Intro: This fanfic is brought to you by TWO authors-- Duo's Only Chick and
myself. So, PLEASE keep that in mind when you review! Don't forget to
stop and praise Duo's Only Chick for her half of the effort! I know I still
do! ^-^'
-Michiki
Something Sacred Part 7
Duo shifted his weight from one foot to the other and back as Heero finished packing up the camp. As his hands were tied, he couldn't exactly help out...not that he would anyway. So, he stood, fingering the end of his braid, and watching the Dark City's prince packing up his few belongings.
Heero was soon strapping the tent (the last item) onto his horse, and when he finished he turned to Duo. "I'm going to untie your hands. I suggest you don't try anything." He commented, as he drew a small knife from a concealed pocked in his robes. Slitting the ropes around Duo's wrists, he allowed the braided Prince to mount, before he straddled the horse behind him. He felt the braided boy tense as he looped his hands around his waist to grab the reigns.
Trying desperately to ignore the feeling of Duo relaxing against his chest, Heero spurred the horse forward, and they took off into the desert in a cloud of dust.
*~*
Howard paced back and forth in the throne room. Various advisors were sitting at the long table, and they were obviously worried.
And they had reason to. The king had passed into a coma this morning, and it didn't look like he'd be waking up anytime soon. So, Howard was left in charge of the city until Duo returned...IF Duo returned. He finally sat down at the head of the table. "Well...I'm open to suggestions. We need to get the prince back ASAP, and we don't want to give the Dark City what they're asking for. We're stuck. Almost helpless. Does anyone have a plan?"
No one moved to show that they had any ideas. In fact, they all sat, staring at the table space in front of them.
Howard sighed, and massaged his temple. It was going to be a long day.
*~*
Heero shifted his weight in the saddle. They'd been riding for almost the whole day, and needless to say...his rear areas weren't pleased with him right now. And he could tell Duo was getting antsy too. The braided prince had managed to carry out a few decent conversations with him during the day, and Heero had been finding it harder and harder to concentrate as Duo's weight was leaning pleasantly against him.
However, the Dark City was growing closer. He could make out the shadows of its dark buildings as the sun set, and cold started to creep over the desert. Finding another small oasis, Heero dismounted, and then helped Duo down. "I trust you won't try anything this time?"
Duo shook his head. "I don't have energy, and I never want to get on another horse in my life."
Heero smirked. "Then you can help me with the tent...that is, unless you want to sleep out with the scorpions tonight..."
Duo shook his head. "No thanks. What do I have to do?"
Heero motioned towards the tent that was still strapped on the horse. "Grab the tent and bring it over here. I'm going to clear a spot for it."
Duo nodded. "Can do." Approaching the horse quietly, he managed to escape the encounter without any serious damage done to him, the horse, or the tent. He joined Heero in the area the bandit was clearing. "Here." He said as he handed him the tent.
Heero took it, and emptied the bag of its contents. "Here...hold this up..." And they proceeded to pitch the tent together.
They managed to accomplish the task before the sun set, and Heero lit a small fire to cook some of the oasis fruits on. Duo sat across from him, eyes fixed on the dancing flames.
"You'll let me know when my father sends news, right? He wasn't feeling too well when I left. He might even be..." Duo's voice trailed off, and he gulped audibly.
"Dead?" Heero supplied, unfeeling.
"Well, yeah." Duo muttered. "I guess you could put it that way." The braided prince then fell silent, and the two sat in a content silence as the night grew older, and darkness overtook the desert.
"I'm going to get a drink of water," Duo said, breaking the silence. Duo approached the waters of the small oasis and bent down to take a drink. A strange glimmer caught his eye.
"What's that?" Duo muttered as a foul fish scent found its way to his nose.
A large serpentine creature arose from the depths of the water. Large, jade scales adorned its back with the designs of a tortoise shell and atop the gills on its head rested an indention full of water.
A worried Heero stood up and ran towards the creature as it grabbed Duo's leg with one of its skinny claws. As Heero neared the creature, however, recognition lit up his features.
"A Kappa!" Heero concluded.
"A WHAT?" cried a dangling, distressed Duo.
"Just don't move," Heero hissed as he stared into the Kappa's eyes and bowed.
The Kappa returned the bow. But, as soon as the Kappa lowered its head, water poured out of its high indention. Stunned, the Kappa dropped Duo into the water as it started to suffocate due to the loss of water.
Before the Kappa could come to, Heero lunged forward and dragged Duo out of the water.
~*~
Once back at their tent, Heero proceeded to take off Duo's cloak.
"What are you doing?" Duo coughed as he was left barechested.
Heero gave Duo his own cloak and a blanket as he began to shake Duo's cloak.
"You'll fall ill," Heero grumbled. Duo tightened the blanket around him.
"Why?" Duo mused.
Heero sat next to Duo after hanging the wet cloak over the tent.
"You can't tell me that you risked your own life to saved mine just because I'm a pawn in your plan," retorted Duo.
When Heero remained silent, Duo decided to try the impossible.
"Fine," Duo snapped. "We'll see if THIS gets a response from you!" That being said, Duo released his hold on the blanket, leaned over, and firmly kissed Heero.
Heero stiffened at first. However, the kiss was putting his mind in a whirl. Instinctively, Heero put his arms around Duo and pulled him closer.
The feel of Heero's warm hands on his back sent shivers down Duo's spine as he reached up and threaded his fingers through Heero's hair. Duo sighed in disappointment when Heero suddenly broke the kiss. Through slit eyes, violet and cobalt met.
"Now, I ask you again," Duo breathed while moving forward to whisper in Heero's ear. "Why am I still living after an encounter with a Kappa?"
"Because I didn't want anything to happen to you," Heero suspired.
"Looks like you've grown as fond with me as I've with you," Duo chuckled.
Duo gasped when Heero suddenly pulled the blanket back over Duo's shoulders.
"Go in the tent and rest," Heero mumbled. "Tomorrow we will reach the Dark City."
*~*~*~*~*
Something Sacred Part 7
Duo shifted his weight from one foot to the other and back as Heero finished packing up the camp. As his hands were tied, he couldn't exactly help out...not that he would anyway. So, he stood, fingering the end of his braid, and watching the Dark City's prince packing up his few belongings.
Heero was soon strapping the tent (the last item) onto his horse, and when he finished he turned to Duo. "I'm going to untie your hands. I suggest you don't try anything." He commented, as he drew a small knife from a concealed pocked in his robes. Slitting the ropes around Duo's wrists, he allowed the braided Prince to mount, before he straddled the horse behind him. He felt the braided boy tense as he looped his hands around his waist to grab the reigns.
Trying desperately to ignore the feeling of Duo relaxing against his chest, Heero spurred the horse forward, and they took off into the desert in a cloud of dust.
*~*
Howard paced back and forth in the throne room. Various advisors were sitting at the long table, and they were obviously worried.
And they had reason to. The king had passed into a coma this morning, and it didn't look like he'd be waking up anytime soon. So, Howard was left in charge of the city until Duo returned...IF Duo returned. He finally sat down at the head of the table. "Well...I'm open to suggestions. We need to get the prince back ASAP, and we don't want to give the Dark City what they're asking for. We're stuck. Almost helpless. Does anyone have a plan?"
No one moved to show that they had any ideas. In fact, they all sat, staring at the table space in front of them.
Howard sighed, and massaged his temple. It was going to be a long day.
*~*
Heero shifted his weight in the saddle. They'd been riding for almost the whole day, and needless to say...his rear areas weren't pleased with him right now. And he could tell Duo was getting antsy too. The braided prince had managed to carry out a few decent conversations with him during the day, and Heero had been finding it harder and harder to concentrate as Duo's weight was leaning pleasantly against him.
However, the Dark City was growing closer. He could make out the shadows of its dark buildings as the sun set, and cold started to creep over the desert. Finding another small oasis, Heero dismounted, and then helped Duo down. "I trust you won't try anything this time?"
Duo shook his head. "I don't have energy, and I never want to get on another horse in my life."
Heero smirked. "Then you can help me with the tent...that is, unless you want to sleep out with the scorpions tonight..."
Duo shook his head. "No thanks. What do I have to do?"
Heero motioned towards the tent that was still strapped on the horse. "Grab the tent and bring it over here. I'm going to clear a spot for it."
Duo nodded. "Can do." Approaching the horse quietly, he managed to escape the encounter without any serious damage done to him, the horse, or the tent. He joined Heero in the area the bandit was clearing. "Here." He said as he handed him the tent.
Heero took it, and emptied the bag of its contents. "Here...hold this up..." And they proceeded to pitch the tent together.
They managed to accomplish the task before the sun set, and Heero lit a small fire to cook some of the oasis fruits on. Duo sat across from him, eyes fixed on the dancing flames.
"You'll let me know when my father sends news, right? He wasn't feeling too well when I left. He might even be..." Duo's voice trailed off, and he gulped audibly.
"Dead?" Heero supplied, unfeeling.
"Well, yeah." Duo muttered. "I guess you could put it that way." The braided prince then fell silent, and the two sat in a content silence as the night grew older, and darkness overtook the desert.
"I'm going to get a drink of water," Duo said, breaking the silence. Duo approached the waters of the small oasis and bent down to take a drink. A strange glimmer caught his eye.
"What's that?" Duo muttered as a foul fish scent found its way to his nose.
A large serpentine creature arose from the depths of the water. Large, jade scales adorned its back with the designs of a tortoise shell and atop the gills on its head rested an indention full of water.
A worried Heero stood up and ran towards the creature as it grabbed Duo's leg with one of its skinny claws. As Heero neared the creature, however, recognition lit up his features.
"A Kappa!" Heero concluded.
"A WHAT?" cried a dangling, distressed Duo.
"Just don't move," Heero hissed as he stared into the Kappa's eyes and bowed.
The Kappa returned the bow. But, as soon as the Kappa lowered its head, water poured out of its high indention. Stunned, the Kappa dropped Duo into the water as it started to suffocate due to the loss of water.
Before the Kappa could come to, Heero lunged forward and dragged Duo out of the water.
~*~
Once back at their tent, Heero proceeded to take off Duo's cloak.
"What are you doing?" Duo coughed as he was left barechested.
Heero gave Duo his own cloak and a blanket as he began to shake Duo's cloak.
"You'll fall ill," Heero grumbled. Duo tightened the blanket around him.
"Why?" Duo mused.
Heero sat next to Duo after hanging the wet cloak over the tent.
"You can't tell me that you risked your own life to saved mine just because I'm a pawn in your plan," retorted Duo.
When Heero remained silent, Duo decided to try the impossible.
"Fine," Duo snapped. "We'll see if THIS gets a response from you!" That being said, Duo released his hold on the blanket, leaned over, and firmly kissed Heero.
Heero stiffened at first. However, the kiss was putting his mind in a whirl. Instinctively, Heero put his arms around Duo and pulled him closer.
The feel of Heero's warm hands on his back sent shivers down Duo's spine as he reached up and threaded his fingers through Heero's hair. Duo sighed in disappointment when Heero suddenly broke the kiss. Through slit eyes, violet and cobalt met.
"Now, I ask you again," Duo breathed while moving forward to whisper in Heero's ear. "Why am I still living after an encounter with a Kappa?"
"Because I didn't want anything to happen to you," Heero suspired.
"Looks like you've grown as fond with me as I've with you," Duo chuckled.
Duo gasped when Heero suddenly pulled the blanket back over Duo's shoulders.
"Go in the tent and rest," Heero mumbled. "Tomorrow we will reach the Dark City."
*~*~*~*~*