Souls Intertwined
Rewards, and Struggles
Shinigami returned a little while later, he carried a bundle wrapped in blankets... "This, I am giving to you two.", Shinigami handed the wrapped bundle to Heero.
Heero unwrapped the moving blankets, to find a small, infant staring up at him, "AAaaaaaafffffffffffooo!", it babbled at him, eyes brightly attentive.
"But this is... One of your....", Heero gasped.
"Yes, he's one of my angels, only, odd thing was, this one turned up with no wings, so, I've been afraid he wouldn't be accepted as one of them entirely... I do realize it's a large task to care for a child, and realize I am not forcing him upon you.", Shinigami explained.
Heero glanced at Duo, who, looked so pale, and fragile, but not as much has he had a little bit ago. "I do realize that, but maybe... That's what he needs to not give up...", Heero sighed.
Shinigami nodded, "The child has been given blessings, one of beauty, another of compassion for others, even those unlike himself, and the third is happiness.",
"So, this is where we part ways?", Heero asked, feeling a little nudge of sadness.
"Yes, until your deathbed, but I shall return you to where you should be...", with that Shinigami raised his hands, and a blinding light enveloped Heero......
...
"Mr. Yuy, Mr. Yuy....", the nurse shook him awake, "You can go in and see him now.",
Heero looked around him, then, realized that he was in a hospital, and decided to ask a logical question, "Which room was it again?",
"Nine sixty....", came the reply.
Heero didn't have to think twice over the matter, gathering up the child whom he's seen was in a carrier next to himself, Heero hurried to that room. When he arrived there, he debated on entering, afraid of what he might see behind the door, he flinched from the door handle, as though it could reach out and bite his hand, before finally opening the door, and entering quietly.
There Duo lay amid the pure white sheets, he lay, thinner than he'd been before, and a worn look about his body. Heero didn't even realize Duo was awake, until his eyes fluttered open, and a weak smile crept onto his pale lips. "Hi, Heero...", he said, a meek whisper compared to his usually loud self.
"Duo, are you... Going to be okay?", Heero quickly wished to swallow his own words, but it was too late.
"I... I don't know...", a frown, and a cough, or was it a sob, that escaped from Duo's form, "I feel, so... Empty... He's been a part of me too long....",
"...", there really wasn't anything Heero could say to that.
"This morning, when I got up... I thought it was a dream, I could barely move at all, let alone by myself.... I- I just... The doctors say I'm lucky to be a live, but.... Heero, am I really lucky, if I can't move? Am I lucky if I'm stuck like... Like this?", Duo's words stung Heero deeply, and the pain shown greatly in Duo's eyes wanted to swallow him whole...
"You... You are... I am.... Duo.... Did any memory of.... Of what Shinigami say to me.... Did it.... Return to you?...", Heero struggled with his words.
"He... Told you how I felt... About... You, right?", Duo managed to say.
"Yes, he did... After he said that, I think the full realization as to why I'd agreed to any of that was because... Of you... Duo. I- I just took longer to understand my true feelings...", Heero admitted.
"I'm glad, if not for you, I would have had to shoot myself to end this...", he looked grimly up at Heero.
"Duo, I don't think you would have lived as long as you have so far.", Heero stated, glumly.
"... What of Sheen?", Duo asked, "That's what we're naming him, and you can't tell me otherwise.",
"He's asle-", a coo interrupted Heero's sentence.
"Not.. Anymore.", Duo pointed out, "I... Want to hold him... Even if, just for a little because I still tire easily.",
Heero took the small boy from his basket, and helped Duo slowly position himself to be able to hold the baby in his arms. "Oh, gods, he's heavy...", Duo remarked, just cradling the child in his lap, instead of holding him to his chest. Soon, however, Duo looked at Heero, "Take him, I'm tiring myself too much...", a sigh then, "Heero... I... Love you.", Duo whispered, before his eyelids started to drupe, and his breathing slowed into the regular breathing of sleep.
Heero smiled down at Duo, and then held Sheen up high facing him, "We wore him out again, I see.",
Sheen just burbled at Heero, before wimpering, and progressing into his usual, 'I made a mess.', giggles. Heero just rolled his eyes, "I really wish that Duo was able to help take care of you, you're a little demon of a child."
...
After just about a year in the hospital, Duo was able to leave, and go live in the house Heero'd managed to buy with the scraps of money saved up. Unluckily, Duo had heard of how Sheen was now into the walking, and grabbing everything within reach stage. Heero talked about how Quatre, and Trowa had been helping with the kid, and how he, and Wufei had started a martial arts school to earn some money for the hospital bills. And how Sheen had grown since he'd last seen Sheen. "When we get home, I want you to eat some dinner too, that hospital's only filled your body with crap.", Heero frowned.
Not long after, Duo was almost back to himself, well, as well as he could without Shinigami being part of himself. It was three years later when Heero asked the big question, and eight months later, that the two married. They both lived happy, and full lives.
End Story