" Hero "

Written By: Deathangelgw

Disclaimer: Same old schtuff…they aren’t mine, I’m just using them for my own perverse pleasure. The lyrics are also not mine. They belong to Phil Collins and David Crosby.

Warnings: PWP, OOC, AU, yaoi hints, sap, slight angst (I think)

Rating: PG-13 (again amazingly!)

Pairings: 1+R, 2+R, 1x2

Note: This song came out around 1994-95. It is an incredibly touching song and I thank my bro for finding it for me!! I’d like to think that it reflects the relationship of Duo, Heero, and Relena. Enjoy!

Feedback: Yeppers!

lyrics

Hero

Author: Deathangelgw

Duo leaned back in his chair and stared off into space. He sighed quietly and closed his eyes. Life was quiet on L2. Not that he minded, especially after all the action he had seen during the wars. Duo sighed again, remembering the past and finding himself wondering about some of his comrades. Two in particular.

It was one of those great stories

That you can’t put down at night

The hero knew what he had to do

And he wasn’t afraid to fight

It had been a close call, those last few battles. Everyone had been depending on them and they had fought to the bitter end. Heero had been amazing, pulling through at the last second to save the earth with one final shot. Duo grinned as he remembered that. And then, Heero had disappeared. No one knew where he had gone. Quatre had kept in contact with everyone, but even he didn’t know. Not even Relena knew.

The villain goes to jail

While the hero goes free

I wish it were that simple for me

After the war, Duo and Relena had kept in contact and even became good friends. They had a common bond in Heero, and would often talk about the Japanese boy who had touched their lives. They had both discussed their feelings and had come to realize many things. Duo, for his part, knew that he loved Heero. Whether he would ever be able to tell him, Duo didn’t know. Relena also loved Heero, but she found that it was much different from Duo’s. Heero had been her strength and guiding light and, now that she was able to go ahead with her dreams, she didn’t have to rely on him as much.

And the reason that she loved him

Was the reason I loved him too

And he never wondered what was right or wrong

He just knew…he just knew

Heero sighed as he watched the birds outside. He had never felt so at peace. But, he had to admit to himself, he had been very skeptical when Relena had found him and asked him to become her head of security. But, surprisingly, she had never pushed his decision and had just tried to be friends with him. She never insisted on being with him constantly, like she had in the past, and was actually very fun to be with when they were together off duty.

Heero shook his head at these thoughts and thought instead about why he had taken the job. For some reason, every time he did, Wufei’s words came back to him. "You and I are the same…we only feel like ourselves on the battlefield." Heero frowned slightly. He knew he had been trained to be the "Perfect Soldier", but he had never thought that Wufei’s words were so true. As the peace had progressed though, Heero had found himself growing restless. So, when Relena had offered him the job of head of security, Heero hadn’t pondered for very long.

Shadows change, mix together at dawn

But, by the time we catch them, simplicity’s gone

So we saw through the pieces, my friends and I

Searching through the darkness to find the breaks in the sky

Heero looked over at Relena’s desk and saw a picture there. Frowning, he went over to look at it. Not remembering if he had seen this here before, Heero picked it up and then smiled. It was a picture of Duo and Relena, together at a park. Heero remembered, when he had asked if Relena had any idea where Duo was, that she had vaguely replied that they had kept in contact. Heero smirked as he looked at the picture. He slowly took a finger and caressed Duo’s glossy image. Looks like they had kept more than in contact, Heero thought sadly as he put the picture down. Heero had come to realize as he had spent time both alone and with Relena, that he truly had something for Duo. But, he didn’t what. He didn’t want to talk to Relena about it. He wasn’t sure on her feelings, even though they had become good friends.

"Something on your mind, Heero?" Relena’s soft voice brought Heero back to the present. He turned around and smiled reassuringly at the curiosity and worry in those kind names. He shook his head and a knowing look crossed her face. She came up past him and picked up the picture he had just put down. She smiled fondly and then looked at Heero. Confused, he looked back at her, not allowing any emotion to show. Or so he thought.

And the reason that she loved him

Was the reason I loved him too

And he never wondered what was right or wrong

He just knew…he just knew

Relena shook her head as she put the picture down again gently and then sat down on the edge of the desk. They looked at each other for a while like that, trying to see into each other’s souls.

"Heero, you are probably wondering about this picture, aren’t you?" Relena asked quietly, breaking the silence that had fallen. Heero said nothing and waited for her to continue, curious. "After the war, and your disappearance, Duo and I kept in contact. We became very…close." Relena began, her eyes getting a faraway look in them as she remembered. "We talked about everything, kinda like you and me, Heero." she continued as she focused on him and smiled. He smiled back and sat down in a chair as she went on. "But, he had to return to his life and so he left. Right around that time, I located you." she said as she lowered her eyes.

"Relena, where is Duo now?" Heero asked, hope a faint shadow in his eyes. She looked up and sighed. She went behind her desk, sat down, and pulled out a sheet of paper. But, she didn’t give it to him right away. Sensing her hesitation, Heero got up, came around the desk, and kneeled so he was eye level with her. He gently placed a finger under her chin and lifted her face so that their eyes locked. A tear shimmered and slowly slid down her cheek. His finger caught it and wiped it away.

"I have one question to ask before I let you go, Heero." She said as she smiled faintly. As he looked at her, her smile faded and her eyes lowered. "Do you…do you love Duo?" she asked after taking a few moments to gather her courage. Silence met her question and, when she lifted her eyes up again, she saw uncertainty and caution flit across his face. Their eyes locked again and Relena knew her answer.

And we wondered, yes we wondered

How do you make sense of this?

When the hero kills the maiden

With his kiss…with his kiss

Duo looked at the photo in his hand, smiling. It was a picture of him and Relena in the park. She’d had it taken a week before he had returned to L2 and had it framed for him. Duo always kept it next to the picture of him and the other pilots that had been taken the day after the war had ended. Picking that picture up, he looked at it and lightly caressed the one face he wished to see more than anything.

As he sat there, reminiscing, the phone rang. Duo got up and was surprised at who was on the other end.

"Q-man! How’s it going!" Duo exclaimed in delight when he saw the blonde’s smiling face.

Quatre grinned and responded, "Hey Duo! Long time, no see!" and they chatted for a while, catching up.

"So, what’s up? Just checking up on me?" Duo asked after they had shared a little bit of recent news.

Quatre nodded and then answered, "Duo, we’re thinking of having a get together next week. Wanna come out?"

Duo laughed and said, "Is my name Duo Maxwell? Of course I wanna come! Haven’t seen any of you since the end of the war. It’ll be fun!"

Quatre laughed and then gave specifics, which Duo wrote down. After talking for another half-hour, they hung up and Duo went back to his seat. Smiling and chuckling, he digested the information he had just learned. Well, can’t wait to see all of them, Duo thought excitedly. As he looked at the photo of them all together, especially one in particular, he smiled again.

Well, it was one of those great stories

That you can’t put down at night

The hero knew what he had to do

And he wasn’t afraid to fight

Heero stood in front of the house that Relena had given the address to. He tried to control the butterflies in his stomach, but was having a hard time. Slowly, he walked up the pathway to the front door and then stopped. He lifted his hand to knock, but then stopped. Instead, he quietly opened the door and went in. He softly walked towards the sound of chuckling until he was in the living room. Once there, he stopped again.

Duo was sitting in a chair holding what looked to be a photo. A soft secret smile played across his lips as he looked at the photo. Then, Duo glanced up and time seemed to stop.

They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, cobalt blue drinking in violet, violet drinking in cobalt blue. Duo stood up unsteadily, his gaze never wavering, and took a couple of steps towards Heero. Then, he just stopped, rooted to the floor.

Heero moved forward slowly till there were only a few inches between them and then stopped as well.

"He-Heero? Is that…you?" Duo said, his throat dry and soft. His eyes pleaded for the truth and Heero felt his heart beat faster at the sheer beauty standing before him. Reaching up, he hesitantly took his hand and cupped Duo’s cheek. Duo closed his eyes and leaned into the gentle touch, hoping this was real.

Suddenly, Duo felt a soft touch on his lips and leaned into the kiss that Heero was giving so gently and tenderly. Their bodies melted into each other as they finally expressed to each other the need and want that had been denied for so long.

Finally, when air was needed, they broke apart, gasping. They looked into each other’s eyes, searching, memorizing, loving. Heero smiled and then leaned in so his lips brushed lightly against Duo’s ear.

"Yes Duo. It’s me. I’ve come back…to begin my life with you." He whispered.

The villain goes to jail

While the hero goes free

I wish it were that simple for me

Were that simple for me

~Owari