In The Past
Past Five of "I Only Think Of You" (5/9)
By Chash
It's mutating…
"I win," the fourth commented. The third shrugged.
"It doesn't really matter anymore. The possession. Anything really. You can have Gemini."
"I do," smiled the fourth, "he's mine to do with as I please."
"Does this change the plan for you?"
"I was Taurus to be happy."
The fifth snorted. The fourth raised an eyebrow. "What is it, Fifth?"
"To make Taurus happy, you'd have to take Virgo from me."
"Wouldn't Taurus and Gemini make a cute couple, though?" asked the Fourth, looking at the small figurines that represented the two. The third laughed.
"Did you just say cute, Fourth? Going soft in your old age?"
"Maybe you're going hard in yours. I won't be here much longer, I'd like my charge happy, if nothing else."
"Gemini loves Sagittarius, more than he loves even Virgo," commented the Fifth. "You can't make him love Taurus."
"Why not?" asked the Fourth. "We've made them do everything else."
*
"Mission up, guys!" called Sagittarius.
"Who's on it, Saggie?" asked Cancer. She smiled.
"Glad you asked. All right, Aries, Gemini, Taurus, Virgo, Sagittarius!" she called. "Our mission is to get out Capricorn!"
"No," said Gemini, firmly. Sagittarius looked at him.
"What is it?" she asked.
"I won't go."
"Why not?"
"I won't go to get him out."
"Trowa doesn't get along with Capricorn," explained Taurus. "Let someone else go, please."
Sagittarius nodded. "Hey Cancer, you up for it?"
"Always, babe!"
"Good. We're going to Darguerreo base, airship leaves in two hours from North Gate. Everyone got it?" asked Sagittarius.
"Yup!" called Cancer. Sagittarius smiled.
"Good."
The group began to disperse, and Gemini started to walk off, hands in his pockets. Sagittarius ran after him.
"Gemini!" he turned. "Wait up."
"What is it?" asked Gemini.
"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked.
"About
what?"
"You and Capricorn. Friends talk, after all, and it seems like
I'm doing all the talking. I want to
help, if I can."
"Shouldn't you be getting ready?"
"I have an hour. What is it?"
Gemini removed his hand from his pocket and held out the coin. "You've seen me throwing this, right?" Sagittarius nodded. "Capricorn is better known as Dekim Barton."
"Barton. Didn't you say your name was Trowa Barton?"
"I don't have a name. When I was three, Dekim was a powerful leader. He came to my lands and killed my people, we were a gypsy tribe. I don't even know my real name," his finger brushed over the coin. "This is all I have left of any of them. I worked for Dekim, a slave by the name of Nanashi. I served his son, Trowa. I couldn't take it, though, and I killed Trowa. Our people were allied with a band of nomads, the Winners. Taurus's family. They took me in after I killed Trowa. Quatre, that's Taurus, told me that I needed a name and the world needed a Trowa Barton."
Sagittarius reached up and hugged Gemini. "I don't blame you for not going, and I'm sorry we are. Thank you for telling me, Trowa."
She walked off, leaving Gemini's mouth dry and wordless.
*
"Do you know how lucky you are?" asked a voice. Scorpio turned, surprised. He'd thought it would be Opiuchus, but the voice was wrong. Younger, different, not Opiuchus. He turned, and recognized the boy who wouldn't go that day on the mission. Gemini, yes, that was it.
"Because of Virgo?" he asked. They all wanted Virgo, and Scorpio wondered how many of them loved Virgo. He was surprised when the boy shook his head.
"I used to think you were lucky Virgo loved you. On some level, I still think you are. Yes, Virgo has this charm. But I don't love Virgo."
"Then why am I so lucky?" asked Scorpio, curious now.
"Because of Sagittarius," Gemini melted into silver arcs and shadows.
*
It wasn't so high. It wouldn't be so bad, actually. He loved the breeze through his hair, it was cool and fresh and he loved the way it felt when he ran. This would be like running, only faster. He would have loved to fly. Airships were fine, but he would have loved to have his own wings. He never would, though.
Once, a long time ago, gypsies sang of angels. Angels had wings, they flew and sang praises to god. They were what happened when you died.
Taurus looked over the edge, down the long way to the water. The green stem fell off, going before him. As if it were heralding his arrival. He picked up a daffodil, twirling it.
"He loves me," the first petal fell to the water. "He loves me not," Taurus already knew where this would end. "He loves me," daffodils had six petals. "He loves me not," for some reason, Taurus always started on he loves me. "He loves me," one petal left. "He loves me not."
Taurus jumped.
*
Cancer could move fast. When he was little, before the orphanage was destroyed, he always won the races. He had been watching Taurus, unsure what the boy was thinking. When he heard the final "he loves me not," Cancer had sprung forward, knowing on some instinctual level what was coming. His hand grasped Taurus's, holding the boy above the falling petals.
"Not worth it," commented Cancer, his voice casual.
*
"So what made you do that?" asked Cancer, more comfortable now that both he and Taurus were on firm ground far away from cliffs.
"All I ever cared about was Virgo. We were young, yeah, but I loved him so much. I started working for the Five with him and Trowa- that's Gemini- and he and I were together. Then he met someone named Treize, and fell in love with him. We drifted apart. I still loved him, though. Later, I heard Treize was dead, and I wanted to go find Virgo, but I was too chicken. He wrote me he was in love with someone named Zechs now- that's Scorpio. I never stopped loving him, though, that's why I was searching."
"Well, even if he loves Scorpio, don't give up. Haven't you ever heard, it is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all?"
"Crap."
"Yeah, I know. Still, it's not the end of the world. You're cute, you'll find someone else."
Taurus turned and looked at Cancer. "You're cute too, y'know."
Cancer looked over at him, and the other boy kissed him. It was a soft kiss, not like the desperate ones he and Aries shared. It was soft and warm and felt good. Cancer reached up to touch the boys cheek.
This time, he did not cry out for Virgo.
*
"I'm sorry," Sagittarius turned at the sound of someone's voice. Virgo stood behind her.
"Hm?" she asked, curious as to what Virgo would be apologizing for.
"I know how you feel about Scorpio," he replied. Sagittarius smiled, sadness in her eyes.
"It's all right. I know how he feels about you," she rose and bowed. "Thank you."
"For what?" asked Virgo.
"Making him happy."
Virgo smiled and left Sagittarius alone again.
*
"Oi, Aries, wake up," Yuy felt someone shaking him. He looked over to see Cancer sitting on the side of the bed. Yuy rose. "Is it morning?"
"Not quite. It's the graveyard shift."
"Where were you last night?" there was no anger in the voice, only curiosity. Cancer turned to him.
"We agreed that it didn't mean anything."
"It doesn't. I'm curious."
"I got over Virgo. I found someone else," he replied. Yuy raised an eyebrow.
"Really? Who?"
"Taurus."
"Are you happy?" asked Yuy. Cancer smiled and nodded.
"Yes," he replied. Yuy nodded.
"I'm glad."
"Come on," Cancer rose and gestured to him, "time to get Capricorn out." Yuy nodded and smiled to himself. He had never been happy for someone before. He liked the way it felt.
*
Darguerreo base was pretty well defended, that was why five of them were sent. Orders were by any means necessary. Taurus didn't like to kill, and requested stealth. Anything to avoid his having to see the looks on their faces.
The rest agreed because otherwise Cancer would have decked them.
Graveyard shift was still well defended, but fewer workers. The five snuck in and looked for Capricorn. Checking all the prisons as well as they could, the five found no sign of him.
"Can anyone hack?" asked Sagittarius.
"I can," replied Taurus, walking over to the computer. His fingers flew as he typed in the information. A second later he swore under his breath.
"What?" asked Cancer, anxious.
"Destroy the base."
"What?" asked Sagittarius, shocked. "But we don't have-"
"Destroy it. All of it. Capricorn sold us out. They're going to attack base tomorrow. Destroy the base."
Sagittarius nodded. "There are only twelve anyway."
*
Virgo was right there. It was night, and they would return tomorrow. Virgo was watching the sunset. Missing Scorpio, most likely. So close Yuy could touch him.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" asked Virgo, turning to look at Yuy. "Come watch with me, Aries, it's not as beautiful alone."
Yuy walked over, as if hypnotized, and sat down on the damp ground next to Virgo. The other boy's dark skin was even more beautiful, colored by dying light. His hair reflected all the colors of the sunset, and Yuy was mesmerized.
"Beautiful…" he murmured.
"It is," replied Virgo, still looking at the sunset.
Something broke inside Yuy. He turned Virgo's head to him and kissed the other boy, a hard kiss full of need. The taste of Virgo was intoxicating, just like the look of Virgo. Like everything about Virgo. He could barely hear the protests as he pulled off Virgo's shirt.
And then suddenly, like coming out of the water after nearly drowning from lack of oxygen, Yuy snapped back to reality, to see Virgo, half naked.
"I'm sorry," he stammered, and fled.
Owari.
I was gonna have Heero rape him, but then I realized I actually like Heero! Oh yeah, heh, how'd I miss that? *sweatdrops*
Pairings: 6x5, 4x2, (past) 13x6, (past) 13x5, 1+5, 3+9, 9+6, (past) 4x5