Disclaimer: (like you don't already know) We do not own Gundam Wing. . . zan'nendesune. . .
Warning: Shounen ai, mpreg, Relena. . .
CHAPTER 12
XXxxXX
Duke Heero Yuy was being spied on, he didn't know it – which was odd because usually he was on his guard. Today however, he was just completely unaware. Staring innocently out the window of the hunting lodge; he felt secure. His watcher laughed, having been spying on him quite often lately.
Duo found it soothing – to watch his child's father relax completely and just watch nature. Duo wanted more than anything to blame his stupid burgeoning hormones for this lack of common sense but deep down, he knew it was so much more than that. How could this human, this human whom he had so thoroughly hated, have taken a place of affection in his heart. Duo shook his head, it was more than affection, but he couldn't bring himself to name it
He rested his hand casually on his stomach, smiling softly to himself. He had begun, quite recently, to wonder how his baby would look like, would it be a boy or a girl? He had begun to truly, and utterly think like a female. And this was in the moment he looked nothing like one. Perhaps it was the fate's joke on him.
"What are you smiling at?"
Duo jerked as he realized he was looking down at Heero, who at some point had crossed the room and was now hunkered before him. "What?"
Heero smiled, just a small lift of the side of lips, but that was enough to soften his entire expression. Duo stared, unable to believe this was the countenance of the same man he had thrown into the pool all those months ago, and who he had hated with such heat. Where had his disgust for this human gone? Where had it all disappeared to? Perhaps it had something to do with Heero no longer staring so lustfully at his hair all the time. Duo chuckled, well, maybe not just his hair. Of course right now, there wasn't anything past his hair to stare at.
"What's wrong with you?" Heero asked, now a little concerned. However, that little smile had yet to disappear. He reached forward and touched Duo's forehead softly. "Are you sick? Do you need a healer or something?"
Duo shook his head, "I'm not dying Heero. Just because I stare off into space doesn't mean I'm at death's door." Oh yeah, Heero had also become rather protective. Think mother bear and cub. It didn't bother Duo usually so he didn't argue with Heero – who seemed convinced that something terrible was wrong with him.
"Come on, let's go to bed," Heero shook his head, and helped Duo up. Suddenly, he froze, realizing what he just said. His face flamed bright red before he quickly stuttered out a correction. "I mean. . .let's get you to bed. . .uh. . .I mean, I want you in bed. . .wait. . .damn it, I mean you should be in bed right now. . . I – shit. . ."
Duo felt this weird little flutter in his chest. And Heero wasn't even cursed.
Heero cleared his throat. "I think you look tired, you should be resting in bed and not..."
"Sitting at the table eating fruit?" Duo laughed softly. "Heero, I am not sick. . ." Any longer, he thought. After the worse of the morning sickness had passed, he now felt as healthy as a bull, with an appetite to match.
Heero gave him a piercing stare, "Aren't you?" Duo shifted uncomfortably. "You've been sleeping more than is normal and well you were dizzy a few times. . ."
"I. . .erm. . .don't get much sleep because your cousin and his lover are loud enough to wake the dead some nights?"
Heero looked incredulous, but something in Duo's face must've prompted Heero not to ask anymore, so he laughed a little and turned away. He turned down the covers and patted the bed invitingly. "If that is so, you should be resting more now since they are out giving the animals sleepless afternoons and. . ." He shuddered, having happened on his cousin and his lover engaging in some activity or other in the middle of the damn forest. ". . .nightmares for weeks to come."
Duo waddled slightly to the bed, holding back a smile. He knew exactly what Heero meant. His brother was completely inhabited when it came to physical contact. Apparently, he had converted Trowa into an 'every time, every place' sort of lover.
Duo vowed that he would never, ever do that.
"Heero, I'm not tired." Duo insisted, feeling a full blown pout coming on. Heero stared at the elf before him, his lips pursed adorably. He wasn't sure how or when but that little pointy eared person had managed to wiggle his way into his affections.
For the first time in his life, Heero Yuy actually cared about someone other than his closest friends, other than his family. Other than someone he had known for more than ten years. He really wanted to believe that love spells did exist, to soften a person's heart, to bolster a person's regard for someone, because other than that, he really didn't – couldn't – comprehend why he cared for the well being of this elf that much.. So even as he was driven to distraction worrying about him, he was just as equally distracted about why he cared so much.
Heero sent the elf a soft pleading look, one that had always got him his way. And true enough, Duo caved as he did many times before. The elf climbed into bed muttering softly about evil blue puppy eyes and drew the covers over himself. Heero smiled, thinking of how wholesome and... well fed Duo looked now, compared to just weeks ago. The elf even had a nicely rounded tummy now, thanks to his diligent care. Heero found that extremely adorable. He realized with a shock that he liked almost everything about the elf.
Heero suddenly felt uncomfortable about what he was thinking about Duo and tried to change the subject. "Have you, um, heard from Elle recently?" Duo's head shot straight up, it had been a while since Heero had asked about Elle. Heero resisted the urge to hit his head against something hard as he watched the bright light slowly fade from Duo's eyes. But he was confused as well? What was wrong about asking about his sister?
Duo looked down, picking at the cover with his fingers. He caressed his stomach unconsciously, soothing his child. "Why?" He bit his lip uncertainly. It seemed to always come back to Elle. He knew it was irrational. He was Elle yet, he felt insanely jealous of his once other self. Why did Elle interest Heero so much? Was there nothing he could offer Heero as Duo instead of Elle?
Heero bit his lip, "Oh no reason. . . just forget I asked."
Leaning towards Heero, Duo asked again, "Why?"
"I just thought, well I mean she is your sister. . . right?" The duke stuttered, "Conversation starter?"
"You don't have to lie to me Heero," Duo's long braid was hanging over his shoulder, and he saw Heero's eyes momentarily flicker to the braid and watch it. Duo continued to look at Heero's face, but not his eyes, his lips. . .
Heero wondered how he got into this predicament. Suddenly, he really wished he never even mentioned Elle. Actually, he really couldn't remember what exactly he found so enticing of the elf maiden he spied bathing in the waterfall so many months back. Perhaps it was her eyes, her soft violet eyes, those that look so much like Duo's, her soft skin, that looked so much like Duo's, her soft, soft lips, those that looked so much like... Duo's...
Without meaning to, Heero found he had decided to test just how like Elle's lips Duo's were. He leaned in closer. Duo licked his lips nervously, his attention riveted on Heero's lips, wondering how they would taste, moving over his own. He leaned forward...
Later, when Duo's mind was clear again, he would remember how delicious Heero's lips did taste, how soft the were, caressing his own, and how wonderful it was when Heero's tongue gently began exploring his own. But for now, he was really rather preoccupied with the whole momentous occasion in itself.
"What the HELL are you doing!" Both man and elf jumped back in shocked surprise.
The door bounced back against the door. Heero's breath caught in his throat as he stared at the person he had been so. . .diligently searching for.
Duo's breath similarly caught in his throat. It stayed caught there too, he felt himself get lightheaded from lack of breath. He finally remembered to breathe and then stood shakily. "Who the hell are you?"
Heero stood and walked towards the woman at the door. "Elle?"
"Yes Heero, I'm sorry I hadn't returned yet, but I was just so embarrassed." She put her hands to her pale cheeks and looked down.
Heero walked to her and took her hands. Odd, he felt completely rational while looking at her, before it had always been a case of near insanity when he saw her. Perhaps he was getting old. "No, I should be the one who is embarrassed. I let the situation happen. I would be very pleased, to have you as my duchess," Heero smiled sweetly, but it started to falter. Isn't this exactly what he had wanted?
"Heero! Thats not Elle!" Heero turned to Duo, who was looking very pale, standing and pointing at his bewitching elf lover. Heero started towards Duo, concerned, but Elle beat him to it.
"Brother, you need rest. You are not well. You know you shouldn't be up." Heero looked at her, so it was true. Duo wasn't well. She tried to lead Duo to the bed but he was resisting.
"Heero! Thats not...!" 'Elle" pushed him more forcefully, making him stumble, "Let me go! I don't know who you are but..." Duo pulled back, resisting being led like a horse to pasture.
Heero felt slightly alarmed, "Duo this is your sister, she's trying to help you."
Violet eyes shimmered for a second, turned quickly to blue and flashed back to violet. "Come brother," 'Elle' gritted through her teeth.
He stared at the proceedings almost numbly, detached. From the moment the door sprang open, he felt like his world was underwater. Everything he did seemed to be with much effort, almost as if being. . .directed, led. But he wanted this, he wanted more than anything to have Elle as his duchess. . .right?
Heero shook his head firmly. Of course he did. Of course, and the feeling of uncertainty vanished. But what was wrong with Duo, "Elle? What is the matter with Duo?" Duo hadn't acted this irrational before. . .except well, when he tried to. . .do those acrobatics in his room and put the duck feathers in his hair. . .
Elle turned to Heero, after half shoving Duo onto the bed. "Nothing, nothing is wrong with him. It's just that he forgotten his potion." She looked infinitely sad. "Insanity runs rampant in the male side of our family."
That didn't sound quite right, Duo had been perfectly sane for these past five months since he'd last seen Elle. "I don't think he's insane, Elle. . ."
"Heero! Don't go with her, she's not my sister! Please, Heero!" Duo didn't dare struggle under the imposter's deceptively strong restraining hands. He had his baby to think about. He couldn't hurt his baby, their baby for the world. But she. . .this thing, she was going to take Heero away from him, take Heero away from his baby.
'Elle' swung a venomous look at Duo before an evil calculative smile curved her lips. Duo shuddered, wondering if he would ever look that evil when he was female.
Duo pulled back, "Please Heero. . ."
Elle turned to Heero, "Please don't believe him. I cannot believe he pulled this trick again."
"Trick...?" Heero uttered, shaking his head. It felt like it was full of cobwebs some how. Something was stopping him from thinking straight. He just couldn't think straight.
He looked at Elle, the one who was perfect, exactly as he wanted her. Never crazy, never dancing around in his room, never force feeding him berries. Heero closed his eyes tightly. "What trick?"
"The last time someone tried to court me, my brother tried to steal him away. He could never bear to see me with someone other than him."
Suddenly a rush of images flew back at him. The kiss in the woods, the way Duo snuggled against him when he carried him home, the times Duo asked Heero to stay and talk to him, how he avoided the mention of Elle's name. . . Unreasonable rage flooded him. He leveled a glare at the elf on the bed. "You. . .lied! You seduced me. You did it from the start!"
Duo cowered into the pillows, "That is not Elle! She is lying to you!"
Elle swung back to Duo, pinning him with a cold calculative stare. It was one full of death, it made his skin crawl. Whatever made this replica of him was nothing benevolent. This person actually meant him harm. "Brother, please, stop this. You are hurting all of us," Elle said, her voice honey sweet and reasonable but her hard eyes spoke of something different altogether
Heero glared at Duo, feeling terribly betrayed. "How could you Duo?"
Elle turned to the duke, "Don't blame him Heero, he just wants to be with me too. Its time for him to let go." 'Elle' moved to Heero's side and took his arm into her hands and stood there loyally.
Heero felt whatever familial feelings for the elf currently reclined on the bed wash away with a tide of disgust, and anger. "I cannot believe that I thought you were someone I could come to care about, be friends with. All you wanted were to break up your sister and me."
"Heero, no. . ." Duo tried, but the rest of what he wanted to say died in his throat. "Please, Heero. . ." Duo wanted to scream to argue, but something in Heero's eye made Duo think any effort on his part would be futile. He felt angry he rose from the bed again, "Get out! Leave! If you are going to be so stupid. . . just – just. . .LEAVE!" The adrenaline left Duo's body swiftly, and he flopped back onto the bed.
He wanted to reason with Heero, but couldn't bring himself to look in those eyes again. Instead, he threw the covers over his head, cowering there, huddling there until the sound of footsteps faded from his range of hearing. Then he sobbed. For what he cried he wasn't sure at the time but he did know he hurt, his heart hurt. Something had been torn from him.
He sat up, feeling loneliness press down on him as his eyes met only an empty room. He had not been alone like this for months now. Heero had always been around. A soft movement from the child reminded him that he would never be alone. It was a soft admonishment, but it served to wake him up from his depression.
Duo looked around and took in a deep breath. It would do him no good to stay here. He couldn't stay here.
But where should he go? There was no one left in this world who knew who he was. And he didn't want to be here when Quatre and Trowa came back. He didn't want to deal with the questions, and the subsequent murder of Heero Yuy by his own cousin. He had to leave.
"But where shall we go, little one?" He asked his baby softly. Even as he wondered about his intended location, he began packing, gathering some random clothes - the few that fit - and some food. Perhaps he could just take off down the road - away from the castle.
The road that Sally would always arrive from. Maybe he could stop there for a while. Maybe she needed some help that Duo could provide. Maybe he could stay there until the baby was born. Maybe, maybe, maybe. . .
Within the hour, a ghostly silence descended on the hunting retreat. There would no longer be sounds of laughter, sounds of people moving in and out of the house. It was as if the life had been sucked out of there and the surrounding forest mourned.
XXxxXX
Quatre giggled a little as he manipulated the handle to the hunting lodge. It was dark inside so he assumed his sibling was sleeping. Trying to quiet his giggles, he pushed open the door. Trowa followed him inside, planning only on staying to make sure everything was alright before leaving.
Suddenly a hand landed familiarly on the elf's bottom, caressing it softly. "Trowa!" Quatre hissed, trying to still his chuckles. "Duo is probably sleeping!"
Trowa grabbed his lover and pushed him against the wall. "Then we shall have to be very quiet, shalln't we?"Quatre looked frantically towards where Duo camped out. The bed was obviously empty
His smooth forehead creased in confusion. Duo wasn't on the bed. Why wasn't he on the bed? Thinking wasn't any easier with Trowa was doing his damnest, and succeeding, in distracting the sanity out of him. He bit back a groan at the sensation of a warm tongue running down his throat
"Wait, Trowa. Just a moment" With all his willpower, Quatre put a restraining hand on Trowa's chest and staved him off. "Something is wrong," he said, pushing at his insistent lover when Trowa merely increased his efforts. "Where's Duo?
Trowa groaned, "Probably in bed."
"Except he's not." Quatre pulled himself away from Trowa. "Help me look for him." Trowa swiveled his gaze toward the empty bed, his sharp eyes taking in other details. Details that started creating panic in his chest. Yes, his lover's instinct was right. Something was wrong.
The bed was made, Duo's clothes weren't on the floor. The table was cleared and the chairs were all in place around the table. The extra food seemed to be missing. It hadn't been this neat since before Duo arrived. Quatre lit a candle, the small flame illuminating the interior of the cottage 1 and a gasp escaped him. "Where's Duo? Where's my sist... brother?" He ran around the room, foolishly looking for Duo in the plant pot and under the table. "Trowa. . .?"
"Stay here, I am going to get Heero. He probably knows where Duo went. Maybe he brought Duo home with him?" Even as Trowa said it, it sounded false and empty.
Quatre sniffed condescendingly."As if your cousin would so something like that. All he wanted was my 'sister'. Not Duo."
"Heero really does care for Duo. You know that too, or you wouldn't be so willing to leave Duo in my cousin's care." Trowa didn't like the tone his lover had taken on but even he couldn't argue with what his elf had said. "I will find Heero."
"I'm coming with you," Quatre said.
Trowa looked at his lover then glanced around the room, "But what if Duo comes back?" The tall prince sighed, "Somebody needs to stay here and wait. . ."
"We could leave him a note." Quatre's eyes narrowed to slits. "Besides, I am not just going to wait behind like I am the wife. I might look like I am waff, but I assure you, I can kick your ass any time of the day." His chest heaved as he uttered this threat. When it came to family, when it came to Duo, Quatre was willing to sacrifice anything.
Trowa put up his hands in surrender. "Whatever you want, but I still think you ought to leave a note or something. . ."
Quatre nodded and turned, there was no parchment, so instead, Quatre took off his cloak and draped it over his chair, "That way he'll know I won't be gone long." Trowa nodded and the two of them made their way into the night toward the palace.
When they reached Trowa's home, Quatre was a little surprised to see the amount of activity still buzzing around the castle. It was rather late and usually, there would be only the guards awake. When Trowa passed through the gates, only one of the guards seemed to notice and bow to him. Trowa looked vaguely annoyed.
"What's going on in there?" He snapped at the guard.
"Si...Sire," the guard stuttered. "His Grace returned with a bride tonight. And it's an elf!"
Quatre gasped, and then burst into a large smile, "Trowa, maybe Heero fell in love with Duo and she turned back!" The jubilant elf turned to the guard, "What did the elf look like?
The guard was staring at Quatre with wide eyes and getting impossibly wider by the second. "Y. . .you – " his was riveted by the two delicately pointed ears. "You're an elf too!"
Trowa groaned, remembering too late they had left Quatre's cloak back at the cottage and the elf was currently uncovered. Quatre rolled his eyes, "Very good you get a gold star; now what did the other elf look like?"
The guard snapped back to attention. "She had... er... long chestnut hair, unusual coloured eyes, obviously in love with the Duke and she had a very, VERY. . ." He stuttered, "Um, lithe body."
Quatre frowned at the guard, noting that he was almost drooling at the description of his sister. No one drooled over his sister.
"Lithe? Like thin, graceful?" Trowa asked, watching the guard carefully.
They guard answered, "Yes, well. . . maybe not so graceful but slim!" The prince stared intently at the guard, getting a heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach. "She, uh, really filled out that gown nicely." He winked.
Quatre reached out and slapped the guard across the face. "Do not ever stare at my sister that way! Ever! Or you will feel the edge of my blade across your neck!" With that, he took off running toward the castle, eager to be reunited with his sister once more.
Trowa stared at the quickly disappearing Quatre before his mind connected the dots about what the guard told them. Then he realized what was wrong. "Shit! Quatre, wait!" He took off after his blond lover.
Quatre had no idea where he was going. He had come through the castle before, but as to where to begin looking for Duo? No clue. Of course, that didn't stop him from running straight up the steps and opening random doors. Needless to say, he drew quite a bit of attention. The castle gossips exploded – two elves in one day!
Trowa chased frantically after Quatre. He needed to warn his lover before they found Duo. But where the hell had he gone to? One minute he was running up the steps the next he had vanished into thin air. "Quatre!" He called out.
Quatre pulled open a door onto a bedchamber. Within were two people embracing - he was going to leave quietly (not in the least embarrassed) when he saw the familiar swish of chestnut hair. "Duo?" When the person didn't turn, he repeated again, louder. "Duo?"
One of them turned, his eyes were venomous, "Duo isn't here."
"Heero?"
"He is a lying bastard that kept me away from my future intended," Heero continued, turning the other person to face Quatre. "Meet my future Duchess, Elle."
Quatre gasped, taking a step back as he drank in the almost identical features of his sister. "Wh – who are you?" Something felt wrong, something felt like it was creeping across like skin, prickling uncomfortably. Just who was this? She looked like Duo, but Quatre knew. . .he knew. . ."What happened to the baby!" He blurted before he realized what he said, shocked at seeing the flat waist.
"Elle" laughed, "I don't know who you are or what you are talking about."
Heero frowned. "What are you talking about Quatre?"
"The baby! There was a baby and. . .it was yours and. . ." Quatre looked at them both rather helplessly.
Elle started to panic a little. "Wh – what are you talking about? What baby? You must have been dreaming."
Trowa burst into the room a second later and took in the scene before him.
"You're not Duo. . ." Quatre said quietly, almost to himself.
"Of course not," Heero snapped. "I don't want to ever hear that scheming, manipulating elf's name in my presence ever again."
Quatre's chest began heaving in panic, "What did you do to Duo?" He lunged forward, but Trowa grabbed him.
"Quatre, love, please, stop this," Trowa covered his lover's mouth with his hand. He didn't know what was going on but he knew now more than anything, finding Duo was most important. Heero got himself into this mess and he can very well get himself out of it.
Quatre turned around to Trowa, "No, I am not going to stop. Duo's missing Trowa ,and now Heero is here with some floozy who sort of looks like Duo. Somethings wrong and its his fault. . . again!"
"I don't know what you are talking about. Duo's not missing, Duo's back at the lodge," Heero said heatedly, and as an afterthought, "And Elle is not a floozy!" He was confused and yet at the same time, he couldn't control a small bubble of panic that was surfacing when Quatre said those two golden words: 'Duo's missing'.
The blonde elf turned on him, "No, he's not!" Quatre clenched his fists and turned to "Elle" "Who the hell are you?"
Elle frowned, uncertainty crossing her expression. Who was this elf, who was this person that knew she was not who she was supposed to be? She sidled up to Heero, consciously seeking protection. "Heero, I'm frightened. Please, protect me."
Heero's eyes became dark and dangerous, "Leave. . ."
Trowa finally broke. His green eyes flashed with green fire. "Do not presume to tell me what I can or cannot do in my own home, Duke Yuy. You are here by my – by our forbearance. Do not forget that this belongs to us. Everything you own belongs to us. We will not tolerate such disrespect to our mate. You had better watch your tongue, Duke Yuy."
Quatre gaped at his lover. It was not often that Trowa invoked the royal plural and when he did. . . His lover was due for some serious gratitude later. . .in private.
Heero backed up a bit, startled, but it didn't last long. He narrowed his eyes again and glared. Quatre looked at 'Elle' and at Heero. They were useless. He turned, whipping around in such an aristocratic manner, that no doubt all in the room felt unworthy to be in the elf prince's presence and he marched out.
Trowa narrowed his eyes threateningly. "Wipe that glare off your face before we wipe it off for you." He turned and left without another word, trailing in his lover's wake.
"Quatre?" Trowa asked cautiously, as his elf prince stalked off.
He found his elf standing at the end of the corridor, leaning against the stone walls. Dejection and worry were all wrapped up in his stance. "Quatre?" He called out softly, reaching out for him. As soon as he touched Quatre's shoulder, the elf turned and buried his face into Trowa's chest. He was shaking horribly and it took Trowa a while to realize his elf was crying. Sighing heavily, Trowa's arms curled around Quatre and he dropped a kiss on the elf's fair hair. "Little one, I am not sure what happened in there, or who that elf was, but everything will turn out alright. I will make sure of it."
"Somethings very wrong Trowa, I don't know what, but I know it is. I can feel it. Somethings been wrong since I first heard her screaming in her bedchamber. Now Duo's missing and pregnant and there's an impostor. Who, might I add, is definitely not an elf."
Trowa pulled back and stared at Quatre. "Not an elf? How can you be so sure? She looked like one."
"She wasn't Trowa, she was a human. She was too tense, she wasn't. . . in tune with the world around her. Besides, no elf would ever be foolish enough to impersonate royalty."
"Then who could she be?"
Quatre shrugged, dashing away his tears. "I don't give a damn! I just want to find Duo! He's out there alone and pregnant," He sighed deeply and leaned against Trowa again. "I want Duo."
Trowa tightened his arm around Quatre's shoulders, "I know, we'll find him. If we send out people now they are bound to overcome him on the roads."
"What makes you think he took the roads?"
The human prince shrugged. "It's as good a place to start as any."
Quatre nodded, "I suppose you're right. I will begin looking in the woods near the cottage. And I doubt he would have, but if he was . . . upset enough he might - MIGHT - have gone home. . ." Trowa squeezed he lover, who sounded so incredibly hopeless.
"Don't worry, we will find him. We will find him," Trowa said optimistically.
XXxxXX
1 – I love how one small candle will illuminate the interior of a big room. . . . Yes, that is sarcasm.
Dun Dun dunnnn. . . Thank you reviewers one and all. We are so glad that you are enjoying our story. Please feel free to leave criticism! We enjoy reading your reviews as much as we enjoy writing! Thank you so much! Doumo Arigatou Gozaimasu!
Annie: To Keiichisei: I am studying elementary ed – with a minor (if I can wing it) of Japanese and I hope to teach English in Japan. (at least for a little while.)
:glomps you all: Keep reviewing to help keep us up late at night to write. (Tsu and I are 13 hours different so our writing is limited to morning and evening)
AnnieTsu