04-Feb-2001
Hello all! My beta reader has been found *huggles Sana-chan* so it's all good again! ^^v
Same warnings, etc, as previous part... since it all meant to be one.
(Six months later)
It was nearly Duo's birthday. Heero hadn't forgotten, but it seemed to loom even more than it should have, with what seemed to be everyone discussing what would happen. For some reason he'd yet to determine, sixteen was a special age, marking something in someone's life, a change signifying a point of no return.
After significant debate with himself - he still didn't really know why - he'd decided to join the party going to retrieve Duo, after the initial six months of training were over. The king had looked at him with surprise when he'd requested to accompany the group, probably more that Heero was still alive than that he wanted to go. In the months since Duo had gone, he'd reverted more and more to his old self, now almost completely drawn in.
Except around his braided friend. Even now, after so long in separation, the boy brought out a side to Heero he'd long ago thought abandoned, a surprising ease with his surroundings and his companion that came as a profound relief. He'd never met anyone else who could pull that out of him, so he clammed up again once Duo was gone. Their conversations, nearly every night, kept him from regressing completely. One could almost say they kept him sane.
The day wasn't exactly pleasant, not by the strictest of terms, but for a country such as theirs, where even in summer in never reached eighty degrees, the day was good for winter. There had been no precipitation for days, leaving week old snow congealed on the ground, but no fresh blanket to hinder them and chill the horses. If taken slowly, the trip could be two or three days, but the party was determined to do it in one. They were doing well, although the horses would be exhausted once they arrived.
Not just the horses, now that he thought about it. The one day meant all that one day, leaving at dawn, trying to eat during a slow time of riding, arriving only a bit before dark. If his memory served him right - and it almost always did, in measuring time or distances - they'd only an hour to go. The sun had long passed midday, the shadows of horse and rider long bruises that flickered across the earth.
He'd forgotten how out of practice he was with anything equestrian. He and Duo had frequently gone riding, but he'd only had the necessity to ride once since his friend had left, a wedding most of the palace residents had been forced to attend.
As the tower came into view, he realized he'd never once seen one of these schools, for developing any sort of psychic gift one might have. He'd learned eventually that Duo's appeared to be a deep understanding of music, tone and theory, something the old instructors had trouble helping Duo with. Duo always had seemed to possess an innate understanding of all things aural, identifying different substances by the tones the made when you hit them, the resonance when vibrating. Not to mention that he had one of most beautiful voices Heero had ever heard, male or female. He could remember listening, in a state that could be described as spellbound, as Duo absently hummed, entertained himself by singing some folk song, or just sang because he felt like it. His train of thought brought him to the one of the few times he'd fallen sick, and Duo had taken it upon himself to entertain Heero. He'd ended up composing senseless, often offensive ditties about most members of the court, including his own family. Heero found himself laughing, forcing himself to stop when he saw the strange looks turned upon him.
There was someone waiting for them, and for one joyful moment, he thought it was Duo. It was just an old man, though, most likely one of the instructors of the school come to greet their oh so important guest. Being with the King did have its perks. Except, of course, when people refused to consort with you, through fear or disdain for all royalty. Duo had never had that problem... People had enjoyed his company wherever the boy had gone, no matter who he was with. Duo had friends stashed away in the most unlikely places...
"Yuy!"
His head jerked to the call. He was the only person with the last name Yuy.
One of the knights, held in the highest regard by the king and powerful because of it, beckoned him. Dismounting, he approached slowly, his legs weak and the inside of his thighs aching. He could hide it, though. He'd spent his life hiding any injuries.
When he was close enough, the knight said, "They want to check everyone, make sure no one's got any hidden weapons. You'll have to remove your sword, boy."
He nodded, though inside he snarled at the diminutive. He considered briefly unsheathing the sword, handing it to the tower servant who had suddenly appeared point forward, just to cause some chaos. Duo would like that... But Duo wasn't even here now. Unbuckling his sword belt, be laid the sheath in the man's hands, letting the man's eyes run over his form, searching for anything hidden. Like there was anywhere to hide anything on the form fitting riding clothes. He tried to keep from fidgeting, more impatient than he'd realized to see Duo again. But there was no one except those he'd traveled with, the man who'd met, and the handful of servants he'd brought out to check for doomsday tools. Where was Duo? He'd endured the company of finicky knights and conceited advisors simply for a chance to see Duo, to be able to talk to the one person he'd come to care about.
His traveling companions seemed to have clumped together while they waited, each discussing something that would doubtlessly be uninteresting to him, which left him to his own thoughts. He found them wandering again to Duo, as his attention seemed to do more and more frequently these days. He sometimes seemed to have lost control of his mind, something that disturbed him.
About a month or so ago, he'd been walking back to his room, rather late at night, and had passed a man he recognized as one of the pages deep in an embrace with a woman he couldn't see well enough to recognize. Though neither of the lovers had noticed him, he'd found his face immediately coloring, and had hurried to get them out of sight - and hearing.
Try as he might, he couldn't get the two out of his mind. To the point that he'd woken late that night from a dream that both scared him and that he wanted. Himself, and Duo, doing that same thing. Something he tried to ignore. Physical intimacy was entirely alien to him, something he observed occasionally, but had never been something he's desired until now. Something that had never come up about until after the boy was gone. He'd gone over it in his mind so many times he couldn't count them anymore, analyzing it as he'd been able to analyze everything before this.
It refused to be analyzed, though. Using logic did nothing but made him more confused. He'd come to the conclusion that the physical attraction stemmed from something deeper, something he'd tried but couldn't untangle. He supposed, just maybe he lo -
"Heero?!"
Duo had been so distracted the past few months that he'd totally forgotten it was nearing time for his birthday. So when, this morning, one of the senior instructors had pulled him aside and told him his father was coming today, he was dumbfounded. Not that he wasn't happy - he'd wanted to go back, be able to see Heero finally and, he was surprised to find, he was somewhat missing his family as well.
It took him a few minutes to realize why. Not only was it his birthday, he was almost through with the training for using what others called his 'gift.' Although, as everyone had been quick to discover, he'd developed all he could on his own, making his stay there nothing but a diplomatic formality that made it awkward for him and the other students. Lately it had seemed like the only time he could relax and stop pretending he was 'training' was at night, with Heero. There were some days that were nothing but a blur of stuffy procedure until he could rant about it all to his friend.
He wasn't sure what to expect - would it be just his father, or would there be a contingent of people he didn't know, who could have cared less what he was like as long as he was royal? He had spent most of his time wondering whether Heero would come...
And here he was.
His father was present, as well, dozens of knights, advisors, pages... But he was to Heero before they registered, before they noticed him. He wasn't sure whether Heero heard him or not; he was a few dozen yards away, but it's hard to ignore someone running through cavernous halls.
Heero rose to meet him, catching his flying form and grabbing him tightly, arms wrapping around the small of Duo's back as he laughed into his ear.
Duo responded in kind, enfolding Heero's neck in an embrace, unable to keep from laughing as his best friend did.
Pressed against Heero's form so tightly, he could feel the rapid fire of his heart, aware with a jolt that his was much the same. The two slowly separated, almost breathlessly laughing.
"How're you?" he asked, anything to keep from just falling into Heero's arms. That didn't, however, keep him from enjoying just being in them, as long as he didn't break down, as was threatened.
Heero's mouth opened, but any answer was halted at the intrusion of a third, maybe a bit unwanted, party.
"Father," Duo said respectfully. He separated from Heero, bowing to acknowledge his father's presence, but both noticed how he let his fingers trail down Heero's arm in a lingering track.
"Duo, I've been informed that you have a few days left in your training. After that, they've said there's no more they can do for you. So you'll be returning with us after you birthday, which will be celebrated here." The King looked almost as if he wanted to say something further, but didn't, parting with a small nod and the staccato beat of his boots on the bare stone floor.
It became abundantly clear just why most of the men had accompanied, as a few approached the young Prince, a few others offered a small nod of acknowledgement, but most left him alone. He hardly noticed, much less cared, though, busying himself with detailing the school's daily routine to Heero, finally deciding to simply give him the grand tour.
(Two days later (Duo's Birthday))
Heero was still sleeping, he observed. Dawn's light spilled through the window, dripping in solid, angled beams through the thin, gauzy curtains to highlight everything it touched in a dusty glow. It backlit Heero's form, carelessly draped with one sheet - Duo didn't know how he didn't freeze at night - moving only to breath deeply and evenly, limbs weighted in repose. Heero normally slept in a rigid line, never moving from a stiff position on his back. However, he was sleeping more casually than Duo had ever seen him, curled on his side with one arm under his face, the other thrown to lay, hand out, in an almost pleading gesture. Sunlight filtered through the brown hair, tousled from sleep, giving it an almost golden air. The loss of definition to his face complemented the image, accenting the serene expression.
He found himself wondering if maybe that was the real Heero, under the hardened layers of cool observation and apathy. The Heero he had the privilege of glimpsing occasionally, the one that laughed with him, comforted him. Did he want that Heero, or was chipping through the shell all part of getting to know the boy he'd come to love?
His train of thought swerved away after its own creation, confronting what he so casually admitted to himself. Boys weren't supposed to go after other boys, to put widely held opinion crudely. He wasn't sure whether his position would make it more or less or less accepted, or whether his family would even let it get that far. He didn't have to worry about being married off, most of his brothers having already been pawns in his father's marriage alliances. To be frank, he didn't have much of a place at all.
He didn't until then remember what day it was, that his father had something planned, and he wasn't sure he was going to like it. The celebration was going to include everyone who had originally come with his father, the denizens of the Tower, and even the rest of his family, supposedly arriving sometime that day. He had something he wanted to show Heero, preferably before he was mobbed. Time to wake him up, then...
"Heero?" he murmured. A slight shift of position, the boy curling together more. Heero was sleeping more deeply than Duo had ever been aware of. A slightly higher call brought the same results.
Duo slid off his bed, shivering as the cold air hit his body, wondering again how Heero could stand sleeping under only that sheet. Even if the thick nightclothes they both were wearing, Duo couldn't sleep without a blanket, sometimes even two.
He padded softly to kneel next to the bed Heero was in, using it to support his arms. Heero's breath blew across his face, a sudden warmth in the frigid air. His mind raced, running through the consequences of what he'd considered doing. It was so easily done, and just as easily put off as a joke...
Leaning forward, arms sliding across the sheet with a soft sound, he pinched Heero's nose, in the same movement angling his head pressing and his lips to Heero's, slightly open in sleep.
A brief repeat of earlier circumstances, Heero still as before, then he stiffened, eyes flying open as he threw aside the hold of sleep. Duo backed away quickly, out of the way of the boy's flailing arms. He waited as Heero's eyes focused, his limbs calmed.
"Duo?" he gasped.
"Heero," he responded, smiling beatifically, then turned his back to commence making the bed.
"Why -" Heero still seemed tense.
"It woke you up, didn't it?" he asked, ignoring the main question. He turned back to Heero, preparing to further diverge the conversation, but was stopped by the expression captured in Heero's normally so still visage. A wounded mixture of confusion and embarrassment, it stopped his heart before he recovered, with another smile and a final whip of the blanket.
"Saa, Heero, I have something to show you before everyone gets here today! Get dressed, and then we'll go!"
Even walking stretched still sore muscles in his thighs, but his mind was too preoccupied to even notice that pain that burned through him with each stride. Nor did he register how the toll of boots on stone became the muffled thump of a collision with loam, even though the rougher terrain only served to increase his discomfort.
Duo spoke sparingly, usually only to point out some animal, or a tree of flower he'd always looked at as he came this way. Heero wasn't sure why, whether it had anything to do with the morning, as his silence did.
Duo, while a casual flirt, wasn't the type to randomly kiss people, no matter why. And Duo had certainly seemed overjoyed to see him again, almost slightly possessive. He could have been reading too much, grabbing for justification and hope wherever he could, but he knew Duo better than that! No matter how casually dismissed, Duo's actions had to mean something.
Ahead of him Duo stopped, sliding to the ground with ease. Heero followed suit, though with somewhat more difficulty. For the first time he noticed the terra around them, a forest he didn't really recognize, that resounding with the calls of birds and the drip of morning dew. They'd collapsed onto some sort of moss, soft and cushiony and not at all wet.
"Are you all right?" Duo asked, concern scrawled uneasily on his face, a sharp contrast to its usual cheer.
"Yeah," he replied with a tentative smile. "Still a little sore." Duo laughed, the easy resonance blending with the natural sounds around them.
"What?" he asked. He had the distinct feeling Duo was laughing at him.
Duo stopped laughing, but couldn't help the sarcastic smile of mirth that crept across his lips. "Nevermind." No further look made him reveal what he'd found so entertaining, so Heero gave up.
"Is this what you wanted to show me?" he inquired, relaxing on the soft forest bed.
"No," Duo replied. "Just somewhere to rest along the way.
"Oh. Well, I like it. It's nice," he said, voice catching on the praise.
"I'm glad you do," came the soft response.
Neither spoke, nor even moved, for a short eternity of paradise. Heero relaxed in the tranquil surroundings, lulled by the sounds of nature and the knowledge of Duo beside him. His legs seemed much better as Duo finally moved, standing silhouetted in sunlight to help him up.
"It's not much further," Duo commented, dragging Heero up by one hand. Neither moved to disentangle the digits as Heero caught up and drew even, the silence became companionable but loaded with the unspoken.
Gradually, a muted roaring sound became louder, the air became cooler and denser. Awareness dawned to certainty, until Duo stopped.
Heero drew in a quick breath. Even knowing where they were heading didn't prepare him for the raw beauty nature could provide; the cascade of the waterfall thundering to the rocks, flinging spray dozens of feet into the air.
"You like it?" Duo asked hopefully.
"Definitely," he breathed, tightening his fingers around Duo's. He received a brilliant smile in return, one that made his heart leap in his chest.
"Let's go in!" suggested Duo, flinging off his shirt before a reply or protest could be made. He regained possession of Heero's hand just as quickly, pulling him towards the water.
"Duo!" he cried. Duo stopped, looking slightly hurt, before he realized Heero was just pausing to peel off his own shirt. He smirked, a glint of mischief sparkling in his eyes, as he tossed the garment to the ground. Taking off at a slow lope, he tackled Duo, throwing them both into the water.
The water was a cold shock to his skin, swirling everywhere except where his skin was pressed against Duo's. Duo squawked at the sudden invasion of chilling liquid, soaking quickly through his hair and whirling his pants around his legs in sodden, lapping patterns. The violet eyed boy clung to him, a reaction to suddenly losing all bearing and being rocketed into water. Somewhat reluctantly, Heero released him, and Duo moved slightly away just as slowly. He seemed to be shivering, but just as Heero was about to voice his concern, Duo lunged forward, knocking him below the water.
He flailed to the surface, sputtering as Duo laughed. Cold forgotten, he narrowed his eyes to burning, predatory slits of bright blue, though it was nearly ruined as he almost smiled at Duo's suddenly apprehensive countenance. He slowly stalked his prey, Duo giggling as he alternated between backtracking and splashing his hunter.
Heero halted his pursuit as they reached deeper waters, floating lazily through the water as it playfully grabbed at his remaining clothing. Duo had flipped onto his back, suspended on the surface, drifting where the current took him.
Paddling quietly, Heero floated over to him, treading water a few inches from Duo's still face, eyes closed and expression that of serene concentration.
"Duo?" he asked in a low, raspy whisper.
One violet eye cracked open. "Yeah?"
He mentally steeled himself, wondering all the way if this was wise... "Did you -" he cut off, trying to find words for his thoughts. "Did you mean what you did this morning?"
Both eyes were open, Duo was treading water like himself. No further clarification was needed, as evidenced by Duo's open face. Uncertainty raced across, chased by the requisite cheery mask which quickly fell.
"Did you?" he prompted, trying to convey his emotions through his words, his harsh, low tone. He'd imagined that he'd feel desperation, fear, but there was just calm acceptance of whatever Duo would say.
"Y - Yes," Duo stammered, fear reflected plainly in those eyes.
His heart rose suddenly, he fought to keep from smiling, laughing, at Duo's welcome response. "Good," he managed to roughly choke out, before pouncing onto Duo, kissing him with all the sudden passion that rose in him, quick as anger, but oh so much better. Seemingly without guidance, his arms were around Duo's neck, Duo's free to snake around his bare back. They kissed blindly, letting passion guide where there was no skill, technique abandoned for simply feeling. The two traded simple, open-mouthed kisses, hands wandering over flesh chilled from the water.
Heero breathlessly moved his head back a few inches, maintaining a more than platonic distance. Tightening the embrace in silent apology, his lips barely twitched in a smile as he noticed how the sun played in Duo's hair - the sun!
"Duo... What time do we need to be back?" he asked, whispering for a reason he couldn't quite understand.
Surprise briefly flickered across the delicate features. "Probably now..." The slim form in his arms tensed before breaking from him to race for the bank or the river. He followed at a more moderate pace.
Duo grabbed their shirts, flung one to Heero prior to throwing his own on, running back the way they'd come.
"Duo!" he called. "You can't run all the way back!" Duo stopped mid-stride, turned back sheepishly.
"Guess not," he replied, jogging back to Heero's side. Slipping his arm around Heero's damp waist, he nuzzled the blue eyed boy's neck briefly. "You're always right, huh?" he asked in a low voice, chuckling at the solemn nod of response.
The two walked in silence, a trip that seemed to take much less time, sprinkled liberally with small, chaste kisses and caresses. Only once they were in view of the tower did they begin to run again, disentangling their hands and other respective body parts, still not sure of how much of what had happened that morning they wanted to share.
The party passed smoothly, a celebration which was surprisingly attended by all of Duo's family. Equally surprising was that no one appeared to notice how Duo repeatedly zoned out, often seemingly engaged in a heated staring match with his near silent friend, across the long table. The gifts were promised upon his imminent return, and most of his relatives pointed out that they regrettably were forced to leave in the morning, to solve this disagreement or plan that reservoir. Duo wasn't surprised, and only Heero noticed how forced his grin became as he bid them all goodbye.
(Four days later)
"Oh... Only one horse! We forgot to ask my father for another!" Duo cried in mock anguish.
Heero snorted softly. "I'm sure you're upset." The sting of sarcasm was dimmed by the almost affectionate tone of his voice.
A shrug rustled the fabric of Duo's shirt, a thin, flowing white affair which had been one of the few presents he'd actually been given on his birthday. "You know me too well," he replied with a rakish grin. One final glint in his violet eyes, then he turned back to finish packing the saddlebags.
"I'm going to go say bye to everyone!" he called, jogging off to the tower with a short wave. Heero waved a hand in acknowledgment, taking advantage of the time to run a final check on their supplies. Duo returned in short time, having, as he'd commented many times before, not many people to say goodbye to.
"Saa... Ikuzo!" Duo said, smiling as he grabbed the reins. The pair walked slowly ahead of the horse, neither speaking until they were gone from view of the tower.
"You're quiet today," Heero observed, pointing out the obvious to prompt an explanation.
Duo stopped. "Why don't we get on now?" he asked.
"We?" Heero repeated with a skeptically raised eyebrow.
"It can hold us both!" Duo cried defensively. "It's used to carrying one of my father's fat advisors!" He gave the stirrups and saddle a final a final check before clambering up, smiling down at Heero from the saddle.
Heero gave a small sigh. "I can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered as he climbed up behind Duo.
"You better believe it!" his partner chirped, exhaling contentedly as he leaned back into the comforting warmth of Heero's chest, leaning his head casually against the blue-eyed boy's shoulder. Heero favored him with a quick kiss while reaching around Duo's body to grab the reins.
Duo smiled as Heero's arms wrapped around him easily. "As long as we don't go too fast, we're fine," he murmured, craning his neck to press his lips against Heero's, gently at first, but then with more insistence. Heero's embrace tightened, reins forgotten as he responded. Both were startled at the first contact of tongues, something eventually expected, but not intended. The sensation, while unfamiliar, was not unpleasant, so both steeled themselves to fumble with the unknown. Duo moved one hand to cover Heero's, twining their fingers when -
The horse began a slow, lumbering gait hardly dangerous but managing to nearly throw them both off the side. Duo chuckled as he pulled himself upright. "That better not always happen."
"It won't," Heero replied. "Yakusoku da."[1]
The End
*falls over from the sheer shock that she wrote all that sap* Well... It's a lot to ME, okay!
Notes:
[1] I, er... Had to end the fic. x.x Stupid nihongo makes a good quick ending.
Mary wants me to point out that not all large families are neglectful or anything. Quite the contrary. Both she and I come from large families, and she wasn't an abused child or anything. (Neither was I.) Duo's family is supposed to be a special case, hardly canon in situation and actions. ^^v
I'd like to give a huuuuge super-jump-out-of-a-sixth-story-window glomp to Hi-chan, for being a great beat-reader! It helps to have a fresh perspective, and she gave me some great suggestions. Those comments you say you think are bitchy are great! I love them! Thanks so much, Hi-chan! ^___^
Also... I enlisted several other temporary beta-readers for help with this! It was too big a chunk! ^^;;; Eternal thanks to Kelly Hagedorn, Maki, and especially Haeneko! *glomps them*
Still reading this? Kewl! Er... How'd you like it? C&C is always drooled over!
Ryan Harbin
Please send comments to: rioroute_vilgyna@yahoo.com