AN: Alright...yet another major Xeno fic from me. However, this is gonna be a little different, primarly because first off it's a Wilhelm/Shion, and secondly...this is going to be AU to make this paring work. Now I'll be doing my best to keep everybody in canon character, but as the story advances, there will be a little bit of AU mixed in. So think of this story as 1/2 AU and 1/2 canon. (I'll promise you I'll do my best for the canon!)
Expect also some heavy theorzing on my part (because we are not going to see anything until Episode III) on Shion's past with Vector, or her relationship with Kevin. As for spoilers, well, warning for the prologue below, and then afterwards, it's all clear, as the setting for this fic is the two years prior to Kevin's death, starting when Shion first joined Vector.
Thanks and enjoy the story!
Prologue
The sounds of Wagner filled the air as Wilhelm leaned back in his seat, eyes closed, and his mind going over the events of the past several hours. He had to admit, there had been some surprises that he hadn't anticipated. His old friend's declaration and the matter of the Y-Data…though he hadn't been taken aback too much on that one. And then there had been the newest Testament…
The answer lies in the Unus Mundus. His eyes opened, but they were now filled with pain. Her role was fast approaching…no longer could she stay innocent, stay safe, no matter how much that small part of him wanted it. Within 24 hours, she would return to the Dammerung, and he could not even give her a moment's rest before he put her life in danger.
I should have never gotten involved… For now he found himself trapped in the same web Kevin had found himself in two years ago, but the difference was…he'd wandered in there first.
Four years ago. At first he had tried, thinking her only as "the girl", the necessary pawn to be sacrificed on the altar of his plans for all to work. And it had worked…before she had somehow slipped into his thoughts, his heart, and made him care. He had kept it a well-guarded secret, not even his Testaments knew…especially Winnicot. The man was in enough turmoil as it was…he didn't need to know that his master had been pining over the same woman he had lost his head over. Or that he had ruthlessly used every single resource, every pull he had to keep their relationship going when it should have died…but he hadn't wanted to lose her. Even if she only had seen him as a dear friend, it had been enough…just having her in his life was sufficient.
And no matter how much I wanted her to see me as more; I had to keep it that way. For what he had done was strictly forbidden, and when Shion learned of it, it would either be the final push she needed to make her do what she needed to do, or it would kill her…Wilhelm feared it would be the latter. Her life had been filled with nothing but betrayal and being used, and he hated himself for continuing the cycle.
"Shion."
"Mmm?"
"If I told you to quit Vector…just drop everything and run, to get as far away as possible…would you do it?" A puzzled look crossed the brunette's face before she closed her eyes and burst out into giggles.
"Jeez, I think those negotiations with the Hyams Group have been getting to you! When was the last time you actually went outside for some fresh air?" A weak smile crossed Wilhelm's face.
"I guess you're right…"
"Why didn't you listen to me?" Wilhelm murmured, lifting one hand to his forehead. Opening his eyes, he tilted his head slightly to look at the Compass of Order. "You should have run away…but then it wouldn't have made any difference." As he watched the Compass turn sedately, memories overwhelmed him, bringing both pleasure and pain…