I'll Be Home For Christmas
By Slumber
Disclaimers apply. Characters not mine, so please don't sue. It's not worth it.
Warnings: Um, hints of shonen ai? And sap, maybe? I dunno, it's kind of unclear…
Pairings: hinted 1+2/2+1
Feedback: Lots of it, k? Please?
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I'll be home for Christmas
War, even during its toughest times, seems to have little effect on tradition. Now, even on AC 196, pseudo-Santa Clauses stand in front of stores, ringing out messages of good will and peace on earth, as children gleefully run up to them, tiny fingers excitedly grabbing and tugging anything within reach. Stores are filled with bustling people who, despite the reality that is war, find time to do their Christmas shopping in one of Earth's middle class neighborhoods. Christmas lights shine, making the early evening look like day. The smell of pudding and various sweets fill the air, and snow gently falls on the whole place.
Amongst the throngs of people coming through and fro the sidewalks a solitary figure walks, unnoticed. In spite of the cold December chill, and his Spandex and hunter green tank top, he appears unaffected. His stoic expression shows no reaction to the cold winds as he trudges on, one thought filling his mind.
You can count on me
'Duo…' Heero stares at the ground before him. It's been quite a while; he had feared he would not make it at all. He had almost failed. Ninmu ryoukai. Ninmu kanryou.
//Flashback//
The Mobile Dolls were surrounding them. Every time he finished off about two of them, five more would keep popping up. It was starting to look pretty hopeless.
'Pilot 04 here, requesting someone to cover me. Most systems are down, and I've got no way out,' a static voice sounded over their communication system.
'Ryoukai. Be over there in a minute, Pilot 04, after I finish it off over here,' a cheery voice rang out. The strain in his voice was not very evident, but Heero had noticed it.
'Pilot 05 here; I'm covering for 03. He ran out of ammunition and is on the ground.'
'Ryoukai. Call for a retreat. There's too many of them.'
'We can't find a way out. They've surrounded us.'
'Then we keep trying.'
//End Flashback//
Please have snow and mistletoe
'Mom, look! Snow!' somewhere, a little girl's voice rang out, squealing excitedly as she rushed out from inside her house. As if suddenly paying attention, Heero looked up to see white snowflakes dotting the dark blue sky. He hadn't noticed it was already so late, and he hadn't noticed the snow. He was so immersed in his thoughts…
He turned his attention to the little girl. She was so naïve, willingly giving up the warmth of her own home to go out into the cold, unforgiving air. He wished he could go to his own warm home… Did he have one? Briefly an image of violet eyes flashes before his mind's eye.
And presents on the tree
Duo… he had come into his life so suddenly, and had managed to worm his way into his heart so silently, for a while he hadn't even noticed it was there. What was it in his braided baka that even the Perfect Soldier could fall for him? Heero wasn't so sure. Then again, that isn't the point, is it? What matters is that he had Duo, and they had each other, and that was all there is to it.
He clutched a tiny parcel in his right hand. It was a small hair tie; black with reddish embroidery, wrapped in gold paper. He had bought it weeks before, and he wanted to surprise Duo with it.
//Flashback//
'Hee-chan, guess what?'
'Don't call me Hee-chan.'
'Ne, you're no fun. No seriously, guess what?'
'I honestly do not know. Tell me.'
'Fine. Christmas is a week away!'
'And…?'
'Doesn't that mean anything to you?'
'Duo, it's war. What will Christmas do to change that?'
'Um… presents?'
'Duo no baka… presents won't change war.'
'Guys?' a blond head peeked in from the door to their room, 'We have a mission. Libras in Area 07 [1], we have to get ready. The Gundams are in the hangar. The Maguanacs have just finished fixing them up.'
'Aye aye, Quatre. We'll be down there in a second.'
'OK. I'll go get Wufei,' Quatre replied just before he left.
'Heero, when Christmas comes, I'm going to give you a present. It may not change war, but it's something you could enjoy, for once.'
'Ninmu ryoukai.'
//End Flashback//
Christmas Eve will find me
He had been walking aimlessly for some time now, lost in his own thoughts. The smell of Christmas foods wafted through his nostrils. He turned left on a corner and entered a narrower street, where more houses than shops filled the lane. The bustling crowds of a few moments ago were gone, having all gone home to celebrate the holidays.
He peeked into one of the brightly lit windows, silently watching the family inside. Two little boys and an older sister. They chatted merrily at their parents, a plump lady who was serving their meal, and their balding father, who was sitting nearby. Just a little further off stood a Christmas tree modestly decorated, where a few wrapped objects lay.
Heero turned away from the scene and resumed walking. He really should be going home by now.
Where the love light gleams
Duo would be waiting. He must be worried sick by now. How long had Heero been gone anyway? He couldn't really remember anymore.
He went on silently as the houses seemed to fade off. He was approaching one of Quatre's mansions, where they had been staying for quite some time now. He hoped he didn't miss anything much.
Heero paused a bit as he noticed a form outlined in the lighted window of what he recognized to be the living room. He moved closer so that he could identify the person, but not close enough for that person to notice him. He recognized Duo's figure. The violet eyed pilot was standing right in front of Heero, wearing an expression the Perfect Soldier had never seen before and could not recognize. His violet orbs were bloodshot and there were tearstains running down both sides of his face. Heero gave out a start as he became conscious of the fact that Duo had been crying. Was it because of him?
The shadow that was Duo retreated back into the room, and Heero walked to the front door. Finding it unlocked, he quietly entered the manor, intent on not disturbing anyone. Strangely enough, the house didn't seem to be as excited as all the other houses he had passed nor as cheerful as the other buildings were. Maybe it was because the weight of war leaned most heavily on them…
He passed the living room, where the grand Winner Christmas tree stood. It was one of the biggest trees he had ever laid eyes on, yet it looked empty, like it was missing something. He hesitated a bit before entering the room. Taking a quick glance up at the mistletoe Rashid had put up, due to Duo's request, of course, Heero let out a small smile form on his face. Duo had been so adamant about the mistletoe; it would be such a waste to let it just stay there. [2]
I'll be home for Christmas
A figure lay on the bed. Duo had fallen asleep on the couch, must have been waiting up for me. Heero watched Duo's face for a little while more, marveling at the air of utter innocence he gives off. One would not think of him as the God of Death when he is there, fast asleep, looking like an angel for all he was worth. Heero's angel, to be precise. Heero couldn't help but smile at the thought.
'Hey. I'm home,' he whispered. Duo stirred in his sleep.
'Baka. You didn't have to wait. I said I'll come home, remember? Ninmu kanryou.'
Duo continued on with his sleep, blissfully unaware of Heero's presence.
'Hey. Wake up. This is our first Christmas together. Wake up. I have a gift for you. Open it up.'
Duo did not rouse from his slumber. Heero sighed in exasperation. Who'd have thought a well-trained pilot like Duo was such a heavy sleeper? Then again, it wasn't as if he was really shaking the braided boy awake or anything. He had just been standing there, coaxing Duo out of his slumber.
If only in my dreams
'Duo, wake up.'
//Flashback//
'Heero, the Mobile Dolls are multiplying. There's more and more of them every second!'
'Iie, if this keeps up, we'll never get a chance to escape.'
'They have us. It's a trap!'
'Pilot 03 is out of ammunition, Pilot 04 and 02's systems are both down, almost malfunctioning, we _have_ to get out now, Heero,' the Perfect Soldier was dimly aware of Wufei's voice.
'Hold on a bit. I need your locations.'
'04 and 05 are at two o'clock position, 03 is at six o'clock, and 02 is at ten o'clock.'
'Affirmative.'
'The enemies keep coming,' a note of panic was obvious in Quatre's voice.
'Stand back.'
'Nani, Heero?'
'I said, stand back.'
Heero checked the radar to see if his fellow pilots obliged. They did. Wing's damage was only semi-evident, but he still had a little bit of trouble with the controls. He hoped this would work. He glanced back down at the small screen flickering on the positions of everyone. The Mobile Dolls were there, all right. And they were appearing out of nowhere, too. Since when had OZ learned to become magicians anyway? There really was no way out. No means of escape.
He shut his eyes tight, and tried to block out Duo's distressed voice.
'Oh no, Heero… you wouldn't… please don't…' the braided boy had stammered.
And Heero had pushed the red button.
//End Flashback//
'Wake up Duo… I'm home…'
'Hm?' Duo yawned, sitting up from the sofa. Someone was calling him. He looked around, but the room was empty, as he had expected. Maybe he had just been dreaming it…
***OWARI***
[1] I don't know how they identify certain locations, so I made up my own.
[2] I'm also not sure if Arabians celebrate Christmas, so I took the liberty of pretending they do. ^_^
Um… sorry? This is my answer to the Christmas fic challenge on one of the MLs I'm in, and anyway, I'm in the mood for something angsty, although it doesn't seem so angsty to me. Um, if this sucks, it's OK if you tell me, really, cause I just wrote it in a blur of typing fingers and a bright monitor screen on a week day, and I was just so inspired after hearing the song. I don't know if these are the complete lyrics, but they work with me! ^^v I actually wrote it in one setting, and that is _so_ not me. Anyway, yes, I did kill off Heero. [Sort of like Sixth Sense… -_-v] ::Ducks tomatoes:: And if this is OOC, forgive me. I wasn't really thinking when I wrote this anyway. ^_^ Oh, and GIVE ME FEEDBACK! ^^v
Hanako [aka Slumber]
December 13, 2000