Yes, an update on that day of turkey eating. Enjoy ^_^ (and if you don't celebrate it, then happy for you too)
Eclipse of Dusk
By: Hseru
Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5x? (poor Wuffers)
Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power
Chapter 15
Quatre, Wufei, and Trowa were quite disheartened when Heero finally found them. The fact that they had built a fire so visible in the daylight was proof to that.
Figuring they had lost their two companions to the storm, the three had been at a bit of a loss for what to do. The elvish party was too far ahead to catch up to now, and it would be highly difficult to continue with only three, though three was the original party's number.
Allowing their mounts time to rest was the only thing they could readily decide on doing, so they had stopped midday after riding hard through the storm, and the following night.
Both Wufei and Quatre set at least part of the blame upon themselves, as they should have followed Heero. However, the two's Illians, and Quatre's Arabian, had going further into the storm last in their minds. They had made it well evident, as they kept their own heads despite their riders' attempts to turn them.
The only fortunate thing it seemed was Milliardo's kindness in allowing Wufei to keep the Chestnut mare whom he'd actually grown attached to. The Illian seemed all too happy with the new arrangements, and its new name of Usui. [1] It seemed the Elvish did not name their steeds, because they believed a name gave the earth something to hold to, thereby steeling the fleet nature of the Illians.
Heero found them there, a couple of candle marks past noon, tending to the steeds. He dismounted, and whispered to Shiroi to wait for him a moment.
Wufei was the first to see him, and he was stunned to speechlessness. The swords master actually dropped the curry brush he'd been using on Usui.
Trowa was next, as his Illian nickered softly at the sudden intrusion. He glanced over the tall reddish brown back, and as his eyes met the sight, a small smile crept to his lips, just barely there.
Quatre was the last to notice.
"Heero....Heero!" He said, dashing over to the taller boy. His eyes glittered with barely contained joy.
"Gods, what happened to you? We searched everywhere..." The little mage was smiling brightly, but it dimmed somewhat as he saw that the stoic soldier was alone.
"Duo...is he..?" He asked hesitantly, almost afraid of the answer.
If he were anyone else, the sound of Duo's name would have made Heero twitch. As it was, he nearly winced.
"Duo's...fine." He got out. "He's merely sleeping now."
The bright smile returned with the brilliancy of before.
"This…this is wonderful!" Quatre said, then suddenly seemed to deflate somewhat. "We...we feared the worst." Glancing around at the other two, he turned back to Heero.
"When you left, we tried to follow you. I saw the lightning strike several times where you had ridden to...it left little to the imagination. But when the storm let up, we returned to search."
Heero felt an unusual emotion welling up in him towards the little blond. It was gratitude.
Allowing the brief shadow of a smile to cross his lips, Heero nodded.
"I'm glad to see you're still with us." Wufei finally added, smiling.
"Where were you all this time?" Quatre asked.
Heero set in to tell nearly everything that had transpired since their separation. Noted key elements were withheld.
...
The three, now four, rode towards the cave opening that would lead back down into the earth. It had taken near to no time for them to be ready to go, and it might even be said that they were a bit...excited...to be meeting the spirit of the earth. Definitely something one did not do every day.
The opening was in the same place Heero had left it, and he slowed Shiroi down a bit so that their eyes could adjust to the sudden dim interior.
A few moments more of riding had them in the cavern where Duo's Illian was still stabled, but there were more divisions now, one for each mount. Taking the time to properly care for the mounts first, Heero then led them through the second tunnel to the second cavern.
No one was there.
A moment of panic took hold of Heero before Phenris entered from the other side, a smile on her child like face.
"Welcome all." She said quietly, spreading her arms before her. A moment was taken for introductions, where after Quatre got to the question Heero wanted to ask before he himself could manage to.
"Where's Duo?" The little mage put forth. "Is he well?"
With a slight nod, Phenris gave her hand a wave, and another tunnel opened before the four, much to the droll amusement of one, and astonishment of the other three.
"Please, leave your things here. I'll see to it that they are well maintained." She began. They took her advice, and proceeded to remove their extra weaponry, which included Quatre's staff, Trowa's bow, and Wufei's swords, though both Trowa and Wufei kept various knives with them. The traveling packs eventually hit the floor as well, with less care it was noted, than the weaponry.
Phenris went on to explain as they did this.
"...Duo's... bathing in the hot springs. My healing has taken some of his strength, and the springs have more natural healing properties that come from herbs and medicinal rather than magical."
Quatre stopped on that one.
"Magical? But the collar...it stops all magic from being used on him." He protested.
"My magic does not stem from a single source such as most magics do." Phenris explained, now leading the way before the unladen boys into the semi lit darkness. "My power is evident in everything, even in the collar. Everything has natural bases, and thus, I have power over everything in some form or another."
That left the little blond with something to think over, which effectively quieted him.
The corridor grew chilled, being so far beneath the ground, and the warm steam that began to roll from somewhere up ahead was very much welcomed.
The room they entered was a glorious affair.
Several pools of steaming, aromatic water, of both deep and shallow nature were spread throughout the rather large cavern, the steam billowing up into the cool air masking most of the cavern from view. Thus, Duo's particular were about in the large room was unable to be determined.
The small girl turned to face them after she'd stopped.
"I suggest that you all spend some time in here as well." She said. "You are weary, and only after a soak and a long rest will I allow you to leave my hospitality."
She moved to leave, a chorus of 'thank you's following in her wake.
All of them then separated, Quatre and Trowa moving off to one side, Wufei and Heero to the other. The thick steam made visibility difficult, but it was more pleasant than anything, like a warm blanket that wrapped about them.
Leaving Wufei with a pool to himself, the swords master already unceremoniously shucking his clothes, Heero made his way through the steam to the far end of the room.
Peeling his own clothes from his body, he laid them out, then slipped into the blissfully warm water, allowing the liquid to close over his head for a moment. He came back up breathing out then in, messy hair now plastered to his head.
An image of a certain long haired youth entered into his mind's eye, and he wondered where within the vast room the boy could be. He certainly had not seen any evidence of Duo's presence other than Phenris' reassurance that he was indeed there.
A murmuring noise caught his attention then. It sounded like voices, or a voice.
Figuring it was merely one of the others, Heero didn't bother to investigate, until the unmistakable sound of sobbing could be heard.
That perked his interest then, and he moved through the waist deep water to the other side of the large pool he'd chosen.
There, in a very shallow pool, sitting in all his glorious nudity with his back to an astonished Heero, was Duo, hunched over, knees to his chest, and shoulders shaking with the small sounds coming from him. His hair was down and wet, the long chestnut locks running down his smoothly contoured back to pool about his narrow hips on the ground. A hint of red peeked through the brown, reminding Heero, oddly enough, of flame.
And then the oddest thing happened.
Heero felt his cheeks get warm, then hot, and only vaguely knew what was happening. The only thing he didn't have an earthly clue about was why.
He'd seen people naked before. Living in a barracks for the most of his life had practically killed any sense of modesty he owned. True, none of those around him back then had held anything for him, but that should have been the same case here as well. Why, of all times, was he blushing now?
His attention focused again as Duo lifted his head, looking about. Heero then suddenly cursed the fact that he'd forgotten about Duo's ability to know when he was being watched. Ah, well, there was no help for it now, for Duo's red rimmed violet eyes landed on him.
So he had been crying; the thought ran through Heero's mind.
Duo sat there, violet eyes dull.
"Well?" He suddenly said, breaking the silence. His voice was slightly nasal, another result from the crying. "Something you wanted?"
"...You were crying." Heero replied in a monotone. He rested his arms on the side of the hot spring, glad now for the fact that he was at least covered from the waist down.
"What's your point?" Duo said, putting on his defensive side. "I can do that, can't I? I'm allowed to, seeing as I was the one responsible for the deaths of a good twenty people, including children no older than seven. People who trustingly took me in, then were burned alive in a church." His tone was so heavy with bitter self loathing that Heero could almost feel it pulling him down.
"...that wasn't your fault..." Heero said, just a bit softer than the ever-present monotone.
"Oh really? Didn't ya hear? I'm Shinigami. The terrible black dragon. Peachy keen here, I'll tell ya now." He spat out. "Yeah, not my fault my ass...." The steam billowed up then, making his form seem fuzzed out.
Taking the opportunity, Duo stood, and grabbed his clothes without saying a word. Then he turned to go.
"Duo..." Heero called after, making the youth pause for a moment.
"It wasn't your fault. Sarkan was controlling Shinigami by then. You had nothing to do with their deaths." He said, trying to get the youth to understand.
Duo's back was to Heero, so the soldier just barely heard what he said before he left.
"...then why do I remember doing it?"
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1. Japanese for 'light'
Awww! Duo's just so angsty and kawaii ^_^
That's why we all love him, because he's so good at those angst scenes. Especially the ones where he blames himself...which happens a lot, poor guy.
And Heero's being all fluffy. Isn't that nice ^_^'
Review, Review!!