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"Unexpected Peace"Written By: Presser Pairings : 1x2 Disclaimer : Gundam Wing characters aren't mine Rating : PG Warnings : Fluff, warmth Spoilers: None
"Unexpected Peace" "Say what?" "I said, I saw a wiccan tonight." Duo Maxwell looked up from his book and stared across the room at his lover, Heero Yuy. When he saw that Heero was serious, he sat up. "A -- wiccan? You mean, a witch?" "No," Heero said slowly, "a wiccan." "What's the difference?" Duo put his book down and uncrossed his legs. He put his hands on his knees and stretched backward. A log on the fire snapped loudly, and steam escaped from the crevasses of the wood fibers within. Heero leaned over his mug of tea, both hands clasped around it for warmth. He looked up from it to meet Duo's eyes. "I'm . . . not exactly sure." He hesitated. "I mean, I haven't studied it, or read much, but I think they worship nature. Or something . . . ." His voice trailed off and he looked back to his tea. His eyes flicked up to peer at Duo through his bangs. "Well," Duo said, "where did you see this . . . wiccan?" Heero looked up again. "I, uh, left after we fought after dinner -- " "Stormed out is more like it." Heero ignored him. " -- and decided to walk in the woods to cool off, even though it was dusk. I figured there was enough light still." He took a sip of tea. "So I just wandered. Figured as long as I kept the road on my right I'd have no trouble finding my way back, even in the dark. I heard voices, and followed the sound to a clearing. More of a natural space in the woods than a clearing, really. There was no sign of -- " "Heero?" Duo spoke with a rising undertone and one eyebrow cocked. "Right, right. The point. Well," he sighed, then took another sip of tea, cooling now. Duo stifled a look of irritation. "There were three people, dressed in robes, holding hands in a small circle. They were looking up, so naturally I did, too. Nothing but broken, red-purple clouds. I moved closer to see better, and stepped on a branch. And they -- what? I'm not exactly a perfect soldier, you know." Duo stuck out his tongue. "So, since I had startled them, I stepped into
the clearing and apologized for interrupting. They just stood there,
frozen in place. I told them I had just been wandering and heard their
voices, and -- and then the strangest thing. The little one, dressed
in grey, let go of her friends' hands and took a step toward me. I
guess I expected a child's voice, but when she spoke it was, um, rich-sounding,
if that makes sense. Like a flute, but an old flute that had been
played by Heero once again looked back at his tea. He was uncomfortable, Duo could see that. He left the couch and took a seat in front of Heero, between his overstuffed chair and the fire. Duo put a hand on his knee and smiled at his partner. Heero looked at him. "What did she say?" "She, uh, said that I was welcome to join them. I looked away from her eyes -- they were really shining -- maybe it was the last of the light through the trees -- and started to shake my head, and she said," "You're not interrupting, really. We've finished our ritual and were just smiling up at the Great Mother." "Say what?" "The Great Mother. That's the name she said." "Like a pagan goddess or something?" "I guess. But it's not what you think." Once again, Heero looked at his tea, thought about taking another sip, but decided it was too cool now. He started to get up, but Duo once again put his hand on Heero's knee and said, "Heero, love, it's okay. You tell me as much or as little as you want. I won't judge." Heero studied Duo's eyes for a moment, then gave the tiniest nod, more to himself, but one that Duo knew well. "I still want hot tea, though." * * * In the kitchen, Duo pulled out a chair and sat at the Formica-topped dinette. He busied himself picking at cracks in the yellowed surface while Heero bustled with water and kettle. He set the flame just right, then turned around. "So, did you spend a lot of time with her?" "What?" "You were gone for a long time." "What time is it?" Duo's eyes widened. This is --not-- Heero talking. "It's, um, 11:30." Heero's eyes widened. "I guess I was gone for longer than I thought." "Yeah . . . ." Heero sighed. Duo waited, looking peacefully at his love. "The Great Mother, I think, is like God, but not. Sort of the Christian-Jewish- Muslim-Shinto- whatever- culture-you- wanna-name God, but more. Maybe like the Universe." "How about the Great Spirit the Native Americans worship?" "That sounds better to me." Heero paused. "Yeah, like that." The kettle whistled, and Heero poured steaming water over the Lipton's bag in his mug. Duo smiled at his partner's precise yet gentle movements, his intensity of concentration on the simplest tasks. Heero set the kettle on a cold burner and then leaned against the counter, feet crossed. "Anyway, she -- the wiccan -- told me about her, the Great Mother, and that they worshipped, um, nature . . . and stuff." Heero was clearly embarrassed. "Sounds cool," Duo offered. "So, is there a point to this?" "To what?" "The story, the meeting, whatever experience you had." "We just talked, that's all. But -- I felt peaceful after. Like I had met someone full of love -- but how would I know that?" "Maybe she just sort of accepted you." "Yeah, I --" Heero's eyes brightened. "Yeah, exactly like that. I mean, she invited me to join them without knowing anything about me." "So, she told you she was a wiccan?" Heero nodded. "And?" "No 'and,' just -- I guess I didn't really have anything to say . . . I guess." Duo smiled. "So you met a nature worshipper." Heero's brow wrinkled just a little. "I met a nature lover. Someone who cares for the world and the people in it. Someone who gives as well as receives." "Whoa, Heero. So deep." He looked directly at Duo. "I don't know how I know. I just do." "Well, if she helped you calm down, and if that brought you back to me, then I'm glad you met her. And that reminds me of something I need to say." Heero's expression didn't change, but Duo felt tension in the space between them. Heero's defenses were going up. "I'm sorry I treated you like crap. You didn't deserve it, especially not over such a little thing." Duo mock winced. "Forgive me?" "Yes," Heero said quietly, that little head nod accompanied by a tiny, sly smile. "So," Duo said, standing, "I want a hug." He lunged at Heero, who quickly set his mug on the counter and reached out his arms to the bundle of Duo falling toward him. He put his hand on the back of Duo's head, slid it down to tangle his fingers in the top of his braid. Duo giggled as he nuzzled his nose in the hollow of Heero's shoulder. "Tickles." Heero smiled. They separated, and Heero stretched. "What-cha gonna do now? How about if I pop some corn and we sit in front of the fire and we read manga together?" "I like it. Give me a half an hour?" "You're --not-- going to the computer!" "Just for a few, Duo." Duo sighed loudly. "Okay, okay . . . ." "Look, I'm just gonna google something. I promise I won't be long." Duo raised an eyebrow. "Wiccan, Duo. I'm gonna go and look it up, learn about it." "You're not converting, are you?" Heero smiled. "From what? No, I'm not converting. Just interested. She was . . . nice. I want to know more about what she had, the peace in her eyes." Duo smiled. "Cool." He leaned over and pecked Heero on the cheek. "You get more if you get off the 'puter early." Heero smiled over his shoulder as he walked into the den. "Hey, Heero?" Heero stopped, turned. "Yeah?" "What was her name?" He smiled. "Laureena." "Laureena," Duo said softly. "Cool." His braid flicked behind him as he went searching for Orville Redenbacher. Finis Listen to the words of the Great Mother; she who of old was also called among men Artemis, Astarte, Athene, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Dana, Arianrhod, Isis, Bride, and by many other names. (Didn't find a place for this in the fic, but I love
the line.)
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