Disclaimer: insert standard disclaimer - I don't own Gundam, I don't own LIve or their song "The Dolphin's Cry" - here
t_j: Sorry, but I had to write this songfic. It always reminds me of GW, and it's just a cool song. Please forgive, since this is also a first songfic, and I'm not so sure how it'll go. For those of you who are reading this because of the SillyShorts, I'm sorry, but this one's a bit serious this time around...I actually started this before the SillyShorts, and I finished it before, too, but my humor muse had me by the neck, and one doesn't waste the fruits of a muse...^_^ I had an introduction to this, but I thought it would make the fic too long. There was also so much more I could have done with this song, just because I liked it so much...
The Dolphin's Cry: a song by Live, used for songfic purposes by Tyrne_j
/the way you're bathed in light
reminds me of that night/
She stood on the pier, watching the sunset as she waited. A slight breeze blew through her hair, and she turned, already smiling, to see him. "Heero," she said.
He stood a few meters away, where the pier began, cobalt eyes giving nothing away as he stared back at her. From her vantage point, he seemed to glow in the sunset's dying light, and for a brief second, she saw - something - in those eyes. What - ?
/god laid me down into your rose garden of trust/
An apology - ? no, more as if he's -
/and I was swept away
with nothin' left to say/
- committed -
"Relena, I - " He started, but she cut him off. Not committed. Resigned.
"No."
He stepped back, startled. I tend to do that to him, don't I, the stray thought floated through her mind as she turned to face him fully. I'm not the only one, though. And in that moment, she understood the real reason why she had called him here. Do you understand it, Heero?
/some helpless fool
yeah I was lost in a swoon of peace
you're all I need to find/
He was still on the pier when Pargan arrived with the car to pick her up; she had offered a ride, but he had refused, stating only that he needed time. It was more than she had expected, it was more than she had hoped for. I hope I've convinced him.
As the car rolled away, she caught a glimpse of his figure in the moonlight, now sitting at the edge of the pier. Faintly, on the radio, she could hear a voice singing.
/so when the time is right/
Heero stared out at the water, watching as a pair of night swimmers made their way across the harbor. The faint sound of laughter drifted over calm waters - laughter -
~ Relena gazed evenly at him, her smile turning wistful. "Do you remember when we first met? What I said afterwards?"
"You wanted me to kill you, so you'd be the last one."
"So you would have no more reason to kill. That was why I said it. So that I would be your reason."
He waited, expectantly. She was building this for something, but for what he couldn't figure out. She walked toward him, steady and sure, and leaned forward. He reached out, but she pulled away. "But I was wrong, and you are wrong for thinking that I could be any reason." ~
She had told him something there. But was it what she really said, or just something you wanted to hear, Heero? The sound of laughter echoed in his ears, though the swimmers were now far out of hearing range. He closed his eyes - Reason -
The sound of waves broke through the laughing echoes, and Heero opened his eyes, determined. Yes, a decision. His own decision, and so far, the most important.
I've made my decision.
/come to me sweetly, come to me/
I know what to do. Stand. Turn. Look up at the night sky.
/come to me/
I'm coming. A moment of hesitation, an unsteady step, first one, then another, and he was already leaving the dock. No turning back. No turning back.
Strangely enough, as he walked away, he thought he heard, for only a second - singing - ?
/love will lead us, alright
love will lead us, she will lead us
can you hear the dolphin's cry?
see the road rise up to meet us
it's in the air we breathe tonight
love will lead us, she will lead us/
He was gone again. Another mission, huh, Heero? Or is it something else?
The figure sat motionless at the window, staring out through foggy panes. The nights were getting colder, winter being only a month away - yet somehow, there were still people bent on swimming - The figure stirred, turned around to greet the couple standing in the hall.
"Hey! Have fun, you two?"
"Ehhh..." Quatre shivered as he leaned closer to his swimming partner, pulling his towel more tightly around his body.
Trowa only nodded, trying the doorknob to his room. "How was your date with Hilde, Duo?" The pair had dripped a trail of water down the hall, and were now making a puddle on the carpet as Trowa looked for his key.
Duo shrugged. "It wasn't a date. She just came to introduce me to her boyfriend. Seems pretty nice." He made a noncommittable sound, and Quatre glanced up sharply.
"Oh...I'm sorry, Duo."
A pause, then another shrug. "'sokay." He looked like he was about to say something else - Duo eyed Quatre half-suspiciously as Trowa pushed the blonde into the other room.
- what -
Duo turned back to the window, realizing that he had been brooding for over half an hour, since he had arrived back at the hotel. Mulling over what had gone on during their "date", what Hilde had said when her boyfriend wasn't listening.
And she had known all along -
/Oh yeah, we meet again/
~ "Duo, this is Jake." Hilde announced proudly. "Jake, Duo. He's a good friend I met while I was in OZ. He helped me figure out what I wanted to do with my life." ****eh?****
"Nice to meet you, Duo." Jake smiled amiably, slinging his arm around Hilde and reaching forward for a handshake at the same time. "Hilde's been telling me about you. You seem to have a good sense of purpose." He paused, catching sight of the cross half-hidden under Duo's jacket. "Going into the ministry?"
Duo only smiled... ~
/it's like we never left
time in between was just a dream/
~ "Duo, I wanted to talk to you," Hilde started, after she had sent Jake to get a drink. They stood on the sidewalk, watching the reflection of the sunset on office building windows. Evening pedestrians shuffled around them, muttering apologies if they got too close.
"You don't have to say anything, Hilde - "
"But I do - !"
He glanced up, startled. She smiled suddenly.
"I remember once, when you told me about that first mission - Do you remember what you told me?"
~
Yeah, I remember...
/did we leave this place?
this crazy fog surrounds me/
He tapped at the window, his warm fingers leaving a clear mark in the condensation. Close to the window again, his breath left more clouds on the glass, and he traced small patterns as he remembered what she said.
~ "You love him. That's what you said." She stepped forward, pushing a finger into his chest. "I remembered that when you first asked me out for tonight."
"You should act on those feelings. That's what you taught me. So take your own advice!" Hilde shook her head. "If he really makes you feel that way, then what are you doing trying to take me? Don't lie to yourself like that. You don't lie, remember?"
~
That's right, I don't lie...
/you wrap your legs around me
all I can do to try and breathe/
But what can I do about it? He loves someone else -
__Relena__
- and it's crazy to think - He could hardly bring himself to think of it - crazy to -
- think that -
Hilde had said it. He hadn't been able to say the words out loud, but she had said it -
"I love him." The voice came out as barely a whisper, cracking on the last word. As soon as it came out, he took a deep breath, swallowing hard. Say it again.
/let me breathe/
"I love him." Still a whisper. Louder!
/so/
"I - "
/that I/
"I - "
/so we can go together!/
"I love - " Someone stepped into the room, and he whirled around, almost falling off the windowsill when he saw who it was. "Heero??!!"
"Who are you talking to?"
- No! -
Duo stiffened, then sprinted for the door, pushing past Heero and stumbling into the hall. Not - He had to leave, had to get out-
Not now! -
/love will lead us, alright
love will lead us, she will lead us/
The door slammed shut in Duo's wake, leaving Heero to stare at the faded emergency instructions pasted on its inner side.
What was that - ?
/can you hear the dolphin's cry?/
Did he hear? Did he hear that - ? Footsteps pounded down silent streets, accompanied by the sound of heavy breathing as Duo ran. Anywhere - Anywhere!
How could I have said that?
/see the road rise up to meet us/
~ "I know now, why I wanted you to kill me." Relena whispered, eyeing Heero as she spoke. "It wasn't so you wouldn't kill anymore. I don't know if I could have ever stopped you from that, just with my death."
"I wanted you to have a reason to live."
~
He stared at the door. This far -
I've come this far -
Without pausing to think any further, Heero pulled open the door.
I'm coming.
/it's in the air we breathe tonight
love will lead us, she will lead us/
He didn't know how he got there, but Duo found himself standing at the edge of a pier, out of breath and shaking all over. How did I - ? Why did I say that - ?
/life is like a shooting star
it don't matter who you are
if you only run for cover/
He dropped to his knees, hands pushing themselves up into his face. But why?
Why am I so afraid?
/it's just a waste of time/
He loves someone else -
/we are lost 'til we are found/
There. On the pier. Heero hesitated, seeing the same place where he and Relena had talked only hours before.
Was it only today?
The figure kneeled on the pier, as if in pain. But why did he run? What's wrong?
Does he know?
The thought rooted Heero to his spot on the dock. Then, that was why -
/this phoenix rises up from the ground
and all these wars are over/
Then he knows. He grit his teeth, forcing himself to step forward, slowly.
But I'll tell him myself.
Step forward.
/over/
Duo heard the wood creak behind him on the pier, lifted his head, and saw -
"Heero!" Cobalt eyes gazed at him from underneath dark unruly strands of hair. "Wh - What are you doing here?"
/over/
Heero didn't answer immediately. Instead, he stared at Duo, realization slowly sinking in. I'm here.
~ "It wasn't until now that I understood why you always came for me. And tonight, when I saw you standing there - "
"You looked - resigned - as if I was the only way for you to live. But I'm not."
He had stopped seeing her by then; her words were all that he was aware of - he knew, somehow, what she was going to say.
"There's someone else."
~
"I talked to Relena today."
/lalalala/
"Relena, huh?" Duo forced a grin, looking away, at the water. Figures. - Unable to contain his curiosity, he asked, "So, what did she want to say?"
/over/
Heero didn't answer immediately. Instead, he continued to gaze down at the other pilot, as if seeing him for the first time. Why did I say that?
"I mean," Duo was saying. "That's why you're in town, isn't it?" He reached back quickly and tugged on his braid, hands moving too quickly for Heero to catch the action. "To see her - " He cut off suddenly, yanking harder on his chestnut hair, still refusing to look up.
Why doesn't he look up?
Heero watched, fascinated, as Duo continued to pull on his braid. A closer look, and he could see that its end was about to come undone. Unconsciously, he reached forward, and A wave of shock passed through him - Did Duo just say - ?
Too close. He had come too close.
/come to me/
Act on those feelings. Well, now's your chance. You screwed up already. Duo turned, looked up -
- and found himself two inches from Heero's face.
/come to me/
He almost jerked back, but managed to remain steady, forcing himself to look into the deep violet eyes.
"Duo, I - " He started, but his throat had gone dry. "I - "
/lalalala..
come to me/
Act. He was too close to not do something about it. Cobalt eyes stared down at him, and Duo could feel the other's breath come through soft lips. Act. Without thinking any further, he closed the gap between them, capturing those lips in a swift, deep kiss.
Even if it's only once, even if he'll hate me forever, even if -
/love will lead us, alright
love will lead us, she will lead us
can you hear the dolphin's cry?
see the road rise up to meet us
it's in the air we breathe tonight/
He felt Heero jerk as their lips touched, felt the other begin to move - And here it ends - Reluctantly, Duo broke the kiss, made himself pull away -
Lean arms suddenly wrapped around him, effectively halting his escape. What the - ? He gaped at the arms encircling him, then looked up at Heero, unbelieving.
/love will lead us, she will lead us/
He brought his face closer, whispering in Duo's ear. "She told me something I think I knew a long time ago. She told me - " And now he tightened his hold, crushing the other pilot to his chest as he lowered himself to his knees. He found the unraveling braid and clutched it tightly, the long strands tangling in his grasp - a lifeline -
"I need you." I need you I want you I love you - There. The words he wanted to say, he needed to say, so that Duo would understand. He opened his mouth - "I - " But the words didn't come out. How - ? Frustrated, Heero looked away, but kept his grip on the American.
/life is like a shooting star
it don't matter who you are
if you only run for cover/
Duo stared at Heero, who seemed to be struggling to say something - Is it - ? Is he trying to say what I'm -
Is he trying to say what I want to say?
A look, a passing frustrated glance, and he knew. I know now; you don't have to say it, Heero. Even then, his fingers shook as he took Heero by the chin, turned his head to face him, watched the usually stoic face go into shock. You don't have to say anything.
I don't have to say anything.
/we are lost 'til we are found/
Not a word. Heero saw it - a glimpse into those deep violet eyes - and he knew. I don't have to say a word - he understands.
He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again, gazing directly at Duo. We don't have to say anything - He leaned forward, and Duo snaked his arms around Heero's neck, bringing them even closer together.
- because we both know - Heero bent his head down to meet Duo's lips, and they were still for several minutes, caught in the kiss.
And that's all that matters.
/this phoenix rises up from the ground
and all these wars are over/
They sat in silence on the pier, watching the calm waters that were lit in the clear night by perfect moonlight. Duo rested his head against Heero's shoulder as Heero held him, one of the soldier's hands still tangled in Duo's braid.
/over/
Duo sighed, a loud whisper. Heero looked down and raised an eyebrow, the beginnings of a smile etching across his face.
Even when he's quiet, he's loud.
/over/
Two figures held each other, sitting on the pier in the moonlight. Even from a distance, the feelings each held for the other was evident - the light that shone onto the two figures was light, but strong, as if the moon were shining on them alone, as a testament to their love.
/love will lead us, alright
love will lead us, she will lead us
can you hear the dolphin's cry?
see the road rise up to meet us
it's in the air we breathe tonight
love will lead us, she will lead us/
And even then, not a word was said between them.
owari