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"The Apprentice"Written By: t-shirt Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters are
copyright to Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu Agency, and associated parties.
I make no money with this fic. Rating: NC 17 Warnings: AU, fantasy, Angst, fluff, sap, moderate
lemons (no it's not about the sex 8P) Pairings: 1x2, 3x4x5, past 1x3,
indication of future quintet at the end Summary: The Divine Wizard J offers an apprenticeship to his people for which Hiiro and Duo are most eager to compete. "The Apprentice"
Ch 3 “Duo?” “Hmmmmm,” the braided boy groaned, smiling sappily as his skin was warmed by the bright sunshine. “Duo, wake up.” “What time is it?” he asked, clenching his eyes closed tighter and turning his face to the toasty warmth as wakefulness slowly came to him. “Just before dawn.” Before? Duo’s eyes snapped open, stunned to find Hiiro gazing down on him in the cool of the night. “Shit,” he breathed, almost laughing out loud. “Sorry, guess I was dreaming.” Hiiro nodded as if he understood better than Duo really wanted him to but didn’t press the subject. “Howard went to find the others.” “Is it time already?” Duo asked, stretching hugely as a yawn claimed his entire body. Hiiro’s eyes fell instantly to the sliver of skin that was revealed along his stomach then quickly turned away. “He said I should wake you so we could prepare.” “Prepare what?” the longhaired boy inquired, tugging his shirt back down as he sat up. “I was hoping you knew,” Hiiro chuckled. “Old goat probably wants breakfast,” Duo grumbled. “Maybe we should have a look at the Table.” “Won’t see much until the sun’s up.” Hiiro’s grin curled so slowly it gave Duo goose flesh and stalled his argument. The Table was at the bottom of the hill, a large slab of granite that protruded from a cliff and looked to be nothing more than an outcropping of rock but there wasn’t one person in the land that didn’t know its true power. Many rituals where held there; the one that would happen that day the least common of them all and the new apprentices felt the hum in the air as they approached. “See?” Duo commented, peering into the shadows. “We’ll have to wait until…” but his words stilled as his jaw dropped when the first light of dawn suddenly burst with wayward streams of light. “How?” he gasped, turning to find Hiiro standing on the slab, his right hand stretched out, calling the very rays of the sun and Duo shuddered to see them obey. “I don’t think there’s much we can do,” Hiiro commented casually as the bright sunlight wrapped around him and shimmered on the stone. “There doesn’t seem to be anything required.” Duo’s lack of response gave him reason to turn to him but the look on his face brought a sudden concern to Hiiro’s brow. “Are you all right?” “Are you really a god?” Duo asked, unable to comprehend the sight of the resplendent young man as he stood amidst his tendrils of light. “No more than one who can bring life from death,” Hiiro smiled. Duo grinned, liking the way his words sounded in Hiiro’s mouth then giggled drunkenly when Hiiro held out his left hand and asked, “Would you like to touch it?” “I’m a creature of darkness,” the longhaired boy laughed. “I fear one of us may falter if we collide.” “I’m not afraid,” Hiiro smiled, urging him forward. Duo laughed again but surrendered, letting him pull him up onto the slab and giggled like a child when the light quickly wrapped around him. “It’s so warm,” he smiled, holding his hands before the captured sunbeams as if they were hot coals. “Are your shadows cold?” Hiiro inquired, stepping closer to him. Duo smirked cleverly and changed the motion of his hands, forming a bit of pitch between them. “It depends on the nature of the darkness,” he explained caressing the ebony patch with tender care. “What is it?” Hiiro wondered, watching the shadow with childlike wonder. “Sssawktauuuuu,” Duo hissed, grinning demonically as he blew the purple mire that was forming on the surface into Hiiro’s face. All at once Hiiro’s eyes rolled back in his head as a deep, throaty purr sounded in his chest. “Damn,” he breathed, trying to shake off the dizzying affect. “You touched me with your light,” Duo smirked, closing the distance between them. “So I’ll let you feel what it’s like to embrace the dark.” “Ah!” Hiiro gasped as his body tensed when it was enveloped by the shadow and a heat unlike any he had ever felt before permeated his flesh. “W…what it is?!” he gasped, unable to defend against something so utterly foreign to him. “It is the essence of desire,” Duo purred, letting the magic take him. “The shadow that is seen in a lover’s passion-dark eyes.” Hiiro fought for breath, unconsciously wrapping his sunbeams more tightly around them. “The whisper of an ebony embrace.” “It’s incredible,” Hiiro panted, forcing his vision to steady as he gazed into Duo’s amethyst eyes. “I’ve never shown it to anyone before,” Duo commented, seeming confused as he backed slowly away. “Duo?” Hiiro begged, clearly confounded as to what it was he wanted so badly. “I’m sorry,” the longhaired boy whispered, looking apologetic and confused as the shadowy embrace began to falter but suddenly yelped when Hiiro lurched forward and snatched him into his arms. He was kissing him in a moment, the heat surrounding them flaring with new life as light and shadow mixed and melded together creating a maelstrom of chaotic energy that swirled about them with rising fury. Duo shook in his arms, unable to grasp what was happening until the why and how simply didn’t matter anymore and he clung to Hiiro for all he was worth. Neither of them noticed when the Table began to shimmer beneath their feet, nor did they care that one by one the trees in the valley glimmered and glowed as the sun peeked over the horizon like a mother looking for her wayward young. Slowly Hiiro’s tendrils began to fade in the strong presence of their source and Duo’s shadow was gently washed away leaving them clinging tightly to each other, panting heavily and utterly bewildered as to what had transpired between them. “You could have waited for us,” Wufei’s amused tone chuckled, causing them to suddenly break apart. “Does that even count?” Howard wondered. “What?” Duo asked nervously. “We didn’t do anything.” Trowa laughed along with Wufei, holding him possessively around the neck from behind as he explained. “You’ve passed.” “What?” Hiiro echoed Duo’s confusion. “I’m not surprised you didn’t notice, considering,” Quatre smiled. “The Table accepted you while you were uh… busy,” Howard explained. Duo looked around at the silent slab then turned uncertain eyes on Hiiro but he merely shrugged before they both smiled brightly. “That was one hell of show,” Wufei praised. “Very impressive,” Trowa agreed. “There hasn’t been anything that spectacular since…” he grinned, nibbling Quatre’s ear. “Stop,” the blond giggled, smacking him playfully. “What now?” Duo wondered since the ceremony was no longer necessary. “There’s a spring at the base of the hill,” Wufei smiled easing in behind Quatre. “And you could use a bath.” “Think I’ll scare up something better than beans for supper,” Howard commented, eyeing the trio warily before heading for his wagon. “What about you two?” Trowa smiled. “Feel like taking a swim?” “Sure,” Duo grinned, hopping to the ground. Trowa led the way with Quatre in tow and Duo following along while Wufei approached the Table and smiled at the somber looking Hiiro. “Coming?” When they reached the spring the others had already stripped to their undergarments and slipped into the cool water but Hiiro chose to sit on a large rock and warm himself in the sun while Wufei folded up on the grass and placed both his hands out in front of him, palms down. “Cherry tea cakes!” Quatre laughed just before Trowa rose up and dunked him and Wufei grinned as the splash stopped two feet from his head as if it had hit an invisible bubble. “What do you like for breakfast?” he asked the stoic sun god, making a series of movements with his fingers. “Fish,” Hiiro replied skeptically but the crease on his brow eased when a plate of fire roasted river trout materialized before him. Likewise Quatre’s tea cakes faded into view along with a bowl of ripened fruit, and some sort of delicate looking pastry with a dark jelly in the center. “Date shammies?” Duo breathed reverently, drawing himself half out of the water to admire the fare. “You like them,” Wufei smiled, magicking the plate closer to him. “How’d you know?” Duo chuckled, eagerly munching away. “You ate nearly the entire plate at the celebration,” the raven haired boy laughed. Duo chuckled sheepishly but stuffed another in his mouth just the same. “Thank you.” “You are most welcome.” The honest tone of his voice caused Duo to pause and consider him thoughtfully but he held his tongue and turned his attention to the surrounding forest. “It’s so beautiful here. What’s it like on the mountain?” “You’ll soon discover that for yourself,” Trowa interjected. Duo turned, balking when he was confronted by the sight of Quatre laid back on a rock, his bare chest glistening in the morning sun while Trowa nibbled and licked at his skin. “Geez! Do you have to do that here?” he exclaimed, jerking his head back around. Wufei laughed openly at the brightness on his cheekbones but Hiiro seemed less than amused. “One would think you’ve never been kissed!” “Though we’ve seen it with out own eyes,” Trowa smirked, letting Quatre slide back into the water and wrapping around his back as they made their way over to the food. “Can you teach me this spell?” Duo asked distractingly as he munched another tart. “Eventually,” Wufei smiled. “There are many things you will learn,” Trowa added, easing in beside the long haired boy and Duo suddenly jumped completely out of the water. “Where are you touching!?” Duo exclaimed, skittering back while the trio busted up laughing. “He’s not on the menu,” Hiiro growled, towering over the longhaired boy. Duo gasped when he ran into his legs, turning his startled gaze upward to see the righteous indignation in the sun god’s fiery blue eyes. “Do you intend to sup on his sweetness exclusively?” Wufei grinned. “What!?” Duo barked, scrambling to his feet. “Wait a minute! No one’s supping on me!” “He’s made his choice,” Hiiro declared, standing firmly by his side. “Is your charge as impressive as his arrogance?” Quatre smiled coyly, rocking back into Trowa’s arms. “He is no longer my charge,” the elf purred, running his hands wantonly down the blond boy’s exposed stomach while he floated before him. “Lover then,” Quatre smirked, watching the way Hiiro’s brow twitched with the word. “Alas,” Trowa sighed, turning him when they reached their rock and laying him over its sun warmed surface. “It appears I am no longer that either.” “By your own choice!” Hiiro snapped. “I don’t recall ever once denying you,” Trowa countered, causing Quatre to moan softly as he leaned in and ran his tongue from his navel to his chest. “How can you be so cold?” Duo whispered, clearly shocked and angered by their behavior. “Show a little respect and at least refrain in front of him!” “He’s right,” Wufei nodded, sighing heavily as he rose with an ease that belied the difficulty of the movement. “We have been too long removed from youthful company.” “What is he babbling about?” Trowa mumbled over Quatre’s left nipple but the blond’s only reply was to hiss and seize his hair. “Hiiro!?” Duo exclaimed when he suddenly turned and strode away. “You should go after him,” Wufei advised. “Why?” Duo asked, gasping softly when he turned to see his pants fall to the ground. “You’re welcome to stay,” Wufei smiled, eyeing the way Quatre was wriggling under Trowa’s expert affection. “You’re all insane,” the long haired boy declared. “I’ll speak with them,” Wufei promised, slipping into the water. It was certain that conversation was going to wait for awhile as the raven haired boy slipped in behind Trowa and began to nibble his neck, so Duo sighed heavily and went to find Hiiro. Unfortunately, it seemed when he wanted to be alone he literally disappeared. There wasn’t a trace of him anywhere, not a footprint nor a broken twig but the lack of a physical trail had never hampered Duo’s ability to track. He needed to go back to the last place he knew Hiiro to have been however, which meant he would be confronted by the tawdry trio but when he approached the pool as quiet as a shadow what he saw belied any fanciful visions of carnal lust. The three of them were engaged in the most intimate of ways, as expected, but Duo hadn’t been prepared for the utter adoration in their eyes as they slowly worshiped each other. Quatre was in the middle trading off languid kisses with Trowa who was slowly rocking him from behind while Wufei blanketed his body with the tender caresses of a lover’s hand. They were so into each other the longhaired boy was certain they had no idea he was watching but felt the heat of his transgression pool in his groin as his desire to feel such devotion ghosting along his skin tingled in his spine. What they had was nothing like what he had envisioned. It was pure and untainted in its simple honesty and he began to wonder what revelations might enlighten him over the years that might help him to understand but then Quatre arched back, signally the beginning of the end and Trowa slowed with great effort and gently passed the blonds’ cooling body to Wufei and Duo suddenly felt the guilt of his sin and turned back to his original mission. It was a simple spell but one uniquely suited to death magic and therefore a rare ability but Duo gave it no more thought than to raise his hand and call forth the shadows of the past. He was more than a little surprised to discover that Hiiro had never actually left at all. He was sitting in a sun beam a small distance from the pool, shrouded by the shimmering illumination and plain to see if one merely looked straight at him. “Hiiro?” Duo chuckled wondrously. “That’s some trick,” he praised as he approached but Hiiro’s eyes were on the distant pool where Wufei was now behind Quatre who was lying on Trowa’s stomach kissing him while the raven haired boy serviced him from behind. Duo gazed back at the threesome and sighed. “Are you ok?” he asked, sinking to the ground beside him. “Have you ever loved anyone?” “Not like that,” Duo snorted softly, going somber when he looked back at the pool. “Guess it was just never meant to be.” Hiiro remained silent, merely watching the tender union unfold. “They really seem to love each other,” he consoled, hoping that fact would help ease his companion’s pain but his expression never changed. “He’s still here,” he reasoned. “You said yourself he’ll never abandon you.” “I don’t know those people,” Hiiro confessed. “Even though he’s told me so much about them it still feels…” “Lonely?” Duo smiled. Hiiro shifted his gaze from the trio for the first time to regard his longhaired companion. “I’ve always been alone,” he confessed. “Even as a child until he came to me.” His eyes shifted back to the elf and his lovers. “There were times when he would just disappear for months, even years at a time but time means little to an elf. When he returned to find me a young man instead of a child I made him my lover in the hope that he would stay by my side but… even then… I always knew he would return here… to them.” “Then we’re sort of in the same boat,” Duo chuckled. “I’ve always been alone too.” Hiiro looked at him again but his eyes were unreadable. “Hilde was the closest friend I’ve ever had.” “That’s why you chose the mountain?” Duo nodded, smiling in spite of the situation when impassioned voices rose in the air. “I don’t want anyone to ever be alone, especially the children.” “A noble cause,” Hiiro commented, gazing softly into his eyes. “What about you?” Duo laughed lightly, trying to ignore the warmth that ran though him under Hiiro’s eyes. “I was given the power to protect,” Hiiro stated and Duo shivered at the certainty in his tone. “I shall use it to the best of my ability.” “I think J chose wisely when he selected you,” Duo smiled. “I was chosen long ago,” Hiiro confessed, explaining when Duo’s brow creased. “Trowa has been determined since the day he came to me that I would join them.” “Then… the competition?” Duo gaped. “A fair judgment,” Hiiro shrugged, watching as the trio pulled themselves onto the bank and lay in a comfortable heap in the warm sun. “There was no one to truly challenge me,” he smirked, turning a sidelong look at his longhaired companion. “Until you showed up.” Duo’s breath caught as he looked upon the handsome sun god, his hair shimmering in the beam that cloaked his stoic form and that roguish smile on his lips. “Light and dark,” he softly intoned, unaware of the way he was gravitating toward him. “They say one cannot exist without the other.” “Light can only shine when embraced by the dark,” Hiiro agreed as he gently brought their mouths together. Duo breathed slowly as he rolled his head drunkenly from side to side, tasting the toasty goodness of Hiiro lips. It was different from before, softer and more sublime as his tongue glided along the silken surface of Hiiro’s gentle caress. He could feel the power pulsating inside him and knew if it came down to it he wouldn’t stand a chance against the Keeper of the Light but when Hiiro’s hand came to tenderly caress his face he suddenly broke free and clutched at the guilty feeling that gripped his heart. “I’m sorry,” he gasped, backing away. “Duo?” “I know you don’t need my sympathy,” the braided boy replied, rising hastily to his feet. “It won’t happen again.” “But…” “I hope you can still think of me as a friend,” Duo cut him off. “So if you ever need anyone to talk to…” “We could talk now,” Hiiro breathed, stepping from his beam to follow. Duo back peddled, glancing around as if looking for an escape then smiling with relief when he apparently found one. “Maybe the one you should be talking to right now is Trowa,” he suggested, indicating his direction. Hiiro turned to see his ex-lover gazing intently at him, the concern over his sudden appearance and obvious spying evident in his emerald eyes but at the moment it was Duo he wanted to speak with. However, when he turned back to where the longhaired boy had been he was gone. He didn’t turn back up until they were packed and standing at the threshold that would lead them into another dimension. Beyond the rocks and brambles before them lay a world of timeless existence and the opportunity to make all their dreams come true. “Duo,” Hiiro attempted as they gazed up the ragged trail but just then the braided boy’s eyes flashed brightly as he called… “J!” Hiiro turned to see the old wizard hobbling down the trail toward them, his mechanical hand griping his cane and a warm smile on his lips. They were greeted, anointed with precious oil which was placed by the old mans index finger upon their brows and lead up the mountain to meet their destiny. Trowa kept Quatre close aiding him in the climb though the blond didn’t look as if his feet were even touching the ground while Wufei glided alone behind them taking every opportunity to goose either one of them that arose. After awhile even Duo was chuckling at the game and Hiiro had allowed a small smile to curl his lips. They could feel the change as the wheels that turned the rest of the world slowly ground to a halt. All the aches and pains of daily life slowly faded away and before long they were laughing and carrying on like a bunch of school kids until Wufei made the mistake of scooping Duo up and trying to kiss him and got his face smacked. The games settled after that though J appeared moderately amused by this turn of events. Hiiro tried time and again to isolate Duo and speak to him but the braided boy refused to co-operate then suddenly they crested a hill and the mountaintop laid spread out before them. In the center was a dais that was surrounded by a multitude of fist sized holes that admitted streaming light into the caverns below. Each beam lighting a stone or pool of liquid that shimmered with the presence of places far away. Quatre explained as they walked the catacombs that this was how they aided the people and demonstrated by opening one of the portals and helping himself to the ripened fruit of a tree that only bloomed in a land thousands of miles away. Happily, they also discovered it was possible to visit these places by opening a portal. As long as they didn’t pass through their immortality remained intact but they were able to sample the wealth of the world easing the vague impression of imprisonment. Wufei, however, chose to spend his time seducing either one or both of his lovers more often than not. His continued attempts to include Duo in this game was a constant source of irritation to both the longhaired boy and Hiiro who eventually relented in his efforts to speak about what had transpired between them. Time passed slowly on Souji as one day ran into another. Duo kept his distance from the others honoring his vow and dedicating his time to the welfare and future of the forgotten children in the land. Each year the Wizard J would descend and bring news of the ones they had left behind. Quatre and Wufei’s immediate family members had passed on long ago but they enjoyed hearing details about their descendents. Duo was the only one that had reason to anxiously await J’s return listening intently to stories of Hilde and the man that had finally convinced her there was more to life than loneliness. He delighted in the tales of her life taking a great interest in her children and favoring them with blessings throughout their lives until they were all that remained. Duo had shut himself off completely for a time after there ceased to be news of his friend but eventually Hiiro coaxed him out and the others made sure he stayed with them. He had stopped counting the years as well as the number of times Wufei had tried to seduce him. It seemed no matter how many times he turned him down the Chinese boy just kept trying, a fact that angered and frustrated Hiiro though he had made no advance in all the time they had been on the mountain to coerce Duo’s affections. He stayed close to him ensuring his wellbeing and doing his best to keep him company but anything more was left by the wayside. There were times when Duo was particularly venerable that he flew into a rage when Wufei pressed his advantage and set the mountain on fire with righteous fury but the Chinese boy was a formidable opponent and managed to survive. Most times it was nothing more than a pissing match but when Duo was in need because of failure of painful loneliness Hiiro was at his most protective and Wufei his most determined to assimilate the beautiful, longhaired boy into the fold of his and the other’s warmth. Trowa, on the other hand, spent a portion of his time attempting to seduce Hiiro to no avail. Even Quatre had tempted him from time to time but the Keeper of the Sun showed no interest in creature comforts choosing instead to hover near Duo and keep his constant vigil. Time passed unnoticed and though Duo stayed true to his dream he wavered more and more as the years passed. However, the closer he came to accepting Wufei the more protective Hiiro became resulting in a stale mate that lasted for over a hundred years. ** “Hiiro!” “Hai!” Trowa chuckled as he watched his emancipated charge snap to attention, the brilliant illumination that had surrounded him slowly dissipating to reveal yet another disaster averted by the young sun god’s will. “Has he always been so tense?” J inquired, seemingly amused as well. “No,” the elf replied. “Just since coming here.” “Well done,” the old wizard praised, effectively dismissing their test subject. Hiiro had long since lost track of time and no longer cared for the yearly mark of men that seemed to so intrigue the old man. “Is he unhappy here?” J asked, watching as Hiiro stood down from the dais and retrieved his cloak. “On the contrary,” Trowa laughed lightly, accepting Quatre under his arm with practiced ease. The blond stole a slow kiss that in no way appeared to antagonize the old man who simply waited until they were satisfied and Quatre turned his eyes toward another dais in the chamber where Duo stood. “Here is his only joy,” he grinned knowingly. J considered his words, watching Hiiro carefully as he paused and gazed toward Duo for a time before finally taking his leave. “Perhaps a moment alone would help him relax.” “Indeed,” Trowa sighed, lying back so he could draw Quatre onto his chest. “But he’ll have nothing to do with us,” the blond sighed dejectedly, taking comfort from his lover’s arms. “Wufei?” J inquired but Trowa only snorted. “I think not.” “It’s Duo his heart craves,” Quatre sighed. J considered the long haired boy, knowing full well what his feelings on the matter were. Duo had made no qualms about stating his mission clearly the day he had set foot on the mountain and had steadfastly followed his dream ever since. “How many seasons?” J wondered. “It is the forth generation of the Shcibeiker Wren,” Trowa informed him. J smiled, recalling the day Duo had breathed life into the little bird setting it on its wings the very day Hilde had passed away of old age. Four generations had passed and still her children’s children brought the Tandra leaves to the shrine every spring and fall. “Perhaps their contentment lies in each other,” J pondered, forcing his old body to stand. “My Lord?” Trowa replied in wide eyed wonder. “Wufei,” J spoke his summons, ignoring the elf and his lover as he made his way slowly toward the tall archway exit. ~ * ~ tbc... |
