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"SHADOWS AND LIGHT: AN UNBREAKABLE BOND" Written By: Stone Angel
Please see Prologue for disclaimer, ratings and explanations. ^_^ AN: I took one of Duo’s lines from "Endless Waltz" in this part. It was just too perfect. //TEXT// = written word
SHADOWS AND LIGHT: AN UNBREAKABLE BOND:
Duo was sipping coffee in the living room in late afternoon, checking his watch, waiting for night to fall. 'Man. What a crappy day's sleep. Why is it that whenever Heero is around I can always sleep so much better? I feel like he can protect me from harm. Even though I know better. He makes me feel...safe. Hmm.' At that point, Wufei staggered into the room. "You're drinking coffee?" "Ah." He sipped it, not looking at his guest, rather staring forward into space. "Why? It does very little." Duo sighed. "I know. I guess I just like the action. And it's hot." He regarded his guest. "In that case, I'll take some." Wufei shuffled into the kitchen and the sounds of coffee being poured into a paper cup wafted into the living room. He walked back into the living room, downing half the contents of the cup as he sat on the cushionless couch. Duo sniffed the air, the strong smell of vampire blood filling the air along with the coffee. "I'll change your bandage." "I can do it." Was the gruff reply. "K." There were a few moments of silence before Wufei spoke. "I got the pictures from Quatre's as well." Duo smiled faintly, setting down the cup and opening the envelope on the coffee table. He took out a small stack of pictures and smiled as he looked through them. "Yeah, that was some party." He shuffled through the group photos. Wufei was silent as he sipped his coffee. "I'm not mad, Wufei. Well, Ok, I am, but I'm not THAT mad." Duo said, still looking at the photos. Wufei sipped his coffee. "I should have controlled myself better." Duo shook his head. "As should I. But that whole situation was...unavoidable. We were locked in a room with no blood but Heero's. I know you didn't want to do that. But there was nothing that any of us could do." "You could have marked him." Duo felt himself pale. "Iye. Too risky. I couldn't. And besides, I was there. I protected him well enough. Plus Quatre would have never let me live it down." Wufei nodded. "I just wish I had never closed that damn door. And Winner is mad at me because I called him and made it very clear how angry I was that he had not had a reserve." Duo smiled. "Poor Q. It wasn't his fault. He blames himself for everything, though. If you didn't watch him, I'm sure he'd say one day that the reason there is no air in space is because of his lack of effort." Wufei nodded with a faint smile. "Probably." He sipped his coffee. "You've bitten him." Duo blinked and felt himself pale. "Excuse me?" Wufei smirked. "Heero. You've bitten him. I know you did in the basement. I can only assume you did the same elsewhere." Duo scrambled for an answer but his anger got the best of him. "What the HELL kind of question is that?!" Wufei's smirk grew as he continued to stare forth, alternately sipping and blowing on his coffee. "It wasn't." Duo became even angrier. "Maxwell, calm down. There's nothing wrong with it. He let you, right?" Duo nodded reluctantly. "So, the way I see it, so long as you don't kill the poor fool, there is no problem." Wufei sipped his drink. Duo was confused. "Then why the hell did you ask?" The Chinese man smirked anew. "Just thought I'd get a rise out of you." Duo glared at him. "Typical. We going to change your bandage, oh Annoying One?" "I thought that was you." Wufei grumbled. "And I said that I would do it." Now Duo smirked. "What? And miss out on the chance to make YOU squirm? I think not." He took Wufei's wrist and pulled him up from the couch. Wufei hissed as the wounded muscles were jarred painfully and glared his damnedest at the braided 'boy'. "Kisama." Laughing, Duo pushed him into the bathroom. * * * Heero stepped into the empty house. He knew that Duo and Wufei were gone. The Jeep was no where to be found and it was night. 'I guess they went hunting. I'll wait for them to get back.' He checked the clock on the wall. 10:45. He looked around the house. 'It's always so damn empty without Duo. I hate being here without him. Hell, I hate being ANYWHERE without him. Without him talking non-stop like he does, everything is so quiet. Too quiet. I hate it.' He looked in Duo's bedroom to see the bed made immaculately and a book of Romeo and Juliet on the bedside table. 'Hn. Ironic.' Heero picked up the book and looked through the page that was marked with a rectangle of black satin. He smiled at the way the page was worn, the book parting open at that page with obvious use. //What man art thou that thus bescreen'd in night so stumblest on my council? By a name I know not how to tell thee who I am. My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself because it is an enemy to thee. Had I it written, I would tear the word.// Heero thought about the meaning of those words in relation to his lover. 'He feels guilty for being with me. Like it's unfair or something. I can't believe he still thinks that! Haven't I made it clear enough that I love him no matter what?! That I don't care that we are from completely different walks of life! Goddamn it, Duo! Alright. I'll sit him down and we are going to have a talk. A LONG talk.' He set the book down and stormed with no purpose into the living room, sitting heavily on the couch. 'He'll be home any minute.' He leaned against the back and let his eyes droop closed, thinking of all the things he would say to Duo upon his return. * * * Duo and Wufei walked up the steps onto the porch and Duo opened the door to see Heero was again asleep on his couch, this time in a sitting position. Wufei glanced at him and then shrugged and walked into the other room. Duo smirked and closed the door. Stepping back onto the porch and looking to the sky. 'He's tired. I'll just take a quick walk and let him get some sleep. I can feed later. Wufei doesn't share. Ah, well, I would be uncomfortable hunting in front of him anyway. He's never seen me do it. I need to shake off his more than cruel hunting habits, too. Christ, I haven't smelled that much terror since Quatre's. And for a long time before that.' He shuddered. Looking up to the stars and moon, Duo walked along the edges of the property. * Heero awoke at the feel of a hand on his shoulder, a light shaking. He blinked his eyes and looked up to see Wufei standing over him. Mindless panic over-took him and he jumped up and away from the Chinese vampire, a Ki ball forming in one hand out of reflex. Wufei looked hurt but covered the expression with a scowl as he stepped back out of surprise and reflex. Heero looked down and let the Ki ball disperse, ashamed that he had reacted in such a way. "G-gomen nasai!" Wufei's expression did not falter. "Look." He said, scowling. "The loudmouthed-baka is outside. He's upset about something. Go do something." And with that being said, he walked into the other room, grumbling in Chinese. Confused for a moment, Heero merely stood there and wondered what he meant before opening the door and stepping outside. He looked around in the pale moonlight and saw a dark figure moving at a leisurely pace near a hill far from the house. He ran towards it. 'Duo!' The figure stopped and turned to him. ‘"Hee-kun?"’ 'Who else, baka?' A mental smirk. The figure walked back towards him and the two met under the stars far from the house along the fence that lined the forest part of the property. "Duo." Duo smiled, his eyes shimmering in the moonlight. "Ah?" "What are you doing out here?" Duo grinned, visible in the silver light. "Working on my killer tan. What did you think?" Heero smiled slightly but spoke. "Are you Ok? Wufei said that you were upset about something. What is it?" Heero stepped towards his lover. Duo's smile became somewhat wry. "He's just... He's upset and his...hunting habits are... Brutal. I'm just a bit merred out, that's all. I'm not used to it so I came out for a walk. Try to clear my head and whatnot." Heero nodded. "Oh." Duo smiled. "Is that all? You looked and felt like you were worried that I'd walk off and never come back." Taking a step closer, Heero put his hands on Duo's shoulders. Duo looked worried now. "Hee-kun?" He sniffed the air. "Are you mad at me?" Heero paused before nodding slightly. Eyes going wide, Duo took a step back, an unconscious response to anger, making him get out of reach of a blow. "What did I do?" Heero looked him dead in the eye. "Stop thinking you're bad for me." Duo looked confused before he cast his eyes to the ground. "What do you mean?" "I mean, stop trying to convince yourself that it is wrong for us to be together." He said hotly. "I know that we are very different. And I don't give a shit. I want to be with you and I don't care what tries to stand in my way. I saw the page you had book-marked. I know that play. It is a tragedy. But we are not characters in some stupid play, Duo. We are people. And in love. Our story will have a happy ending." Duo looked surprised before he returned his gaze to the moonlit ground. His voice was soft. "How do you know?" Heero stepped forward and embraced him. "I just do, Duo." Duo stepped backwards. "Iye, Heero. This will end badly. It always does." Knowing that Duo was talking about Solo, Heero spoke. "Duo. Even if it did, we are happy now, ne? Isn't that all that matters? Can't that be enough? I don't care what happens twenty years from now. As long as you're with me, my life has meaning. It lacked that for so long. I know yours did as well. Can't you just focus on the now? Forget the future." Duo looked a little angry. "THAT is one of the reasons I am worried, Heero. I know you don't have any plans for your future. You should. You have your whole fucking life ahead of you, and you don't seem to care even a bit!" Heero waited for a moment before responding. "HOW can you even say that?! You think I don't give a thought to the future? I'm just a kid, right?! Some stupid brat?!" Duo growled and crossed his arms, grinding his teeth together. "That's NOT what I said." "Duo? Heero? Is that you?" Duo whirled to his side and the two lovers watched as Martha and Elmer walked towards them, Elmer holding a flashlight. The beam shone in Heero's eyes briefly before moving to Duo's who's reflected for a flash of a second before he blocked the light with a hand, grimacing as his eyes were temporarily blinded. "Sorry." Elmer returned the beam to the ground. "We heard talking close to the house. And then yelling. Is everything Ok?" Duo nodded and smiled a small wry smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Yes. Everything is fine. I was just out for a walk is all." "Oh." Said Martha. "Um. The deer won't come inside the fence at night, Duo." Duo sighed almost imperceptibly as he closed his eyes for a brief moment before staring fixedly at the ground. Heero knew that the statement had annoyed him but the elderly couple apparently had no clue. 'I know him better.' He reasoned. 'I've gotten to know his tells. I know what to look for. Boy, am I glad. I don't think Duo is a person to get enraged easily, but if he did...' He shuddered. "I wasn't... We were just out walking. That's all." Said Duo a little coldly. "Why were you yelling?" Asked Martha. "What's wrong?" She looked around as if for predators. Duo sighed. "Nothing. We were just going in, anyway. Come on, Heero. Let's go." Grabbing Heero's wrist tightly, he led them at a fast walk away from the confused couple. Once they reached Duo's own small plot of land, Heero shook his hand off and stood, waiting for Duo to face him. He looked into his eyes, allowing his anger to show when Duo turned to him and cast his own violet orbs to the ground. He thought about what his lover had said. "Sao ka. It may seem that way, Duo. But the truth is I don't worry about anything in my future because I know that we will be together. As long as we are, things will always work out." Long moments of silence stretched out between the two as Duo continued to gaze at the shadows and light cast upon the ground, seeming fascinated with the way they clashed yet complimented each other perfectly. Heero felt his heart quicken with each passing second. "Duo. You're not... You're not thinking of leaving me, are you?!" He all but screamed, feeling tears fall onto his cheeks and hating how easy it was for Duo to make him cry. Duo looked up, surprised. "Hee-kun... Don't be silly. I couldn't do that if I tried. Which is why I blame myself for this. I can't walk away from you. God knows, I know it is the right thing to do. But I can't. I don't think I ever could." He said with a gentle and sincere expression as he stepped forward and cupped Heero's cheek in a hand, tenderly wiping away a tear with a gentle thumb. "It scares me sometimes, how much I want to be with you. I could NEVER leave." Heero nodded, a small smile playing at his lips despite his attempts to quell it. 'I think he means that he will do it. Not now. He might not even realize that's what he wants, too. But he will. Even if he doesn't know it yet.' He spoke aloud. "I know exactly what you mean." Duo smiled sadly and hugged him. "Let's go in, ne?" Heero took him by the hand and the two walked into the house. 'We'll talk about it later.' Duo opened the door and stepped inside, letting Heero enter before he closed it and embraced him tightly. "Are you gonna sleep here, or at your place?" "I have everything done homework wise. I don't have to be home for anything. I'd like to spend the night here." Heero replied, resting his chin atop Duo's head when it was placed on his shoulder. Duo nodded slightly against him. "Ok. But I have to go out and work in a little while. I said I would and all." Heero felt his blood run slightly colder at the thought of being asleep and alone in the house with Wufei. "You know, actually I think that when you go out to work, I'll go home." Sniffing the air, Duo stood back and looked into his eyes. "Heero, he won't hurt you. He's not that kind of guy. I understand, though, so whichever." Heero nodded but said nothing. Duo smiled a little sadly. "I know. Irrational fear." Heero nodded again and simply hugged him tightly.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I know I know, sappy and pointless ne? Well not too pointless, remember this as you'll need it later. Star-crossed DOES ring a bell or two with you people doesn't it? You know, "From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, a pair of star-crossed lovers takes their lives"? Make sense now? It is kind of a R&J story(but wow is it weirder). Did anyone catch the metaphor with the shadows and light on the ground, clashing and complimenting at the same time? Was it too subtle? ~_~' _____________________________________________________________________________ Back to
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