Author: aomurasakiai
Warnings: AU, Angst, Sap, Shounen ai/Yaoi
Pairings: 2+1, 1+2, 2x1
Spoilers: None
Rating: PG-13
*Everything above may be
subject to change*
Fragile Faith: Chapter 16 – The Beauty of Weeping Trees
Duo had just about finished changing out of his pajamas and into a pair of jeans plus a tight black T-shirt when a pair of arms wrapped themselves around his torso. He placed his own hands over them, knowing just who it was.
"Thank you…" a voice whispered into his ear. The American gently removed Heero's hands before turning around and interlacing their fingers. He let their hands hang at the their sides before stepping closer and letting their foreheads touch.
"For what Heero?" The Japanese boy kept his head bowed and his eyes lowered.
"For… being with me." The other teen smiled tenderly before bending a little to catch Heero's lips. They kissed warmly, tongues touching hesitantly.
"I always will be with you," Duo said when they parted. Heero just nodded, desperately wanting to believe the braided boy's words before he was led out of the room. Lady Une looked up from where she was busy with the other orphans when the two teens walked past her. Duo waved and she smiled when she noticed their intertwined hands. Tears sprung into her eyes as she realized that the muffled sobs she'd heard the night before hadn't been her imagination. She mouthed a "Thank you" and Duo just shook his head before mouthing back "I wanted to". They both headed out the door under the watchful, yet tearful gaze of Lady Une.
They reached Duo's car that was parked in front of the orphanage and the braided boy opened the door for Heero, who almost shyly got in. When he got in himself, Heero had turned his head to look at Duo.
"Where are we going?" Duo just patted the Japanese teen's thigh.
"You'll see." He shifted the gears but
this time he let his hand rest on Heero's lap like it had wanted to the first
time. They didn't drive too far before
stopping in front of a rather large house.
Heero's jaw dropped slightly.
"My Uncle Howard's house." Duo explained.
"Your uncle?"
"Yeah… but he's been away on a trip to Hawaii. I told him he SO needed to relax rather than fuss over me all the time," Duo said laughing.
"What about… your parents?" Heero asked.
"Don't remember them. They… passed away when I was young." Duo unlocked the gate to the fence that surrounded the house. When Heero stepped inside, he made sure to close it tightly before heading to the back of the house. Heero ran a bit to catch up.
"They were lost when my home burned down. Somehow I was saved… but everything else was lost," Duo continued softly. "Uncle Howard's been taking care of me ever since. It makes me sad sometimes, thinking about them… about why I was spared… why they had to die… why everything was burned except me…" Heero caught the last few whispered words and felt Duo's pain mirroring his own. He moved to take the other's hand. Duo stopped and smiled at him.
"I guess I am like you in a way." His hand came up to brush against Heero's cheek. "It hurts to think about them, doesn't it?" The Japanese boy closed his eyes and lowered his head in response.
"But, I'll show you a special place to help you to forget that." Heero was confused until Duo led him to the back of the house. At first sight, he gaped in awe.
"They are weeping trees," Duo whispered, letting Heero take in the scene before him. It was a wide-open grassy field. In the near distance there were probably around fifty trees, and most of them were in bloom. The branches hung limply, as if the various flowers were weighing them down to earth and they littered the green grass with multiple colors.
"Weeping trees… their name speaks of sadness and sorrow. But only until you see them… only then can you witness their beauty." Heero's eyes began to water as Duo spoke. The braided boy pulled the Japanese boy close, embracing him from behind.
"Duo…" Heero took a deep breath, trying to calm down and trying even harder to prevent a sob from escaping.
"Last night… you were one too, Heero." Despite the tears trailing down his face, Heero smiled.
"So were you… just now," he managed to say. Duo just gave a low chuckle.
"Sweet of you to say so." Duo kissed the side of his neck and gently pushed him forward under they stood under the light sprinkle of the weeping trees' flowers. They both sat down on the soft grass. Heero carefully picked up the links of flowers and began to weave them together. Duo just settled with placing flowers on Heero's messy hair when he wasn't looking.
After a few minutes, the Japanese teen held up a thin flower chain.
"Here." Duo smiled.
"For me?" Heero nodded and the braided boy let him put it around his neck. Duo touched it gently before he pulled Heero close and breathed in the scent of the flowers upon his messy head along with Heero's own unique scent.
tbc…