30-Apr-2006
Disclaimer: I don't own nor do I make any sort of profit from Gundam Wing or its characters. It is the property of Bandai, Sunrise and Sotsu Agency. I also apologize profusely to the Greeks and Romans for butchering their mythology.
Title: Cupid's Breath, part 7
Author: KwyckSylver
Pairing: 1 x 2 eventually
Rating: Everyone, this chapter
Spoilers: None
Thanks goes to Caroline for suggesting the Holmes quote.
Warning: Past-life deaths of Heero and Duo
Unbeta'd because it took so freaking long to get it written (since February). It's also very, very short because I got tired of working on this part.
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy".(1)
Shakespeare's words echoed through Heero's mind as he set down the arrow he was holding and picked it back up. He watched it change from arrow to rose and back to arrow again. He twirled it between his fingers and marveled at it.
As hard as it was for his mind to wrap around the idea that the arrows were supernatural in nature, it was hard to deny since he was holding the proof in his hand. He just had to take the next leap and accept the idea his mysterious intruder had been supernatural as well. It wasn't a big leap since the intruder had disappeared before his eyes.
Heero gently tucked the arrows back into their quiver and laid them on his bed next to the bow. The intruder was bound to return for them so Heero needed to hide them, in case the intruder reappeared while he was gone.
Heero looked around the room, the artifacts would be easily found if he hid them in a drawer or in his closet. He looked up then stepped onto his bed. He pushed on a tile in the floating ceiling then slid it sideways so it rested on another. He bent down and picked up the bow and quiver, and almost lost his balance when he straightened up. He placed the bow and quiver in the interstice, using the framework to support them, then pulled the tile back into place.
Satisfied, he dusted off his hands as he stepped off the bed and on to the floor. Hiding them there was better than putting them in a safe, he thought.
Stop pacing," Eros said while he watched Duo walk back and forth, "Your time would be better spent thinking how you are going to approach the human instead of wearing a rut in the floor."
"I am, I am," Duo replied while he plopped himself in a chair. It was hard for him to conceal his excitement about returning to Earth and Heero Yuy but he was doing his best. He just hoped he wasn't too obvious.
Eros pushed a platter of meats, cheeses, breads and fruit in front of him, "Eat, it may be a while before we can sit at the same table again."
Duo picked up a piece of melon then paused as he was about to bite into it, "Are you doubting my abilities?"
"I have great faith in your abilities. But unlike you, I have experienced the stubbornness and tenacity of humans. Your task will be harder than you think." Eros warned.
Duo shoved a piece of melon in his mouth and chewed ferociously while he sliced open a small loaf of bread and slid a chunk of meat and a piece of cheese inside it. He bit into his sandwich and chewed more slowly this time, savoring the mix of flavors.
"When can I leave?" Duo sighed then burped softly.
"We have to make you presentable to the humans first," Eros answered. "You cannot walk among them wearing nothing but feathers."
"Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth." (3)
One side of Heero's mouth curled up in amusement while his fingers flicked over the keyboard of his computer. His mind seemed full of quotes lately.
The existence of the arrows and his disappearing visitor proved the existence of the supernatural, thereby eliminating the impossible, at least in his mind's eye. Now he just had to find what the improbable truth was. Myths were full of supernatural tales and it was said that myths were based on grains of truth. After all, Schliemann had taken a grain of truth in Homer's Illiad and he'd found Troy.
Heero began searching myths involving magical arrows. After reading what he could find on the subject, he eliminated most of them. Those myths involved stories of heros, battles and great quests. Their arrows were made of fire or could pierce the hides of dragons. The arrows Heero had tucked safely away didn't seem to be of the weapon variety, they were too ornate, like works of art. Plus they did have the strange power of turning into roses once they were picked up. Heero amended that thought; perhaps they only turned to roses when someone mortal picked them up.
Perhaps roses were the clue to his visitor's identity. Heero altered his search and began looking up the history and meaning of the rose and found they had been sacred to Venus, the Roman goddess of love. But his winged visitor had not been female, he was sure of that. He wrote the clues on a piece of paper; a winged man plus arrows that turned to roses equaled . . . Cupid.(4)
But why would Cupid visit him? Heero had to admit to a feeling of lonliness, but there had never been anyone who'd made his heart so much as skip a beat, much less fall in love.
Had the god of love come to help him? His eyes brightened and his heart lifted at the idea. But then his face fell. His one chance to find love and he'd managed to scare it away. He looked up at the ceiling. No, the god would have to return, Heero was sure of that. And when he did, Heero wasn't going to let him leave until he helped Heero find the one he'd waited an eternity for.
"But I always wear a tunic when I visit Earth," Duo said petulantly.
"When was the last time you saw a human wearing a tunic?" Eros asked.
Duo stared blankly at the wall while he counted on his fingers.
"Never mind. Here, Athena made these for you," Eros said as he handed Duo a package that had been laying on the chair next to him. "Make sure you thank her before you leave."
Duo set the package on the table then opened it. He picked up the first article then shook the folds from it. He held it up to examine it. It was gray and the material was soft to the touch. Although it was seamless, it resembled a tee shirt.
"It's a little plain, don't you think?" Duo asked. His wings grew small then disappeared within him while he pulled the shirt over his head. It was like putting on his tunic.
"You need to fit in with the humans but not call attention to yourself," Eros said.
"Explain these. Please," Duo said, holding up the next piece of clothing he'd picked up. It was a pair of boxers.
"Men's underclothing," Eros replied with a smile, "They're worn beneath the outer clothing."
"Why do humans wear clothes under their clothes?" Duo asked while he turned the boxers around.
"Humans are modest creatures," Eros shrugged. "The side with the slit is the front."
Duo slid the boxers on then held up a pair of socks, his face once again full of questions.
"Those are for your feet," Eros said. "Shoes are worn over them."
Duo sat down and slipped the socks on his feet then wiggled his toes, "I have to admit, they are comfortable. You seem to know a lot about what humans wear."
"I've had occasion to walk among them now and then," Eros said, "Finish getting dressed, please."
Duo picked up the pants and unfolded them. They were dark blue and the material was rough to the touch. He hoped the material didn't feel as rough when he wore them as it did when he rubbed it with his fingers.
"Those are called blue jeans," Eros said.
Duo took his cue from the boxers and put them on with the split in front. He stood and pulled them up the rest of the way. He lifted his arms and turned around.
"How do I look?" Duo asked.
"Almost human," Eros said after he took a couple of steps back for a better view. "All you need to do is zip up and then put on the shoes and you are finished."
"Zip up?" Duo asked and looked down at the crotch of the jeans. "How do I zip up?"
"Let me show you how," Eros said. He approached Duo and lowered his hands to Duo's groin. "Keep your eyes on my hands and watch what I do."
Duo watched Eros pull the zipper closed and felt the jeans become more snug around his hips and waist. He then watched Eros slide the metal button through the hole on the other end of the jeans's waist band. Eros then smoothed the tee shirt over the waistband.
Duo picked up the shoes, which were black leather lace-ups.
"Those are a gift from Nike," Eros said. "They're called athletic shoes although most humans don't use them for anything athletic."(2)
"Would you show me . . .?" Duo held a shoe in each hand and used them to point to his feet.
"After spending a few days with that human, I have to wonder why you don't know how to do this," Eros remarked.
"How he put on his clothes was not what held my interest," Duo said. He felt his cheeks warm in a blush.
Eros knelt down and helped Duo put on the shoes then showed him how to tie them. He raised his head and looked into the cupid's eyes.
"While you're there, just remember one thing; follow what your heart tells you to do," he whispered.
(1) Hamlet to Horatio from Hamlet, act I scene V, by William Shakespeare.
(2) Of course it would be Nike who would give Duo a pair of athletic shoes. ::grins::
(3) Sherlock Holmes from The Four Percent Solution, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
(4) Heero is basing his conclusion on classical Roman mythology, not the Greek and not my bastardization.
~ TBC ~
End Part 5
KwyckSylver
Please send comments to: kwycksylver@yahoo.com