I just wanted to thank every one who reviewed this story. And to Tru703, if the anime you're talking about is Vampire Princess Miyu, well…that's where I got the idea from. Hehe.
This is the end, and it might be kind of rushed and somewhat short, since I really want to just finish it and get it done with. But I'll be revising the whole thing, to make it less confusing, before I post it on my web page, so I might rewrite the ending a little too. And I was thinking of writing a prequel, if I ever get the time, exploring how Duo and Heero first met and their relationship then. Tell me what you think. (Sorry if this part's kind of sappy).
In Search of the Unicorn 3
~Heero's POV~
It was raining when I found him. The rain beat down on the thick, wide jungle leaves, creating a rhythmic pounding that pulsed through the still night air. This was the place the pygmies had sent me, deeper than the heart of Africa…this place was its soul.
Duo was sheltered by a broad expanse of foliage, sitting on a rocky platform running alongside a lake. His legs dipped into the pool of water, swinging back and forth and causing waves to ripple through the otherwise lucid surface.
"You found me."
"Aa, I did."
"I'm impressed."
I stepped forward, hesitantly, as if it might scare him off. The last thing I wanted to do was risk losing him, not when I had just found him again. "You didn't make it difficult for me."
"True." He looked at me, amaryllis eyes laughing the way only his did. "You can sit down if you want."
I moved closer to him, sitting down at his side. It was almost too much, being in his presence. His smell drifted like an aura about him, that mixture of night and heat that I had never forgotten in all our time apart. I had come to Africa for this; if I could spend the rest of my finite life sitting here next to him, I would be happy.
"Heero, I can't give you eternal life."
I shook my head. "It doesn't matter."
He looked at me, his eyes questioning, and I swore I could see stars in those violet orbs. "Then what do you want from me?"
I looked down at my fingers, clenched against the gray contours of the rock. "I want you. It's all I ever wanted."
I looked up at him, but he was staring at something beyond the lake. No doubt he was thinking over my words, and I could feel my heart grip at the decision he might come to.
"I see," he said, still not looking at me. "Well, that's something I can give you."
Then he turned to face me, eyes hesitant, and I let out the breath I had been holding. "I never stopped loving you, Duo."
He nodded, and that was all I needed. The rain had stopped, and I was surprised to see sunlight creeping through the treetops to illuminate the jungle bottom. I moved my hand over his, letting it hover slightly, before I found the courage to take his hand in mine. Our fingers intertwined, and I realized he was gripping my palm as tightly as I was gripping his.
"Zutto," I whispered, "zutto, ai shiteru."
He nodded again, and if I didn't know better I would swear his eyes were glistening. "Zutto."
~owari~
If you've made it this far, I just wanted to thank you for reading my fic, and I hope you enjoyed it. :)