Okane and Omae o Korosu

Part Thirty-Six

Nakago laughed. It was an unpleasant sound. "I don't think you know what you're dealing with, boy. You don't have any concept of how to go about defeating me." He shook his head. "Yui-sama, do not make the same mistake that Amiboshi made."

"Why, are you going to kill me too?" Yui glared at him. "How are you going to summon Seiryuu if you do that?"

"There are ways of making your life unpleasant," Nakago warned her.

"And then what happens when I summon Seiryuu and ask him to send you straight to hell, where you belong?" Yui retorted.

"There are ways around that. After all, Yui-sama, you have to eat and drink, don't you? I supervise everything that comes into contact with you." Nakago smirked. "How long can *you* go without eating? Without drinking?"

"I'd say something like 'You wouldn't dare!' but I know you would." Yui sighed. "Hey, Miaka? I'm sorry about the way things are turning out." She reached into her jacket, drawing out the small mirror that was the Byakko no shinzaho. "Oi, monk, catch!" She tossed the shinzaho to Chichiri.

"Da!" Chichiri scrambled, *just* managing to catch the object.

"BAKA!" Nakago shouted at Yui. "Do you *know* what you've done?!" He lunged forward, only to have Suboshi step into his path.

"Not so fast, Nakago." The boy flicked his ryuseisui, setting them humming. "*Some* of us haven't forgotten that our primary duty is to protect and serve our miko."

"End of the line, teme," Heero growled, attacking while Nakago stared at Suboshi in disbelief.

Duo gratefully escaped from his too-talkative seatmate. ~God, now I know how Heero must feel sometimes when I'm around... I thought she'd _never_ shut up.~

At a small computer kiosk in the terminal, he checked very quickly to see if there had been any new messages left for him since he'd left L1. Since there hadn't, he sighed and started planning how best to reach the new safehouse.

~Wonder how the guys are doing with His Royal Snippiness?~

Quatre and Trowa scrambled out of the way as Tamahome suddenly lunged forward, swinging wildly at thin air.

"Who does he think he's attacking?" Quatre demanded. "There's nothing there!"

"Except us... and whatever it is that Heero's fighting," Trowa murmured, dodging another wild swing.

"So what you're saying is that it would probably be a bad idea to try and subdue him?"

"In a word, yes."

"No one ever told me I'd have to deal with this when I signed up to be a Gundam pilot!"

With Yui's sudden shift in loyalties, several previously formulated plans required immediate adjustment. Nakago found himself having to think very rapidly as he batted one of Heero's attacks aside. Of primary importance now was the miko who possessed the shinzaho, and what she might do with them. "Soi!" Nakago barked. "Get Suzaku no miko, now!"

"Soi, no!" Yui shouted, almost in the same heartbeat. "I forbid it!"

Soi froze, hesitating between the conflicting orders. On the one hand, there was Nakago... on the other, there was her miko. Which one commanded the greater loyalty? In the moment of her agonizing, Nuriko, Tasuki, and even Mitsukake formed a protective ring around Miaka, while Chichiri coached Miaka rapidly in the way to summon an animal god, and Heero --

Heero hardly seemed to be Heero-in-Tamahome's-body any more. Soi wondered if Tamahome had somehow returned to his body, because everything about the enraged young man attacking Nakago screamed of the Suzaku seishi, from his seishi symbol to the very style of his attacks.

"Soi!"

At the sound of Nakago's voice, Soi made her decision. Yui-sama had not been the one to rescue her from the hellhole that had been her early life. For good or ill, she would obey Nakago first. With a faint frown of regret, she began to call upon Seiryuu's lightning.

Quatre winced as the invisible something that Tamahome was fighting flung the fighter back a few feet. Tamahome recovered with a graceful roll that was vaguely reminiscent of one of Heero's hand-to- hand combat moves, blended with an alien martial art.

Nakago smirked as Heero attacked him again. "You have no idea who you're dealing with, boy." He blocked, not bothering to return the attack. "Don't be a fool, wasting your life on something you can't hope to defeat."

"I've made it my mission to destroy you," Heero growled in return. "I won't let you fuck up my world any more than it already is."

"You have no idea what my goals are, boy." This time Nakago did strike Heero, using just a faint surge of ki to send him staggering back several feet.

"No one knows what your goals are, Nakago." A ryuseisui whizzed at Nakago, narrowly averted by another flicker of ki. Suboshi glared at the blond. "We don't need to to know they're no good."

"Are you *that* anxious to rejoin your brother, Suboshi?" Nakago smirked as the boy's face twisted with anger. "I'm more than happy to oblige you."

Heero attacked Nakago before the man could attack Suboshi. "The only other person who's going to die today is you, Nakago," he promised coldly.

Chichiri hurriedly showed Miaka how to wear the elaborate Genbu no shinzaho, and how to hold the Byakko no shinzaho as he explained in urgent tones what she would need to do to summon Suzaku. "The ceremony should be much more elaborate," he said fretfully, "but we don't have time for that. Miaka, do you remember the words?"

She nodded, face white with strain.

"Chichiri!" Tasuki yelled.

"What?!" Chichiri looked up, only to see Soi's arcs of lightning. In the split-second before it struck, he pushed Miaka back and out of the way.

Soi muttered darkly as she missed the miko thanks to the monk's interference--and he was still standing, just to add insult to injury. The faint shimmer of a barrier spread out in front of the miko. Soi frowned at the added complication, although she figured that being hit by lightning would have thrown off Chichiri's concentration enough that he wouldn't be able to sustain the barrier for as long as it would take for Miaka to summon the god.

"Chichiri, are you okay?" Miaka covered her mouth, aghast.

"Da..." He held his feet, barely steady. "Don't worry about me. Summon Suzaku *now*, Miaka."

"I really hate her and her goddamn lightning," Tasuki said irritably. "REKKA SHINEN!" He snorted, satisfied, as Soi had to hold her next bolt of lightning in order to dodge a gout of flame.

Behind him, Miaka closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and concentrated on the incantation. "The four directions of the sky..." she murmured.

Nakago tossed Heero aside again, annoyed by the boy's persistence, and then knocked Suboshi several feet back with the ki bolt he'd been trying to throw since the boy's first defiant movement between him and Yui. Suboshi struck the wall with a meaty thud, sliding to the floor limply.

"The four directions of the earth, with deep rules," Miaka continued to recite. In front of her, Nuriko was holding Chichiri up, silently lending his own strength to the monk as electricity crackled around the barrier protecting Miaka.

Some control within Heero snapped. He staggered to his feet, scarcely aware that the air around him was filling with red light, or that his hair had turned to a pale cyan. There was only Nakago, who had to die.

"With Truth and Justice..."

"Holy shit," Tasuki murmured, forgetting that he was sniping at Soi with his tessen to stare at Heero.

When Tamahome's hair changed colors and red light surrounded him, Quatre and Trowa retreated to the other side of the warehouse, hiding behind Trowa's truck and wishing they had a bomb shelter handy.

"Protector of the South, come to me physically..."

The stare Heero leveled at Nakago was devoid of all emotion beyond fury. "Nakago. Die."

Soi's eyes widened as she saw the change come over Heero. She had seen this before, remembered it all too clearly. In the sudden hush (broken only by Miaka's soft murmur), she heard Heero pronounce the words too clearly.

Her feet began moving before she could remember to think.

"Now, I shall finish it..." A breeze that had no source in any physical dimension began to play with the strands of Miaka's hair.

Nakago's mouth quirked slightly at Heero's pronouncement. He stood patiently, readying himself for the attack...

"Seven constellations..."

Heero lunged forward.

"...from the sky to the earth..."

A blur of motion placed itself between Heero and Nakago.

"...fulfill for all living things..."

Soi's eyes widened in surprise as Heero's fist struck her, sinking into her, crushing delicate organs. She sagged, only to be caught by strong arms.

"...in this case..."

Soi looked up into blue eyes that held only shock. "Nakago-sama..." she whispered, lost in the memories of the first time she had seen those eyes... the day he had rescued her from the brothel to which her family had sold her. "Nakago-sama... aishiteru..." With the last of her strength, she reached her head up, kissing him softly.

"...from all evil in this world..."

"Soi..." Nakago stared down at the woman in his arms, all his careful strategies suddenly turned to ruins.

"...from the power of a deity..."

Nakago looked up slowly, meeting Heero's gaze.

Waiting.

"...protect us."

Nakago nodded at Heero, no more than the barest tilting of his head.

"From the sky..."

Heero attacked again.

This time nothing came between him and Nakago.

"...please come down to us."

For a moment, time stopped, as red fire filled the room, and a phoenix cried out triumphantly.

Miaka opened her eyes as the phoenix spread its wings in front of her. There was a shift so swift that her eyes didn't register it, and instead of the phoenix, Suzaku was before her as a man--a man with hair and wings as red as the phoenix's feathers. "Who has summoned me?"

"Suzaku no miko has," Miaka replied, shaken.

Unblinking, the god looked down at his miko. "You may have three wishes of me. You have only to speak the word, "Kaijin" and make your wish, and it will be fulfilled."

Miaka nodded, then looked up at the god with woeful eyes. "Suzaku- sama, is it true that I may not remain with Tamahome?"

"When this is over, my child, you must return to your own world... and he must remain in his," Suzaku said gravely. "Use your wishes wisely, Suzaku no miko."

"I will, Suzaku-sama..." Miaka bowed her head as the phoenix cried one last time and disappeared..

Nakago stared levelly at Heero, face expressionless despite Heero's fist through his chest. Heero stared back, rational thought returning slowly as he shared, however unwillingly, in Nakago's memories.

~Always outcast, always hated... "Mama, why do they hate us?" "Because we are Hin..." The fire and death, as Kutou's soldiers destroyed their camp, the horror of seeing his father's death, and the overwhelming need to protect his mother from the Kutou soldiers who wanted to rape her... his failure in that... The Kutou emperor, the hatred/pain/fear he felt for the man who had used him so foully... despair, and resolve, and the need to see that no one--no one--should have to suffer the same way... and the elaborate game set in place with the mikos to make this so.~

"Get out of my head," Nakago rasped. He glared impotently at Heero. "I don't want your tears." He sighed.

"I'm not the one crying," Heero said evenly, easing Nakago and Soi both to the floor.

"You were a better opponent than I expected you to be, boy... see to it that the mikos don't waste their wishes."

"I will," Heero promised. He turned away as Nakago closed his eyes for the last time, brushing away Tamahome's tears and surveying the rest of the room.

Nuriko had one of Chichiri's arms slung around his shoulder, and gave Heero a weak grin, mouthing, "Good job." Tasuki also looked suitably impressed, while Miaka seemed exalted. Heero supposed that the summoning ritual must have gone well enough. Yui was over by the wall, with Suboshi's head cradled in her lap. Chichiri waved Mitsukake in their direction tiredly.

Tokaki, carrying Chiriko, and Subaru joined the cluster of people as Heero trudged over. "Well, now what do we do?" Tasuki asked.

"Come back with us," Subaru said gently, "and rest. Then you should probably go back to Konan so the miko can make her wishes."

"That sounds like a good plan to me no da..." Chichiri looked up, feeling the movement in Mitsukake's ki.

Mitsukake had his hands spread out over Suboshi, the green light of his healing power washing over the boy like a benediction. Yui smiled wanly as the last of her seishi opened his eyes.

Nakago closed his eyes on Heero's grim expression, surrendering the last of his will to fight. There was one fleeting regret that he had not been able to say to Soi what he had wanted to before she had died, but even that was fading into the darkness, too.

Then he heard someone call his name, and he opened his eyes, only to see two slender figures waiting for him. Soi smiled at him, eyes full of softness, and his mother opened her arms. "Welcome home..."

"Aniki!" Suboshi could have sworn that he saw his brother just ahead. "Aniki, wait for me!"

Amiboshi turned around, and smiled at his twin, shaking his head. "Not yet..."

"Aniki, let me come with you!" Suboshi begged.

"You can't... you have to go back. Do me a favor, though?" Amiboshi looked at him earnestly. "Will you go back to Kaika's family... and tell them I'm sorry? I promised them I would come back. Will you take my apology to them, please?"

Suboshi bowed his head. "I will."

"Thank you... I'll be waiting for you, I promise... just don't do anything stupid and get here before you're supposed to, okay?" Amiboshi smiled. "Go take care of Yui-sama. You're the only one left to do it."

Suboshi opened his mouth to say something else, but his brother was fading away. "...aniki..." He blinked his eyes open, only to see that Yui was smiling down at him, her eyes filled with relief, and beyond her, Mitsukake. He sighed resignedly. ~You keep your promise, aniki, and I'll keep mine.~

Quatre peered out carefully, then looked down at Trowa. "I think it's safe... he's not glowing any more."

"That's a relief."

They emerged from behind the truck, approaching Tamahome with a certain amount of care. "Are you okay?" Quatre asked, seeing the traces of tears in the boy's eyes.

"Nakago is dead," Tamahome said flatly.

Quatre resisted the urge to ask questions, then brought up the subject that they'd been discussing just before a mysterious kanji had appeared on Tamahome's forehead. "We're about ready to head out to the new safehouse. Did you want to ride with me or Trowa?"

"Doesn't matter," Tamahome shrugged, yawning. "I'm going to sleep the entire way."

"Ride with me, then," Quatre said. "The seats will be more comfortable."

Trudging up the faintly worn trace of a path, Duo was mildly surprised to see one window of the new safehouse already lit. ~I didn't think Quatre and Trowa would have had enough time to get out here already,~ he mused. ~They must have been ready to go when the mission report came in.~

Reaching the door, he tried the handle. Finding it locked, he sighed. ~I'm too tired to bother picking the lock.~ He knocked in a peculiar pattern, then waited a few seconds, and repeated the staccato rapping.

A few moments passed; Duo was beginning to rethink picking the lock when the door finally opened. There were hollows under Wufei's eyes, and the lines around his eyes bespoke the grimness in which he had spent the past few days. Still, he managed a somewhat sarcastic, somewhat amused jab at Duo: "Lost our touch at picking locks, have we?"

"Naw, I just figured I'd let the butler get the door for me," Duo retorted, moving inside.

Wufei snorted. "Did the mission go well?"

"There weren't any complications, if that's what you mean. And there won't be any repeats."

Wufei followed Duo into the kitchen. "I should have been there for the mission planning," he muttered.

"Don't worry about it. It wasn't really that tough to flush the guy out," Duo shrugged one shoulder, starting to rummage in the refrigerator. "Besides, you've picked up the slack for the rest of us more than a few times. We're just returning the favor." Nothing in the fridge looked particularly appetizing, but his body craved food. He grabbed a container at random and leaned against a counter. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Wufei's lip curled slightly. "You?"

"More or less." Investigating the container, Duo discovered it contained leftover macaroni and cheese. "We're crappy liars, aren't we?"

"It doesn't stop us from trying anyway," Wufei murmured. "How was the situation with Tamahome when you left?"

"He wasn't being quite as much of a prick when I left. Maybe he's finally starting to adjust, or maybe I just got used to him, who can say? He's Quatre and Trowa's problem right now." Duo grinned wolfishly. "Tro had to handcuff him to get him out of the old safehouse."

"He rode with Trowa?" Duo nodded. "Poor Trowa."

"Yeah, I know. I owe him, big." Duo polished off the last of the macaroni and cheese, and tossed the dish in the sink. "I'm worn out. The others should get here in a few hours, I'd say."

"I'll give them your regards," Wufei promised.

"Thanks. 'Night." Duo left the kitchen, claiming one of the empty bedrooms and dropping into bed, hardly bothering to kick of his boots. He spared a few wistful moments to wish Heero was there to hold him and then fell asleep.

~tbc~

C&C, please please please?

04-Jul-2001

Heh. Yes, I *am* on a roll. Hah!

Okane and Omae o Korosu

Part Thirty-Seven

Tokaki and Subaru, both returned to their proper ages, bustled everyone out of the temple and back to their house, seeing to it that the assorted bodies were taken care of appropriately. The shell- shocked Suzaku seishi, as well as Yui and Suboshi, appreciated the couple's unselfishness, allowing themselves to be shepherded into bed, there to sleep the sleep of the just.

Miaka and Yui were both sharing a room with Xifang, and as they were preparing for bed, Yui looked soberly at Miaka. "Miaka, I'm--"

"It's okay, Yui-chan." Miaka smiled at her best friend. "It doesn't matter."

Yui wanted to argue, to protest that it *did* matter, that she had betrayed her best friend, but the gentle expression in Miaka's eyes silenced her. In Miaka's eyes, it didn't matter. Yui gave in to the inevitable, knowing that it would take a much longer time for her to forgive herself. She surprised Miaka, hugging her swiftly. "I missed you."

Miaka smiled. "I missed you too, Yui."

Suboshi woke several times in the night, crying out for his brother, only to be soothed by whomever woke first. Usually it was Nuriko, who was sleeping on the bed next to the boy.

While they slept, Tokaki and Subaru returned Tatara to Byakko's hall, paying their own last respects to their fallen comrade, offering prayers that their comrade had found the happiness in the afterlife that circumstances had denied him in life.

"Well, what are we going to do with Yui and Suboshi?" Nuriko asked over breakfast.

Miaka smiled sunnily. "Well, Yui is going to have to summon Seiryuu, of course, but I was hoping that she could do that from Konan just as easily as she could from Kutou."

Suboshi's jaw dropped. "You'd trust us enough to *let* her summon Seiryuu?"

"Of course!" Miaka beamed. "Besides, what else am I going to do with the shinzaho? I've summoned *my* god."

"Miaka no baka," Yui said fondly.

"How are we going to get back to Konan?" Heero asked abruptly, remembering the boat trip.

"I'll take care of that no da." Chichiri was looking much better this morning, especially since Mitsukake had seen to his injuries. "We'll be back in Konan before lunchtime."

Nuriko's eyes got far away for a moment. "I wonder what Hotohori- sama's been doing," he murmured.

"Taking it easy while the rest of us do all the real work," Tasuki scoffed.

"Well, we'll find out soon enough," Miaka said brightly.

Hotohori frowned as his prime minister finished the report. "You said the Kutou army is *how* far from our borders?"

"Half a day's ride." The man looked very old, and very tired. "Our army is prepared to go meet them, but there are three men of theirs for every one of ours... I pray that the miko will return swiftly to summon Suzaku."

Hotohori heard the unspoken, "It's our only hope" all too clearly. The emperor closed his eyes, praying for his companions to return soon and silently grieving again for the mysterious death of Chiriko.

Suzaku, it appeared, had a sense of humor, for no sooner had he opened his eyes again than Chichiri appeared from thin air, helping first Miaka, then Tamahome and the rest of the surviving seishi out of his kesa... and then producing a girl dressed in the same foreign clothes that Miaka wore, and--Hotohori's eyes widened even more-- Amiboshi?

"Praise Suzaku for answered prayers," his prime minister murmured.

Hotohori stood, not sure where to begin as he saw the small figure cradled in Mitsukake's arms. He settled for looking at Miaka searchingly.

She smiled, a little sadly. "We got the shinzaho, Hotohori, and I summoned Suzaku."

"We wanted to wait for ya, but we got a little busy," Tasuki interjected, with a grin.

"What happened?" Hotohori asked quietly, nodding at Chiriko.

Tamahome spoke up. "He sacrificed himself to save the rest of us, just before the final battle." He sounded at once profoundly respectful and deeply saddened.

"And then Hee-chan took care of Nakago, and we decided it was time to come back home," Nuriko chimed in.

Hotohori wasn't quite sure he'd heard that correctly, especially as Nuriko glomped Tamahome rather enthusiastically. Come to think of it, it was odd, the way Miaka and Tamahome weren't all cuddled up together as was their wont. "Beg pardon? 'Hee-chan'?"

Tamahome looked mildly exasperated. "It's something of a long story..."

In the end, Heero was hardly surprised when Hotohori accepted his story without blinking. ~I guess it's easier to believe in other worlds when there's so much magic in your own,~ he thought.

They might have spent much longer debriefing the emperor, but one of the officials who had been present when they arrived coughed politely. "Forgive me, Your Majesty, but... the Kutou army?"

Hotohori immediately turned gravely to Miaka. "Miaka... will you make your wish to protect Konan now? I know you must still be tired from the summoning, but the Kutou army is just outside our border..."

"It's okay." Miaka looked serious. "I can make my wish now, it's not a problem." She took a deep breath, and shouted, "KAIJIN!" A red symbol glowed on her forehead, and red feathers floated through the air around her. "I wish that Konan might have eternal peace without threat from invasion!"

The red symbol faded away, and Miaka swayed on her feet, looking suddenly exhausted. As Nuriko helped her to stay steady on her feet, Heero had to wonder if they were going to put that much faith in a simple handful of words... Then he dismissed the thought. In this world, there was no telling what could and could not happen.

Miaka looked apologetically at Heero. "I'm sorry, Heero, but I think I may have to wait on your wish..."

Heero inclined his head. "I can wait a little longer to go home, if you can wait a little longer to see Tamahome."

"I'm going to get Miaka put to bed," Nuriko announced, as Miaka wobbled on her feet. "I'll be back soon, so don't tell any of the good stuff until then."

Hotohori snorted, and looked at his advisors. "I think this council meeting is adjourned." The men bowed and left. Hotohori sighed. "First... I think we should take Chiriko to the shrine."

A little later that afternoon, the first division of Kutou's army attempted to cross the border into Konan. A shimmering line of fire that appeared every time they approached the border repulsed them. Eventually, frustrated, they reported back to their commanding officers that it was impossible to enter the country.

Quatre surveyed the warehouse one last time, making sure that no incriminating scrap of evidence could betray that this place had served as a last-ditch safehouse. At length, satisfied, he nodded to himself and gave the thumbs-up to Trowa before climbing into his transport.

True to his word, Tamahome was in the copilot's seat, out cold.

~Well, at least he doesn't snore,~ Quatre shrugged mentally.

Wandering around Konan's palace, inspecting things curiously, Heero became aware that he'd developed a shadow. He glanced back. "Nuriko?"

Nuriko came forward. "Yeah, it's me. Want a guided tour?"

"Why not?" Heero dutifully followed Nuriko around, observing politely as important landmarks and items of interest were pointed out.

As they came to the gardens, Nuriko remarked casually, "Miaka said she thought she'd probably be able to send you home tomorrow."

"So soon?" Heero was impressed.

"Yeah, well, she's pretty quick to heal up, most of the time. And she's a boundless fount of energy, too." Nuriko smiled at Heero. "I'll bet you're ready to get out of this crazy world, aren't you?"

"There are a lot of things I like about this world..." Heero shrugged. "You can wish away a war here. That's nice. When I go home, it'll be back to a war for me."

"Aa... I had forgotten. But at least you'll have your Duo, ne?"

Heero smiled slightly. "There is that."

Nuriko was quiet for a while, looking at the moonlight over the garden. "I'm going to miss you, you know."

Heero touched Nuriko's shoulder. "I'll miss you, too," he said uncertainly. "If it had been different--"

"I know, Heero. I know." Nuriko turned to him quickly, before Heero could react, and kissed him softly. "You take care of yourself in that war, ne? No more of this dying to get the mission accomplished."

"All right... and Nuriko?" Heero waited till he was sure he had the seishi's attention. "If this is the emperor who you say never once visited his harem, then I think you've definitely got a fighting chance."

Nuriko's smile was conspiratorial. "I know."

Heero made a soft sound that might have been laughter, and they went back to looking at the garden under the moon.

Miaka was practically dancing from her impatience and excitement, waiting for Heero to show up. "What's taking him so long?" she complained to Yui.

Her best friend shrugged. "I think he wanted to pay his respects to Chiriko before you send him back. Or something like that."

Heero finally appeared, looking as impassive as ever, although if anyone had looked closely, they might have seen that he was fidgeting, just a little bit.

"Are you ready?" Miaka asked him.

"Aa..." Heero looked at the assembled seishi. "It's been... an experience to remember."

"Good luck no da, Heero."

Tasuki grinned at him. "If you kick as much ass in your world as you did here, you're bound to win that war!"

Nuriko winked at him. "Take care, Hee-chan."

Hotohori simply inclined his head slightly.

"Farewell, Heero," Mitsukake said gravely.

Suboshi and Yui both stayed silent, being only bystanders in this drama.

Heero looked around. "Goodbye."

"KAIJIN!" Miaka shouted. "I wish for Tamahome and Heero to be returned to their proper bodies."

Red light rose up around Heero, obscuring his vision. ~I remember this light...~ Then it dimmed into a comfortable darkness.

Quatre groaned in dismay as his seatmate began snoring. It was still *several* hours to the safehouse.

Tamahome woke up, surrounded by red light. He was disoriented for a long moment, till he heard a very familiar voice. "Oi, did it work?"

"Tasuki?" Tamahome rubbed his eyes, looking around, and seeing half a dozen familiar faces smiling back at him... most importantly... "Miaka!"

"Tamahome!"

As the two of them rushed together, Nuriko made a slight face. "I guess it worked."

Yui listened to the conversation between the reunited lovers, which mostly consisted of repetitions of each other's names. "Are they like this... all of the time?"

"You'd be amazed no da..."

Tamahome, keeping his arm wrapped snugly around Miaka, looked around. "Yui?" he said, surprised, as he caught sight of the girl. Then he saw the boy standing at her elbow. "Suboshi."

Suboshi lowered his eyes before Tamahome's hard, angry gaze. "Tamahome-san. I'm sorry."

"Hn." Tamahome didn't say any more, and kept a distrustful eye on Suboshi, but seemed content to leave matters like that for the time being. He looked around. "So... what did I miss?"

Yui snorted. "Where to begin?"

He woke to the hand on his shoulder, shaking him awake. "Wake up... we're here." Heero hit alertness between one blink and the next. "Where are we?"

Quatre smiled at him with a hint of forced patience. "The new safehouse, remember?"

Heero stared at him warily, wondering if the entire episode with the other world had been a dream--a vivid dream, but just a dream. "Aa. Sorry."

"I'll get the gundams unloaded. You can go ahead into the house if you want."

"I'll do that." Heero edged away from Quatre, finding that he had to adjust his stride for the sake of half-healed injuries. ~That's right... I was recovering... from self-destruction. Is that why Quatre's treating me like an invalid?~

He frowned to himself. If he'd been delusional from his injuries, he supposed that could explain some of the more fantastic aspects of his most recent experiences... but something about that idea rang false. He'd just have to play it by ear, until he figured out what his fellow pilots did and did not know.

The door to the safehouse swung open as he approached, and Wufei greeted him with a silent nod. He didn't seem overly thrilled to see him, Heero noted, filing this observation away for reference. "Hungry?" Wufei asked.

"Aa." Heero dutifully followed Wufei to the kitchen. Duo was standing at the stove, muttering to himself over a pot of something that smelled faintly of garlic and oregano.

"Hey, Wu, did Quatre bring--" Duo turned away from the stove, catching sight of Heero. He stopped mid-sentence, eyes narrowing as he looked past Wufei to the boy standing in the doorway behind him. Then he dropped the spoon he was holding with a clatter and a splatter of spaghetti sauce, bowling past Wufei. "HEERO! You bastard, do you have any idea how worried I've been?!" He practically knocked Heero over in his eagerness to pounce him.

Heero hesitantly brought his arms up around Duo, closing his eyes and sighing softly. No matter what, exactly, had happened, he was home now. "Duo..."

Wufei blinked, not sure what had just happened. "Heero? Not Tamahome?"

Heero's eyes opened. "Not Tamahome..." he echoed. ~Then... it was real. It did happen.~ He tightened his grip around Duo, one hand automatically fisting in his lover's braid. "I'm home."

"And it's about damn time, too," Duo muttered. "I've been going nuts."

Wufei cracked a tiny smile. "Heero. Okaeri." He paused, sniffing the air. "Is something burning?"

"Shit!" Duo turned loose of Heero, racing for the stove and scrabbling for the potholders. Gingerly, he fished a tray of blackened bread from the oven. "Well, so much for the garlic bread." He set the tray aside ruefully. "Is Quatre still outside with the gundams?"

"No, I'm not... if Tamahome would move, I could get into the kitchen," Quatre said from behind Heero.

Heero obligingly moved aside, smirking faintly. Quatre took a couple of steps into the kitchen, looked at Duo's euphoric grin and then at Heero, listened to what his uchuu no kokoro was trying to say, and cocked his head. "Heero?"

"It's about time you noticed," Heero said dryly.

"Sorry, it's been a long day." Quatre smiled. "It's good to have you back, Heero."

Heero startled all three of them by smiling faintly. "It's good to be back," he said quietly. "What have I missed?"

Tamahome stared at Miaka. "You can't stay in this world?" he repeated numbly.

"No..." Miaka looked down at her hands. "I have to go back after my last wish."

Tamahome hugged her to him tightly. "Then we'll just have to make the most of the time we do have. Wo ai ni, Miaka."

She sighed and snuggled into his chest. "I love you too, Tamahome."

"Are you sure about this, Miaka?" Yui said doubtfully, looking at the shinzaho Miaka held in either hand.

"Of course I'm sure, Yui. What good is being a miko if you don't summon your god?" Miaka said practically. "At least you're going to do it right, with the ritual purification and stuff."

Yui gave in and accepted the two items. "If you insist... Are you sure it's not breaking the rules for me to summon Seiryuu in Suzaku's shrine?"

"They'll get over it," Tasuki snorted.

Chichiri thwapped Tasuki lightly. "Be more reverent no da!" He smiled at Yui. "Go ahead, Yui-san, whenever you're ready."

Yui swallowed her doubts and began summoning her god. "The four directions of the sky..."

Heero frowned at Duo's recapitulation of the events that had transpired while he was in the world of the four gods. "It's only been a few days here?"

Duo nodded. "Yup. They felt like forever, though."

"It was *much* longer for me. How... odd." Heero dismissed it. ~Everything that just happened to me was odd.~

"Well, the important thing is that you're back, especially since the good doctors have been curious about your status," Duo said contentedly. "As I understand it, they're doing what they can to get Wing put back together.

"Good," Heero grunted. He fought a losing battle against a yawn.

Duo grinned. "Hey, Heero, need me to tuck you in tonight, maybe read you a bedtime story?"

"Is *that* what they're calling it these days?" Wufei muttered, carrying his dishes to the sink. "Well, go on, get out of here, Quatre and I will take care of the dishes."

"Thanks, Wu!" Duo practically dragged Heero out of the room.

Behind them, Quatre immediately said, "I'll dry."

"Injustice! You always dry the dishes!"

"You're too slow to claim it first!"

Duo snickered. "Quatre's such a brat... this is our bedroom." He opened the door, then meeped when Heero hugged him suddenly.

"I missed you," Heero said fiercely. "I missed you a lot."

Duo relaxed against Heero. "I missed you too."

Heero kissed him, slowly, then leaned his forehead against Duo's, looking him straight in the eye. "There's something I need to tell you," he said softly.

"Is it really important?" Duo asked, with a naughty little smirk.

"Yes... Duo. Aishiteru."

Heero had to smile at the dumbfounded expression on Duo's face. "Heero, what did they *do* to you on this other world?"

"They helped me figure a lot of things out," Heero said softly. "A lot of things."

"I'm glad they did," Duo murmured, kissing him. "I'm very glad... I love you too, Heero."

Heero closed his eyes contentedly, finally knowing that he was home.

In the end, Yui chose to model her first wish after Miaka's, wishing that Kutou might know safety from war, both through invasions and internally. Then, after much careful thought, she made a careful wish to restore all the damage that had occurred both through Kutou's depredations abroad and at home, as well as the incidental damage caused in confrontations between Suzaku and Seiryuu no shichiseishi.

After even more careful thought, she chose her final wish.

"I'll see you back on the other side, Miaka," Yui said quietly, before making her wish. "Suboshi... take care of yourself, okay?"

Her one surviving seishi gave her a haggard smile. "I will, Yui- sama. You do the same."

Yui turned to Tamahome. "I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused you, Tamahome."

"Forget about it," he said gruffly.

Yui smiled. "Well... KAIJIN!" As blue light surrounded her, she made her final wish. "I wish... that there never has to be another Nakago on this world." Then the blue light swept her away, and she was gone.

She reappeared in the comfortably familiar surroundings of Miaka's home, landing right in a very startled Tetsuya's lap.

Keisuke snorted. "Welcome home, Yui-chan."

She smiled. "Thanks. Miaka will be along, just as soon as she's made her last wish and said goodbye to everyone."

Miaka sniffled, looking around at all her friends. "I guess this is goodbye..."

"Group hug!" Nuriko announced, as they crowded around Miaka, hugging her tightly and wishing her well.

Hotohori hugged her first. "Be well, Miaka," he told her gravely. "You'll always be in our hearts." Then he frowned slightly to himself, wondering if it was his imagination, or if someone actually *had* just given him a swift pat on the rump.

Nuriko, grinning for reasons best known to himself, hugged her next. "Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on Tama-kun for you," he promised. "I'll make sure he doesn't eat *too* much of the palace china."

Tasuki hugged her tightly. "You weren't bad, for a girl," he announced. He sniffled a little. "I'm gonna miss you."

Chichiri hugged her next. "Good luck no da," he said quietly. "We'll miss you na no da."

Mitsukake hugged her quickly. "Take good care of yourself, Miaka," he told her gravely.

Tamahome was last, and held on to her the longest. "I'll wait," he whispered. "Just like Tatara... I'll wait, if that's how long it takes. Wo ai ni."

"Wo ai ni, Tamahome." Miaka kissed him goodbye, not wanting to let go. Finally, she forced herself to step back. Tears glittered in her eyes as she looked at the group. "Goodbye, minna... KAIJIN!" She whispered her last wish. "Suzaku... I wish... that everyone... everyone will find happiness..."

The last thing she saw before Suzaku whisked her home was Tamahome's face as he mouthed, "I'll wait... I promise."

The next thing she knew, her brother was helping her sit up. "Miaka... welcome home." He hugged her.

She sniffled a little as the tears she'd held back finally began to fall. "That... was the best book I've ever read in my life..."

~Owari~

04-Jul-2001

This part is more or less completely FY centric, but it has a slanting reference to Heero, so it's not completely off-topic.

Okane and Omae o Korosu

Epilogue One: The FY World

Suboshi sighed as he trudged over the last hill and saw the village nestled in the valley below. He'd only had the vaguest of ideas about how to reach the place, but a nameless instinct had guided him along the correct paths. Suboshi had a few ideas about where that instinct had originated, but didn't worry about it.

Adjusting his pack, he started down the hill, heading for the second to last house on the left. Amiboshi had described it to him a couple of times, and he knew exactly which one he was looking for.

He hesitated for a moment, before knocking on the door. A comfortable looking woman answered it, her face breaking into a smile as tears pooled in her eyes. Without a word, she folded her arms around him. "Kaika... we were so worried about you..."

Her husband stood behind her, his smile warm. "Welcome home, son."

Suboshi opened his mouth to correct them, to say that he *wasn't* Kaika, or Amiboshi, but thought better of it. This, probably, was the best homage he could pay to his brother's memory. He smiled at the two of them. "I'm sorry it took so long."

Hotohori was beginning to get the feeling that he was being hunted. He had no *proof* of it, but he couldn't shake the feeling that someone was after him.

He looked up from the paperwork spread out across his desk, only to find Nuriko watching him. Again.

Hotohori shook his head, wondering why the other seishi always seemed to be watching him. "Are you done with that report yet?" he asked, to cover his slight confusion.

"Hm? Oh, yes, I've been finished with that for ages." Nuriko smiled at the emperor.

"Well, why didn't you say so?" Hotohori asked, accepting the report.

"I was enjoying the view."

Hotohori let that pass. "You've... uh... certainly changed," he remarked.

"Have I?" Nuriko shrugged. "I guess Heero just got it through my head that I had to be my own person, and not accept anything less than I'm worth."

Hotohori had a sudden, terrible suspicion. "You and he didn't have a *relationship* while he was here, did you?" he asked, feeling a little injured and not quite sure why.

Nuriko laughed at him. "No, of course not! Heero had somebody waiting for him in his own world... and I have someone of my own." Nuriko smirked.

"You do? Who?"

Nuriko smiled at him, eyes full of dancing secrets. "Ask me that again someday, Hotohori-sama, and maybe I'll tell you."

Hotohori blinked and went back to work. Nuriko watched him for a little while longer, then returned to his own tasks. ~It's going to be quite a chase,~ he thought complacently, ~but you are going to be _so_ worth it, Hotohori.~

Mitsukake watched the sun rising, sipping a cup of tea. The first patients of the day would be arriving soon, with their complaints of head colds and sore joints and petty injuries, but for the moment all was quiet in his little clinic.

He watched the morning spread across the land for a few minutes longer and then renewed the promise he made every morning. ~Shouka... it may take me the rest of my life, but wait for me. I'll come to you as soon as I can.~

During the summer months, when the weather was fine for traveling, it was not uncommon to see a monk and an bandit wandering along the roads of Konan.

During the winter months, it was said, the bandits of Mt. Reikakou enjoyed the added presence of a magic-using monk among their ranks.

And, as far as the monk and the bandit were concerned, people could make of that anything they darned well pleased.

Yui blinked at Miaka. "Keisuke wants you to meet someone? Who?"

Miaka shrugged. "I don't know. Keisuke likes being mysterious."

They were waiting in the park, enjoying the warm spring sunshine and the wafting cherry blossoms. Eventually, Tetsuya and Keisuke arrived, both looking inordinately pleased with themselves. "Ne, Miaka, you know how Tetsuya and I started that historical society?" Keisuke began, grinning.

She nodded dutifully.

"We got a new member today," Tetsuya announced, with a Cheshire cat grin of his own.

"That brings your total up to three members, right?" Yui inquired mildly.

"Hush, woman, and let us tell our story," Tetsuya scolded her.

"Is this new member who you dragged me out here to meet?" Miaka asked. "Keisuke, I have an *awful* lot of homework..."

"Miaka, since when have you let a little thing like homework get in your way?" Keisuke rolled his eyes. "Anyway, this guy--Taka's his name, by the way--is really neat. I think you're going to like him."

Tetsuya shaded his eyes against the glare of the sun. "I think I see him coming now," he said, pointing.

Miaka squinted, only able to make out the outline of her brother's new friend at first.

"The really interesting thing about this guy," Keisuke told her very softly, "is that he believes in reincarnation... because he says he's experienced it. He says he's always had memories of another life, where he was some sort of guardian... to a priestess who served an animal god..."

The figure was slowly becoming distinct. Miaka covered her mouth with a hand, shaking her head slowly in disbelief as Taka's features resolved into those of her beloved's.

Then Yui gave her a little shove, and Miaka was running forward to meet her very own walking miracle.

~Owari~

C&C? Please?

(and I'll post the GW epilogue, just as soon as I get it written. which may be a bit.)

12-Jul-2001

Here it is, guys, the final wrap-up for O&O!

Please send feedback offlist, 'kay?

Okane and Omae o Korosu

Epilogue Two: The Mostly Gratuitous Citrus Wrap-Up for the GW World

By all accounts, it should have been impossible.

The pieces of the Libra hurtled to Earth, a threat greater than any of the wars that had threatened it before. Alone, flying out before the lethal shooting stars, was a single mobile suit.

Alone, even Wing Gundam shouldn't have been able to do anything to avert the disaster.

Scientific calculations showed later that the heat and the pressure in the cockpit of any mobile suit, from a lowly Leo to Wing itself, would have been enough to kill anyone. The stresses of dealing with that, on top of piloting the mobile suit and making a trick shot to make all other marksmen before him look like amateurs--well, when Heero Yuy clambered out of Wing's battered cockpit, reeking with sweat and tottering with exhaustion, they call him a hero, a savior, and a walking, talking miracle.

Heero refused to talk about it, driving scientists insane with his reticence and unwillingness to be examined and boggling the minds of the most prestigious producers in Old Hollywood by turning down several million credits for the rights to his life story. Even those closest to Heero, those who knew better than anyone else what a gundam was and was *not* capable of doing couldn't pry the words out of him.

Eventually, people gave it up as a lost cause, and busied themselves with learning how to rebuild a world and colonies nearly destroyed by war, and Heero kept his secrets to himself, understanding that very few people would understand the ethereal red fire that had protected him for those few vital moments when a planet's fate hung in the balance.

In the aftermath of the war, the five pilots found themselves at a loss, not really men but hardly boys, drifting through a world that officially called them heroes but still contained large groups who labeled them villains for the casualties they'd inflicted. The doctors, however, had chosen their pilots carefully, and the five found their balance and peace, or made it when necessary.

"Onna! Are you insane?" Wufei put his hands on his hips and did a credible imitation of the Yuy Death Glare, Chang Style. "Do you have *any* idea of the security risk an outdoor ceremony is?"

Relena matched him with the Peacecraft Stare of Utter Implacability (infamous at diplomatic functions from L1 to Mars). "I thought you said that the plans were up to me," she said in a dangerously sweet tone. "You wouldn't be going back on your word of honor, Wufei, would you?"

Wufei glared at her and uttered several curses, not the least of which were directed at Sally Po (for having talked him into joining the Preventers in the first place) and Lady Une (who had assigned him to be Prime Minister Peacecraft's Chief Security Officer). Then he threw his hands up in the air. "Fine! Do it your way! But don't come crying to me when the snipers interrupt the ceremony!"

Relena instantly smiled at him. "Don't be ridiculous," she said soothingly. "I know you, and I know that there won't be an inch of ground in a five mile radius that won't be searched with a fine- toothed comb three times before the wedding. And if *Heero* misses anything, I'm sure you'll catch it."

Wufei grumbled under his breath, then looked up at the heavens beseechingly. "Why me?" he asked despairingly.

Relena giggled and kissed his cheek. "Because you're adorable when you're disgruntled. Come here and help me choose the color scheme."

Wufei allowed himself to be tugged forward, but felt he ought to make at least one final stand. "No pink," he said firmly. "I detest pink."

Relena looked back at him, eyes wide and innocent. "But I *like* pink!"

Quatre watched a console silently, face kept carefully neutral as it displayed the docking of the first ship full of hopeful colonists. There were several officials there to greet them and welcome to the colony that sparkled with its newness. He would have liked to have been there as well, but... it hardly would have been appropriate. So he could only watch. Absently he rubbed the place over his heart, where the ache of a thousand thousand lives cut abruptly short never quite went away, and sighed. It was a poor restitution, but it was all he (acting with the full weight of Winner Enterprises, Inc. behind him) could manage.

A slender hand draped itself over his shoulder. Quatre accepted the invitation, leaning back into Trowa's comfortable presence. "It seems to be proceeding well," he observed quietly.

"It does," Trowa agreed. He paused thoughtfully. "I think your father would be proud."

Quatre's lips curled up slightly. "I hope so. It's named after him, after all." That had been something he'd been adamant about... the only thing, really, other than ensuring that no expense had been spared in the construction. He shrugged faintly, switching off the console. "Well, that's a good start, anyway."

"You aren't going to be able to fix everything that the war broke," Trowa told him.

Quatre turned, flashing him a determined smile. "I know. But that doesn't mean I can't try." He shook off the melancholic mood. "All packed and ready to go?"

"Of course. Once I persuaded your servants that I did *not* need enough clothes to last me for a year," Trowa murmured.

"They get overzealous... Well." Quatre checked the time. "If we want to leave by 13:00, we'd better get going."

Trowa nodded his agreement, and together they headed for the door.

As they settled into the private Winner shuttle, headed for Earth, Trowa commented, "I still can't believe that Wufei let himself be talked into pink."

Quatre frowned. "What's wrong with pink?"

"That was a nice ceremony," Heero commented, closing the door behind himself and Duo as they returned to their hotel room after the wedding.

Well, that's what he meant to say anyway.

What he actually said was, "That w--mmmph." He *did* manage to get the door shut, at least, before Duo, all eager groping hands and probing tongue, pounced him, pinning him against the wall in the vestibule to the suite and kissing him breathless. By the time he stopped, Heero had a glazed expression (either from hypoxia or lust, it was hard to say) and the outer jacket of his dress uniform was already on the floor. "What was that for?"

Duo hooked a finger in Heero's collar, tugging him forward. "For making me spend an entire evening watching you make fish eggs on a cracker the sexiest thing on the face of the planet. Besides myself, of course."

"You were supposed to have been watching the L1 delegation," Heero reproached him, inordinately pleased that Duo *had* noticed after all.

"The hell with *that*." Duo took a moment to pause in their progression towards the bedroom, applying his mouth to Heero's with an irresistible combination of enthusiasm and skill. Heero kissed back just as hungrily, deciding to expedite matters somewhat as his tie fluttered down to the floor. He scooped Duo up over one shoulder, heading purposefully towards the bedroom. Perfect Soldier he may have been, but he just wasn't ready to face the rug burns that had resulted from the last time they'd been too eager to get to the bedroom again.

Duo squirmed a little bit, drumming his fingers on one shoulder blade. "Can't this boat go any faster?" he complained. Heero dropped him onto the bed. "...oof..."

"Don't you ever stop whining?" Heero asked. Duo grinned up at him and shook his head, no. "Aa. Stupid question. Too many clothes, Duo. Off." He kicked off his own shoes, starting to unbutton his shirt.

Duo sat up, happily stripping off jacket and tie. "You're so cute when you get all direct like that." Duo leaned forward, slipping his hands inside Heero's shirt, sliding his arms around his waist and nuzzling his cheek against Heero's stomach. "Love you," he said softly, feeling Heero's sigh of contentment more than hearing it as one callused hand smoothed his hair.

"Aishiteru," Heero replied, as Duo tugged him down to the bed, kissing a trail up his stomach and chest as Heero went to work on Duo's shirt. He made soft sounds of pleasure every time Duo's mouth hit his sensitive spots with unerring accuracy.

Then Duo's mouth found Heero's again and they kissed for a while, forgetting about clothes and just enjoying each other.

Then Heero flipped Duo suddenly, grinning down at Duo's surprise. He nuzzled against Duo's neck with ruthless efficiency, exploiting his lover's weak spot.

Duo nearly melted into the bed, practically purring with pleasure. "Nnn... you're just too damn good at that." He wrapped his arms around Heero, holding him tightly. "No games tonight, please?"

"No games," Heero agreed, just as unwilling to prolong matters. He slid a hand down Duo's stomach, feeling the muscles tightening and quivering under the gliding touch, and cupped his hand around the hardness tenting Duo's slacks.

Duo groaned as Heero kneaded his erection, pushing his hips into the touch. Heero swallowed the groan with another kiss, working the slacks off with the ease of practice. He smirked down at Duo when he found that his lover was not only hard, but wet.

Duo shrugged at him, breathless. "Told you... fish eggs on a cracker was pretty damn sexy." His breath caught as Heero's grip tightened gently. "If you keep that up, lover, I'm gonna come too soon."

"Mmm..." Heero stripped off his own slacks as well, reaching for the tube on the nightstand and slicking his fingers. Duo hissed with the pleasure/pain as Heero's fingers probed into his body, preparing him for the later, more welcome intrusion. Heero looked down at Duo questioningly, coating his own aching erection with additional lubricant. "Ready?"

Duo wrapped his legs around Heero's waist in response. "Ready."

They both closed their eyes as Heero slowly pushed into Duo, their breath catching together. Heero cracked his eyes, watching Duo carefully and waiting for the sign that his lover was ready for more.

Duo shifted against Heero, the friction making Heero moan. "More," he gasped, as if the command was necessary.

Heero curled a hand around Duo's erection, pumping it in a counterpoint to his thrusts, working them both closer to the edge. Duo cried his lover's name when Heero's thrusts began hitting home, hands wrapping around Heero's biceps tightly. He shuddered, tightening around Heero as the pleasure crested, crying out again with release.

Heero moaned as Duo pulled him over the edge after him, pulsing into Duo. They stayed locked together for long moments, until Heero finally curled up around Duo with another tiny, contented sigh.

"It was a nice wedding," Duo said eventually, voice oozing satisfaction. "Too much pink, though."

"It wasn't pink. It was mauve," Heero corrected him.

"Huh?" Duo blinked. "Since when are you a connoisseur of girly colors, Heero?"

"Since Wufei cornered me in the break room and spent fifteen minutes ranting about how it wasn't pink."

"Oh. That explains it, I guess." Duo snuggled against Heero. "Heh. Wufei and Relena. Who'd have thunk it?"

"Une. She's a born matchmaker." At Duo's puzzled glance, he added, "Haven't you ever wondered why she keeps throwing Sally and Noin together?"

"Well... I'll be damned." Duo sniggered. "Remind me to buy her a drink some time." He returned to his original train of thought. "Wufei and Relena... heh. This should be interesting, anyway. Hey, did I ever tell you about the time she kissed me?"

"The time she *what*?" Heero asked, voice suddenly cool.

"Yeah, it was back during the war... while you were playing hero in ancient China or whatever. I was sacked out on the couch, and she decided to play Sleeping Beauty or something. I had to give her the just-friends speech." Duo grinned at Heero. "Oh, would you relax? She got the message, and she never tried it again. Didn't you notice that she stopped hanging out around us so much after that?"

Heero frowned. "I thought she had the hots for *me*."

"Go figure. Who understands how women think? Well, whoever she had the crush on, though, she got over. Although she must have a thing for terrorists..." Duo laughed.

"I wonder if Nuriko ever got his man," Heero murmured thoughtfully.

"Hm?"

"Nuriko. He was the one I was closest to."

Duo perked up. It wasn't often that Heero talked very much about his out of body experience. "Yeah?"

"He was... a little confused, I guess." Heero stared up at the ceiling. "He had a crush on me, sort of, but mostly because I never bothered him much about the fact that he'd spent most of his life as a transvestite."

"Sounds like my kind of guy," Duo grinned. "Kidding. Go on."

"There's not much else to the story, really..." ~Well, there is, but I couldn't explain it if I tried...~ "He also had it bad for one of the others, Hotohori. I was just wondering if they ever managed to get together. He reminded me a lot of you..."

"Then he got him," Duo said decisively, nodding for emphasis. "Just like I got you." He snuggled against Heero, planting a light kiss on his lips. "Aishiteru, Heero."

Heero turned his head, looking at Duo. "Duo. Aishiteru. Zutto..."

And, although neither of them noticed it, a single red feather drifted through the air, accompanied by the distant cry of a phoenix.

~Owari~

{Minor Epilogue. Just for funsies.}

~Owari~
(this time, for real. for sure. honest!)

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmm...

It's over.

^_^;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

I'd like to say thanks to a lot of people. To Tyr, for being the first to archive me. [ndlr: the pleasure was all mine! :-) ] To anyone who ever pointed out an error or an inconsistency (god knows there's a million of them). To Spade, for drawing a marvelous piccie to go with the story. To Kimmie, for providing an incantation for crucial part of the story. To anyone who has *EVER* given me feedback. To my roommate, who patiently talked through plotline with me and helped me figure out how to write myself out of the corners I'd stick myself in... and who consistently begged me not to kill Nakago. [hands her roomie a bound and gagged Nakago, just for her]

Thanks, guys. I couldn't have done this without you.

And... one other thing.

Feedback? e_e

(:./lys/okane8)