Creature of the Wood
Chapter 13
----------------------------
Relena strolled along the pathways of the school, letting the cooling breeze toss her hair haphazardly around her. She had no destination in mind, and her thoughts were taken by the events that had transpired earlier. She wasn't certain when her defenses had kicked in and prompted her to step between her brother and the irate Sidhe woman who had struck him... all she knew was that it had felt damned good to be able to stand up for her brother after having to cow down before her father for all those years. It brought a smile to her face and she found herself stepping off the concrete path to walk in the grass, her arms stretching out to her sides as she spun around, laughing up to the sky.
"So this is what freedom feels like..." She said, to the very stars themselves. Watching the tiny sky-gems flicker and spin was enough to make her lose her footing after a minute or two and send her tumbling to the ground. She let herself roll amidst the crisp leaves, several of them clinging to her hair as she came to a stop and gasped for breath, staring up into the night. "I like it." Her fingers stroked against the grass, the singular scent of autumn clinging to her as she lay there, letting time pass her by. It felt good to be able to do this... to just forget about everything for a short amount of time. It had been far too long since she'd had that luxury, and Relena was going to cherish every moment of it that she could. She never heard the footsteps softly approaching, so when a slender figure came to rest beside her, mimicking her position, she started slightly, glancing over at the newcomer.
"It's peaceful out here tonight." Selena whispered, pillowing her head back against her arms.
Relena nodded softly, smiling. Leaning back as well, she let her gaze drift upward once more, the two of them sharing a companionable silence. There was no need for apology, for in their own way they'd already accomplished that. It was enough to enjoy the evening in relaxation, with the quiet company of kinship between them. Both had simply been doing what they had to... defending their families. Neither could fault the other for that sentiment in the slightest.
* * *
Sunlight had barely begun to creep its way into the room Heero and Duo shared, when the braided boy found himself being shaken awake roughly. "What the... WHO??" He yelled, sitting bolt upright, his eyes flicking about like a madman caught in his own imaginings. His hands dug against the blanket, knuckles turning white from the pressure as he felt strong hands against his shoulders, shaking him.
"Duo, WAKE UP!" Heero's voice broke through the misty shroud that clung to Duo, the waking remainder of his dreams. A light tap of skin against skin, the back of Heero's hand smacking against Duo's cheek, and widened violet eyes finally began to see.
Duo turned, locking his gaze to Heero and trying to shake himself completely free of sleep as his mind finally registered the urgency in the Satyr's voice. "Wha... what is it?" Tears clung to the corners of the Japanese boy's eyes... it was a sight that Duo had never seen before, and he brought up one hand in stricken awe, brushing the droplets away before they could fall. "Heero, what... what's happened?" His hands moved, cupping the other boy's face and forcing him to hold his gaze steady when he would have looked away. Duo was becoming more and more frightened with each passing moment... he'd never seen this kind of reaction from Heero, even when he'd been injured. Something was dreadfully wrong, and he wasn't quite certain that he wanted to know what it was. Some part of him, however, kept pressing him, urging him to try and soothe the other and somehow make this right.
Heero brought up his eyes, seeing the concern mirrored on Duo's face, and it nearly caused him to lose what little control he had maintained. It was far too early for them to have to go through this... he'd nearly let the phone ring through when he'd eyed the alarm clock in his sleep and seen that it wasn't even 5am yet. Something had made him pick up the receiver, however... and that was when his world had come crashing down. His hands were shaking as they rested against Duo's arms, his grip subsiding so that his fingertips brushed against the skin. "I..." He began, lips moving even though no sound came out afterward. He felt like he was making a fool of himself, but as he continued to stare into those violet depths, he couldn't stop himself. Duo had to know... he would find out eventually...
Oh god, oh god, Heero, you're scaring me, please... Duo's thoughts ran through his mind, his body shaking as he stopped himself from screaming at the other to just TELL HIM what was going on. His fingers moved, sliding back from the other boy's face to twine in his hair, the very act an almost unconscious attempt to calm the Satyr so that he could speak. When Heero's trembling words finally escaped his lips, Duo fell back as if hit by an electric shock.
"I... I'm leaving, Duo. I'm being moved again..."
* * *
"NO!"
The hoarse shout was punctuated by the sound of a fist impacting with the solid wood desktop. Sea-ice eyes blazed with anger as Quatre spun around to face Trowa once more. "Damnit, we've only had a few days since I was able to get back, and now you're being transferred? Who's idea of a sick joke is this??"
Trowa leaned against the wall, his hands moving along his own arms as he tried to think of some way to calm the irate blond who was pacing in front of the window. "I'm sorry, Quatre... I have no choice. You *KNOW* that if I could find any way around this, I would!" Emerald green eyes kept up with the other boy's motions and occasionally flicked towards the bed, where Cathy wisely kept silent, watching her two lovers as they attempted to resolve this rather unexpected turn of events.
"And that's supposed to make everything alright? What the hell are we supposed to do when you're gone, Trowa? What makes you think it'll just be that easy to let you walk away?" Quatre stepped closer, fighting to keep his voice steady as his emotions rose to the forefront. Under normal circumstances, he could have kept himself under control... but this wasn't normal. His voice was on the verge of cracking as he stopped in front of Trowa, looking up to the taller boy. When he was able to speak, his words were barely audible, laced with the fear that he'd kept out of his motions thusfar. "Don't leave us... please..."
Trowa felt his heart lurch at those simple words, and brought his arms tightly around Quatre, pulling him close. "If I could, I would stay... I swear it." His gaze lifted to Cathy, her cheeks dampened with tears that had been shed as Quatre spoke. He lifted one hand towards her, beckoning her closer. "I'm sorry... oh gods, I'm so sorry." He whispered, holding them both close against him as he let his head fall to rest against their shoulders. His body began to shiver, his grip tightening around the two who had grown so close to him. "I won't be gone forever. I'll come back. I promise."
* * *
They had been gone all night. Most of it had been spent in conversation... the two Sidhe women learning about each other and their families. They'd spoken of their homes, their siblings, their beliefs and dreams. By the time the sun had begun to creep over the horizon, neither Relena nor Selena cared that they'd been up the entire night. They'd become friends in that span of time, each realizing that they were more alike then perhaps even they'd known. Their brothers seemed to be getting along well... there was no reason why the sisters couldn't, as well.
As they walked into the dorm where Duo and Quatre stayed, they were greeted by a most unfamiliar sight. Passing by Duo and Heero's door, they saw that the Satyr was missing and that the normally gleeful Sidhe lordling was now sitting dejectedly on his bed. There was a suitcase resting, half packed, on Heero's bed... and it didn't take long for Relena to assume the worst. Leaving Selena in the hall, she darted to her brother's side. "Duo?? Duo, what's going on?"
She didn't get an answer, not spoken... instead, he simply turned, clinging to her as the tears finally broke free. Every pent up bit of frustration and despair that had built up over the course of the morning came tumbling loose as he collapsed against her. In Relena's mind, she saw the broken form of her baby brother, how he'd appeared over five years ago when they'd discovered his impending exile. Soft blue eyes hardened as her hands smoothed back his hair in comfort. Someone was going to pay for bringing this much hurt upon him for the second time.
* * *
TBC
Chapter 13
----------------------------
Relena strolled along the pathways of the school, letting the cooling breeze toss her hair haphazardly around her. She had no destination in mind, and her thoughts were taken by the events that had transpired earlier. She wasn't certain when her defenses had kicked in and prompted her to step between her brother and the irate Sidhe woman who had struck him... all she knew was that it had felt damned good to be able to stand up for her brother after having to cow down before her father for all those years. It brought a smile to her face and she found herself stepping off the concrete path to walk in the grass, her arms stretching out to her sides as she spun around, laughing up to the sky.
"So this is what freedom feels like..." She said, to the very stars themselves. Watching the tiny sky-gems flicker and spin was enough to make her lose her footing after a minute or two and send her tumbling to the ground. She let herself roll amidst the crisp leaves, several of them clinging to her hair as she came to a stop and gasped for breath, staring up into the night. "I like it." Her fingers stroked against the grass, the singular scent of autumn clinging to her as she lay there, letting time pass her by. It felt good to be able to do this... to just forget about everything for a short amount of time. It had been far too long since she'd had that luxury, and Relena was going to cherish every moment of it that she could. She never heard the footsteps softly approaching, so when a slender figure came to rest beside her, mimicking her position, she started slightly, glancing over at the newcomer.
"It's peaceful out here tonight." Selena whispered, pillowing her head back against her arms.
Relena nodded softly, smiling. Leaning back as well, she let her gaze drift upward once more, the two of them sharing a companionable silence. There was no need for apology, for in their own way they'd already accomplished that. It was enough to enjoy the evening in relaxation, with the quiet company of kinship between them. Both had simply been doing what they had to... defending their families. Neither could fault the other for that sentiment in the slightest.
* * *
Sunlight had barely begun to creep its way into the room Heero and Duo shared, when the braided boy found himself being shaken awake roughly. "What the... WHO??" He yelled, sitting bolt upright, his eyes flicking about like a madman caught in his own imaginings. His hands dug against the blanket, knuckles turning white from the pressure as he felt strong hands against his shoulders, shaking him.
"Duo, WAKE UP!" Heero's voice broke through the misty shroud that clung to Duo, the waking remainder of his dreams. A light tap of skin against skin, the back of Heero's hand smacking against Duo's cheek, and widened violet eyes finally began to see.
Duo turned, locking his gaze to Heero and trying to shake himself completely free of sleep as his mind finally registered the urgency in the Satyr's voice. "Wha... what is it?" Tears clung to the corners of the Japanese boy's eyes... it was a sight that Duo had never seen before, and he brought up one hand in stricken awe, brushing the droplets away before they could fall. "Heero, what... what's happened?" His hands moved, cupping the other boy's face and forcing him to hold his gaze steady when he would have looked away. Duo was becoming more and more frightened with each passing moment... he'd never seen this kind of reaction from Heero, even when he'd been injured. Something was dreadfully wrong, and he wasn't quite certain that he wanted to know what it was. Some part of him, however, kept pressing him, urging him to try and soothe the other and somehow make this right.
Heero brought up his eyes, seeing the concern mirrored on Duo's face, and it nearly caused him to lose what little control he had maintained. It was far too early for them to have to go through this... he'd nearly let the phone ring through when he'd eyed the alarm clock in his sleep and seen that it wasn't even 5am yet. Something had made him pick up the receiver, however... and that was when his world had come crashing down. His hands were shaking as they rested against Duo's arms, his grip subsiding so that his fingertips brushed against the skin. "I..." He began, lips moving even though no sound came out afterward. He felt like he was making a fool of himself, but as he continued to stare into those violet depths, he couldn't stop himself. Duo had to know... he would find out eventually...
Oh god, oh god, Heero, you're scaring me, please... Duo's thoughts ran through his mind, his body shaking as he stopped himself from screaming at the other to just TELL HIM what was going on. His fingers moved, sliding back from the other boy's face to twine in his hair, the very act an almost unconscious attempt to calm the Satyr so that he could speak. When Heero's trembling words finally escaped his lips, Duo fell back as if hit by an electric shock.
"I... I'm leaving, Duo. I'm being moved again..."
* * *
"NO!"
The hoarse shout was punctuated by the sound of a fist impacting with the solid wood desktop. Sea-ice eyes blazed with anger as Quatre spun around to face Trowa once more. "Damnit, we've only had a few days since I was able to get back, and now you're being transferred? Who's idea of a sick joke is this??"
Trowa leaned against the wall, his hands moving along his own arms as he tried to think of some way to calm the irate blond who was pacing in front of the window. "I'm sorry, Quatre... I have no choice. You *KNOW* that if I could find any way around this, I would!" Emerald green eyes kept up with the other boy's motions and occasionally flicked towards the bed, where Cathy wisely kept silent, watching her two lovers as they attempted to resolve this rather unexpected turn of events.
"And that's supposed to make everything alright? What the hell are we supposed to do when you're gone, Trowa? What makes you think it'll just be that easy to let you walk away?" Quatre stepped closer, fighting to keep his voice steady as his emotions rose to the forefront. Under normal circumstances, he could have kept himself under control... but this wasn't normal. His voice was on the verge of cracking as he stopped in front of Trowa, looking up to the taller boy. When he was able to speak, his words were barely audible, laced with the fear that he'd kept out of his motions thusfar. "Don't leave us... please..."
Trowa felt his heart lurch at those simple words, and brought his arms tightly around Quatre, pulling him close. "If I could, I would stay... I swear it." His gaze lifted to Cathy, her cheeks dampened with tears that had been shed as Quatre spoke. He lifted one hand towards her, beckoning her closer. "I'm sorry... oh gods, I'm so sorry." He whispered, holding them both close against him as he let his head fall to rest against their shoulders. His body began to shiver, his grip tightening around the two who had grown so close to him. "I won't be gone forever. I'll come back. I promise."
* * *
They had been gone all night. Most of it had been spent in conversation... the two Sidhe women learning about each other and their families. They'd spoken of their homes, their siblings, their beliefs and dreams. By the time the sun had begun to creep over the horizon, neither Relena nor Selena cared that they'd been up the entire night. They'd become friends in that span of time, each realizing that they were more alike then perhaps even they'd known. Their brothers seemed to be getting along well... there was no reason why the sisters couldn't, as well.
As they walked into the dorm where Duo and Quatre stayed, they were greeted by a most unfamiliar sight. Passing by Duo and Heero's door, they saw that the Satyr was missing and that the normally gleeful Sidhe lordling was now sitting dejectedly on his bed. There was a suitcase resting, half packed, on Heero's bed... and it didn't take long for Relena to assume the worst. Leaving Selena in the hall, she darted to her brother's side. "Duo?? Duo, what's going on?"
She didn't get an answer, not spoken... instead, he simply turned, clinging to her as the tears finally broke free. Every pent up bit of frustration and despair that had built up over the course of the morning came tumbling loose as he collapsed against her. In Relena's mind, she saw the broken form of her baby brother, how he'd appeared over five years ago when they'd discovered his impending exile. Soft blue eyes hardened as her hands smoothed back his hair in comfort. Someone was going to pay for bringing this much hurt upon him for the second time.
* * *
TBC
