I do not own the “Gundam
Wing” characters, nor did I make any money off of this project, so please no
suing. Various pairings, yaoi, AU.
The Completion Of Death
Duo
slammed the bar door behind him, noting with extreme satisfaction the flurry of
frightened looks he received from the occupants. Several people slowly rose to
their shaking legs and darted out of the small establishment, casting
frightened glances over their running shoulders.
The
boy smiled and sat down at a nearby table, watching the way the bartender
walked to him in tiny steps and the way his baldhead glistened with a thick
sheet of sweat. Duo laid his chin on the back of his hand and waved the older
man over with a finger.
“I
won’t bite,” Duo said. “No matter what the legend says.”
The
bartender gulped, his gray eyes suddenly wide and large. He knew he was looking
death in the face and he wondered for how much longer he could hold his
bladder.
“W-w-what
can I g-get for you?” he stuttered.
“The
finest wine you have,” Duo replied, his head still resting on the back of his
hand. This was so amusing.
“J-just
one glass, s-sir?”
“The
whole bottle, my good man,” he answered, words laden with mock joy. “Don’t be stingy.”
The
man turned and nearly tripped over his own feet as he ran back behind the bar.
Duo tapped his impatient fingers against the knotted wood of the round table in
front of him, flashing amethyst eyes towards the doorway.
“Any
minute now,” he murmured, as the bartender set a filled flute of crimson wine
before him. “You are so slow. You should’ve beat me by ten minutes at least.”
Footsteps,
light and commanding all at once, came floating through the door and struck the
boy’s ears, which sent him smiling even more.
“Ask
and ye shall receive,” he muttered.
The
door swung open, golden light blinding anyone who dared to look into it. A
figure, dark and straight, stood in the center of it, nothing more than a
shadow for a moment before he stepped in. His face was ageless, lineless, yet
rough and dispassionate, along with a set of pure azure eyes that were hard
after seeing every wonder of the world. His body was lean and a little lanky,
but he moved with the grace of any wild beast, while his hair, dark and
completely unruly, brushed his face. His clothes were plain, a pair of black
pants that slightly hung off his lower body and a deep forest green tunic. A
long black wool cloak trimmed with dark animal fur almost brushed against the
wooden floor and was attached around his neck by a silver brooch that sparkled
coldly, while the hilt of a gleaming short sword hung off his waist.
He
turned his impassive eyes to the boy at the table sipping wine, and calmly
strutted to him, an air of quiet confidence about him.
He
took a seat and folded his hands atop the table, watching the boy with expert
eyes. “So, we finally meet.”
Duo
nodded, bangs bouncing, as he smiled. “Yeah. It’s been awhile,” he remarked,
sipping some more red alcohol. “I’d say about, oh, ten thousand years or so.”
“Hn.”
“So,
would you like some wine, Heero?” Duo offered, waving his hand at the trembling
bartender. “I’m sure he would be more than happy to complete any order you may
have.”
“Just
tell me why you sought me out,” the boy growled.
Duo
chuckled, light and merry. “Always so serious! I would have figured after all
this time you would’ve at least gained some sort of sense of humor. I remember
that one time-”
“I
see that over the years you haven’t learned to control your loose tongue,”
Heero muttered.
Duo
pouted, lower lip sticking pathetically out. “Aw! You wound me!”
“Again,
why did you want me?” he growled.
Defeated,
Duo settled back in his wooden chair, hands folded behind his head as a cocky
smile crossed his lips. “Aren’t you sick of this?” he inquired. “All of this?”
“What
are you rambling about now?” the dark haired boy grumbled, raising an eyebrow.
“I’m
so tired of all this wandering,” Duo said, his voice oddly serious. “I didn’t
ask to be immortal! I didn’t ask to be born as the Demon of Death! I want out,
and you are the only one who can help me.”
Heero
looked on, face never changing, as he took in the weight of the words. He
couldn’t count the numerous times he had thought the same thing, but it was his
purpose to roam. His entire reason to exist was to prevent what may happen if
the dreaded words of legend came true. It was his mission to keep the demon
across from him in check while staying as far away from him as possible at the
same time, and he was a perfectionist when it came to following orders.
If
that’s the case, why am I here? he bitterly thought.
To
make sure he doesn’t do something foolish, he answered, but that didn’t
seem it. Perhaps, he’s not too far off on this. I am really tired of
roaming. How long do I have to endure this stupid world? How long must I walk
the face of the earth because of some legend over ten thousand years old?
Heero
rose to his feet so quickly the chair behind him tumbled backward, his face
indifferent. For a moment, Duo’s heart jumped, wondering, hoping his words had
rested upon the boy’s soul in a winning manner.
“You
are mad,” Heero said, his nasally voice impassive. “You know I will never help
you.”
Duo
hopped to his feet, slamming the palms of his hands onto the table and leaning
forward on them. His braid slid over his shoulder like a living serpent.
“Damnit, Heero! I know you want to! You can’t enjoy this!”
“I
do what I am told,” he said evenly.
“And
when was the last time you were told anything?” Duo shouted, his voice full of
rage. “The Voice has been silent for more years than I care to remember! Why do
we even keep on going? I don’t get it! Because of something that was said ages
ago? Where is the logic in that?”
Heero
stared at the fuming boy with mild interest. “I’m going to continue with my
last orders, regardless of what you have to say.”
“You
know, I would’ve thought that all these years would’ve worn your stubbornness
down,” Duo snarled, baring his teeth.
“And
I thought you would’ve gained some intelligence during that time as well,”
Heero replied, walking towards the door.
“You
know, for the Angel of Life, you sure are a cold-hearted bastard,” Duo
muttered, slumping back down into his chair. He picked the wine filled flute up
once more and sipped it.
Heero
stopped, back still to the demon. “I want to help you,” he whispered. “You
think I’m not tired of walking as well? You think I don’t want to rejoin my
ranks in the Higher Plane? I do, but I was entrusted with an important mission
and I intend to follow it.”
“What
is wrong with going home?” Duo pleaded. “Why are we cursed like this?”
“I
don’t know,” Heero muttered, walking to the door once more. “But I’ll roam for
the rest of eternity, just like I was told. I won’t have the blood of every
person alive staining my hands.” And with that, he was swallowed by the radiant
sunlight outside.
Duo
sighed, his heart heavy. “Bartender! More wine! No, forget that! Give me some
ale! The biggest mug of it you can find! Bartender!”
Upon
receiving no answer, he cursed and got to his feet, walking towards the bar.
Peeking over, he saw the bartender, sprawled out across the worn floor,
apparently passed out from fear, or at least that was what the dark stain
around his crotch made it look like.
Duo
grabbed the first mug he could find and leaned over the bar, filling it from
one of the tapped barrels that stood against the wall. Sighing, he took it back
to his table and lazily drank it.
Today
is just not my day.
“Damn!”
The
curse echoed throughout the small clearing, which only angered Wufei more. He
inspected the ground again, his black almond-shaped eyes relentlessly searching
for any signs of where the young king had run off to.
“Trowa
must be with him,” he muttered, kicking a rock. “No wonder there aren’t any
traces of them! Damn that Knight!”
He
began walking west once more, sighing. If Trowa was with him, there would be
some difficulty in finding Quatre. Always the attentive one, the one to catch
what most would miss or deem unnecessary, the Knight of the Scythe would cover
every track they could leave.
A
stick snapped under his foot and a large raven, feathers slick and polished in
the sunlight, took to the sky like a messenger of doom.