had carried
Heero for almost three hours in the hot sun...nearly dropped him a couple
of times...a nice long shower would feel so good now...Heero wouldn't even
notice he was gone... Giving the couch a sideways glance, he started to
head for the door. Funny...for a second he could've sworn it was empty...
Closing the bathroom door behind him, Duo began to unbraid his hair.
He hummed a tuneless song in time with the soothing humming of the water,
searching under the sink for that elusive extra bottle of shampoo that he
had been hiding for months. Well, he needed it more than some other
people! It was gone. "Guess I left it in the shower..." He reached over,
ready to pull back the shower curtain. Then something struck him. He
hadn't turned on the water! Then why-
Unfortunately, his body moved a little faster than his mind. He
pulled back the shower curtain. He screamed.
"Here," a sopping wet, fully clothed Heero said in a low voice,
holding out a little pink bottle.
"Uh...what....what are you doing...?!" Duo stammered. He was starting
to go into cardiac arrest. Heero...Heero was in the shower!
The mostly psychotic Gundam pilot obviously didn't notice the other
boy's shock. "What are you waiting for?" he asked.
Duo felt himself begin to evaporate into a horrible cloud of
embarrassment. His face was burning. "You...you..." he started to say.
"What makes you think...I can't go take a shower with you looking at me
like that!"
"Idiot." Heero's voice was disgusted. "A true soldier should never be
ashamed of his body. Especially not you, Duo."
Duo couldn't speak. He was dying...dying...why was this happening?
Why now?
Heero jumped out of the shower. He took a few steps, now face to face
with Duo. His eyes were icy. "I'm not going to stand here and wait for
you," he told him. "Take them off. Or I'll take them off for you."
WHAAAAAATTTT?????? "No!" Duo cried. "What the hell's the matter with
you, Heero? Have you gone nuts?" He was starting to get dizzy...either it
was the steam or Heero's request...he had to run....or hide..or... Too
weak to do anything but stare, Duo slumped against the wall. "Why are you
doing this..? he whispered.
"You know why," Heero said simply. "The mission. My mission." His
dark eyes were as calm as a blue lake, a terrifying contrast with the force
of his words. "I've wired this room with explosives, Duo. It's your move.
Make out with me for ten minutes, or I'll kill the two of us. I won't let
myself fail. I'm a soldier." With that, he pulled a little detonator
thing out of thin air.
He was serious... "What...what kind of mission is this...?" Duo squeaked.
Surprisingly, Heero's eyes softened. He extended a hand toward the
shaking boy, touching his face, caressing it gently. "It's a mission for
you," he said in a soft voice. "Because you are so beautiful."
Duo ran.
That was enough for today.
Wufei wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. The
sun was beginning to fade, a faint orange glow emanating over the horizon.
The day was almost over. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes briefly.
He was alone. He was always alone.
A gentle breeze blew through the trees, rustling their leaves like
paper lanterns. He shivered slightly, then reached for the white tunic he
had draped over a rock behind him. Hoping that the motion would help him
to forget that feeling. He wanted to forget...
There's something wrong with me, he said to himself, pulling on the
tunic. I can't focus. My heart...it feels strange inside. Empty...
He straightened, raising his head. He needed to find shelter. But as
he got up, something caught his eye. Something enormous and regal,
gleaming in the dimming sun like a metal god. His heart skipped a beat.
He began to tremble.
"N...Nataku..." he whispered.
Nataku remained silent, aloof. That feeling again...
Yes. That was it. That strange longing eating away at his soul...
Wufei reached out, his body acting on its own. He placed a shaking hand on
his Gundam. His Nataku.... Then he drew back, startled.
"Sonna..." he whispered, feeling himself grow tense. "This..can't be
happening..." He clenched his hands into fists, gritting his teeth. He
could feel a vein start to pop up on his forehead. No...he wouldn't accept
this! He was a warrior! Angrily, he touched Nataku again, this time more
forcefully. He gasped. As quickly as it had come, his anger faded,
replaced by despair. He had been answered by that icy touch...
"Nataku..." Wufei said in a choked voice, "...why are you so cold to
me?" His chest was starting to hurt. "Is it because I'm weak?"
Yes. Rejection. Nataku's indifferent stare shattered his soul.
Wufei turned away violently, letting out an anguished cry. He was
finished!
Consciousness returned to him slowly, a lingering fog in his mind as
he pulled himself into a sitting position. Trowa rubbed his eyes, just
beginning to focus on his surroundings. His throat ached. Where was he?
There was grass, green for as far as he could see...
"You're awake!" a childish voice came from behind him.
Trowa turned around. Quatre. Quatre, dressed in a dazzling white
tuxedo. His golden hair gleamed in the sunlight. He could've been an
angel. "I thought it would be nice to wake up outside," he said. "It's
really beautiful out here, isn't it?"
Trowa didn't answer. He was still sizing up the situation. Judging
from the brightness of the sun, he couldn't have been out for more than an
hour. But was that enough time for Quatre to change his clothes and drag
him- "Where are we?" he asked, standing up slowly and dusting himself off.
The Arabian pilot smiled benevolently. "Somewhere special," he said.
Trowa said nothing.
Quatre's smile faded, replaced by a strange, distant expression.
Trowa watched silently as the boy plucked a blue flower from the grassy
meadow and held it under his chin. "War changes everything," he said
softly. His blue eyes were lifted, raised to the sky above them. "People
see so much suffering..and they forget what beauty really is. What love
really is..." He lowered his head then, saddened. "But Trowa...we can't
forget. You and me...we can't forget..."
Trowa's eyes clouded over slightly as the other boy reached into the
pocket of his white dress pants and pulled out a small velvet-covered box.
"Trowa...I shouldn't have forced myself on you earlier," Quatre said,
his boyish voice tinged with sadness. "I was wrong. I forgot...I can't
let my emotions ruin the purity of our relationship. So...please..."
"What is it?" Trowa stiffened unintentionally as Quatre took his
hand. He opened the little box with his other hand. Something sparkled in
the sun, something gold and white... "Quatre..." he started to say.
"...what are you doing?"
"It's an engagement ring," the boy said, his eyes very bright. "I
know you won't know what to say...I mean, we're both young and all...but
it's better this way. Please, Trowa...please say yes." A lone tear slid
down his pale face. "Please..."
Trowa trembled slightly upon gazing at the diamond ring that Quatre
was holding out. He was so sincere...but didn't he realize what he was
talking about? Marriage! He wanted them to get married! "Quatre," he
began, "Quatre...we..."
Quatre stared at him, tears streaming down his face.
No. He couldn't let this happen. He couldn't give in. He gently
pushed the boy's hand away, his expression firm. "No," he said. "I can't
marry you, Quatre."
A faint sound escaped from Quatre's lips. His body shook. The ring
slipped from his hand and landed on the grass. Letting out a choked sob,
he hid his face in his hands.
Trowa turned away. He hadn't meant to hurt him like that...but it had
to be done. He closed his eyes, wanting to hide himself from the sound of
Quatre's crying. How...how could he have done this to his friend....his
only friend..?
A faint beep aroused him from his cocoon of self-loathing. Out of the
corner of his eye, Trowa saw Quatre push his sleeve down. He certainly was
wearing a strange watch....he didn't have it before, did he... A low
rumble filled the air, strangely rhythmic, like metal soldiers
marching...what was going on?
He didn't have time to ask. As soon as he looked up, he realized that
they were surrounded by sand-colored mobile suits. And they were all
numbered...
Quatre picked up the ring, polishing it on his shirt. "That was
fast," he said.
Trowa's eyes widened. What...?
One of the mobile suits, the one labelled "1", raised its gun. "What
are your orders, Quatre sama?" a deep voice came from inside.
Quatre brushed his bangs out of his eyes. He smiled, but it wasn't
his usual innocent one. It was crazed. Crazed..yet strangely contented.
"Keep your weapons ready, but don't fire unless I give you the signal," he
said. "I don't want you hurting him until I say so."
"Understood."
Trowa took a deep breath, steadying his nerves as forty guns were
aimed at him, poised to blow him away at the slightest provocation. He'd
find a way out of this.
Or he'd die.
Duo cursed under his breath as he tripped over a tree root. Luckily,
he only stumbled briefly, not losing a lot of speed. His chest hurt...he
had been running for almost an hour. He had to get away...he wasn't even
sure if Heero was following him, but he couldn't take any chances. He
couldn't catch him...he couldn't!
But he had to rest...spots were beginning to dance before his eyes,
and his legs were cramping up. Damn...he didn't even have time to tie back
his hair before Heero tried to jump him...suddenly he wished he could cut
it all off. It was so hot...
Duo skidded to a halt, collapsing gratefully into a lawn chair that
just happened to be nearby. Hopefully, whoever's backyard he was in
wouldn't mind him borrowing it...
He didn't know how long he was asleep, but when he opened his eyes, a
horribly familiar boy in black bike shorts was standing before him.
"H...Heero..." he managed to choke out, his throat bone dry.
Heero didn't even blink. "It's good that you woke up," he said, his
voice a complete monotone. "I was thinking of taking advantage of you."
Wonderful. He still wanted him. Duo tried to get up, to flee, but
his body wouldn't obey. Instead, he tripped and fell to his knees at
Heero's feet. Water...why couldn't he find any damn water? "Leave me
alone," he croaked, his face flaming. He was going to pass out. He was
going to die.
Heero nonchalantly knelt on the ground beside him, brushing the
curtain of hair that hid his face aside. "I said this mission was for
you," he said. "I can't cut any corners. Not if I want to be completely
successful." He moved closer, his face practically touching Duo's. "I
can't take advantage of you when you're as weak as a kitten. We'll do it
your way." With that, he jumped to his feet and walked over to a nearby
picnic table. He knocked off a potted geranium with a sweep of his arm,
then flung himself on the table, face up. "You can go first," he told him.
Duo shuddered. He felt like throwing up. On a better day, he
probably would've laughed. "I...I..." he stammered. He really did feel
like he was going to be sick..but why humiliate himself any further? So he
did the next best thing. He lowered his head until his face was completely
obscured and began to cry.
"What's wrong?" Heero's not-very-concerned voice came from the table.
Duo didn't answer. Oh, God...why couldn't he just die now? Why did
he have to suffer so much? He was being tortured...no, worse...
Surprisingly, Heero hopped off the table. He moved to Duo's side,
then handed him a towel he had picked up off the lawn. "Stop crying," he
said in a low voice.
Not in a mood to be contrary, Duo wiped his eyes, letting Heero help
him back onto the lawn chair. "Get some sleep," the apathetic pilot told
him. "We can make out later."
Maybe he should've screamed or kicked him or something. But it was
too late now. As Duo drifted into unconsciousness, one thought lingered in
his mind.
He'd better not try to touch me while I'm asleep.
He was tired.
But he couldn't accept this. He had to train harder. He wouldn't be weak!
"I'll win you back, Nataku," Wufei told his Gundam fiercely. He knew
that his body was going to give out soon....he stopped sweating an hour
ago, and he could barely feel his arms....but he wasn't finished. "I'll be
reborn! You won't be able to resist me!"
More than a little lightheaded, he hopped off the rock he had been
standing on and headed down the mountainside. He wouldn't fail. Not even
with the threat of death from exhaustion...he would do it all, just for his
Nataku.
But one thought stopped him in his tracks. If he were to fail...and
Nataku were to refuse his affections forever....he would die. Yes...he
would surely die...
It was too much. Overcome by grief, Wufei fell to his knees and began
to weep bitterly. It was no good...no matter how hard he tried...he'd
always fail...
A hand on his shoulder shook him back into reality. A gentle hand...
"Wufei..." said a soft, female voice.
The boy's head snapped up. Hastily he wiped his tears away with the
back of his hand. "Sally, what are you doing here?" he asked in a choked
voice upon seeing the military-garbed woman standing before him. No. She
couldn't have seen.
"I was going for a drive, and I saw your Gundam here," she explained.
To her dismay, Wufei's face grew even more troubled as he heard that. She
saw him turn away slightly, gazing at the metal figure with a strange
longing. "What's wrong?" she ventured to ask.
Wufei looked at her, his dark eyes grave and swollen from crying.
"Nataku has rejected me," was all he said.
He lost another fight.... "I see." Sally took a breath. Should she
try to get a little more out of him? Judging from his expression, she
should take this slowly. "Is there anything I can do?"
He shook his head. "No. It's over. Nataku will never love me again."
What....? "Wufei, are you feeling all right...?" was all she could
think of saying.
He gave her a withering look. "You don't understand," he said. "You
wouldn't." He began to walk away then, leaving her in a state of shock.
Wufei...he must've been hurting so much....what could she do to reach
him....?
"I'm sorry," she called after him.
Wufei froze. He turned to face her. Although he was too far away for
her to see his face clearly, she could sense the anger in his gaze. He was
furious. "What good is that?!" he yelled. "You're a woman! You don't
know what it's like to be in love! You're only here to procreate!" After
saying that, he spun around and started to run away.
"Wufei..." Sally sighed, watching the cloud of dust the boy was
generating fade away. Something wasn't right...
After making sure that all possible escape routes were sealed off,
Quatre turned to his soon-to-be fiancee, his blue eyes glowing with
happiness. "Don't be nervous, Trowa," he said softly. "It'll be
wonderful. Just say yes and we'll both be joined in holy matrimony! I'll
make you happy, I promise!" The metal behemoths behind him made this sound
more like a threat. "Now..."
Surprisingly, Trowa nodded faintly. He held out his hand.
Quatre's eyes filled with tears. "Trowa..." he whispered. "You..."
He let out a cry of joy and flung his arms around the other boy, burying
his face in his chest. "Thank you..." he said, his voice choked with
emotion. "I was hoping...praying you would..."
Trowa relaxed slightly, leaning into the boy's embrace. "Gomen," he
whispered.
Quatre let out a choked cry as Trowa hit him on the back of the neck.
He toppled forward, knocked unconscious by the blow. Trowa eased him to
the ground, then glanced at the mobile suits surrounding them. An
opening....
Unfortunately, it wasn't going to be so easy. "What do you think
you're doing, you bastard?" one of them yelled. "For Quatre sama's honor,
you must die!" This was followed by the creaking of a metal arm as he
raised his gun.
"Hold it!" Rasid ordered from the inside of Maganac Mobile Suit #1.
Metal creaking again. "But..."
"We did not recieve Quatre sama's order to terminate him," was his
reply. "Hold your fire!"
While the two of them were arguing over whether or not to blast him
into a million pieces, Trowa had wasted no time in removing himself from
the area. He really hated having to do that to Quatre, but for once in his
life, his self-preservation instinct had taken over...
Duo rubbed his eyes wearily, pulling himself into a sitting position.
He was awake again...funny..he remembered falling asleep in a lawn chair,
but now all he could see was blue sky and a meadow that stretched on
forever. This was too weird. He blinked, confused. Where was he...?
"Hello," came a low voice from his right.
Duo let out an involuntary scream, jumping to his feet. Heero...he
was still there! And as emotionless as ever, standing there with his arms
folded, his face a blank slate. Watching him. "What...where are we...?"
Duo stammered.
The boy didn't move. Didn't even blink. "Thirty miles from
civilization," he replied, as casual as if he was reciting last night's
basketball scores. "I carried you here. Is this good enough?"
Good...enough? Duo swallowed hard. It was worse than he thought.
Better play dumb. Otherwise, Heero might be deluded enough to think that
he wanted some. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said rather
unconvincingly.
"You've forgotten. How convenient." Heero smiled then, a quick,
cruel knife slash in his stony face. "But don't think that I've given up.
You shouldn't have anything to complain about here." He jerked his head to
the side, gesturing to the sea of grass. The motion would've given an
ordinary person whiplash. "There's nobody here but us."
Duo was aghast. Play it cool... "Uh...okay...." was all he could
think of saying. He didn't like the way Heero was looking at him. What
was he--
He didn't have time to ask. With a startling motion, Heero grabbed
him by the shoulders and pulled him close, the force of the action nearly
knocking the two of them over. His eyes were blazing, but his face was
still calm.... "We're making out," he told him, their faces practically
touching. "Right now. I can't wait until you're ready. I know you're set
on not enjoying yourself, but I'll change your mind. Or we both die."
Duo struggled in Heero's grip, about to start hyperventilating. He
was seriously considering letting him nuke them both--it would be less
traumatic--but he couldn't risk having the loon chase after him in hell.
He squeezed his eyes shut, fighting desperately to pull his mind away from
his body so he wouldn't have to-
"What are you doing?"
Duo's eyes flew open. He turned his head to the side to see an almost
freakishly skinny boy with light brown hair that fell artfully over one
eye. His savior had come! "Trowa!" he cried, yanking himself away from
Heero and throwing himself at the boy's feet. He embraced Trowa's knees,
trembling like a cobweb caught in a tornado. "Tasukete kure!"
Trowa glanced down at Duo briefly. He patted his head as if he were a
dog. His calm gaze then moved to Heero, who was scowling at him rather
unbecomingly. He understood it all. Just like with Quatre... "Were you
trying to force yourself on him?" he asked.
Heero's left eyebrow twitched. With a flourish, he reached behind him
and pulled out a shiny gun. He aimed it at Trowa's head, clicking off the
safety. "Don't interfere," he warned, his voice icy enough to freeze the
Pacific solid.
Trowa didn't appear perturbed in the least. "Drop your gun," he said.
His gaze was steady, penetrating. "Don't you realize what you're doing?"
"I won't fail," was Heero's terse reply.
He wasn't going to give up....he could tell. It couldn't be helped.
Trowa pushed Duo aside, then took a step forward. "You'll have to fight
me," he told him. His visible eye was strangely placid. "I won't let this
go on. But without weapons. Agreed?"
Heero nodded vaguely, tossing the gun to the ground. He drew in a
deep breath, taking up an elaborate fighting stance. "You won't survive,"
he vowed.
Duo took this in, considerably impressed. They really were going to
go for it...but for some reason, sticking around to watch Heero and Trowa
beat the stuffing out of each other didn't seem like such a hot idea,
considering what they were fighting over. Nobody would notice if he
left...would they?
"Quatre sama! Quatre sama! Can you hear me?"
Upon the mention of his name, the small, flaxen haired boy sat up,
rubbing the back of his neck. It hurt, as if he had been struck. He
squinted. The sun...how did it get so bright all of a sudden? He
remembered it being dark... He looked down at his knees, at his white
tuxedo, which was slightly grass-stained. What on earth...?
"Quatre sama!" Rasid's voice sounded once again, gruff yet anxious.
"Are you all right? Should I radio for medical attention?"
Quatre didn't answer. What was he doing here? And this...he spotted
something shiny on the ground. A diamond ring... He picked it up, turning
it over in his hand. The stone sparkled like carved ice in the sunlight.
For some reason, it made him shudder.
"Quatre sama, we're ready to start the search for Trowa Barton. Shall
we begin the wedding at your command?"
"A wedding..." Quatre whispered. Trowa...a wedding? All he could
remember was an explosion...then light...but a wedding? With Trowa?
"Trowa!" he cried, jumping to his feet. "Where...where is he?" What had
he done to him? He couldn't remember...he had to find him!
"Quatre sama!" Rasid called after him, seeing the boy start to leave.
"Go home," Quatre told him, fighting to keep his voice steady. He had
to find Trowa...he only hoped that it wasn't too late...
He never could fight his curiosity.
Duo sat down on the grass, watching Heero and Trowa prepare to face
off. He might as well enjoy the show. He wasn't sure if Heero was going
to give this fight his all...but then again, he had seemed pretty adamant
before...he would see.
He sighed, gazing at the long rope that bound his handcuffed wrists to
a rather impressive oak tree that just happened to be nearby.
Nope....Heero definitely wasn't going to slack off....might as well sit
back and relax...
Heero tensed his body, readying himself for a strike. "I won't let
you get in my way," he said in a low voice. "I have to complete my
mission. I'll kill you if I have to, Trowa."
"You've been saying that for an hour," was his opponent's cool reply.
"Are you going to concede?"
The considerably crazy pilot's eyebrow twitched. Was he starting to
lose it? He had been doing that a lot lately... "You asked for it," he
said. Then he lunged at Trowa.
The odd-haired pilot dodged the punch easily, jumping to the side.
"You're slow," Trowa commented.
"Maybe," Heero replied, sounding frighteningly agreeable. He took
another swing at him. "But you won't be able to beat me. All I have to do
is look at Duo and I can tear you apart!"
Duo shivered slightly upon hearing this. Not flattered in the least.
Another miss. And Trowa wasn't even fighting back, only dodging. The
long-haired boy yawned. This was like watching a movie with the sound
turned down. He would've thought that Heero would've at least put a little
more effort into fighting for his affections. If he was going to suffer
such a terrible fate, he might as well have some fun before it... Time to
liven things up a bit. "Hey, Heero!" Duo called, jumping to his feet.
Luckily, the rope was long enough to let him move without ripping his arms
off. "You know that girl, Relena? She's a lot prettier than me! Why
don't you try to make out with her instead?"
"IDIOT!!" With a fierce cry, Heero sent a fist flying into Trowa's
jaw. The taller boy teetered a bit, then fell over without a sound. He
stepped over his body, shaking with rage. "Don't you ever say that!" he
practically screamed.
Duo managed a weak smile. "Uhh...." Hadn't expected that kind of
response...he had really done it now...
"Relena's beauty is nothing like yours!" Heero spat out. "You fool!
There's no comparison!"
Duo sighed, defeated. Whatever.
Quatre brushed his bangs out of his eyes, drawing in a deep, shaky breath.
He didn't know what to do. He had looked all over...but where had Trowa
gone...? He didn't...he hadn't hurt him...had he?
"Stop it," he told himself. "Don't be childish. You have to keep going."
He knew deep inside that this was right, but...but even though he knew he
had to start acting like an adult and do what had to be done, those stupid,
babyish tears kept comng back. He blinked a couple of times, trying to
force the stinging in his eyes to go away. It wasn't working. If he
really had hurt Trowa, what would he do? It would be too much too bear...
But...wait! Off to the side...Quatre could see a lone figure, standing
completely still, as if it had been frozen in time. A boy, clad in
traditional Chinese clothing, with his black hair pulled back in a
ponytail...
"Wufei!" Quatre cried, forgetting his tears and running over to his
comrade's side. He had some hope! "It really is you, isn't it? Have you
seen Trowa?"
No response. Wufei remained completely still, as if he hadn't heard a
word Quatre had said. He was staring blankly ahead, his eyes slightly
glazed.
What...? Quatre frowned, just a bit. "Are you all right?" he asked.
Still nothing. The boy waved a hand in front of his friend's eyes.
Strange...Wufei actually did blink, but he still didn't turn around.
"Leave me alone," he finally said.
Quatre sighed. Wufei...something really terrible must have happened to
him to make him act so cold...but he couldn't hold it in forever. He'd go
mad. He reached over, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder. "You can
tell me," he said in a soft voice. "I'll listen. I promise."
Surprisingly, Wufei made no motion to brush him off. He looked at him,
his once-stony expression replaced by one of sorrow. "I am no longer
worthy of Nataku," he told him.
The other boy was bewildered. He failed...so that was why he was so
depressed. But...what? There was nothing for him to fail!
"I've lost Nataku's love forever," Wufei went on, his voice hoarse. "I'm
too weak...and I'll never be able to find anybody else..."
Quatre knew his eyes must've been the size of dinner plates.
Lost...Nataku's love...? He really cared about Wufei, and he didn't want
to ridicule his problem, but..was he insane? What in the world was he
talking about? "Wufei..." he began, "You aren't weak. So Nataku couldn't
possibly--"
"I felt Nataku's rejection!" he blurted out. "That icy touch...our
relationship is over!"
"..." The Arabian pilot couldn't think of a single response to that.
"Um...I..." He cleared his throat. Should he try to distract him? He had
to comfort him in some way... "Well...if you help me find Trowa, maybe
Nataku will forgive you," he suggested.
A flicker of interest. Wufei's eyes brightened. "Maybe..." he admitted,
letting his depressed expression slip away for a second. Then his face
hardened once again. "If I fail, I will have to kill myself," he announced
as if there were other people listening who might be interested in knowing.
Quatre swallowed. Wonderful. No pressure...
"You idiot," Heero repeated, his voice still shaking with anger. "You're
just trying to distract me. I"m not stupid. You're just trying to get my
mind on Relena so I'll forget my mission!" Sweat poured off his forehead
as he gasped for breath. "Chigau ka?!!!"
"Hey...calm down...it was only a joke...Heero..." Duo stammered.
Man...he'd never seen Heero so angry...so there was life in the boy yet!
But this was too much. He struggled briefly, cursing as the metal
handcuffs bit into his wrists. Couldn't...move...did Heero really do this
to prevent him from running away, or was he just really into bondage? He
never would've figured him to be a pervert...but considering everything
else that had happened today, why not?
Heero took a step closer to him, his face growing frighteningly calm.
"Your time's up," he told him, that familiar iciness back in his voice.
"Don't resist me. I'm not going to be sidetracked any longer."
Duo felt his blood freeze over as Heero reached toward him, playing with a
strand of his hair. His throat was closing up. He wanted to die. Now.
His heart was beating so fast that he was sure it was going to explode in
front of both of them. The thought made him giggle nervously. That
would've been cool.
But his angel came. God had answered his prayers...
"Trowa!" a boyish voice cried. "What happened?"
Heero pulled back slightly, gritting his teeth. His eyebrows were knit
with frustration. "Dare da?" he demanded.
"Heero..." a tuxedo-clad Quatre whispered, blue eyes wide. He was
locked in place, staring helplessly at his fallen friend and the menacing
figure that stood above his lifeless body. Or, more precisely, what that
menacing figure seemed to be doing to Duo. "Stop it, Heero!" he cried,
finally realizing what was going on. "You don't know what you're doing!"
Heero regarded him coldly. "Stay out of this," was all he said.
It couldn't be... The blond boy gaped at him, beginning to tremble.
He...was he really that kind of... Quatre felt sick. Trowa...he was just
lying there, not moving at all....
Apparently, Duo wasn't taking this too well, either. His hair was
falling all over his red face, making him look like he had just finished a
marathon and was about to be taken advantage of by his best friend. Not
too far off. His eyes were very bright. "Don't I get a say in this?" he
demanded, practically in tears. "I can't take this anymore! Why don't you
just kill me?"
Heero paused for a moment, thoughtful. "Shut up." He released the
strand of hair he had been holding on to and turned to Quatre...and Wufei.
So....somebody else wanted to play. He wouldn't show any mercy. Fools.
The Chinese pilot was staring at him, his eyes burning with hatred.
He was even more of a fool than he thought. Heero wanted to laugh.
"What's your problem?" he asked, sounding more bored than anything.
Wufei twitched slightly. Smug bastard... "You're disgusting," he
spat out. He moved past Quatre, approaching the psychotic pilot.
Not surprisingly, Heero didn't react to this. "Interesting," he said.
His face remained the same as always, still as a wild animal about to
strike.
He couldn't take this. Wufei clenched his hands into fists,
struggling to stay in control. Damn him...how dare he mock him?! A real
warrior would never force himself on the one he loved! Nataku...he could
feel his throat grow tight. He had to do it....for Nataku. So Nataku
would love him again. For making a joke of his pain, Heero Yuy had to pay.
With his life! "I'll punish you!" Wufei suddenly declared.
Heero's right eyebrow went up, just a bit. "Why?" he asked.
Why?! That disgusting, immoral.....he had to die! Now! "Fight me!"
Wufei ordered. "Man to man! I'll make you regret being such a....a..."
He gritted his teeth with frustration, struggling to find the right words.
Damn! "Sexual deviant!" he finally blurted out, his face red.
Heero smiled weirdly at him. "You want to watch?" he asked.
Upon hearing this, Duo's eyes grew wide. That smile....it was the
smile of...well...it was...almost sexy.... He was a sexual deviant. He
should have known. And he was going to violate him in front of Quatre and
Wufei....this was too much. He drew in a deep breath, trying to fight back
the dizziness that was suddenly overcoming him. It was too much....he was
going to...
"Duo!" Quatre cried as the other boy fell over without a sound. He
ran over to where Duo now lay on the grass, still bound to the tree by the
nice long rope that Heero had so kindly given him. He was alive....he was
completely white, but he was alive. Fainted. He was lucky he hadn't
broken anything falling on his face like that. But Trowa.... Quatre's
gaze moved past Heero, to what was left of his best friend. Was he dead?
He bit his lower lip, not wanting to go to him and find out. Trowa.... He
choked back a sob.
"No, I do NOT want to watch, you pervert!" he heard Wufei yell. They
were going to...
Heero smiled icily. "All right." He took a step forward. "I'll kill
you, just like Trowa. You'll never get in my way again."
"!!!!!" Quatre stared at him, slack-jawed. Trowa...he really was
dead! Heero had killed him! He couldn't breathe....his throat was closing
up.....he couldn't even cry out. Trowa....he was gone. Gone! And for
what?!
Unaffected by the blond pilot's grief, the tank-top boy gave a short
laugh. "Besides," he added, taking up a fighting stance that was even more
strange than the one he had done with Trowa, "I need something to pass the
time before Duo regains consciousness. Iku zo!"
As the two prepared to face off, Quatre drew in a breath, steadying
himself. It was starting again....the fighting....it had taken Trowa...and
soon, it would take another.... He shivered. The killing. It was back.
It had started again....
"FOOL!!!" Wufei cried, flinging himself at Heero. "Don't block! Only
cowards block! Are you too weak to face my attack unguarded?!"
"I'll kill you," Heero promised.
He had to stop the killing. He had to. Before it took anybody else.
Quatre pushed up his sleeve, revealing an odd-looking wristwatch. He had
to stop them. And this was the only way.... "Gomen..." he whispered.
A strange beeping sound filled the air. An alarm? "What the hell's
that?!" Wufei snarled, his hair half undone.
Heero froze as well, his face remarkably serene as he heard the rumble
of an army approaching in the distance. So..he had been caught....he
smiled slightly, but his eyes were blank. Surrender....
Impossible.
Quatre looked around anxiously, not happy at seeing their reactions.
He hadn't really meant to upset them. "I...I'm sorry..." he started to
say. "But I had to...you were going to..."
Heero nodded slightly. "Wakatta." Then, wordlessly, he reached down
the front of his shirt. Groped around a bit, then pulled out a small
detonator. Yes...a mission with no room for failure.....and he had done
it...so...here it would end...
Quatre watched this with enormous blue eyes. "Kore wa..." he started
to say.
Heero stared longingly at the detonator, his own eyes surprisingly
soft. "Farewell, Duo," he whispered. "I'll never forget how alive you
made me feel."
And he pressed the button.
The two remaining conscious G-boys watched in numb horror as the tree
that Duo had been tied to went up in flames. With a horrible crack, the
tree split in two. It came crashing down on them, falling to the ground
before they had a chance to run away or even blink.
It was over.
*********************EPILOGUE*********************************************** **
"Trowa..."
That light again....it was too bright...why was it still there? Trowa
sat up painfully, shaking his head to clear it. It ached, like he had been
struck. How long had he been out...? He couldn't remember....
"Trowa!" the voice repeated, this time more urgent. "Are you all right?"
Quatre.... The light had dimmed somewhat, and he could make out a
small blond boy kneeling by his side. His once-pristine tuxedo was ripped
and covered with soot. Other than that, he seemed all right. The boy
moved closer to him, supporting him as he started to fall to the ground
from his previous position. His eyes were sparkling with tears, but he
held them back. "There was an explosion," he explained,wiping his face as
if to remove any tears that might have escaped. His voice was surprisingly
steady, almost serene. "I got you out of the way....are you feeling all
right?"
Trowa nodded vaguely. An explosion....that would explain why he
smelled smoke. An explosion. It had ended as it had begun... "And the
others...?" he asked hoarsely.
"Heero's all right. He's awake now. He must be immortal....."
Quatre smiled, then his expression grew more serious. "Duo and Wufei
haven't regained consciousness yet," he said, his voice quavering slightly.
He wasn't having an easy time at remaining calm. "I got them to safety,
but they won't wake up....I hope they'll be all right..."
"....." Trowa gazed into the distance, at the silent figure sitting
on the ground. Heero...
Heero's expression was unreadable as he sat on the ground by Duo's
side, playing with a blade of grass. Not even thinking. It could've been
another broken branch that lay on the ground, and not his closest friend.
Even as the boy's eyelids fluttered, he didn't move from the spot.
"Ouch...." Duo opened his eyes, then squeezed them shut again. Felt
like a train went over him...he struggled to sit up, feeling cold sweat
trickle down his face. Bad idea. But he couldn't fall apart now... He
caught himself on one elbow, stopping himself from falling into a reclining
position. Then he noticed. Heero was watching him. "Hey..." he started
to say.
Heero said nothing.
Duo smiled faintly. "Hey..." he said again, "...are you going to help
me up, man?" He doubted he could do it himself, but.... He let out a
cry of protest as the boy got to his feet and started to leave. "What's
the matter with you?" he demanded.
Heero regarded him with steely eyes. "You talk too much," he told
him. With that, he turned and walked away.
"....jerk...!" Duo cursed under his breath. But as he watched
Heero's retreating back, he couldn't help but smile. He'd never
change.....
"Wufei..."
What....what was that? His name..... The battered pilot opened his
eyes slowly, then found them too heavy to hold up. He felt like...like he
had been killed and suddenly shocked back to life....and that voice...
That voice....he had never heard it before, but it was so
familiar...almost as if it had been talking to him long ago, and he had
forgotten the sound, but not the warmth.....like his mother or even.... He
had to wake up. He could feel himself lying on metal....strange in its
warmth, almost as if it was trying to caress him..... "Who are you...?" he
heard himself ask in a hoarse voice.
The voice laughed, a rich, pleasing sound. "It's me," it said.
"N...nani...?" Wufei managed to force one eye open. Luckily, it
stayed that way. He could see nothing but white light...and some blurred
colors...a noble face, crowned with....
All of a sudden he felt a strange, light touch on his forehead. A
kiss...? "Aishiteru, Wufei..." the voice said.
He understood. "Arigato...." he whispered. He could hear voices
around him, outside his head, calling him. He had to go back. But it was
all right. "Aishiteru yo....Nataku...."