"SHADOWS AND LIGHT: AN UNBREAKABLE BOND"

Written By: Stone Angel

 

Please see Prologue for disclaimer, ratings and explanations. ^_^

AN: Yosha. I ALSO hate THIS chapter. All the way up until the coffee. Oh and I hate the next chapter, too, might as well tell you that now. OOC for Duo and I hate it but it's necessary. You'll see what I mean at the end. (peers into distance) Hehe. Boy do you have a long way to go...

 

SHADOWS AND LIGHT: AN UNBREAKABLE BOND:

CHAPTER 2: SNAP SHOTS

Duo felt his skin tingle slightly and rose towards consciousness. 'Oh no. Not yet.' He begged no one. "Heero-kun." He shook Heero gently to wake him. "Heero-kun, wake up."

Heero looked up at him with tired eyes. "Nani...?" He asked sleepily, yawning.

"Heero. I have to go. The sun will be up soon." Duo said, a small amount of urgency in his voice.

"No. Not yet. It's too soon." Complained Heero.

"Yeah, well unless YOU know how to make the world stop turning, we're screwed, cause I sure as hell don't." He replied with a smirk. He separated Heero from himself with some difficulty as Heero was unwilling to let him go. "I have to get your bike."

"SHIT!" Said Heero, suddenly awake. "It's still at the bar!"

"No, we have it." Said Duo reassuringly as he undid his seatbelt.

"Nani? Doko?" Heero asked, looking around the outside through the windows. Not spotting it, he looked back to Duo for an explanation.

Duo pointed his finger upwards, to the roof of the car, opening his door and stepping out. He bent over stretching his arms and legs. He rose gracefully with a curve of his back and glanced back at Heero, seeing the way his eyes were fixed to his derrière. He smirked as he set about untying the rope that held the bike atop his car.

*

Heero blushed when he realized Duo had seen him eyeing his ass. He got out of the car, swaying as he stood, alcohol still present in his system, and looked to the roof of it. Laying on its side was his motor bike, resting precariously on the roof racks, secured by yards of thick, black and orange rope. 'How...did...he...?' Heero gaped at the sight. "How the HELL did you get that up there?" He asked Duo, who was visible over the roof, working diligently on a knot in the rope.

"I told you. We're stronger than ningens. Nandemonai." He said, grunting in approval as the knot came undone in his skilled hands. He moved to another part of the rack where another smaller knot was.

"Segoi." Said Heero quietly to himself. He moved to the other side of the car, sliding against it for support to where Duo was standing on the running board, working as fast he could to get the rope off the bike. He saw a slightly pained expression on his face as Duo concentrated on his work. "Headache?" He asked softly.

"Hai. And my skin is starting to hurt. Look to the East." Came his reply.

Heero looked to the East as Duo told him. The sky was beginning to show signs of sunlight, a light pink. "Oh. Shit."

"My thoughts, ver batum." Replied Duo, a smirk in his voice.

He looked back to Duo with alarm. "This can wait. Let's go in." He said, placing a hand up on Duo's shoulder.

"I've almost got it. And besides I can't have any early risers see this up here. It might be suspicious." Said Duo. "Demo, arigato."

Heero looked at the 'boy'. 'He's really paranoid.' He thought. 'I guess he has no choice, though. Paranoia pays off. He has to be or he'd take too many risks and might die. Can he die?' Heero pondered the question. 'I hope not.'

*

'Yatta.' Duo thought as he untied the last knot. He threw the rope down to where Heero was leaning against the car. He stepped off the running board, hands gripping the bike with white knuckles. He lifted it slowly, swinging it away from the car and carefully lowering it to the asphalt where he set it on its two wheels, putting down the kickstand and letting it rest.

He looked to Heero who had eyes that were larger than saucers. He blushed, picking up the rope and bundling it quickly, putting it in the car and looking back to Heero.

Heero swallowed and began to slide to the side on the car.

Duo rushed forward and caught him. "Dai ja bu ka?" He asked, concerned.

"Tired." Said Heero simply. He leaned forward against Duo.

"Ah. I'll take you to your room?" Asked Duo, uncertainly.

Heero nodded against him.

"Yosha." Duo locked the car, picked him up and walked towards the building. "Which room?"

"Up the stairs." Heero said gazing into Duo's amethyst eyes.

Duo walked up the stairs. "Which way?" He asked looking around the second story.

"Left. Two doors down. Four B."

Duo turned and headed to the door, setting Heero down in front of it. "Here. You gotta unlock it." He said, holding Heero up gently.

Heero fished around in his pocket for a moment before pulling out a key chain with half a dozen keys on it. He selected one and slipped it into the door lock, turning it and pushing the door open. He stepped wobbling inside, looking back to Duo when he remained standing just outside the door. "Um..."

"I can't come in." Said Duo, looking to the floor.

"Um. It's Ok. I mean. If you don't want to..." Heero said with a disappointed voice.

"Iye. It's not that." Duo didn't raise his eyes. "You have to invite me in. Otherwise I can't cross the threshold."

"I did." Said Heero.

"No. You asked if I would come up, not in. And you have to be inside already." Replied Duo, blushing slightly. He glanced to the East.

"Well then, I invite you." Said Heero with a smile. "T-to come in." He corrected.

Duo hesitantly stepped across the threshold, meeting no resistance from it. He stepped into the apartment, still looking at the floor, and Heero closed and locked the door behind him, walking forward to face him. 'Oh-man-this-is-a-bad-idea.I-need-to-get-going-so-I-can-get-home-before-the-sun-is-up.Just-say-goodnight-and-leave.' His mind raced as he glanced around the apartment nervously. His headache returned two fold. It would be apparent to anyone that he was out of his element. He looked up into Heero's eyes. "I...should..."

Heero looked back at him, concern evident in his eyes. "...Go." He finished for him. "Please stay."

Duo smiled wryly at him. "I...can't...I... The sun's going to rise soon, I have to get home before it does." He took a step backwards towards the door, tripping over a small table by the door, both him and the object falling to the floor.

*

Heero rushed forward, trying to catch Duo but fell along with him, still not steady on his feet. He and Duo fell to the floor, Duo landing on his back, Heero falling onto his chest. Heero saw Duo grimace as his head hit the floor. 'I'll bet that hurt.'

Duo opened his eyes and looked up into Heero's.

Beside them the things that had been on the table fell as well. A sweatshirt, a few books and an empty glass. The glass cracked as it hit the floor, the sound resounding throughout the small apartment.

Duo and Heero lay there and gazed into each other's eyes. Duo's eyes became more and more timid and large as his skin grew paler. Heero wondered what was wrong for a moment before their positions hit him, his shorts feeling tight.

Heero lay atop Duo, his thigh between his legs, the lengths of their bodies pressed together, Heero's arms around Duo. Heero's erection was pressed roughly into Duo's hip. Blushing deeply, Heero opened his mouth to apologize, but Duo turned his head to the side, closing his eyes. He felt Duo's body become limp and watched as his face became expressionless.

Duo did not move.

Heero looked down at him. 'What's wrong? Is he sleeping?' He saw a small frown set upon Duo's brow and recognized what was happening, realization hitting him as he lay above the submissive 'boy'. 'Oh.' Thought Heero, paling and suddenly feeling cold. 'He thinks... Duo-kun.'

*

Duo screamed in his mind. 'How could I have been so fucking stupid!? Why the hell can't I say "No"!? "I don't want to come up."!? I should have seen this coming! I should have seen it! I should have said "No"! Why the hell can't I ever say "No"?! I haven't been a whore since I was made! That was centuries ago! Why can't I leave it behind me!? Heero-kun. I love you. I don't want to kill you.' He retreated further into his mind. 'Just get this over with.' He prayed. 'Get it done.'

Long moments passed and he felt nothing. Heard nothing. Saw nothing. 'What's going on?' He wondered, emerging slowly from the darkness of his mind to analyze the situation. He felt a hand on his cheek, turning his head gently. 'Just don't make me open my eyes. Please don't make me open my eyes. I don't want to remember...'

"Duo." He heard Heero's voice. "Duo-kun, open your eyes."

'Noooooo!' Duo opened his eyes slowly, just wide enough to see. He looked up into Heero's cobalt depths.

"Duo-kun." Came Heero's voice. His name was softly spoken and the tone was gentle.

'No. Don't you dare be gentle.' Duo sobbed in his mind.

He watched as Heero closed the distance between them and rested his brow against Duo's, closing his eyes. Duo looked up at him in confusion, saying not a word.

"Duo-kun." Heero's breath tickled his lips. He moved up, opening his eyes and gazing into Duo's. "You're not my whore." He said softly. "I want you to be my lover. Never my whore." He kissed Duo gently then shifted so he was not covering him. He broke the kiss and moved to cradle Duo against his chest, holding him in his arms, and not saying another word.

Duo felt more comfortable as he was no longer covered by Heero. He listened to the heartbeat next to his ear. 'What just happened here?' He thought about the events that had taken place in the last few minutes, paling and hating himself. 'God. He was just trying to catch me. He was drunk and he fell too. I'm such a fool. I'm always such an idiot when I have a headache.' "Heero-kun?" Duo asked shyly. He felt the vibrations in Heero's chest as he replied sleepily.

"Mmm-Hmmm?"

"Can we never speak of this again?"

There was a long silence that tortured Duo's frayed nerves with every passing second.

"Sure, Duo-kun." Replied Heero at last.

"Arigato." Duo said, elated, as he snuggled into Heero's embrace, listening to his heartbeat. "Ne, Heero-kun? I should go, huh? What about your parents?" He asked, sniffing the air slightly. He didn't smell the scent of anyone else but Heero.

"I live alone." Said Heero quietly.

His tone seemed sad to Duo.

Heero tightened his embrace around him, gathering him more tightly to himself, pressing Duo's ear against his chest.

'I love that sound.' He thought with a small smile, listening to the sound beside his ear and circling his arms around Heero as well. 'Like a clock ticking. Heero, you have my heart.'

The lovers fell asleep in each other's arms on the floor as the sun rose outside.

* * *

Duo awoke a few hours later. 'I have to piss.' He thought as he sat up and looked around. He didn't recognize his surroundings and he was in somewhat intense pain. 'Why does my skin hurt so bad? And my eyes.' He looked to his side two yards and saw a golden square of light on the floor. Sunlight. 'It's day. Why am I not home? Where is this?' He looked to the source of light in the small room. A window was open, the curtains billowed in the breeze that came in through the screen. A sound to his other side made him jump and look for a source.

A boy with dark brown hair yawned and stretched long limbs before looking sleepily up at him.

The previous night's events came back to Duo and he smiled down at Heero. "Ohaiyo." He said cheerfully.

"Ohaiyo." Replied Heero, rubbing at his eyes.

"Um. May I make use of your bathroom?"

Heero looked up at him and smiled. "You have to go to the bathroom too?"

Duo blushed. "Just when I drink things. Besides the usual."

"Oh." Heero yawned again. "Well it's down the hall on the left."

"Arigato." Said Duo as he stood and stretched. He looked back to Heero who lay on his back with his hands behind his head, looking up at him and smiling. "What?" He asked. "Do I have bed hair?" He felt around on his head, finding the few stray hairs and pushing them back into place.

Heero laughed. "Your hair is perfect. As usual. I need to know your secret. This mop is getting on my nerves." He said running his fingers through the wild, unruly hair that seemed to defy all rules of gravity and looked as though one could brush it for days with no results.

Duo laughed. "You know, I can cut that for you. Not cut it off, but you'd be surprised how much can change with the right hair cut."

Heero seemed to consider for a moment. "You know, I think I'll take you up on that." He said with a smile.

Duo grinned at him. Then grew serious. "Anou..." He looked down, his bangs obscuring his eyes slightly. "Hee-kun. My skin hurts. Could you close the windows?"

"Sure. Duo, it's Ok. You could have asked sooner. I don't have a problem with it." Heero smiled at him reassuringly.

Duo grinned. "Arigato. Well... I'm going to..." He gestured to the hallway with a thumb. "I'll be right back." He finished, blushing slightly.

Heero smiled at him. "You know, you're cute when you blush."

Duo blushed even deeper. Not saying a word, and avoiding the patch of light on the floor, he turned and headed down the hall. Seeing a single door on the left, he pushed it completely open to reveal a small bathroom. A toilet and sink lined one wall. Next to the toilet was a small bath with a shower head. He stood in front of the toilet and unzipped his fly.

*

Heero remained on the floor for a few seconds before standing, stretching and walking to the window. He closed the glass and then drew the shades and curtains. He did the same for the window on the other side of the room and the one over the kitchen sink. He looked at the clock on the microwave. It glared back at him. 10:23. 'Hn. I only slept for about three hours. That's not long enough to do that history project. I'd better make some coffee.' He took an abused looking kettle out of a drawer and put it in the sink. He turned the water on, filling it, and set the kettle on the stove. He turned the flame on high and went about grinding the coffee beans. 'There's a vampire in my apartment. There is a VAMPIRE in my APARTMENT.' Heero thought, watching as the beans were ground into near dust. He shook the grounds into a triangular filter and placed it in the filter holder. He leaned against the counter top, watching the water begin to steam. 'This is like running around in Stephen King's head. Well, not really. He's harmless enough. Or, at least, I know he would never harm me. I'm interested in seeing his hunting habits, though. I wonder what that's like.'

"Oi."

Heero turned around at the sound of the velvet voice. 'I'll bet he sings like an angel.' "Hey." He replied, smiling.

"How do you feel?" Asked Duo, looking behind Heero to the water over the flame and sniffing the air. "Coffee? I hope you're not intending to drink that." He said.

"Why not? I have to wake up. I have things to do. A lot of things to do. And I feel fine." He turned back to the now boiling water and picked up the kettle, pouring the water into the filter until it was full. 'Maybe slightly hung over but I've had worse.' He felt arms encircle him and draw him backwards.

"Hee-kun, you got three hours of sleep. You need more than that." He nuzzled Heero's neck affectionately.

"What I need is to get a good grade in history." Heero replied, head falling back to rest on Duo's shoulder as pleasant chills ran through him. "I can't fall out of classes. I need the low insurance rates." He leaned forward in the embrace and poured more steaming water into the filter, dark, rich coffee pouring through the hole in the bottom of the filter holder to collect in the glass coffee pot on which it sat.

"Hmm." Duo rested his chin on Heero's shoulder. "So. How do you pay for this? I mean, it's a nice place."

"Thanks for the bullshit." Said Heero with a smirk. "I get the money from my aunt and uncle. But I work, too."

"What about your mother and father?" Duo asked quietly.

Heero heard the tentative tone. 'He figures something's up. I might as well tell him.' "Well, you spilled a lot of guts last night. Laid it all out. I can only imagine the risk you took in telling me all that. I may as well do the same." He poured more water into the filter. "I'm an orphan, too." He felt Duo's arms relax around him slightly before they tightened again.

*

"Hounto ni?" Asked Duo softly.

"Ah. I was in an orphanage till two years ago. And my aunt and uncle, rather than let me ruin their perfect lives by living with them, send me rent and bill money. They also help me pay for college." Heero continued in a dull voice. He reached above the stove and pulled a coffee mug out of the cupboard.

Duo gently turned Heero in his arms. He looked up into Heero's deep blue eyes. "When?"

"Before I learned to walk." Replied Heero, a dead look in his eyes. "When I was a baby."

"How?" Asked Duo, looking up with sadness in his eyes.

Heero turned back to the stove. "Car accident." He said as he poured the coffee from the glass pot into the mug.

"And your aunt and uncle? They didn't want to take care of you after your parents died?" Duo rested his head on the back of Heero's neck.

"Iye. My parents left a will. In it, it stated that I was to be left in my aunt and uncle's care should anything happen to them." He sipped his coffee. "They didn't want kids of their own, and they certainly didn't want one from somebody else. So they put me in an orphanage far away from where they lived. I've met them a few times. They're very rich. They live in a big house and they both have a car for everyday of the week. They tried to act like I wasn't a thorn in their side, but they're not very good actors. They sat me down and explained why I had to be in an orphanage. Told me that it was Ok to cry when I had to." He paused. "I never did." He said as though just realizing that fact for the first time. "I can't blame them, I guess, even though I'm bitter about it. I just wish none of it had ever happened." He said sadly.

Duo thought about all the things Heero had said for moment. "Do you remember them?"

"No. I have some pictures of them. My father was tall and strong looking. My mother was beautiful." He paused. "Do you want to see them?" He asked in the same tone someone might use when asking if their friend wanted to see their car.

Duo released Heero from his embrace. "Sure."

Heero set the mug down and they walked from the kitchen, turning into the hallway, Heero glancing back at Duo to make sure he followed him. He walked into a room that was a little further down the short hallway than the bathroom.

Duo blushed when he realized it was Heero's bedroom. He looked around. A small bed had its brass headboard against a wall. Beyond the bed was a window facing West. The room was sparsely furnished with a few articles of clothing on the floor.

Heero rushed forward and gathered the clothing into his arms, throwing the heap into the small closet and closing the door. "I...wasn't expecting company." He said, looking to the floor.

"It's Ok, Heero." Duo said softly. "I don't mind."

Heero then moved to the window and closed the blinds, eliminating all natural light from the room. He looked up for a moment before moving to the bed. He reached under the box spring and pulled out a small wooden box. He carried it over to Duo as gently as one would a baby.

Duo watched with sad eyes the way Heero gently opened the box and took out a worn looking white envelope. 'It's the only thing he has that he values. Heero-kun.' He thought sadly. 'Am I so much better? I'm still hanging onto my braid because Solo loved it so much. And he's been dead for a long, long time. Oh, well. I don't fancy cutting it every few days so I may as well keep it. ...I wonder why I feel like Solo's near whenever Heero is...'

Beneath the envelope was a small, silver crucifix.

Heero quickly closed the box and looked to Duo with alarmed eyes. "Gomen nasai. It was my mother's."

Duo looked at him, puzzled before recalling the lore. 'Hee-kun.' He smiled at Heero to reassure him as best he could before he reached forward and opened the box carefully, closing his fingers gently around the small, shiny pendant. He brought it to his lips and kissed it lightly before placing it back in the box.

Heero stared at him with wide eyes.

"I have nothing to fear from the son of god, Heero. I'm not sure he was real but who is, ne?" Duo asked in a quiet voice.

Heero smiled and laid the box on the dresser to the left of the door. Turning back to Duo, he carefully opened the envelope. He took out a small stack of photos, standing aside Duo so he may better see them. "Ore da watashi no Okasan." He said, holding up a photo to Duo.

Duo looked at the woman in the picture. Heero had been right, she was beautiful. She had long, wavy dark brown hair, almost black, that cascaded down her back, nearly reaching her hips. Her skin was fair, her cheeks slightly pink as though she was blushing. She was slender but strong looking. The thing that Duo noticed most about her was her eyes. They were the same prussian blue as Heero's. They seemed to stare back at the picture holder, piercing them with her gaze. Around her neck lay the small silver cross.

"To Otousan." Heero flipped the picture to the bottom of the small stack. Behind the picture of his mother was one of a man. His skin was slightly darker than that of Heero's mother. He had strong looking arms and legs, he was very fit. He had hair the same color as Heero's, and his eyes were exactly like those of his wife and son. He seemed to radiate strength even from the piece of photo paper.

Heero flipped the picture to the back of the stack as he had the previous one. Revealed was a picture of his mother and father on their wedding day. His mother wore a beautiful white gown, his father a black tuxedo. Behind them, people threw rice and confetti into the air. They were smiling at each other as only newly weds did. Heero flipped that one behind. Now Duo's eyes rested on a picture of Heero's mother and father, both looking into the other's eyes with nothing but happiness and love, touching noses affectionately. Heero flipped that picture back to reveal the last.

Heero's mother and father were seated on a bench in a park, green grass spread out behind them as far as the picture could show. They were seated next to each other, sides touching. On their lap, between them sat a grinning baby with a sparse head of dark brown hair and blue eyes. The mother and father held him in a seated position together, both looking so proud.

'Baby Heero?' Thought Duo sadly. 'I can see the resemblance, but were you ever a chibi?'

"This picture was taken a week and a half before..." Said Heero. He flipped the picture to the back, the first picture of his mother now on top, and placed them all in the envelope. He took them over to the box and put them inside, pushing the box under the bed again. He walked over to Duo, standing before him but saying not a word.

A silence overtook the small room for a moment before Duo looked up at Heero and smiled sadly. "Hey, Hee-kun." He said softly. "We're a lot alike, ne?"

Heero blinked. "Ah, Duo-kun."

---------------

tbc

Awww... I thought the photo's were cute. The only part of the chapter that I find tolerable.


Chapter 3

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