Loving is Real

By: Quatre Raberba Winner (Quatre-Chan/Onna-Quatre)

(*****Before we begin I will list off the pairings and warnings one more time so once you pass you can still have time to back out. Pairings: Mainly 1x2, mentions of 3x4 and 5xM. Warnings: Yaoi, Hiet, Angst, Sad and Character Death. I will admit that I cried while coming up with and writing this story. Decide now.. . Here's the story.. .*****)

February 14 AC 200

It had been five years since the war and four since 'The Endless Waltz', the five pilots had decided to live on the same colony due to lack of not wanting to be separated.

Heero and Duo walked down the downtown streets hand in hand making their way towards a restaurant that they had promised to meet Quatre and Trowa at. Being Valentines Day the four of them had made plans to double date and that left WuFei alone.

The longhaired boy snuggled up against his koibito and gave a sigh of contentment. Heero gave him a small smile and then gently placed a kiss on the top of his head. And before either of them noticed they were in front of their destination.

The Japanese man opened the door allowing his violet-eyed partner to enter. He followed and then stopped. Duo looked back at his lover, "Are you feeling all right?"

He shook his head, "Huh?"

"I said, are you all right?"

"Yeah." He pointed to a booth in the fair back where their two friends were seated, "Let's go."

They approached the booth and once again Heero had stopped. Quatre greeted the American, but then gave a concerned looked to the Japanese man, "Heero?"

Trowa got out of the booth and stood in front of the ex-pilot. He moved his hand in front of his Prussian eyes, "Hey, are you okay?"

"I need to sit.. ." he slowly moved towards the floor.

"Heero?" Duo shakily questioned as he knelt down beside him and tried to keep him steady.

"Duo.. . No matter what.. . Ai shiteru."

"I don't understand."

Heero's Prussian eyes drifted shut as he leaned into the American's shaky arms. The violet-eyed man shook him a little, "Heero?" Seeing no response he tried again, "Heero, say something. Heero!?"

~~~

WuFei lay on his bed with his eyes shut, silently sleeping. Dreaming of memories gone by.. .

AC 194

"So.. . You're the clever brat, back from boarding school?"

"You're displeased?"

"You have no right to succeed our noble clan."

"I see.. . Well this wasn't my idea either." He threw off his wedding garb and glared at the elders, "GO TO HELL!" he walked off.

The Chinese man groaned as he roll onto his left side.

WuFei sat in a meadow reading when his wife came up and stood in front of him, "Huh.. . and you call yourself a man? I thought being my husband might change you a little, but I guess I was wrong."

".. ." he turned the page.

"WuFei! Why don't you practice marital arts like the others?"

"Why do you fight?"

"To uphold justice!"

"Justice? Do you really think such a thing exists?" he shut the book.

Merin got in a fighting stance, "Shall I show you?"

He rolled his eyes and took off his glasses, ".. . Very well."

Rain started to fall as the two spouses began their 'duel' and then with one swift kick the cocky girl fell to the ground. "H-how could this be.. . I'm the strongest in the clan.. ."

"Nataku, eh.. . You pick an arrogant name for yourself." He put his glasses back on, turning around he began to walk away, "Justice only exists.. . for one's convenience.. . A battle grounded upon such a thing is pointless."

".. .Unh! I know that! But we still have to fight! That is our way!"

The phone rang and awoke the Preventer from his reminiscing. He climbed out of bed and picked up the receiver that was located in the kitchen, "Hello?" his eyes widened at the statement that his friend had announced. After a few minutes he hung up and leaned against the wall, "Heero's dead.. ."

February 21 AC 200

A week passed and the four boys were still grieving and to Duo's dismay WuFei did not show up to say goodbye to their departed friend. But then again, no had seen or heard from the American since.

The raven-haired man felt guilty about not going to Heero's funeral, but he felt even worse about not being there for his friends. He walked out of his apartment and just wandered. And the wandering led him to a cemetery.

Dark clouds loomed overhead as he made his way over to one of the headstones and there he found his violet-eyed friend, "Duo.. ."

The longhaired man turned his head to the sound of the voice. His eyes were so lost and full of pain. "Why.. . Why weren't you there?"

"Because I didn't want to lose someone else. You know he's not gone, right?"

"He died in my arms. He said he loved me and then fell dead! Do you have any idea how much that hurts?!"

"Yeah, I do." He shook his head for a moment and then gazed up at the darkened sky, "You and Heero reminded me a lot of Nataku and myself, ya know. Always picking on each other, not seeing eye to eye, then letting your guards down and just showing that you care and in the end.. ."

"Stop it! It's not the same. Your wife was killed by OZ. Do you know how Heero died? He was killed by a fucking brain tumor! A tumor I didn't know he had!" he turned his back to WuFei and rubbed his eyes, "I'm not going to cry.. ." he muttered.

"Maybe you need to."

"Why does God hate me? First Solo then Father Maxwell and Sister Helen and now he takes Heero from me too? Heero was the only thing I had and now I'm alone again!"

The onyx-eyed man moved over to the upset American and stood before him, "You are not alone. You have Quatre and Trowa."

"They don't get it. They just lost a friend. Let's kill one of them and see how the other feels!" he brushed passed his friend only to have him grab his wrist.

"You know you don't mean that. If that damn war taught you anything it would be that killing solves nothing."

"Are you saying that his death was justified?"

"No. No death is justified. Death is a part of life, true Nataku and Heero's were too close to the beginning, but you need to finish your story."

"I can't.. ." tears started to fall from his eyes. He took a small step forward and rested his head on WuFei's shoulder, the other man never moved he just listened, "Without Heero I have nothing. I haven't even been back to our apartment because then I'll have to face the fact that he's not there and he's never coming back. It's not fair!" he punched WuFei in the chest as he continued to cry.

"It's stronger than death."

Duo pulled away looking baffled, "What?"

"It's stronger than death."

"What is?"

"What do you think?"

"I.. ."

"Come on. You're coming home with me. I don't want you to do anything you might regret."

The chestnut haired man nodded and followed his friend to his apartment. They walked in and Duo shut himself in a small bedroom. WuFei entered his room and gazed out the window and listened to the soft sobs that came from then next room.

Duo opened his tear struck eyes at the slight touch of something soft touching his cheek. "Heero?" he squeaked.

"Yeah."

"Why didn't you tell me? You could have told me and then we could have gotten you some help."

"I didn't want to see the tears you swore you'd never let fall. I wanted you to keep on smiling and seeing your smile just warmed my heart every day. Seeing you so happy meant that I could die happy."

"But Heero, you didn't have to leave me.. ." he burst into tears again.

Heero put his arms around him, "I'm with you. No matter where you are I'm there. I'll always be with you."

"Just promise me that you'll stay with me just for tonight.. ."

"I'll be with you forever.. ."

WuFei continued you to gaze out his window. His eyes were set on the sky above.

Merin floated and landed inside Shenlong's giant hands. WuFei's voice rang out through the com unit, "Hang on, Merin.. ."

"M-my name is Nataku.. ."

".. . That's right. You are Nataku. I'll never call you Merin again.. ."

"G-give me some credit.. . I.. . protected your.. . meadow."

"Y-you fool.. ."

"So.. . please.. . take me to that field of flowers.. ."

The mobile suit landed and the Chinese boy stood in the center of the field with his wife in his arms. She looked into the distance and smiled, "I-it's so beautiful.. . I've never looked at flowers.. . this way before."

WuFei set her down. She continued her gaze as her husband started to sit next to her, "WuFei."

"What?"

"I.. . was strong, wasn't I? I was worthy as your wife, right?"

"Yeah.. . You're strong.. . Stronger than anyone."

She leaned closer and whispered, "It's stronger than death.. ."

"What?"

"You're.. . much stronger.. ." She shut her eyes.

"Hey, don't get too comfortable." His eyes widened when she made no sign movement. He grabbed her shoulders and shook her, "Hey! Open your eyes! You haven't accepted me as your husband yet! Nataku!"

WuFei placed his hand on the windowpane and whispered, "Stronger than death.. ." then one single tear made its way down his cheek.

~~~

It started to snow, but a few blocks away was another apartment building. Inside one of the small living spaces was a single red rose on a table that was next to a lit candle and a small black box with an amethyst ring inside. Engraved on it were the words; "Stronger than death: Ai shiteru, Duo-Chan.. ."

Then the flame of the candle blew out and a single rose petal fluttered down to the floor.

The End

(*****Okay, first off this is my Valentines Day fic for this year and well I didn't notice it till after I wrote it that the date of Feb. 21 is my birthday. Oops. Anyway almost all the stuff with WuFei and Merin came from the VIZ COMICS translation for his Episode Zero. I got the idea for this story while I was watching Ally McBeal and listening to the English version of Human Touch from Gundam X. As you can see I own nothing.. . Please send me feedback. Send it to quatre_chan5@hotmail.comJa ne!*****)