Author: aomurasakiai
Warnings: AU, Angst, Sap, Shounen ai/Yaoi [Lime Warning]
Pairings: 2+1, 1+2, 2x1 [R+1]
Spoilers: None
Rating: PG-13 [R in Chapters 17 and 18]
*Everything above may be subject to change*
Song: "Hikari no Naka e [Toward the Light]" by Sakamoto Maaya
Songfic Notes:
[romaji song lyrics]
(English translation)
Fragile Faith: Chapter 22 – Separate Destinies
Lady Une glanced out of the window to see a long, pink limo draw to a halt in front of the orphanage. It was incredibly early and she was glad in a way as it meant that the other orphans were still asleep and wouldn't have to witness the tragedy that was about to unfold. She closed her eyes.
'The time has come… Why does it have to be so soon?'
The doorbell rang and Lady Une was reluctant to answer it but knowing she had no other choice she did, but with a heavy heart. There stood Relena Darlian, smiling pleasantly and wearing a light pink dress.
"I'm here," she said loudly, announcing her arrival to the one she was looking forward to seeing. She turned to Lady Une and her expression changed subtly but Lady Une didn't miss it.
"I knew you'd see things my way," she said almost deviously. Lady Une just looked away, refraining from commenting on *that* statement. Instead, she said in a quiet, dejected voice…
"Heero… will be out soon. He's just packing up his things." Relena just blinked in surprise.
"Oh, he doesn't need to do that! I can provide him with everything he needs or wants once we arrive in England." She made her way to the Japanese boy's room and knocked. "Heero, hurry up or we'll be late! You don't need to take anything with you!"
Inside the room, Heero looked up from his opened bag. In it he had placed the carefully folded most of the clothes that Duo had bought for him. The shirt that was in his hands slipped from stilled fingers as he bowed his head.
"I can't… take… anything?" he whispered. He picked up the plushie of Duo.
Heero fingered the yarn braid that was down the plushie's back and remembered the time when the ribbon had come off and Duo showed him how to re-braid it. Heero smiled as he recalled how long it had taken since their fingers kept getting tangled up in the brown yarn. It wasn't until Heero told Duo to let him handle it; with Duo guiding him with his voice (instead of his fingers), the braid was finished in no time.
Smiling at the memory the Japanese teen trailed his hand down the plushie's face wishing that it was Duo that he was touching. He really wanted the braided boy to be here… so he could see him and hold him one last time. He squeezed the soft body of the plushie before bringing it up to his face, rubbing his cheek against the felt.
[nigiri shimeta te wo
hodoita nara]
(If I let go of your hand clasped in mine)
"Duo…" Tears sprang forth as he laid it on his pillow, next to the one he'd made of himself. He didn't want to part with it because he knew that it was the only thing he would have left to remember the braided boy by. When the knocking and Relena's voice came through the door again, he released his hold and walked away.
[tabun kore de subete ga ima
owatte shimau]
(with that, it would all probably come to an end right now)
Before he made it to the door, Heero paused. He couldn't lift his hand to open it. He knew that if he left now… he would have nothing to remind him of Duo except his memories.
'Only my memories…'
Without a second thought he turned around, nearly running back to where the plushies were and snatched up the Duo plushie, hugging it close.
[shiritakatta koto kizutsuku
koto]
(What I wanted to know, and even what hurts me-)
'Oh why… why must it be this way? Duo… where are you?' Lady Une thought in despair. She held a folded tissue up to her mouth as tears escaped her eyes. She didn't know why fate was so cruel as to torment the Japanese boy over and over again.
It also pained her to know that if it hadn't been for the orphanage and Heero giving up just *everything* for it… Lady Une shook her head. She didn't know why Heero wou-
*ring*
Lady Une jumped at the sudden noise. She hurried over and lifted up the receiver when it rang for the second time.
"Hello?" she said, her voice carrying her sorrow through the line. She sniffed then nearly stopped breathing when she heard the other person answer.
"Hello? Lady Une? Is that you?" Lady Une sagged to the floor, not knowing whether to laugh or cry harder.
"Duo… oh my god Duo, thank goodness it's you…" she sobbed out.
"What's wrong? Has something happened? Is Heero alright?" Duo asked urgently.
"Duo… you have to come over. Now!" Lady Une dropped the phone when she heard the sharp click. A low buzzing tone emanated from it and Lady Une could only hope that it wasn't too late.
~~~Back in Heero's room~~~
Holding the Duo plushie close to him Heero looked back at the plushie of himself. Trailing his eyes over his room one last time, he glanced once more at the clothing scattered about the window seat, all ready to be packed. Turning away, he opened the door.
[sae mo nanihitotsu
yarinokoshita mama de]
(even those were left undone)
He stepped back a bit when he came face to face with his… fiancée. However, that didn't seem to stop the young lady. She reached forwards and wrapped her arms around his right one. Relena pulled him down the hallway as Heero's thoughts turned back to the braided boy.
[anata ga deau shiawase wo
negaitai hazu na no ni]
(Even though I should want to wish
for you to find happiness)
'Duo… I will miss you… every single day.' Heero clenched his eyes shut as he was dragged to the front door. He thought back to his wish all those months ago and realized that he'd never thought that it would happen the other way around. Instead of Duo being taken away… *he* was the one.
'Duo… Be h… ha…'
[dekinai mijuku na jibun ni]
(I can't, I'm too immature)
Heero shook his head.
'Iya… Iyada. I don't… want him to be happy… without me…' Heero could feel the tears escaping his eyes. The thought of Duo being happy when he was in pain tore at his heart. He didn't want that… he *didn't*!
[fuite mo namida ga deru]
(I wipe the tears, but they still keep flowing)
'Duo… I just… want to see you. It hurts.' When they reached the front door, Heero lowered his head, the liquid sorrow dripping from his chin.
[Sayonara.]
(Sayonara.)
'Good bye… Duo.' Heero clutched onto the Duo plushie in a death grip.
[aishite-iru
anata wo dare yori]
(I love you
more than anyone else)
Heero muffled a sob, uncaring if the girl next to him heard or not. He'd never felt this way about someone before in his life. This feeling… love… Heero never thought that it could hurt just as much as it could make him feel so warm.
'Love you so much…'
[sora yori mo fukaku]
(Even more deeply than the sky)
They were about to walk out the door when Heero suddenly pulled away.
"Heero? What's wrong?" Relena asked in surprise. When she saw Heero make his way to Lady Une who was still sobbing, curled up on the floor, her face darkened.
The Japanese boy knelt in front of the woman who had helped him rediscover what love truly meant… love given freely by another person. He was deeply indebted to her for introducing Duo into his life. Gently he wiped away the tears trailing down Lady Une's face.
[nakanaide]
(Don't cry)
Heero tried to smile as he continued softly.
[mata aou ne]
(We'll meet again, right?)
The response he got was a nod and a watery gaze that promised 'no matter what, we *will* meet again'.
"Heero… Duo is coming. He's on his way now." The Japanese boy closed his eyes.
"It's too late…" he whispered quietly and Lady Une knew that he'd already given up. Seeing Heero get up and walk dejectedly back to where Relena Darlian stood waiting, albeit quite impatiently, Lady Une could feel her hope seep out as well.
[demo aenai koto
watashi dake shitte-iru no]
(But not being able to see you
is something that only I know about)
'Heero's going to return back to the stoic, silent young boy that I found all those years ago.' Lady Une closed her hand over her chest as a throbbing ache blossomed from within.
[konna unmei wo eranda koto]
(This fate we've chosen)
She got up quickly and ran out just in time to see an over excited Relena yanking a very reluctant Heero towards her pink limo.
"Wait Heero!!" she screamed desperately. Ignoring the glare that Relena was throwing at her, Lady Une ran up to the Japanese teen and hugged him close.
"Please don't… please Heero… Don't do this…" she whispered over and over again. Without answering, Heero tried to step away from her embrace.
"Why?… why? why?…" she asked him helplessly, her grip loosening as she suddenly felt emotionally drained. Heero just looked up with sad, tearless blue eyes.
[itsuka anata ni mo hontou
no imi ga wakaru wa]
(someday you too will understand its true meaning)
And with that… they continued walking, leaving Lady Une behind.
When up ahead Heero saw Relena's chauffeur, Pargan, open the door to the limo, he knew that the time had come. Tightening his hold on the plushie, he made one last silent promise to the boy who'd taught him how to live again… the boy who wasn't there… before his cobalt blue eyes turned glassy and blank.
[futari tsukutta kioku no
takara
zutto kokoro no kakure ya de ikite'ku yo]
(The treasure of memories that we've made
will always live on deep inside my heart)
Lady Une watched as Relena Darlian released her hold on Heero and crossed the street to get into the limo, motioning the Japanese teen to follow.
And like a machine he did.
Eyes blurred with tears, Lady Une looked up in surprise when she heard the low rumble of thunder. Dark clouds had crept into the once bright morning sky and she hadn't noticed.
[kireigoto da to omotte'ta
kibou to iu kotoba wo]
(I thought it was a beautiful thing
the word called hope)
As a raindrop fell from the sky to land on the sidewalk, she wanted to turn away from the painful scene before her but found that she couldn't. Still transfixed, she never heard the sound of screeching tires or noticed when a car door opened and slammed. She did however, felt the hand land on her shoulder and she turned around.
"D-Duo…" she whispered to the panting boy.
"L…Lady Une…" he managed to gasp out before the said woman threw her arms around him and in heartbroken sobs, told him everything. Duo's eyes widened in shock before he glanced up at the Japanese boy who was walking slowly towards the pink limo. He felt weaker and weaker with every word that Lady Une spoke… he almost collapsed when he found out that Heero was now the future fiancé of one Relena Darlian.
"No… No Heero…" He quickly extricated himself out of Lady Une's grasp and ran towards the Japanese teen.
[kurushii kurai dakishimete
anata wo miagete-iru]
(In an almost painful embrace
I'm looking up at you)
Heero blinked slowly as his mind registered the fact that he was in someone's arms. Someone… Tilting his head up he saw familiar violet eyes clouded with tears.
"Duo…" The braided boy just tightened his hold even more and before long Heero felt a distinct wetness soaking into his shoulder. He brought his own arms up and loosely wrapped them around the trembling teen.
[Arigatou]
(arigatou)
"…for everything," Heero whispered into Duo's ear. He took a deep breath before saying the words that he'd wished he had said sooner.
[aishite-iru]
(I love you)
He burrowed himself into Duo's own shoulder as the tears trickled out of his cobalt blue eyes.
[anata wo dare yori
yume yori mo tsuyoku]
(more than anyone else
Even more strongly than dreams)
Duo wanted to pull away from Heero… wanted to tell him… to beg him not to go. But he stopped when Heero pressed closer and shook his head.
[dakishimete]
(Hold me)
Duo heard the broken plea and felt Heero tighten his arms around him.
[hanasanaide]
(Don't let go)
"Heero…" he started to say but was stopped once again.
[dakedo hitokoto mo
tsutaerarenaide]
(But don't utter
even a single thing…)
Heero stayed silent after that, wanting to just enjoy these last few moments… savoring them… committing them to memory…
'Duo… gomen nasai…' He was about to step away when a pair of arms yanked him forcefully from the braided boy. He glanced up at Duo's shocked expression, pain filling his own eyes as he was shoved into the back seat of the limo.
"He's no longer any of your concern," he heard Relena sneer. "He's now *my* future husband and *I* will take care of him." He managed to scoot to the far side before Relena got in and gave the order to drive to the airport. Heero looked out the window and saw that Duo had collapsed to the ground, his hands covering his face.
[nakanaide]
(Don't cry)
The Japanese boy could barely make out the trembling form of the braided boy as the distance between them grew farther and farther apart.
[aishite-iru]
(I love you)
He brought up the plushie close to his chest and held it tightly against him. The only thing he had left…
[tooku hanarete'te mo
anata to ikite yukeru]
(Even though we're separated far apart
I can still live with you)
tbc…