Surfacing (8/?)
Rating: T
Warnings: boy/boy love, some sexual innuendo and nakedness, violence, no empathy, and gratuitous abuse of our G-boys.
Pairings: 3x4, 1x2, 5xS
Summary: Based loosely off of "The Little Mermaid." A prince below the sea, who longs for freedom and choice in his life, and another on land who shuts out the world…when feelings surface, more than one life will be changed.
Note: Part of my mini Disney project…and because the thought of a merman Quatre appeals to me and Dorothy is Ursula without a doubt in my mind.
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is owned by Sotsu Agency, Bandai, and Sunrise...I have no legal hold over them. Nor do I own anything affiliated with Disney…I'm just borrowing and warping a story they borrowed. I am a mere college girl with no money attempting to entertain herself.
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Chapter Eight: And Love Began Grow
Heero wasn't really sure how the two young men from the ocean had done it, but somehow they had wormed their way into his trust, and that of Trowa's, after only a week and a day of knowing them. Sure, he had a guess of why Trowa was so willing to trust the mute blonde (as any in the castle could see that the silent prince was so obviously smitten with the silent youth) and after that day in the marketplace, Heero had grudgingly given his wary trust to the two. Saving the prince's life was a big deal…even big enough to overcome the doubts of the stoic arms master. He had been skeptical of the two castaways' fantastic story, thinking that there was no way that two boys their size could swim to shore after being shipwrecked, and to some extent, and he still was. He just didn't think they were assassins anymore.
The brown-haired man cast his annoyed gaze over at the said castaways as they both examined a tailor making a dress for some socialite through the store window with increasing curiosity. It had been like this for the past week of touring and sight-seeing Trowa and Heero, grudgingly, had taken them on around Bartona. He didn't know where exactly these two's homelands were (he couldn't find an Araaba or Lagrange on any map in Bartona) but some of the mannerisms they both exhibited led Heero to believe that while their story may be true, there was much more to it than either let on. He thought that they may have been escaped slaves, as there were many countries that still exercised that horrible practice, who had somehow been caught and were forced to abandon ship. As much as it angered Heero to think of the two as slaves, it made sense of their state of undress upon discovery and their child-like wonder at every sight.
Heero let out an agonized sigh and rolled his eyes up towards the heavens as the blonde and braided baka hurried over to watch a glass blower work in his shop, forcing him to move from his post and to a nearby fence to lean against. The only thing that didn't add up with his slave theory was the attitudes the two seemed to have. While the violet-eyed Duo was loud and obnoxious most of the time, he had a certain air around him that suggested he had been much more than just a slave from his homeland. He always seemed to watch while he chattered on aimlessly…catching things that even Heero himself hadn't been able to see. He knew bodyguards to have that trait, but a mere slave? Heero's eyes narrowed at the slender back of the brunette, his braid dangling in between his shoulder blades and swaying from side to side as his head followed the glass blower's movements, as his head tried to wrap around the enigma.
And as for Quatre…well, Heero seriously doubted that the blonde had ever had someone tell him no and he had actually listened…a behavior that no slave would have. In fact, if Heero didn't know any better, he would have pegged the blue-eyed mute for some kind of nobility…but that didn't explain his lack of clothing or why he wouldn't introduce himself by a title if he had been robbed. He let out a soft growl as he focused his stare at the backs of Bartona's two newest guests…what frustrated him most was that he COULDN'T figure out the truth of these two. He, Heero Yuy, one of the best interrogators and investigators Bartona had within its borders, couldn't figure out the truth about a mute blonde and an attractive loud mouth.
Attractive…Heero let out another sigh as he tried to shake his head of such ridiculous notions. Sure, the braided baka had a handsome enough face, and his body wasn't too shabby either…and those deep violet eyes…damn it! There was no way that he would end up falling for someone as loud and childish as this Duo Maxwell…a boy who Heero knew virtually nothing about! And seen naked…by the Gods, why did he have to deal with this now?
"Glaring holes into their skulls won't make not knowing everything about them any less irritating to you," a soft voice said, drawing Heero's dark blue gaze into the slightly smirking green eyes of the prince. "And it won't make them stop gawking at dressmakers or craftsmen either."
"Spare me the advice, Trowa," Heero all but growled as he focused his attention away from the now fully smirking prince, glaring with all his might at a twig, almost willing it to burst into flames. "I'm fully aware that it won't…but that doesn't make it any less frustrating."
"You worry too much about it," Trowa stated calmly as he leaned against the tree beside Heero's fence, his green eyes softening at the brilliant smile and wave Quatre gave him before Duo directed their attention to a street-side vendor. "I thought we agreed that they weren't a threat after the assassination attempt."
"That doesn't mean that we know everything about them," Heero responded pointedly, looking over at the warm look Trowa still wore on his face from the smile the blonde had given him. Heero rolled his eyes again; after not showing any interest in anyone for so long, Heero found it amusing and exasperating that the first two people the prince had feelings for were an imaginary rescuer and a mute blonde. Not that Trowa would admit to having feelings for the blonde…he was still to focused on the imaginary rescuer to see what was right in front of him. "It is true that I no longer doubt their peaceful intentions, but I think there's a little more to their story than they've told us."
"Maybe, that doesn't mean it's anything we should know about," Trowa replied easily, his one visible eye looking into Heero's usual stern expression. "We all have secrets, Heero, and maybe we should respect theirs."
"Are you saying this as Prince Trowa of Bartona, or the Trowa who can't get the blue eyes of our visitor out of his head?" Heero asked in a flat voice, smirking at the faint blush that colored the usually expressionless prince's face for a second.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Heero," was the cool response.
"I'm sure."
"…"
"Hn."
"Not to interrupt that fascinating conversation," a lilting voice said from in front of the glaring pair, drawing both their attentions to the smiling faces of Duo and Quatre. "But, me and Quat were wondering if we could go down to the beach for a bit before Cathy calls us in? You two are welcome to continue the 'glare-fest' there if you want."
Heero turned his glare, now in immediate death mode, to Duo's smiling face and the silent laughs coming from the amused blonde beside him. "For two people who were shipwrecked and marooned, you both seem to like going to the ocean and awful lot."
"Well," Duo said with a grin as he rubbed the back of his neck in a sheepish gesture, not completely distracting the arms master from the flush that covered Quatre's face at the observation. "It's just soothing, ya know? It won't take long, I double pinky swear!" Duo finished his promise by linking his pinky finger with Heero's and shaking before grabbing the unusually surprised arms master by the hand and dragging him off towards the road that led down to the beach.
Trowa watched with an amused smirk for a moment before he looked back over to the blonde still standing beside him…staring at him with a funny smile on his face. The ocean blue eyes were shining with a kind of emotion that sent a jolt of energy down Trowa's spine and the smile had upturned the corners of his lips, creating a slightly bemused expression on his beautiful face. The pale skin was infused with something that seemed to create a glowing look and his soft golden hair was framing his face, one strand dangling in front of his eyes…he looked stunning and Trowa had to tear his eyes away before he drowned in those teal eyes that were calling to him.
"Are…are you all right, Quatre?" Trowa asked with a cough, looking away as the blonde seemed to realize what he was doing and quickly looked down at the ground, biting his lip and turning red with embarrassment. There was something else though…a sadness that was threatening to spill over those beautiful eyes as Quatre looked back up and flashed a shaky smile before starting to walk away. It was barely perceptible, like a pinprick of blue on a sheet of black, but Trowa was able to catch it nonetheless…and before he could contemplate what it was he was doing, his hand wrapped around a warm wrist and tugged the mute blonde back to him.
They just looked at each other, one unable to say anything and the other unwilling, eyes attempting to discover what was hidden in the others. For months, Trowa had been unable to think of anyone but his mystery rescuer, the haunting voice and kind eyes gazing down at him always invading his thoughts. But now this silent blonde before him, who had eyes that mirrored those of his savior, was the only one he could see, staring up at him with a kind of encouragement that seemed desperate in a way. He could see the beginning of tears forming in those beautiful eyes and reached out to wipe them away as one fell, lingering on the warm cheek. Before he even knew what he was doing, Trowa started leaning forward, angling Quatre's face up to his, all thoughts of mystery saviors, unwanted suitors, and afternoon rides that had upset entire lives disappearing from his head as he could feel the blonde's warm breath on his lips.
Until, a minor earth shake caused the blonde to lose his footing and stumble into the taller prince, knocking him over and falling down beside him with a silent cry of surprise.
Trowa looked over at the marketplace, taking note that the only damages that the quake seemed to cause were a few broken vases and a couple of spilt bags; the people were already getting back to their feet and looking only a little shaken. He turned over and pushed himself to his feet, extending his arm and helping Quatre up as well trying to not look into the blonde's face…he couldn't believe he had almost kissed him! He looked up and shrugged his shoulders in the direction Duo had dragged Heero off into with a closed off expression…he couldn't afford to have any other close calls until he figured out what the hell he was feeling and for who.
"We'd better hurry…your friend and my friend may end up killing each other if we leave them alone to long," spinning around and walking down the path, not looking back to see if Quatre was following, wanting to miss the saddened and probably hurt expression he was causing the blonde.
Missing, also, a silent "wait" and an outreached arm that fell with an equally silent sigh.
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"Well," Dorothy said to herself, her soft voice betraying the annoyance she had at having to waste energy to stop a potentially disastrous situation. "Looks like the king's little boy isn't as innocent as everyone likes to think…he's a bit of minx when it suits his purposes." Dorothy brushed back an icy blonde lock away from her face with an inky tentacle as she scowled at the scrying bowl, showing a flickering image of two humans watching two human-like mermen at the beach. The scowl morphed into a cruel smile at the despondent look on the blonde prince's face as he glanced over at the human prince for a second before turning back to the ocean. It could be worse, she supposed, but the situation was quickly spinning out of her control.
And that just wouldn't do for her plans…she needed the Araaban prince in order to gain the scimitar of Rabban and render the king powerless…and once she had the scimitar then the Ozraleans could move and finally crush the capital of the Merfolk empire! All those filthy little fish folk would be their slaves to do with as they wished!
But, to do that, she needed the prince in her control…which meant that the human prince couldn't fall in love with him and ruin everything she had worked so hard for! Dorothy hadn't really expected Quatre to succeed, had hoped that the human would be too wrapped up in his imaginary rescuer to realize that he was standing right in front of him…but the blonde seemed to be better at the game than she had originally thought. It didn't help that Araaba's court mage had transformed the street trash merman into a human too, enabling a sort of communication to become established between the human prince and the Prince of the Sea.
No…something had to be done about this, and it had to be done now. Dorothy looked around her lair for ingredients for some sort of potion, knowing her powers were weakened after causing the earth tremor, but she stopped her search as her cold eyes focused on a seashell necklace beside her bed. She swam over and picked up the necklace, listening to the soft voice of the Araaban prince echo in her ear…it was so simple and devious she couldn't hope to come up with a better plan. She slipped on the necklace and gathered a few bottles of ingredients, dumping them all into her cauldron, creating a bright plume of pink smoke.
"Alex, Mueller!" Dorothy called out, smiling at the two Ozraleans who swam in and bowed low, ready to do as she wished. "I will be in need of a ride to the surface and later, the beaches of Bartona," waving a hand over her smoking spell with a cruel smile and her other hand grasped the necklace around her neck. "It's time that I take things into my own hands and tentacles for dear Grandfather's war."
After chanting a few harsh words, the pink smoke began to wrap around Dorothy's form, masking her features and tentacles. Her bright blonde hair turned a dark brown and shrank until it was only to her chin. Her features stayed feminine, but her voluptuous form narrowed into a more boyish figure, skin turning a creamy color as opposed to the almost white hue she normally had and her eyes going from ice blue to a soft teal color. The last to change was her high and harsh voice, morphing into a soft tenor as she laughed at her own cleverness…
Let's see if her dear little prince would be able to fight off the 'mystery savior' his prince was so enamored with.
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Sally was starting to feel more than just a little anxious as she waited for the princess Iria to meet with her for an update on her baby brother. It wasn't the news she had to give that she was worried about (although, knowing that the prince was on his eighth day was a little worrisome) but what she had seen on the borders of OZ and Araaba. True to her word, Sally had taken to spying on the treacherous tentacled-people to see if she could figure out a way to reverse Quatre's deal with the Sea Witch, but she had found nothing concerning that.
Instead, she had observed a growing army moving ever closer to their borders and an increase in combat techniques. Techniques that she recognized as dealing death blows to one who had Merfolk anatomy. As if the Merfolk Empire and King Rabban needed anymore problems right now…she supposed that Allah thought having their crown prince turned into a human and facing an existence of slavery not a big enough issue. She didn't care if that sounded blasphemous…she was beyond caring about propriety at this point.
Sally shook her head of her dark thoughts as she saw a golden head swim closer to her, the blue tail giving her away as Iria. She gave a friendly smile to the worried looking princess and waved her into her small cottage, shutting the door firmly behind her once the fellow healer had swum inside. "Hello, your Highness, I trust you're doing well."
"As well as I can under the circumstances," Iria responded with a gentle smile and laugh. "Father is so worried right now…and of course he's blaming himself, which isn't completely unjustified I suppose. But Sally, how's Quatre doing? Please tell me he's having some sort of luck with the human prince."
"Well, he was," Sally began, remembering what Wufei had told her after Duo had translated Quatre's gestures to him. "The prince almost kissed him today but then…then an earth quake, something like a tremor we deal with, happened and the prince has been unapproachable ever since. I'll give you three guesses who caused the quake, but you'll only need one."
"Dorothy," Iria hissed as she began to swim back and forth in front of Sally's small heated coral hearth. "I knew that awful witch would try to sabotage Quatre's chances somehow…she hates Father too much to want to help his son! Do we know why she even agreed to help my brother in the first place?"
"Well…I have a small theory that seems to collaborate with the increase in armies I've been seeing on our borders," Sally said with a contemplative look on her face. "Dorothy wants Quatre as a slave because then she has something to bargain with…with you're father to be precise. I think she's after his scimitar…Iria, I think we need to make preparations for an invasion…OZ's movements can mean nothing less and if your brother ends up as a bargaining chip and we lose the scimitar…we'll need a lot more than just Araaba to stop them!"
"I could always contact the Maguanacs," Iria said in a sad voice, terrified of the knowledge that her brother could end up becoming a reason for fighting a war. "They'll send all the aid they have but…I don't know if they'll make it here in time, Sally!"
"We don't have much of a choice," Sally said sadly as she thought of all those in Araaba would be wounded or killed in the upcoming days. "We have to prepare for the worst and pray that Allah will get that human to open his eyes before it's too late."
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"Come on, Quat," Duo chimed, attempting to bring the blonde out of his melancholy mood. Duo didn't know the specifics of what had happened between the prince and Quatre yesterday after he had dragged Heero off towards the beach to give them some alone time, but he could guess by the amount of blushing he would get after asking "certain" questions. At first, Duo had been ecstatic to learn that Quatre and the prince had almost kissed…but then that earth shake happened and Trowa had basically been avoiding Quatre all day. He could understand the prince needing to figure things out, but the tenth day of Quatre's enchantment was tomorrow…they were running out of time and didn't have time for double guessing!
That, and Duo was worried about interference…he didn't think that earth shake was natural, especially when he saw how surprised Heero looked when it happened. And, he had a pretty good guess at how could have caused it…he would kill that blonde bitch the next time he saw her! He and Quatre had worked to hard this entire time to let the prince and Heero get to know them, letting them both know that they offered nothing but themselves and expected nothing but love in return, and he'd be damned if he let her ruin it because she hated Merfolk!
"Everything will end up all right!" Duo continued, noticing another sad sigh escape Quatre's lips as he hugged a pillow to his chest, looking up and glaring slightly at the optimism in Duo's voice. It soon melted into a grateful expression and Duo didn't need to hear the 'thank-you' mouthed his way to see it. "No problem, Quat…I'm sure the prince will get his head out of his ass tomorrow, and if doesn't, then we'll just have to help him, now won't we?"
Quatre laughed soundlessly and flashed Duo a tired smile before yawning and snuggling down into the comforters, obviously ready for sleep. He mouthed Duo a good night, which Duo replied with a gentle hair ruffle and wish for safe dreams before closing his blue eyes and rifting off into sleep, hoping for a better day tomorrow. Duo's smile faltered and he quietly snuck out of the room…but he didn't head into his own chambers. Instead, he marched steadily down the halls towards the wing that Cathy had shown them where most of the habitants of the castle slept.
He had a talk with Wufei after Quatre left the beach, following Trowa back up to the castle with a sad little smile playing on his face and they both decided that this prince was going to need a little inside help to get through that thick head of his. He didn't want Quatre to know though…because as great as his best friend was, he had a tendency to place other's well-beings before his own and would no doubt disapprove of what Duo planned to do. Well, what his prince didn't know about, he couldn't forbid, as Wufei had so splendidly pointed out. Duo thought that maybe he and Sally were starting to have a bad influence on the mage.
So, with a resolute demeanor and great sense of direction, Duo found himself pounding on a wooden door and met with a pair of very annoyed dark blue eyes.
"What the hell is wrong with your friend?" Duo all but hissed at Heero, his fists clenching at his side as he narrowed his purple eyes into the intense, but now slightly taken-aback ones of the arms master. "You know what, don't answer that, just listen. I know that you don't really trust us, and frankly, I don't blame you. Neither Quat nor myself have really given you all that much information on us, and you haven't known us that long but believe me, it's not because we don't want to tell you and the prince. There are just some things that we can't tell you because, believe me, it's a little hard to understand.
"But, let me tell you now, and you know I don't lie, that Quatre truly is in love with the prince, and it's killing him how he's being treated now. I know that Trowa's all hung up on some other kid and stuff, but maybe he should open his eyes and focus on what's right in front of him! That kid isn't here…Quatre is. Please…punch some sense into him or whatever it is that you do to make him listen to you or else Quatre and I will have to leave and…and Trowa will probably never see my best friend again."
Heero was silent for a moment, just absorbing the utter truth that the violet-eyed youth he was so intrigued by had dumped on him…all the while trying to not focus on how attractive he looked when he was angry. Damn it, not now Yuy! "What makes you think I'll help you, Maxwell?" Heero asked after a moment, not really meaning to be rude, just honestly wondering what made the braided youth come to him.
"Because, you can see it as well as I can," Duo responded with a small smile that made the stoic soldier's heart flip in an unusual way. "Heero, please, just talk to Trowa and help him straighten out what's in his head. Maybe Quatre isn't this 'mystery' person that Trowa remembers rescuing him, but he is a kind-hearted person who would do anything, and I do mean anything, for him."
Heero was silent again as he contemplated what Duo said…only to find that he actually agreed with the baka. He nodded his head almost imperceptibly, but the braided man caught it and leapt forward to hug Heero tight, relinquishing him only to press his lips against Heero's surprised ones for a second and pull away smiling. "I knew I was able to trust you for a reason!" Duo said in a coy tone before stealing another kiss and bounding back down the hall, leaving a shocked Heero still trying to figure out what had just happened. Shaking his head and letting his lips curl into a soft smile, Heero slipped on his boots and headed for Trowa's quarters, no doubt to find the prince still up even at this late hour.
After a few minutes of walking, Heero's hunch turned out to be right, as he found Trowa playing the same tune on his flute that he had for the past few months on the grand balcony that overlooked the ocean. His eyes were closed, but Heero knew his friend long enough to know that there was a war waging underneath that seemingly calm façade. He waited patiently besides the railing until the prince was finished with the soft and haunting melody, and then even longer for the question to be asked.
"I don't know what to do, Heero," Trowa confessed in a rare show of trust and vulnerability that was hardly ever shown to people outside his family. Heero took in his face, noting how pale his friend looked and how wide his eyes were…maybe Duo was right. "I feel as if I should be waiting for this person who saved me to come, but maybe everyone was right all along…maybe I should just give up on him…or her I suppose as I couldn't really see the face."
"Hn," was all Heero replied.
"And now this with Quatre…I just don't know which part to listen to, my head or my heart."
"I had a very interesting visit tonight," Heero said after they had stood in companionable silence for a time. "And this braided bird told me that even though this person who saved you may have existed, he or she's not here now…but Quatre is and he loves you. I'm not telling you to be with him, only that I do believe his affection is genuine."
"What would you do, Heero?"
"The best way to live a good life is to follow your emotions, Trowa," Heero said in a soft voice, his dark blue eyes soft and his countenance gentle, an even rarer sight than the prince's emotional display. "Just trust what your emotions are telling you, and know that there's an unusual, but good person upstairs waiting for you to make up your mind." Heero clapped the banged man's shoulder before leaving; he knew that what he said would help Trowa in some way…and hopefully help out the mute blonde and his loud-mouthed companion that had inadvertently wormed their ways into his heart…for vastly different reasons, or course.
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Heero's words kept swimming around Trowa's head for another hour before he came to a decision. He looked down at the flute in his hand and smiled sadly at what he was letting go…but the sadness turned into something else as he looked up to the north tower where he knew Quatre was sleeping and tightened his hand around the flute. "I'm sorry, but I can't wait for you anymore…there's someone here who's waiting for me and I just can't ignore him. I think you'll understand…you seemed like you would, even though I barely know you. Thank you for everything you gave to me…good bye."
And with that, he chucked the flute over the railing and watched it splash into the sea. He looked back up at Quatre's window and smiled, turning away from the ocean until…until a haunting voice pulled him back. His green eyes widened and he peered over the edge of the balcony to espy who was singing…singing the song he had heard his rescuer sing to him. It was a waifish maiden with short brown hair and clothed in billowing fabrics that wrapped around her as the wind blew. Trowa narrowed his eyes down at the singing maiden, and at the glowing conch shell necklace she had about her neck.
The voice…it was the same voice he had heard those months ago! But…this was wrong, Trowa thought as he listened to her sing. She isn't right…
However, before he could complete that thought, yellow wisps of smoke floated up to him and his eyes, a beautiful green color, turned yellow.
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Just corrected some rather glaring mistakes…should be much better now! It was a scimitar, not a trident…I can't believe I forgot my own detail…
Okay…I'm REALLLLYYYY sorry for the wait. I hope no one's to angry with me! This one's stuck in my head now, so I think it'll be easier for me to finish it….this chapter just was hard for me to start. I hope to hear from everyone and I'll be sure to update much quicker than four months this time!
Osco
P.S. To those interested, I have another 3x4, 1x2 AU started called Candlelight. It's based off of my fav fairytale, so if you like adventure, lemons, and a kick ass but sensitive Quatre, check it out!
