Once a Lifetime
Epilogue; Duo POV; Last Chapter
I watched as Trowa, Quatre, and Wufei soon entered the room. Oh, what a joyous occasion this was. Heero loved me. He wanted me for all time. Now, the curse was lifted and I would be able to love him forever without fear of ever losing him again. After all, who would ever be dumb enough to go up against the grandson of Satan when he was back at full power? Certainly not Wufei, who was silent for once.
I watched as Quatre looked at me with tears in his eyes. "You two look so cute together," Quatre says softly while I lightly snuggle against my love. Wufei rolls his eyes at us.
"Would you two get a room?" he mutters while Trowa smirks, hugging Quatre from behind. I look toward them with a small flush while Quatre leans back against Trowa. Heero fights off his own blush. I watch as Heero then looks around the room.
"I was under the impression that we had gotten a room," Heero remarks to Wufei, gaining a snicker from me.
"Um, hi guys, long time no see." I said and then I moved from Heero's warm embrace and rushed over to my long missing cousin. Smirk on his lips, he let go of Quatre and hugged me once I reached him. I could certainly see why I admired Trowa so much. He was, after all, the closest thing to a brother I had. "I missed you cousin," I whisper softly. He snickers at me.
"I missed you too."
"Oneechan, you took forever," Zechs mutters as he enters the room from the door, still looking as himself but his hair was a softer shade of white, more like Merdiana's. I looked toward him, a small grin on my lips.
"Hey Merdi, I thought you would be around here somewhere. You got a bad end, didn't you, having to be a man this time around and all." Zechs glared at me.
"Shut it, Daemon," he growled. Wufei began to laugh, watching with humor in his eyes as I just smirked toward Zechs.
"Hello Meridiana. I'd appreciate you not speaking to my partner like that," Heero spoke up, glaring at his sister and current enemy in this time. My Hee-chan is very possessive, isn't he?
"Partner? I see no partner. Only an annoying daemon that managed to steal your heart."
"Merdi, behave," Quatre spoke up then. Dear little Q-bean. He always did have a way of playing mediator. "You are the current Angel Master of Water. That isn't how you behave toward our representative from Hell." Heero came over to me then, hugging me from behind and kissing my neck, making me shiver. He then showed off the pair of rings he had conjured up for us, the one on my finger and the one on his own ring finger. I hugged him back awkwardly, knowing a fight was brewing between brother and sister.
"Trowa, how come you never did that for me?" Quatre asked quietly, looking toward him sadly. Whoa, now this was interesting. For as long as those two had been together you would have thought he would have proposed eternity by now.
"Ha. . .now you're stuck with the annoying Daemon, Yuy," Wufei remarked with a smirk. I was glad he was taking it so well.
"Brother, how could you? I didn't want him for a brother!" Zechs complained. I could see Trowa glaring at my Hee-chan for giving Quatre the idea.
"I didn't know you wanted that," Trowa said weakly, obviously at a loss for words.
"I've been with you for hundreds of years and you didn't think I'd want to be with you forever?" Quatre questioned, pouting softly and moving over toward me. I couldn't help playing devil's advocate and moving away from Heero and over to Quatre, giving him a hug.
"Too bad, Meridiana. If you don't like it, you shouldn't have pushed for his death," Heero remarked, sounding peeved at that. I couldn't help but smirk at that. I then patted Quatre's back comfortingly.
"It's all right Q-bean. He loves ya and you know that," I said gently to him. Zechs then began to cry in a very womanly fashion. Oh, he was very much Meridiana at that moment.
"I didn't!!!! It wasn't supposed to happen like that! Shuishi said it wasn't gonna happen like that."
Trowa glared at Heero even more, digging a hand into his pocket and coming up with a black box that he opens slowly. "I was waiting for a better time. . ." he begins, soon holding it out to Quatre. Inside was a pair of onyx rings with turquoise sitting in the middle of the darkness. Quatre sniffed and looked toward him.
"Really? You want me forever?" he asks softly. Heero began feeling bad and went over to his sister, hugging her, trying to be of some comfort.
"I forgive you, Merdi, but Duo is my partner now. Please try to be civil to him." I smiled at Heero's attempt at being brotherly while I then took in the rings, whistling.
"Cuz, that's a nice setting," I remark. Yet I soon realize Quatre and Trowa are too much in a world of their own. I stepped back, watching them with a smile.
"Was there ever a doubt?" Trowa asks. Meanwhile, Zechs returns Heero's hug, sniffling.
"I'll try. I love you, brother. I just want you to be happy. But it was Shuishi's idea to take Duo in the first place."
"No. . .never," Quatre answers, falling into Trowa's arms, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Trowa then took Quatre's hand and placed the ring on it, kissing the ring once it was in place and sealing the bond between them.
"I really should leave. This is getting mushy," Wufei mumbles, rolling his eyes. I turned my eyes on Zechs, surprised.
"Shuishi asked you to kidnap me Merdi? It seems like she wanted us to win after all. . ." I mutter quietly. Trowa hugs and then kisses Quatre back. Heero looks seriously at his sister/enemy.
"I'm sorry you got pulled into this mess, Merdi, but thank you for keeping Relena off my back for the most part," Heero said, nodding in agreement with me, even though he didn't know why. Zechs nods as well before appearing horrified.
"Oh no. . . I. . .and I. . .Oh Kami-sama," Zechs muttered before crying once again.
"What's wrong?" Heero asks, his expression showing that he wonders what's going on with his sister this time.
"She was kind of hard on Shuishi," Quatre said.
"She even had her crying one time," Wufei added. Zechs cried even harder.
"No!! I didn't mean it," he cried. Heero now appeared as confused as he could be.
"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" he asked. Zechs continued crying.
"I was merely worried about my brother and Relena making a pest out of herself," Zechs continued.
"Sounds like Merdi was a little mean to Shuishi when she asked him to kidnap me and now she feels bad about it," I answered, laughing softly. Heero appeared peeved, but calmed down after I made my explanation.
"If I had to go at this without all the information any longer I was about to start blasting feathers off of their wings," Heero grumbled. I laughed once more, placing my arms around my dear Hee-chan.
"Merdi always did have a soft spot for the Angel Master of Death. Don't you remember, Hee-chan?" I asked, laughing softly while Quatre pouted and Wufei glared.
"Now that you mention it, yes she did," Heero answered, nodding a little.
"I still do, but she won't talk to me. I was mean to her," Zechs said softly.
"You could apologize," Heero suggested. Zechs looked as if he had just swallowed something bitter.
"Me? Since when? Besides, I called her cold-hearted." I giggled at that.
"Usually, she'd take that as a compliment, Merdi," I said.
"Exactly why an apology would be effective. You've never done it before," Heero continued.
"But then everyone will expect me to do it every time," Zechs complained.
"What is Shuishi anyway? She's not exactly an angel," Heero remarked.
"She's not a Daemon, either," Trowa said, Quatre and him getting into the conversation. I grinned. I trusted all of them. Therefore, I wanted to tell them the truth.
"She's my sister. Well, half-sister actually," I said, finding several pairs of wide eyes on me.
"No they wouldn't. Who hasn't begged forgiveness of the Angel Master of Death? Other than me that is." I grinned at Hee-chan, he still hadn't let what I said sink in yet. Just then he looks at me, eyes wide as well. "You're sister?" Aw, there it is. He finally let my words sink in I see.
"Oh, but you have, Hee-chan," I say in response to him saying he's never begged her forgiveness.
"Sister?" Quatre questions.
"Nani??" Wufei pops off with.
"When?!" Heero questions of me.
"Why isn't this a surprise?" Zechs mutters. Trowa simply remains silent, his one visible eye wide.
"Sometimes, when death was near to me, you'd ask her not to take me, that you wanted me to remain. You begged her not to take me and to forgive you of asking it of her." Heero blushed softly, hugging me close to him.
"I can't be blamed for that," he whispers softly. I can't help but laugh at everyone's expression. With a small smile, I decide to explain my sister to them.
"Death has always been a mix of Angel and Daemon. My father, who was in charge of bringing about the newest Angel Master of Death, has slept with one other angel before my mother. Thus is how she's my sister," I explain, hugging Heero a little tighter. I still can't believe we've won, that we can be together forever this time. I then answer Heero's remark. "That's true love, but you still did it."
"How sweet," Quatre said softly. He then looked toward Trowa. "That means she's your cousin as well, doesn't it Trowa?"
"Geez, that family is getting more insane by the minute," Wufei growled.
"Does this mean one way or another I'm gonna have to deal with Duo's family?" Zechs questioned. I smirk while Trowa grins at Wufei.
"That means I'm under her protection too," Trowa said.
"Apparently so," Heero answers Zechs.
"What!!!!!!! Injustice!!" Wufei grumbled. I laughed at that. Poor Wufei also cared about Shuishi. Which one would win her was another story.
"Wait, does this mean that Duo is the next Angel Master of Death?" Heero asked suddenly. I laughed, shaking my head and pulling him closer.
"Nope, I've got a bigger path. I'm to be the next Lord of Hell." Wufei's eyes widen.
"Oh, now we really will know Hell on Earth," he said.
"I kind of figured as much," Quatre said lightly. Trowa simply grinned at Wufei, taunting him to pick on him.
"What!!?? I refuse!!" Zechs yelled.
"You can't refuse when the choice isn't yours," Heero told him.
"Knock that grin off your lips, Daemon brat!" Wufei snarled, glaring at the uni-banged boy.
"I have a very powerful husband," Heero said softly, hugging me tighter.
"But can you handle being with me like that Hee-chan?" I ask, serious.
"Sure," Trowa says, shrugging before pulling Quatre into his arms and kissing him fully on the lips. Quatre kisses him back happily.
"Even Kami-sama can't control my power and granddad seems to think I'll be the most powerful yet. . ." I trail off as I hear the sweetest words in my life fall from Heero's lips.
"Of course I can handle it," he says, snuggling against me. I grin, snuggling back. Zechs and Wufei are now at each other's throats, seeing as Zechs soon realizes that I'm no longer in a low enough position to pick fights with. Yet I realize Trowa is becoming too smug and I soon feel the need to let my Daemon side show. I move away from Heero a little bit, although not letting his hands move away from me.
"Ne, Trowa, I think you should be under Quatre's protection. He's your partner now, after all. Perhaps you two can work things out with Wufei," I say with a smirk. Trowa's content grin slips from his face while Wufei suddenly stops with Zechs and looks toward Trowa, a grin of triumph on his lips.
"You were saying, Daemon brat?" Wufei questioned, fire burning slowly around his hand. Quatre giggled softly and looked at Trowa.
"You really should learn to pick your fights better," he tells his partner in a loving tone. "I don't have the right element to control him."
"But Shuishi is still protecting me," Trowa got out past the lump I could hear in his voice.
"Not really, cousin," Shuishi commented, appearing in the room. "I've always believed one should be able to take care of themselves. Don't worry though, you're death isn't to be at his hands," Shuishi added, a wicked Duo-like smirk on her lips. I placed an arm around my sister while Trowa seemed at a loss for words, let alone help.
"Will no one help me?" he questioned, his voice shaking. I knew Wufei was only teasing him. His fire was very low and he was very much in control of it. Apparently, even he wasn't as upset with my cousin as we all believed he was.
"Say your prayers, Daemon, for I've come to collect on every insult dealt my way! Starting with the one you gave me the first time we met." I fell over laughing then, unable to keep my serious look any longer. Heero was soon laughing with me, as well as everyone else. Trowa cried out in apology while Quatre took him into his arms. Wufei soon was grinning and laughing as well. Once Trowa realized it was all an act he tried to appear indignant, yet was soon as full of laughter as the rest of us. That day I realized that I had everything I could ever want or need. I had great friends, dear family, and the sweetest gift anyone could ever have. The gift of a love that would last for all of eternity. What more could I ask for? Well. . .there was some things I could ask for, but why spoil things? After all, wanting too much can always lead one down a path you could never return from, and well, I refused to have to risk everything I've gained. I loved my Angel Master and I was gonna keep him, come Hell or high water.
OWARI
Or is it?
Nuriko: :waves hands in the air: All right everyone, that's a wrap. Thank you very much for all your help!
Duo: :sighs tiredly: Aw, does this mean I can take off these wings now?
Heero: You look good in them.
Duo: :flushes: Oh, then, can I keep them?
Jess: Sorry Duo, their part of the props, we can't afford them.
Wufei: Baka, why in the world would you want to keep them?
Trowa: :removes his costume: At least it's over.
Quatre: Providing Nuriko and Jess don't decide to write an Epilogue.
Zechs: :glares at both women: How could you make me cry like a woman? Maxwell is so much better suited to be a woman than I am!
Duo: Hey, don't tell them that!! :is still glad Angelic Requiem was lost so Nuriko can't keep him as a woman: Besides, I did have to play a woman several times.
Heero: As did I, Zechs.
Zechs: But did you have to cry as a woman while really a guy? :is met by total silence: I rest my case.
Nuriko: Gomen nasai, Zechs. Please forgive me. :bows with a sad expression on her face:
Zechs: :quickly shakes his head: No need for it, Nuriko. I'd gladly do it again. You're stories are tearjerkers. I'm sorry for complaining.
Nuriko: :watches Zechs walk off, a smile on her lips:
Jess: :is in pure amazement: How did you manage that?
Nuriko: :grins: You have to know how to handle the pretty boys, Jess. It's all in the skills.
Duo: It's also just a well-known fact that you hold all of our love lives in your pretty little hands.
Nuriko: Do I? I never thought of it like that. :smirks:
Jess: You really need to help me learn how to deal with them. I'd like to have them all so accommodating as they are now.
Nuriko: I'll teach you how. Just be able to write great lemon scenes for every one of them and they will always come back, even if the role is punishment in their eyes.
Jess: Whoa, that's all. I've always wondered why Duo comes back for more.
Nuriko: :grins: That's the key. Once you have Duo and Quatre, the rest follow.
Duo: Hey, I hear things sounding a little worry some for me.
Nuriko: Not at all, Duo. I was actually thinking about having you in the role of a prince for our next joint-fic. What do you think Jess?
Jess: I think the ideas you've run past me have merit. I'd really love to see how things work out, ne Heero?
Heero: Hn, just as long as I am not playing a woman this time.
Nuriko: Nope. You are certainly not a woman this time.
Duo: :raises an eyebrow: Then what will you be playing?
Heero: No Relena relationships either.
Relena: Hey, I redeemed myself in the end.
Nuriko: I know, Relena. Yet I was thinking a Duo and Heero fic, as usual. Seeing as Heero is Jess's muse and Duo is mine.
Jess: Very true. We are women versions of them, after all.
Nuriko: Very, very true.
Duo/Heero: Now is the time to be afraid.
Quatre/Trowa: Very afraid.
Wufei: What should we expect from onna's?
Nuriko: Do we have Wufei's part set?
Jess: :nods: Of course.
Nuriko: :smirks: Good.
Nuriko/Jess: Until next fan-fic. Ja mata ne.