LAND AND SEA:
A HEERO AND DUO TALE
by DRAGON GAL

"But Heero!" Releena exclaimed. "How can you possibly choose that - that creature over me?"

"I do not, nor ever will, love you, Releena.  I love Duo.  Stop harassing me."  Heero left the room, wanting nothing more todo with the former Queen of the World.

"Just leave us alone," Duo told her, his cheerful nature absent.  "He's made his choice clear."

"He'll change his mind when he learns the truth about you, water demon!"  Releena hissed.  "We both know it."

Duo shook his head.  "Wrong.  Heero loves me.  It won't matter to him.  I think it's time for you to go, witch."  Duo stood up from the couch and moved into the hall.  He stopped in the hall, flipping his meter-long braid over his shoulder and bowing, mockingly, to Releena, gesturing for her to follow.

Releena stood and exited the living room, following Duo to the door glaring at him the entire time.  She caught her jacket as Duo tossed it to her and left, silently promising to show Duo how wrong he was.

Under the light of the full moon, Releena looked through an ancient book.  She found what she was looking for and, after reading the instructions, drew blood from her finger.

Releena wrote mysterious symbols across a piece of paper in her blood, then dropped the paper into a bubbling brew.  She smiled evilly as the paper's symbols caught on fire, even as it sank to the bottom of the mixture.

Duo awoke to bird song and the sound of waves hitting the beach as the sun shone through his bedroom window and enjoyed the strong arms wrapped around him.  The braided young man twisted around to look at his beloved.  Sunlight spilled across dark brown hair, which refused to be tamed.  The resulting shadows were splashed jaggedly across the Japanese man's sleep slackened features.

Duo sighed with contentment.  He would never tire of the sight of his lover.  These last two years have been the best of my life, Duo thought happily.   No war, no lonely nights.  Duo leaned in and kissed Heero lightly before snuggling closer and falling asleep.

Duo awoke alone and stretched, taking up most of the bed.  He lay still and listened to the waves.  It's been so long, he thought longingly.  Duo sighed and blew his bangs out of his eyes.  It will be longer still, he told himself as the sounds of the beach called to him, if ever again. The sounds and smells of breakfast being made caused Duo to smile.  I miss it, but it is a price readily paid for Heero.  Duo pulled himself out of bed and moved towards the shower, without a glance towards the beach.

Duo turned on the shower and moved under the spray.  He reached for his shampoo, but never found it as he fell to the floor of the shower stall.

Heero heard the shower start and smiled inwardly at the thought of the occupant.  He placed the breakfast plates on the table and was about to sit down when he heard Duo's fall. Eyes widening with concern, Heero rushed to the bathroom to see if his lover was hurt.

Heero's training as a terrorist, so efficient he was known as "The Perfect Soldier," never prepared him for the sight he found when he entered his own bathroom.

Duo sat on the floor of the shower stall, propped up against the wall, his eyes looking up at him from under long chestnut bangs, with an expression akin to fear, as water beat down on him. Duo's fearful violet eyes were not what held the shocked former pilot's attention.  Heero's attention was held by Duo's pointed ears; by the delicate fangs which peaked out of his mouth, and most of all, by the violet scaled fish's tail which had replaced Duo's legs.

Duo felt like crying as Heero stared at him in shock.  This was not how he had wanted to reveal the truth to his lover.  All his sure words to Releena earlier that month were washed away by an overwhelming fear of rejection.

Heero saw the distress in Duo's eyes and pushed his shock aside to attend his lover.  He turned off the shower and climbed into the stall to pick Duo up.  Heero carried his precious burden into the bedroom and laid him down on the bed.  Duo clung to him, as if afraid he would disappear into thin air.

"Explain," Heero stated in his typical monotone as he sat down and pushed Duo's bangs out of his eyes.

Duo smiled weakly at his lover, then stopped when he realized the action further revealed his fangs.  He looked away, unable to meet Heero's eyes.  "I - I'm not exactly human," he said quietly.  After a moment of silence, he continued.  "I had every intention of telling you, Heero.  I just didn't plan on you finding out like this."  Duo gathered his scattered courage and peaked up at Heero.  His face was as expressionless as usual, but Duo took heart in the fact Heero was still making physical contact.

"So, you're a mermaid," Heero stated flatly.

"Merman!" Duo exclaimed, in spite himself.  "I'm not a girl."  Duo saw Heero smirk and sputtered.  "Y-you're impossible, Yuy!  You did that on purpose."

"You were acting like I was about to choose Releena over you."

Duo sighed with relief as the meaning of his lover's statement sunk in.  "That was the whole idea behind breaking my spell.  The witch hasn't given up."

"Releena's a witch?" Duo heard the surprise in Heero's voice.

"The super natural is closer and more abundant than humans think.  How do you think she managed to track us down during the war when Oz couldn't?  Now she's used her magic to break the spell that prevents me from returning to my true form when I get wet."

Heero looked thoughtful for a moment.  "What were you doing piloting Deathsythe?  Why would your kind involve themselves in the war?"

"They didn't," Duo answered.  "We tend to stay asfar away from humans and their conflicts as possible.  Did you ever wonder how you managed to wash up on shore after crashing into the ocean?  I found and rescued you.  Later, the original pilot of Deathsythe fought an underwater battle with Oz for possession of your Gundam.  The pilot won, but the battle damage caused a small leak, which drowned the pilot.

"He reached the surface, but had inhaled too much water to survive.  I tried to revive him, but the lapse in time between him taking in the water and me reaching him was too much.  I knew he was a lost cause, so I absorbed his memories and knowledge . It's a rather uncomfortable experience we can only do with the dying.  We sometimes use it to make sure important knowledge survives.  I preformed it looking for information about you, Heero.  I ended up taking the pilot's place in the war."

"Why?" Heero asked.

"To look for you, to be near you," Duo replied.  "We fall in love at first sight, recognizing our soulmates instantly. 
You are my soul mate, Heero.  Once I saw you, I had to be with you." Duo reached up and placed a hand on the side of Heero's face lovingly.  "I took a dead man's place in a war that had nothing to do with me, risked my life and gave up my world, all for a chance to be with you."

Touched and overwhelmed by the strength of Duo's love for him, Heero did not know how to respond.  Never a man of many words, Heero expressed himself by leaning down and capturing Duo's lips.

Duo pulled Heero down onto the bed beside him and held him close.  His amethyst eyes sparkled with happiness as Heero returned the embrace.

"Releena will never come between us, Duo," Heero told the merman," nor anyone else."

Duo sighed.  "She can't come between us, but she is separating us."

"Nani?"

"I can't stay here like this, Heero," Duo told him witha pained look.  "My legs will come back when I'm dry, but only until I get wet again.  How long until I'm discovered?  I need to go back to my own world and have the spell renewed by the King of the Seas."

Heero was silent.  He and Duo had been together since the war, never apart for more than a week.  "How long would you be away?"

"I don't know.  The King is often very busy.  If there aren't any water demons causing trouble . a few months, tops." Duo made a face at the idea of being away form Heero so long.  Then an idea hit him.  "Would . would you like to come with me?"

"I thought your world would be under water," Heero stated.

"It is.  There is a spell that can give a human a mer-form if he truly loves the merperson that loves him.  I know you love me.  You didn't reject me when you saw my true form."  Duo lowered his head and planted several kisses on Heero's neck and face.

Heero closed his eyes and sighed with pleasure as Duo began his loving assault.  "Yes . I want to go with you."

Duo paused in his assault to look up at Heero and grin.  "Arigato koibito."

"Hn."

"At sunset then," Duo told Heero as his drying scales disappeared and his tail became legs. "Our beach may be private, but I don't want to take chances . More is at stake than just our lives if humankind learns the truth about my kind's existence." Duo rolled on top of Heero as his fangs disappeared and his ears lost their points.  "Which means," kiss, "I have the whole day," kiss, "to spend with you," kiss.  All that money we hacked out of Oz's accounts to fund our war and had left over proves useful again, Duo thought as Heero kissed him.  If we had jobs, this situation would be a lot more awkward.

"Sun's almost down!" Duo said cheerfully.  "It's time to go.  I suggest you leave you clothes here, koibito.  They're just going to get in the way down by the water."

Heero stripped out of his tank top and shorts, trusting his braided lover's knowledge in this bizarre adventure.  He fought the urge to smirk at the thought of how their friends would have reacted to the idea of blindly following Duo into something, relying solely on his knowledge.  Wufei's bloodless face, in particular, was very vivid in his imagination.  Heero locked the house up and followed after Duo, who was already skipping down to the water.

As Heero neared the water, he saw the brief look of longing that passed over Duo's face as the merman looked out over the water.  Duo smiled radiantly at Heero as he took the tie out of his hair and let the evening breeze unbraid his hair for him.

Heero watched as Duo's eyes began to glow with violet light.  His breath caught at the image before him.  Duo stood, just beyond the reach of the waves, in the dying light, his long hair revealing and concealing his form as it danced in the breeze, his eyes soft pools of light and warmth.

The image was shattered as Duo bit his wrist and drew blood. Duo approached Heero, smiling reassuringly.  "You have to drink some of my blood, koibito.  Blood holds a great deal of power.  It courses through my heart, and by drinking it, my love will protect you from my watery world."

Cautiously, Heero took Duo's wrist and raised it to his mouth.  He sucked gently, his eyes locked on Duo's face for the signal to stop.  After what seemed like an eternity to Heero, the trickle of blood he was drinking began to flow like a river into his mouth, no longer tasting like human blood, but something extremely sour that burn his throat. Heero suppressed a shudder and continued to swallow.

"Okay, Heero," Duo told him and removed his wrist from Heero's lips, the cut healed.  The violet glow faded from Duo's eyes as he leaned in and kissed his human lover.  "Let's get into the water."  Duo moved towards the water, only to be caught in Heero's grip and swept off his feet.  "Heero?"

"You'll fall before you get deep enough not to get hurt," Heero stated in his usual monotone and walked into the water.  He stopped when the water was up to his waist and lowered Duo into the water.  He watched with fascination as Duo's ears grew points, canines became long, thin, fangs, and legs became a tail.

Duo sighed happily and slipped out of Heero's arms to submerge himself, exercising his gills for the first time in three years.  He looked up a Heero from under water and remembered the last sunset he had seen Heero under in his natural form.

From far enough out that the sunlight on the waves hid him from view, he watched the still form on the beach.  As he watched, a blond, teenaged, girl came rushing down to aid his beloved.

Not a girl! he thought fearfully, remembering the classic human tale `The Little Mermaid.'  The tale was a human creation from centuries ago, but it was a well-known tale of woe among the merfolk.  He knew what he had done was the mirror image of what the mermaid in the story had.  He had left the soul mate he had rescued from the ocean on a shore to awake safe and sound.  Please, already have a boyfriend!  Leave me my beloved, he had thought desperately, remembering how the storybook mermaid's beloved had been found by a princess he later married.

He had been overjoyed to watch as his beloved ran from the girl and the medics she had called.

His thoughts returning to the present, Duo surfaced and smiled at Heero.  "Your turn, koibito.  Decide to change. It's like deciding to raise your hand."

Heero nodded, then fell into the water when he no longer had legs to stand on.  Heero surfaced, his expressionless mask replaced by a look of surprise he could not suppress.  He had expected the change to be more difficult and slower, possibly even painful.

Duo laughed at the expression on Heero's face, then dove forward to capture Heero's lips, dragging them both under the surface.  As they kissed, Duo reached up behind one of Heero's ears to tickle the set of gills there.

Heero broke the kiss, startled by the sensation and his gills immediately began to work, pulling oxygen out of the water.

/You okay, koibito?/ Duo asked telepathically.  Heero looked at him, startled. /Think your answer at me./

/Fine,/ Heero replied, his mental voice was hesitant, lacking the schooled tone of his vocal voice.  Heero was too new to telepathy to mask his tones, and Duo loved the normally hidden emotions that were revealed in Heero's telepathic voice.

/You'll get used to it,/ Duo assured him. /You're beautiful, koibito.  Even better looking than I imagined./  Duo felt himself fall in love all over again as he looked at Heero.  He took a moment to simply appreciate his lover.  Heero's almost delicate facial features were complimented by his now pointed ears and fangs.  His slim body was an artist's dream, yet radiated the sheer inhuman power of his lover.  Heero's scales shone in the dying light and Duo wanted nothing more at that moment than to let his hands explore that strong cobalt tail.

Duo fought down the urge to spend the night exploring the changes in his lover's form and surfaced.  Heero followed, then submerged again, his hands going to his gills.  Duo submerged as well and hugged his lover close.  /You have to start breathing through your nose and mouth when you surface.  Remember how you have breathed your entire life?  The switch isn't entirely automatic./

Heero nodded and surfaced.  Duo followed him up and smiled.  Heero's adjusting well.  The light died completely and Duo created his own light, his entire body giving off soft violet light.

"I just need to teach you how to illuminate the area around you and we'll be on our way.  Your co-ordination will come as we travel."  Duo couldn't have kept the smile off his face if he tried.  He was going home to the world of the merfolk and he was taking Heero with him.

Duo swam through the dark depths of the merworld, leading Heero past schools of fish and over the large rocks, which the merfolk made their homes in.

/What's wrong?/ Heero asked.

/The people we've seen look so grim.  My people are happy, usually carefree./  Duo looked about and swam over to an elderly mermaid giving off yellow light.  /Hello friend,/ he began, /can you tell me why everyone's so upset?  I have been away for three years, chasing my soul mate.  What has occurred?/

The mermaid smiled at Duo and looked over at Heero. /Is that him?/

/Yes,/ Duo replied happily.

/Two souls joined.  This is the happiest news I have heard in a long time.  A year and a half ago, the king was overthrown.  That is why everyone is so grim./

/A new king?  It's a shame, I really liked the last.  So why does this make everyone so unhappy?  These things happen./

/This one is not a good ruler.  He is irresponsible, selfish.  He has set up a harem, breaking up happy soulmates in his quests after the merfolk to fill it./

/What? But our leaders never act like that!/

/This one does.  We eagerly await the next who would challenge for the crown.  Take your soul mate and go back to where you have been all this time.  You are both beautiful.  One of you might catch the king's eye./

/I thank you for the warning, unfortunately we need to speak with the king.  Fair travels, my friend.  May your path be free of strong currents./

/Fair travels, young one.  May your path be free of  strong currents,/ the mermaid replied and swam on.  She stopped in front of Heero.  /I wish you both luck.  I fear you will need it./  She swam off.

/Let's go, koibito,/ Duo called to his beloved.  /There's a feeding ground up ahead.  We can eat and rest./

Heero followed Duo towards a shinning palace.  The glowing construction seemed to consist of large archways, long halls and large rooms.  The place had few solid walls, supported almost solely on massive columns.  No human would have considered such a structure a dwelling, but the merfolk did.  Heero reflected that the merfolk didn't need the same protection from the elements humans did, and felt very little need for privacy that couldn't be solved in the dark underwater world simply by not producing light.

/This king must be worse than that mermaid said, Heero,/ Duo informed him, hesitating just before entering the palace.  /I don't see anyone here.  This place was always crowded with people./ 

Duo took Heero's hand and started forward again.  /Lets get this overand done with./

In the center of a large room, a middle-aged merman sat on a raised thrown.  He smiled warmly as Duo and Heero approached.  He straightened the coral crown on his head and, with a flick of his white tail, he swam forward to meet them.

/Hello./

Duo bowed and Heero followed his lead.  /Hello, Your Majesty,/ Duo began.  /My name is Duo Maxwell and this is my soul mate, Heero Yuy.  We have come to ask you to perform the water resistance spell upon me.  A witch canceled out the last./

/You wish to live on land?  Do you find my rule that repulsive?/

/I know nothing of your rule, but rumor, Your Majesty,/ Duo informed him.  /I have been on land with my soul mate for the past three years.  I have a happy life there, and good friends, I wish to return to./

/One of your beauty should not be shared with the human world, Duo.  You belong to the underwater world.  Join me here, live in the palace./

Oh no, he wants to add me to his harem, Duo realized. /No, thank you.  I'm quite happy with Heero.  I wish to return to our home./  As Duo rejected the offer, Heero swam forward and placed a possessive hand on Duo's shoulder.

The king was visibly angered by the rejection.  /Very well.  If you truly wish to return to your life on land . Guards!/  Duo and Heero moved so that they were back to back as several large mermen and mermaids swam forward.  /I need an escort to the surface world.  I would see what holds more appeal than my palace.  Lead on, Duo Maxwell./

/Yes, Your Majesty,/ Duo replied.  What's going on?  This isn't what I expected.  Duo took Heero's hand and they swamfor home.

The travelers timed their arrival for dawn, when the rising sun was not yet strong enough to banish the shadows they needed for cover.  The king looked at the beach house Duo and Heero lived in with disgust.  "This ugly human creation holds more appeal than my palace?  Fine.  You've made your choice."

The king's crown began to shine and a beam of harsh light shot from it, hitting Duo.  Caught off guard by the unexpected pain the magic induced, he shrieked.  Duo's tail split into legs and all telling signs of his underwater heritage disappeared.  When the beam of magic released him, Heero caught Duo to prevent him from slipping, limply, under the waves.

Duo recovered, squeezing Heero's arm reassuringly, before glaring at his king.  "What was that?  The spell shouldn't have forced me to change form."

"You rejected me and with me goes the underwater world.  You shall live out the rest of your life as a human," the king informed him.

Duo paled, but remained silent.  He felt Heero's arms tighten around him and looked up to find his Japanese lover glaring at the merking.  I already gave it up once for Heero, Duo reminded himself.  Duo kicked and started swimming towards shore, still in Heero's arms.  Duo looked up to meet Heero's gaze.  You're all I need, he silently told his soul mate.

Understanding Duo's silent message, Heero tightened his hold briefly, then began to propel them towards shore faster than human legs could with casual flicks of his tail.  Both were caught off guard when the king cast a second painful spell.  One that was cast on Heero.

The Perfect Soldier grunted in pain as every muscle in his body began to spasm, causing him to crush Duo against him.  He quickly recovered when the spell was cast and held a choking Duo above the water as he expelled the water he had swallowed when Heero had accidentally dragged him below the surface.  Heero rubbed Duo's back soothingly, in apologetic motions.  Once sure Duo was all right, Heero turned to glare at the merman who had made himself their enemy, wishing he had his gun.

"What did you do to him?" Duo demanded angrily.

"The same thing I did to you," he answered smugly.

But Heero's form hasn't changed . Oh no, Duo realized what that meant.  His arms wrapped tightly around Heero.  Oh no, not this.  Please, not this.  He doesn't know how to survive in my world alone.

Heero's eyes widened in shock as Duo held him tightly.  He would never walk again.  He was trapped in Duo's watery world, without Duo.

"The underwater world claims him as it rejects you."  The merking took in the sight before him with malevolent amusement. Duo's long hair and bangs, typical of the merfolk, were plastered to all of his skin that was above water.  Yet, the wall of soaked hair did not conceal his horror stricken amethyst eyes as he clung to the soul mate he could no longer live his life with.  He laughed as he took in their misery, finding delight in their despair.

The merking's laughter snapped Heero's control and he pushed Duo off to lunge at their tormentor.  The guards intersected him and held him back.

"Don't," one said quietly, in a voice that conveyed her apology for preventing him a chance to kill the merking.  "He has the magic to kill you.  Your death would only serve to make your soul mate grieve more."  Heero looked back at Duo, who was treading water in the waves as he watched.  "He will not be king forever.  With the way he rules another shall rise as soon as possible to challenge him.  When that happens, when we have a true king once more, your curse can be lifted.  The two of you will be able to be together again one day . if you don't die."

Heero stopped struggling against the guards and swam back to Duo. He held Duo close, doing his best to defy the barrier of land and sea placed between them as the merfolk disappeared into the watery depths.

The rising sun banished the last shards of night, bringing the world into stark clarity.  Duo looked about, but did not see any fishing boats that might spot Heero.  "We can't stay here, like this, koibito.  You might be seen."  Duo pushed his silent lover's bangs out of cobalt orbs.  "Come back at sunset.  It'll be safer then.  I'll bring you dinner."

Heero nodded and kissed Duo as if it was Duo, rather than oxygen, that he needed to survive.  He let go of Duo and disappeared below the glaring surface of the sunlit waves.

A new king will rise, Duo reminded himself as he looked out over the watery depths which had swallowed his lover.   A new king will rise and we'll be together again, someday.  Duo swam to shore and towards the house he and Heero owned.  The house which was no longer home, without Heero.

Duo finished cooking and looked out the window.  The sun was setting.  As the shadows grew, he put everything on a tray and headed down to the beach.  Duo sat on the beach as the sky darkened, eyes cast out over the dark water.  As he watched, the water lightened in one area, which moved towards shore.  Heero surfaced, casting soft blue light, and began the process of beaching himself on the shore.

Duo helped him onto the beach, just above the waves, and kissed him.  "Are you okay down there?" he asked, remembering what it had been like for himself when he first began his quest on land.  Being alone in an alien world you don't fully understand and on your own wasn't pleasant.

"Hai," Heero replied, even as he pulled Duo close.

Duo gave Heero a quick kiss and reached for the dinner tray.

Heero slipped below the water and swam out to the depths.  There has to be something we can do other than wait for some future king to come and lift this curse, Heero thought as he reached the patch of seaweed which had become his bed.  Duo's not taking this very well, and neither am I.

It had taken Heero over a week to realize it, but Duo wasn't as human as he appeared.  The merking had trapped him in human form, but had left all Duo's abilities and instincts, which did not allow him to return to the underwater world, intact.  In mer-form, Heero experienced `The Call of the Sea,' a basic urge which all merfolk experienced if they left the water for even a moment.  The Call grew stronger as time went on and it was Duo's presence alone which silenced the call.  Heero knew Duo felt the Call and could do nothing to relieve it, when Heero was not with him, which wouldn't cause his death.  Another mer-instinct was to sink one's fangs into one's soul mate.  Before he had learned what Duo was, he had never wondered about Duo's habit of biting him, repetitively, as they made love. On their way to the palace, he had learned the instinct and experienced the sheer pleasure exchanging bites brought soul mates. In mer-form, Heero felt the instinct, but could not bite Duo without poisoning him.

Heero curled up and tried to sleep, knowing it was the activity that made the time until dawn and breakfast pass the quickest.  There has to be something we can do for ourselves.  I don't care if we're restricted to either land or water, Heero thought as he drifted off, just as long as we are together.  If it was land, I'd do my best to ease the Call in Duo.  If it was water, I'd just need Duo.  Heero fell asleep and relived the sunset where Duo had had given him his mer-form.

Heero woke as his dream-self drank Duo's blood and looked up to see the water lightening.  He untangled himself from the seaweed around him.  I've slept in . I hope I haven't missed my chance to see Duo, he thought as he quickly swam towards shore.

When Heero surfaced, he saw Duo swimming ahead of him.  Fear gripped him as Duo preformed a surface dive.  Was the Call becoming too strong for his lover?  Heero swam forward and dove beneath the surface.  He quickly found his soul mate and dragged him back above the surface.

"Heero, what's wrong?" Duo asked.  "I was just swimming."

"Don't swim without me, Duo."

"What?  Why?  I know how to swim as a human."

Heero scowled at his beloved.  He wasn't the most talkative person and preferred not to voice his emotions.  "I don't want to lose you to the Call."

"Oh, koibito," Duo held Heero close, "You don't need to worry about that.  We didn't spend much time together when I first entered the war and I didn't give in to the Call.  I'm not going to give in now."

" . Onegai."

Duo sighed when he saw the pleading look and worry in the eyes of his silent love.  "You win, koibito.  Anything for you."

As they quietly ate breakfast, Heero wrapped an arm around Duo's slim waist.  He finished his meal and kissed his soul mate, massaging the cursed merman's scalp.

Duo moaned.  "You've got to go, koibito.  The sun's getting up there and people could be out boating soon.  And stop being a tease.  You know it's liable to turn deadly if we start anything. You'd never forgive yourself if you bit me.  Go," Duo ordered and kissed Heero forcefully.  "I'll see you tonight."

Shimatta! Heero thought as he slipped below the waves and startled a school of fish into chaos.  I don't want to kill him, but the urge to bite him is growing.  I'm human, I'm not used to dealing with mer-instincts.  That bastard wants me to bite Duo.  I'm sure that was part of his plot in making me the merman in this relationship . That's it!

Damn! Duo thought as he carried the breakfast tray back towards the house.  I can't believe I started to give in to the Call like that. I scared Heero and could have killed myself.  I know better than to swim under the influence of the Call.  If I die,  Heero's not likely to survive either.  Human wars and self-destruct buttons are one thing, my world is another.  How long is that son of an eel going to be king?  I was never meant to be the human in this relationship.  Duo sighed as he pushed open the door.  It won't be forever. We'll get through this.  We'll learn how to get through it, then we'll be together again.

Heero surfaced as the light faded and swam towards Duo.  Please, let this work.  Heero dragged himself up onto the beach with Duo's help and looked up at his braided beloved.  Duo's face was caught in a chaotic mix of orange-red light from the sunset, blue light from Heero, and jagged shadow.  His eyes shone with love for his soul mate.  Beautiful, Heero thought and pushed himself up for a kiss.

Something's happened, Duo realized as he helped Heero onto the beach.  But what?

"What's happened, Heero?" Duo asked after Heero kissed him.  "You look like something happened to you today.  Were you seen?  You don't look like you were having trouble with a shark.  Thank the Gods for that!  I don't know what I'd do if -"

Heero shut Duo up the only sure way he knew, with another kiss, and pulled him into an embrace.  "I think I know something we can do to get around the curse," he said quietly.

Duo's amethyst pools grew wide with shock.  "What?"

"Tell me how to give my human soul mate a mer-form.  Land or sea, I don't care, Duo.  I want to be with you."

Duo's eyes could not have gotten any wider, nor his smile.  He hugged Heero tightly.  "You need to focus your energy, like I've taught you before, then let me drink your blood until my eyes glow."

Heero nodded and focused his energy.  It was not a difficult task, he had to do it every time he wanted to cast light into the water around him.  His energy focused, Heero bit his wrist, as Duo had the night he had received his mer-form, and held it out to Duo. 

Duo took his wrist eagerly, wanting nothing more than for Heero's plan to work so that they would truly be together once more. When Duo's eyes began to glow, Heero took back his wrist, noting the cuts were healed, and kissed Duo.  When the pair parted, they entered the water.

Duo closed his eyes.  Please, let this work, he silently begged and willed the change to happen.  He fell into the water and gills began to work.

/It worked!/ Duo's telepathic laughter filled Heero's mind. 

The pair kissed passionately before exchanging bites which sent them for a ride of pure pleasure that was only out done by the joy of being able to live with each other once more.

As they rode the pleasure of their exchange of bites, Heero felt as if something snapped within him.  After they had removed their fangs from each other's skin, Heero surfaced.

"What's wrong, koibito?"  Duo asked upon surfacing.

"Nothing," Heero replied and concentrated.  His ears became rounded, his fangs shrunk and his tail became legs.

"Heero!" Duo embraced his Japanese love.  "You didn't find a way around the curse!  You broke it!"  Duo's expressive face was beaming.  A thought occurred to the merman. "But if the curse is broken . how did I walk into the water?"  Duo concentrated and had his human form once more.  "The water resistance spell!  He
used it as the base of the curse and it didn't break with the curse! Oh, koibito, we can stay here, out of the merking's reach!"

Heero smiled at Duo and pulled him in for another kiss.

Far below the waves, the merfolk were shocked as they sensed the magic of the royal crown that protected them shatter, a spell broken.  Sensitive to the magic of the crown, they could tell it was a curse that had been beaten and word of which one passed quickly through the population.  The merfolk took heart from this successful resistance.  Surly it was a sign the merking would soon be replaced.

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FANFICS