Warnings: Yaoi. Song is "Faint" by Linkin' Park.
Shinigami Chapter 12: All That I Got
Duo gaped at the house where Wufei claimed Heero was. He glanced at him. "You're kidding me, right?"
Wufei rolled his eyes and snorted. "Yeah, I'm kidding you," he replied sarcastically. "This is why I took the time to come lead you here - to lie to you about it." He quirked a disturbingly perfect eyebrow. "Of course he's there, I would not have said so otherwise."
Duo nodded. "Yeah, you're right... Sorry..." he mumbled, looking down at the black soil. He heard Wufei sigh and looked back up at the house. "You guys aren't coming, are you?" he asked.
Hikaru shook her head. "No, we're staying here. You have to face him by yourself. But be careful - He's pretty unstable. He's confused and might get emotional. If you aren't aware of his feelings and mood changes, you could break him..." she warned. "It is likely that he will not recognize you, either. You have to convince him that this place is not real. It is all real in his head. He doesn't know any other world. Convince him to come with you if you want to get him out of here." Her crimson eyes were half-closed with pity. "Just... be aware that he's very fragile and upsetting him could lead to bad things."
Duo nodded again. "I hope I can do this without getting upset myself." And with that, he started toward the house. He stopped at the door and peered inside before stepping over the threshold. The floor was littered with broken furniture so he had to be careful in order not to make noise. A thin layer of dust covered everything in the house that he could see.
As he walked down a short hallway, he looked at the framed photos on the walls. They were crooked and the glass broken on some. The first one showed Heero smiling, standing next to a cloudy, unidentifiable figure in a room that looked a lot like their old bedroom. The next showed him lying on a couch with a book in his hands. In the backround stood the shadowy figure again.
Duo shook his head and continued on down the hall without looking at the pictures. He couldn't figure them out. They looked like they were taken in his own house, but there were never any pictures taken there that he was aware of. And the cloudy figure... He could only guess that it was himself. He took a shaky breath and turned the corner into a living room. He looked around slowly, taking in the scene and searching for Heero.
Not seeing him, he continued on through another doorway. Inside he found a kitchen. And there in the corner, sitting on the tiled floor was Heero. He was hugging his knees to his chest and his eyes were closed, his head resting on his knees. Duo held back a cry of despair and started across the kitchen. Not looking at the ground, he accidentally stepped on some broken glass. Heero's head shot up, his eyes wide and wild. He stumbled to his feet as Duo stood there, watching. Heero's breathing was quick and he was back in his green tank top and blue jeans. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" he asked in a raspy voice.
Duo felt tears pricking the back if his eyes. "I'm a new neighbour. Your door was open and I wanted to know if you were ok," Duo quickly lied.
Heero relaxed a bit at that and said, "Sorry for worrying you - But you can leave now, I'm fine." He turned and hurried from the room, disappearing around the corner.
Duo followed. He wondered if he'd done the right thing in lying. But it wasn't like he was going to say 'Hey, I'm your lover from another world when you were alive. Some guy took you away and sent you here so I came after you.' That would be realistic...
He came up on Heero as he paced around a greenhouse that was built into the back of the house. Plants were dead and pots that were filled with soil were broken on the floor. Heero glared up at him. "I said you could leave!" he cried angrily.
"Well, I just... I just wanted to... um... to get to know you, that's all." Duo pretended not to be interested in Heero romantically. "Why do you live alone here?" he asked, trying to be casual.
Heero shook his head and stalked out of the room past Duo. He started running and went into the next room. Duo turned and jogged after him. He came upon him in the living room. "Heero-please!" he cried when he started away again.
Heero spun around, his eyes again wide and wild. "How do you know my name?"
Duo blinked. He'd forgotten not to mention that he knew him. "Um... I heard it from another neighbour," he said quickly.
Heero's brows came together and he scowled angrily. "Why won't you leave? I want to be left alone!"
"I just want to be your friend, Heero!" Duo retorted, his patience wearing thin. He just wanted to take Heero away from here. "Please tell me why you want to be alone."
Heero's expression softened to a mildly suspicious look. "After Duo left, everything fell apart and I just wanted to be by myself."
At the mention of his name, Duo had to surpress another cry of distress. "Who was Duo?" he asked instead.
A small, longing smile graced Heero's lips. "Duo was the one guy who showed me real love. He was the kindest person I ever knew. I loved him more than anything else. But when he died..." His lips trembled and his eyes filled. He shook his head. "It was like the end of the world."
I am / A little bit of loneliness / A little bit of disregard / Handful of complaints / But I can't help the fact / That everyone can see these scars
Duo's breath caught in his throat when Heero claimed he had died. "You know... I had someone like that once..." Perhaps easing into the facts was better for Heero... "He was so sweet and caring. We loved each other so much - It hurt just to leave him. He died not long ago." Duo wondered if this would work. There wasn't much more to lose... Why not try it?
A pained look crossed Heero's features. "I'm sorry..." he whispered, letting his gaze drift to the floor. "What was his name?"
I am / What I want you to want / What I want you to feel / But it's like / No matter what I do / I can't convince you / To just believe this is real
Duo swallowed hard. "H-his name was..." He bit his lip. Heero looked up inquiringly. "His name was Heero." Heero looked a bit panic-stricken. "You and he are nothing alike, though," Duo quickly added, hoping to douse Heero's obvious growing uneasiness.
"What is your name?" Heero asked in a low voice.
So I / Let go / Watching you / Turn your back like you always do / Face away and pretend that I'm not / But I'll be here / 'Cause you're all that I got
"My name is... Solo," Duo stammered.
Heero relaxed again. "How did your Heero die?" he asked warily. He was greatly relieved to know that this boy's name was not Duo. "Duo got really sick before he died. I don't remember what he had though..."
"He died in a car crash... He was in a coma for a long time before he died." Duo kept his eyes on Heero. "But I couldn't see him... After his crash, I didn't see him again... Not even as he was in his coma. Then I went mad."
Heero quirked an eyebrow. "You what?"
I can't feel / The way I did before / Don't turn your back on me / I won't be ignored / Time won't change / This damage anymore / Don't turn your back on me / I won't be ignored
"You heard me. I went mad." Duo's thoughts were all mixed up. He didn't know what to say. He just knew he had to make Heero realize who he was. "But that's not really relevent at the moment."
"How did you get better? You don't seem mad to me..." Heero narrowed his eyes slightly.
"I saw him again."
I am / A little bit insecure / A little unconfident / 'Cause you don't understand / I do what I can / But sometimes I don't make sense
Heero blinked. "That's not possible. You can't see the dead. Maybe you just thought you saw him since you weren't in the right mind..." Heero seemed to be subtly desperate. He was whispering.
I am / What you never wanna say / But I've never had a doubt / It's like no matter what I do / I can't convince you / For once just to hear me out
Duo blinked lazily and shook his head. "I wasn't delirious, if that's what you're getting at... I saw him. He came back to me." He didn't move as he said this. He was tempted, but he didn't want to alarm Heero. "Did Duo never come back to you?"
So I / Let go / Watching you / Turn your back like you always do / Face away and pretend that I'm not / But I'll be here / 'Cause you're all that I got
Heero shook his head quickly. "No! He never came back! He was dead! He couldn't come back or else he would have! I don't know what's wrong with you, but the dead cannot come back to see the living!" He took a step backwards.
I can't feel / The way I did before / Don't turn your back on me / I won't be ignored / Time won't change / This damage anymore / Don't turn your back on me / I won't be ignored!
Duo didn't move. "But the dead can see the dead, right?"
Heero's expression showed his confusion at the question. "What are you talking about!"
No / Hear me out now / You're gonna listen to me / Like it or not / Right now / Hear me out now / You're gonna listen to me / Like it or not / Right now!
"I think you know."
I can't feel / The way I did before / Don't turn your back on me / I won't be ignored / Time won't change / This damage anymore / Don't turn your back on me / I won't be ignored
Heero's hands shot to his head and he shook it fiercely. "No! You're not Duo! You and I are alive! Get out and leave me alone!" he screamed and ran down the hallway and into a room, slamming the door behind him.
I can't feel / I won't be ignored / Time won't change / Don't turn your back on me / I won't be ignored!
Duo stood there calmly for a few seconds before walking after Heero. Tears streamed silently down his cheeks and fell onto his shirt. He went up to the door where Heero had gone to and opened it, pushing it in. He heard Heero's choked sobs and saw him sitting on the floor on the other side of the bed. Duo went inside and around the bed, watching him.
Heero was rocking back and forth as he sat with his back against the bed and his other side brushing the wall. He hugged his knees to his chest again and cried into his arms. Duo felt fresh tears fall from his eyes as he kneeled next to Heero and put his arms around the boy's shaking shoulders. "It's me, Heero... I came to bring you back to where you belong. In Summerland, with me. Don't stay here, Heero. It's destroying you." Heero didn't protest to Duo's embrace or his words as he sobbed. "If you won't come with me, then I'll stay here with you. I don't care - as long as you're always with me..."
After a moment, Heero looked up, his eyes red from his sobbing. His lips trembled as he looked into Duo's eyes. Duo backed up and let his arms fall back down to his sides. Heero suddenly launched himself back into Duo's arms and cried between sobs, "Take me home, Duo! I miss you so much!"
Duo smiled. "Don't worry, Heero... I will. And I'll never let anyone take you away ever again."