In the Beak Midwinter By: Christina Georgina Rossetti
An original songfic by Kathryn
::Pairings:: 2xH (Not that important, really)
::Warning:: Religious (If you are offended by this stuff, then don't read: It's a really major thing in this one.)
::Disclaimer:: I don't own GW or its characters. I don't own this song or any other song by anyone other than myself. This contains religious stuff, so if anything like that bugs you, please stop reading here and now. If you are still reading I figure you must be okay with it. Enjoy!
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*song* //thoughts//
*In the bleak midwinter
Frosty winds made moan*
A lone figure walked silently down the streets of L2. A freezing wind whistled through the bare trees, touching the already numb skin of the young man's face. He was surprised that the colony had developed a way to keep snow. He shoved his hands down farther in his pockets, trying to get some feeling back in them. The war had been over six years and he was still alone.
*Earth stood hard as iron
Water like a stone*
He stepped into the coffee shop, welcoming the warmth on his face. He slipped quietly onto a stool, keeping his eyes low and head hung.
"What can I get you, sir?" The young waitress seemed awfully familiar to him, but he dismissed the thought and ordered a cup of coffee. He hadn't changed that much since the war, still his usual quiet, stoic, monotonous self. He still wore that damnable green tank top, but with blue jeans and a black coat. His chocolate hair was still as unruly and wild as ever. But now, he didn't want to be alone. He sipped his coffee in silence. He hadn't been able to find anyone, all the pilots seemed to disappear.
*Snow had fallen
Snow on snow*
They covered up their tracks too well for even him to trace, too. He'd gone through hell trying to find any of them. Relena had told him he could stay with her, but she was so busy, she didn't even realize he had left. It didn't matter. She was only an acquaintance anyways.
*Snow on snow*
"Whew! It's friggin' freezin' out there!" That voice! It was so familiar. An OZ soldier he once heard? He just couldn't put his finger on it. "Got some coffee for me, Hilde?" His head jumped at that. Hilde? Where had he heard that name?
"Of course. Where's your little Demi-God?" Yes, he had heard that voice before. Where? //Ugh. This is driving me nuts!//
"She's out making snow angels… of Death! Ah… Just like her old man!" The chuckle that came next was like a kick in the butt. It was him. He'd found him. After six years, he'd found him.
"Oi, Shinigami. It's been a while."
*In the bleak midwinter
Long, long ago*
The warm chuckle stopped in a dead silence.
"Who are you and how do you know that name?" This seriousness of his voice was rarely heard.
"Huh. I'm surprised at you. You really don't remember me, 02?" Heero chuckled lightly when he heard the sound of the pistol come up and point straight at the back of his head. "Oh, Duo, Duo, Duo. You wouldn't actually shoot your best friend in the back, would you? I can see, and feel, you do it in the arm, but not behind my back. Only I would do that." A long silence passed before Duo lowered the pistol, still confused.
"Who are you?"
"Tsk, tsk. It's only been six years and you've already forgotten me." He turned slowly to the young braided man, cobalt eyes meeting Prussian. A giant smile made it's way across the familiar territory of Duo's face, a small one tugging at the corners of the other ex-pilot's. "Oi, Duo. How ya been?"
*Heaven cannot hold him*
"Heero!!!" He couldn't help himself. He jumped over the table and picked up the other man in a giant, squeezing hug. "Oh, man! I've missed you!" He released his grip on the slightly wheezing Heero Yuy, allowing him to once again breathe. "We were all told you were dead, killed when Wing Zero went down. Where'd you disappear to?"
*Nor the Earth sustain*
"I was in a hospital hidden in the middle of nowhere. Relena brought me there after the Marimeia incident. I guess I was in pretty bad shape. I was in there recovering for six months." Duo's eyes sparkled with tears of joy at the rekindling of an old friendship, broken by war.
"Queen-of-the-World-chick took care of you after that, I suppose. She was obsessed." Duo motioned for them to sit and Hilde brought out some coffee for both. "So, what brings you here?"
*Heav'n and Earth shall welcome him*
"I've been looking for all the rest of the pilots, but you guys have pretty much, no totally, disappeared. I couldn't find any trace of any of you. It was just pure luck that I stopped here. I see you've had some big developments in your life." He glanced at Hilde and the little girl playing outside in the snow.
"Oh, yeah. A few months after the war, me and Hilde tied the knot and a year later we were blest with demon spawn in the form of a baby girl." Duo was as relaxed as ever. The air was a settling sort of peace, filling the room, letting no discomfort squeeze through. "This just seems to be right, considering the season." Heero gave the braided man a confused look. Duo stared in awe. "What? You're not saying…. You are!!! You mean you had no idea it was Christmas?!?"
"I can't believe it's been that long! I've been in space for seven and ½ months! Damn. Relena's gonna blow a fuse. I'm supposed to be at her annual party. Oh, well. Too bad for her. I'll have to try to book a rocket back to Earth."
"Small problem. The rockets don't run on Christmas eve. You can stay here with us and call Relena and explain." He snickered quietly at the stressing Japanese man.
*When he comes to reign*
"I don't want to bother you with my being here."
"Hey, it's no problem! We'll have time to catch up and, oh! You can come with us in a few hours to watch the Christmas pageant, which I'm directing and my little girl is doing a part in."
"I take it she's just like you: a total ham. It wouldn't surprise me at all. I can't believe you did that to mankind: you bred. We're all doomed."
"Hey, Heero. Stupid people are everywhere and they're breeding."
"Hilde, that wasn't nice. I can't believe you just said that about yourself." A small hand smacked Duo in the back of the head. "Ow."
"Don't be rude, Mr. Maxwell, and you'd better get your daughter in here so I can get her hair ready to be the angel."
"Oh, yeah!" Duo sprinted to the door and opened it, letting a small breeze of cold air flow into the room. "Emily Louise Maxwell! Get your butt in here! No! Put the snow ball dow-!" A soft thud cut off Duo's words, and he turned to Heero, face covered in snow. Heero held back his laughter as he watched the agitated American scrape the pure, white snow off his eyes.
*In the bleak midwinter*
A giggling little girl ran into the room, latching onto Duo's leg. She had long, purple-black hair tied back in a braid, and a heart shaped face with blue-violet eyes. She looked up, smiling happily at her father, whose scowl melted instantly into a smile.
"Who's that, daddy?" The little girl pointed to Heero, who was still seated at the counter, but was watching them.
"That's an old friend of mine. Heero, meet my daughter, Emily. Emily, this is Mr. Yuy."
"A pleasure, Mr. Yuy." She did a cute little curtsy in his direction.
"Enchanted. Call me Heero." He bowed in return.
"Okay… Mom!!!" The sudden outburst sent both Heero and Duo reeling back in surprise. "Oops! Sorry!" She flashed a peace sign and ran upstairs.
"Just like her dad. She'll probably never stop talking either." Heero smirked at a beaming Duo. He was proud of his little girl, and Heero was happy for him.
"Yup. Well, we'd better get ready to go. I'll lend you a suit if you need."
"Um… okay…" Heero had no idea what was going on.
*A stable place sufficed*
"You're confused, aren't you?" Heero nodded silently. "Tonight, for the pageant." Heero motioned for him to continue. "At church. You'll need a suit. I can lend you one."
"Oh…" Heero looked down at the floor as if studying his shoes intensly.
"What's up, Heero? Something bothering you?"
"… I've never been in a church before. I've been by them before, but never in one for anything." Duo's jaw dropped in shock. He thought everyone had been in one at least once for a wedding or funeral or even directions.
"Well, tonight you'll see one for yourself. No biggie. You'll get to see my daughter, the drama queen!"
*For the Lord, Almighty*
"Come on, Hilde! We're gonna be late!" Hilde came bounding down the stairs in a long, dark green dress. "Jeez. What is it with women and spending so much time getting ready?"
"I would've been ready earlier had you gotten out of the bathroom earlier!"
"Hey, now! My hair has great importance, and I couldn't get it to go into the braid right. Sigh. Women." A small hand once again smacked him along side the head. Heero chuckled lightly at Duo who sat rubbing his head. He still felt a little funny dressed up, in another man's clothes, nonetheless. He carefully studied Duo's attire: long sleeved black shirt, black slacks, black loafers… and a white minister's collar?
"Just like old times?" Heero asked, indicating the white collar.
"This? Oh, no! You're looking at the good Father Maxwell!" Heero looked at him in surprise. "Yeah, I know. Strange and ironic, but I felt it was my calling. 'The God of Death' turns to God. It kind of blew my mind, too. I'm happy doing it, though, even after what I did. I know I can't make up for the things I did, but I want to try to keep people from getting confused and doing something stupid that they will regret. It's time to go!" They all piled into Duo's station wagon and took off. They arrived a little while later at Maxwell Church. "Me and a few community members rebuilt the old Maxwell Church I lived in when I was little, and now I preach here. I tried to keep things the way I remembered, but I also added stained glass memorial windows for Father Maxwell, Sister Helen, Solo and all the children that died here." He lead the group into the church and turned on the lights. Heero stood looking around in awe at the church that seemed to be over 100 years old, but knew was less than ten. "Pretty amazing, huh? I'm still in awe at how much good a few extra dollars and a little hard work can do to some old ruins. Well, everyone's starting to arrive, so you'd better get a good seat before they all get taken." He winked at Heero and began to walk away. "Hilde will be out in a few minutes to sit with you. She just needs to help get the kids in their costumes. Your best bet would be somewhere close to the front. I hope you like it!"
*Infant Jesus Christ*
Heero sat down in the first row of pews right by a makeshift stable with lights making it appear to glow. Hilde joined him a few minutes later, video camera in hand. She smiled anxiously at him, waiting for her little girl to come out and do her part. For the next twenty minutes, people filed in and sat down. Heero began to feel a little uncomfortable being around so many people, but a reassuring hand found it's way to Heero's shoulder, and he turned to see Hilde smiling at him soothingly. Her eyes held a sense of comfort and a feeling of joy that such friends had been brought back together. He gave her a small smile in return. He turned back to see Duo step out in front of the congregation, everyone immediately quieting to hear the words spoken by this influential young man.
"Good evening and Merry Christmas to you all. Tonight we celebrate the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. To do so, you have all been invited to watch our presentation of the Christmas pageant, the story of His birth. WE have worked very hard these last few weeks to get everything ready, and I think everyone did a fine job putting this together. So, without further ado, I give you the Christmas pageant." Duo walked off and the lights dimmed, leaving the stable to glow. A little girl and boy walked up the aisle, carrying a baby doll wrapped in rags and laid it in the feeding trough filled with straw, surrounded by children dressed as cows and donkeys. The two children knelt by the baby and the lights went out. Within a few seconds lights came up near the stable in some children dressed as shepherds with crooks and some as sheep. Suddenly, Emily was lowered by wire above the shepherds, who reeled back in fear with their sheep. A deep and husky voice, belonging to a certain braided father, boomed throughout the room.
*Angels and archangels*
"[1] And the angel said unto them," he was replaced by the loud, yet soothing voice of his daughter, who spoke without fault.
"Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."
*May have thronged there*
"And this shall be a sign unto you; You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."
*Cherubim and Seraphim
Gathered in the air*
Duo's voice was once again the only sound in the room. "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God," The sound of children singing began to swell in the background as a light came upon a choir of little angels behind the shepherds. "And saying: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."
*But his mother only
In her maiden bliss*
Heero watched intensely as his fascination grew to levels beyond measure. He watched as the lights went back to the stable, a big spot light on a large gold and silver foil star above it. He watched as the shepherds and three wise men gathered around the baby, praising him and giving him gifts.
*Worshiped the Beloved
With a tender kiss*
He watched as the little girl who brought the baby to the manger leaned over and gently kissed its forehead. Hilde looked over to see how Heero was doing, and almost gasped in shock at how intense his wide eyes were as they caught every movement and as he soaked in every word. She settled back, not knowing how to react to his awe and interest. As it ended, everyone stood up and began to sing "Silent Night" along with the children, save for Heero, who didn't know the words. Hilde nudged him and handed him a hymnal and pointed out the place. He, too, then began to sing along, quietly and barely above a whisper, but singing nonetheless. He watched as a man started to pass a plate around the other side of the room. The people gave generously to the plate and it was soon replaced by a different plate. He watched Hilde pull a few bills from her purse, ready to give to the offering plate.
*What then shall I give him
Poor as I am*
Heero didn't know what to do. He had no money with him and nothing of any value to give. He remembered the pageant.
*If I were a shepherd
I would give a lamb*
The little shepherds gave lambs to him with no thought of themselves. The plate was coming closer.
*If I were a wiseman
I would do my part*
The wisemen gave things of great value to a baby that was less that a day old. He had no gold or silver, he wasn't even wearing his own clothes. //What can I do? I have nothing to give, yet I feel I need to give something.// The plate was only a few hands away from him. Then it struck him. //I know what I can give.//
*What then can I give him*
He found a stub of a pencil and a slip of paper provided for little kids so they wouldn't write on the hymnals or Bibles. He scratched something on it, signed it, folded it and stuck it in the plate as it had just reached him. Hilde looked at him, wondering what that was. Heero continued to stare forward at the crucifix behind the altar, eyes shimmering with something she, nor anyone else, had ever seen before: joy and hope. Duo had also seen Heero stick in the paper, and after everyone but Hilde, Heero, Emily and himself had left, he found the scrap of paper and read it. His eyes filled with tears and a few slipped down his smiling face.
*I will give my heart*
Those six little words on a scrap of paper, he felt, were better than the largest amount of money: "I give you my heart, Lord." Signed Heero Yuy. Heero dropped to his knees, and for the first time in his life, he prayed.
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A.N. Whew! Done! I hope you liked it. I know it's late, but I just got it back from my friend who had read it and just got it back to me a few days ago. I had it done before Christmas, really I did. Feedback, please!