Guardians of Life - Close Your Eyes
Hey, here I am, on some sort of massive fanfiction update haulage... I have no idea what's brought it on, but three chapters for three things in like... okay a week, it would've been fun to say three days but haaay. My writing should show some improvement from the last time as I have done a year and a bit of English A-Level, and been told repeatedly by many teachers and also friends that my writing is good... well good because I want it to be something people want to read O.o It's nearly four in the morning, I was reading something really interesting, and if you've ever stayed up past 3am and haven't been very tired at the time, you can surely relate to the twilight-time view I take on it - once you get past a certain time it's damn-near impossible to sleep...
Dedicated to the usual suspects, Ag, Bright, and Lei-Lei, and also to my wonderful friends who know who they are, but aren't reading this, are you? Hmm? (But if you are, Momiji is not a THING. Calling him Momiji-THING is a BAD idea)
"Can you tell who, at all?"
"No... I'm, being blocked? Is that what I'd call it?" Duo became thoughtful, forgetting his earlier annoyance, at least for a moment, and focusing his energies on the much more interesting pursuits of his powers.
"What do you mean, blocked?"
"Well... I can't 'see' who or what is with him, I'm being 'blocked' by... it?"
"Hmm..." That said it all, really. To Trowa, it was intriguing that some force could 'block' either of their powers. He surmised it to be down to the fact they were in a realm, as it were, that was subject to neither of their attributes.
"Hey, maybe it's the Ice Monster that made these woods like this... wouldn't that be great, huh?"
He resisted the urge to just tell Duo to shut up.
Wading first knee-deep into the freezing cold water, the curious blonde tried to study the imposing structure that seemed so alive... so filled with life that it drew him instricintly towards it. He felt as though he couldn't make out the details because he was too far away... not because his mind was fogged with sleep. He carried on forward, ignoring the chilly liquid that covered more and more of him until he was close enough to touch what must have been the root of the spring. The... thing, for lack of better term, radiated heat from this distance, a welcome change from the water that was so very cold now. He hadn't paid enough attention to it, so he hadn't noticed the water had reached mid-chest. All he had noticed was that it was freezing his insides and the spring-root was toasty-warm.
Turning away from it, however, he saw a familiar form - maybe, or was he just expecting them to be familiar? - walking across, yes, walking on the very surface of the water itself, toward him in a hurry. He heard words - but, in his dozy state, he couldn't make them out - and whoever it was kneeled on the water and demanded his attention by grasping his hands and pulling him away from the spring-root. He wanted to protest but just couldn't find the energy to do so, and instead found himself being hoisted out of the water to stand with the figure he still couldn't quite make out. Instead of doing anything intelligent like wondering why he was also standing on the waters surface, he instead fell against the person who turned out to be very solid and supportive. He dragged his feet as he was directed across the water to ground again, and upon reaching it, he felt as though some great weight had been lifted off him.
His helper was an observant one, and had noticed the slightly odd shimmer located somewhere under the others clothing. It was not something just anyone could perhaps see, but he could, given his standing, and knew what it meant. Instead of doing what he normally did, shirk off those who couldn't resist the pull of his manifest power, he smiled and drew the other into an embrace.
"And here I thought you were dead. You've certainly been concealing yourself well enough all these years..."
Quatre was jolted right out of his stupor not by the words themselves, but by the voice they were spoken by. It probably helped that he was a safe distance away from the springs draw, and by i's manifestor. He slowly worked the cogs in his mind to process what his helper had said to go along with the words themselves. The surprise was obvious on his face and he stepped back out of the protective arms around him and look him over.
He was dressed in various dark hues of blue which matched his eyes nicely, and around his neck, not standing out much against the same colour, hung a small blue crystal pendant, much the same as both Trowa and Duo's own fragments. It was almost concealed with the way his dark cloak was fastened near it. But, it was his face that was more startling.
Though much of the milkfat of youth had left it, and though those blue eyes looked wiser, and perhaps sterner, it was still the same old Hiiro who he hadn't seen in so many years... too many years then he cared to count, as far as he was concerned. His dearest friend and brother had returned to him, and that was all that mattered at this exact moment.
Almost without thinking, he grinned and threw himself at the other in sheer happiness. He wasas well received himself.
"Hiiro... Hiiro, it's been so long..."
Duo had begun to pace.
For whatever reason, the feeling he got from this place had changed, and it had taken him a little while to realise it. It was only when he searched with the Winds that he noticed the change. It was very subtle, very subtle indeed, but something about the area's aura had suddenly become less foreboding. It was very, very, very subtle, but it was very, very odd. He didn't feel the same sort of panic warnings for moving around as he had not long before. But he was feeling apprehensive. What if the foreboding had dropped because the forest's keeper had decided they were no threat and would be easy to crush, or something mean like that? If that was the case he'd certainly show them easy to crush!
It was a whisper in his ear that distracted him from his odd thoughts, and he looked and saw people coming towards him. How they had gotten so close without him noticing was a thought that only briefly passed through his head before he noticed that one of them was Quatre.
The other person had an arm slung around his shoulders in a very comfortable manner. Quatre didn't seem to mind, and in fact was leaning ever-so-slightly toward the other. There was something about that closeness that offset Duo; Quatre never behaved that friendly towards him, or anyone else, and at times was rather loathe to physical contact... but here he was, happily walking alongside someone without enough distance between them to see the space between them. It looked like they were talking about something but he couldn't hear what; what he could see was the slightly embaressed smile he held as he spoke, and how the other kissed him on the brow.
Without a second thought Duo took off towards them, and didn't stop until they had noticed him and he was right up in their faces. He returned to his bad mood.
"WHERE have you been for so long, and WHO exactly is THIS!"
Quatre smiled at him somewhere between good-naturedly and sarcastically.
"I've been looking around all this time, and this is Hiiro. Say hello, Hiiro, this is Duo."
'Hiiro' smiled at him. "It's a pleasure."
The atmosphere that had pressed at his mind in all the wrong places seemed to dissipate with his smile, and the Winds once again spoke to him, directing him to the slightly hidden blue pendant.
"Another fragment. You're the next one then, you're the Water?" he aske almost incredulously.
"And you're Wind." to which he got a sharp nod in responce.
They had built up a small fire in the dying hours of the day, though Hiiro was rather reluctant to explin just how one could burn in such a place. He and Quatre had not moved an inch from each other, something both Duo and Trowa found rather suspect. They said nothing of it, in fear of insulting either party, which was a very likely option in this sort of situation. It was, instead, when Duo had decided he'd had enough and wanted some sleep. Quatre had decided that would also be a good idea and was out like a rock before anyone would protest. So, that left either Trowa or Hiiro for the guard.
"I'll take first watch," Trowa stated in his even tone.
Hiiro smiled at him reassuringly. "There's no need for that. This place is built off a manifest of my own power. As such, nothing moves through here without my knowing, whether I be asleep or awake. It's something I was able to do because I have better... control, and understanding, of my power."
Trowa was not convinced.
It was probably obvious from his expression, he decided, as Hiiro again addressed the issue. "When you came in here, you would've felt the oppresive aura this forest gives off. If it was enough to keep you in the same place the entire time, think how it works on those who don't have a Crystal. Usually people don't know the way to pass through here, and neithr do monsters. But if anyone comes near an entrance, they are likely to just turn around and go the other way, courage be damned."
"But there are... exceptions?"
"Quatre is an exception, He was drawn to the source instead, but..." a fond look crossed his face, "perhaps that's because he's been at the back of my mind as someone I woul welcome here with open arms, much as I did... and since this place is built on my manifest..."
"But, why would you welcome him?" once he was already asking the questions, he couldn't stop. "Why do you know him, why are you so familiar with him? Were you... lovers or something?"
The look on Hiiro's face was astounded. Then he just smiled and shook his head, is voice was tinged with laughter. "I'm to be married in a few days, to a woman I love no less... No, we're old friends, brothers almost. I haven't seen Quatre in a very long time now, but he's always been in my thoughts as my first and best friend and brother... we're just, very comfortable wih each other." He smiled more. "Though I suppose I can understand why you might think that... heh."
Trowa smiled with him; though whether or not he meant to show it, it was tinged with a nervousness from somewhere within him. Hiiro insisted that he get some sleep, and he decided to just listen to the other to avoid argument. However one thought stuck prominently in his mind.
Why am I so relieved?
TBC
I don't think there are any things to note about this, goodgood. Except that some might construe this as OOC for Hiiro-chan... but meee, no, I think he's a very warm person who'd enjoy contact... and would be a little smug about stuff, maybe. Also this chapter is a bit short in comparison to others I've done... sooooorrry, but I just wanted to be done with introducing Hiiro-chan and bringing more 3x4 goodness to the surface. Sorry. Also, pologies, again, for the grammer and spelling. No doubt I'll go to school Wednesday and take this onto the school computers, run it through S&G on MSWord, and read though it, and it will say (spiffy school beta'd version!) at the top like the last thing I messed around with at school n.n