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 18

The next thing Duo knew, he was waking to the soft feel of a bed beneath him, the unnatural flickering darkness strangely familiar. He was once more inside Phenris' cavern, only it looked like he was further back in a small cove-let that created a half room off the main one. It must be extremely helpful to be able to change one's home with a thought, he mused wryly.

A quick glance around revealed him to not be alone, as a peacefully sleeping Quatre came into view just across the small space. Trowa was also asleep in the bed just above his, yet elvish sleep was lighter than that of humans as even the smallest sounds from the outer cavern made his pointed ears twitch. Duo would need to be careful of waking him should he wish to get up.

That was when the events of the previous day came back to him in a rush, and he was stilled with the suddenly mind-blowing implications of Heero's actions…not to mention his own. How had he gotten in bed? Surely Heero had not carried him thence forth…but that seemed to be the only explanation.

The cobalt eyed soldier must think he was terribly weak now, breaking down like that. It had never happened before, sure, but things can become overwhelming to a person who just learned the unavoidable date of his death, or rather, inexistence.

What would that feel like, not existing? His mind wandered for a moment at the possibilities. To no longer be able to feel the wind in his hair, the cool splash of water against parched skin; to never again see the sky as deep a cerulean blue as a certain someone's eyes…

Or would he be like a trapped mind within the being that was Shinigami? Not able to control his own actions, only part to a whole, yet with an awareness of his own. The though made him shudder involuntarily.

Sure, he had broken down. It would have gradually progressed into hysterics of Heero had not been so comforting…so…kind. It had been nice to fall asleep in his arms, feeling warm and surprisingly safe. Duo might have blamed him for the blow he delivered, but in the end, he felt better for it. The dread and terror were still there, but there had been a kind of release. He didn't feel quite so hopeless.

Odd, how something like that could actually help someone feel better about loosing themselves to inevitability.

Figuring he'd spent enough time asleep, Duo silently slipped from the low bed, and padded barefoot from the small cove-let into the main room, where there was no evidence of anyone currently residing.

The others must be elsewhere at the moment, which would leave him time to think about what his next actions would be.

His mind became a rush of thoughts tossed about in a virulent sea.

There were several possibilities for why Heero had done what he had; He could have simply been showing an act of kindness in trying to comfort him, perhaps trying to get closer and earn his trust, which was actually very important if they were to be working together. Or the other option. That he felt something towards Duo.

At the thought, Duo vehemently shook his head to clear it of such fantasies, for that's all they were. It would be stupid for anyone to feel for him; he was a bloody dragon for crying out loud. And he wouldn't be human for much longer, if one looked at it from that angle. There were too many complications for anything to develop, much as he hated to admit it.

But he'd always been like that…or for as long as he could look back anyways. Truth, the hard brutal truth seemed to be the only thing Duo could find some amount of reality in. The truth kept you sane. No use delving into feverish daydreams that would send him over the edge with want.

The abruptly absurd thought that he was too hard on himself brushed through his mind, and it actually made him laugh out loud. A repressed, half laugh true, but a laugh nonetheless.

Needing something to take his mind off of…things…Duo moved around the cavern until he found a brush, probably left for him, and set to the rather difficult task of sorting out his tangled hair. It had been left down and wet all night, and now he was paying for it in a mass of knots that would take a bit getting out.

…

Despite the fact that Duo's exit had been quiet, it was still enough to wake the lightly sleeping elf. Propping himself up on an elbow, the brunette had watched the long haired youth leave them to their rest, probably off to think on his own.

When Heero had carried Duo in the previous night, there had been silent surprise on everyone's face but Phenris', who just gave a small, secretive smile in her own way. She had already set up the small alcove for their rest, and the stoic soldier had all too gently placed the sleeping boy on one of the beds.

They all could see the change in him, slight though it was.

The softer tilt to his eyes, to the hard set of his mouth told more than words would or ever could. Heero Yuy was falling for the young man.

But it was an equally sad thing, for during the time the two were above ground, the rest of them were below, having the finer details of the situation explained to them.

Trowa had spoken not a word that night, but had silently thanked the gods that there was no such fateful clashing of life and death between him and his own new found angel.

Speaking of him so, Quatre shifted in sleep, blond hair falling over closed aquamarine eyes.

A soft, gentle smile crossed the elf's lips. What he wouldn't do already for this beautiful little cherub.

He could not readily explain how or why the little mage had so captured his heart. His vivacious personality perhaps…the ways his eyes shone with joy so often, hardly a sad moment to be found in their azure depths, yet when found, expressed with such empathy towards that which saddened him. It had pulled Trowa so far, he had even been willing to leave his own kind, friends and companions alike, to follow the little blond.

Maybe it was not so hard to understand though. He had, unexpectedly enough, found in Quatre a mate for his soul, the two of them like a child's puzzle pieces that fit together seamlessly to create a larger, vivid picture. Where Trowa was silent, Quatre spoke for him; the elf was the protector, the mage the comforter.

Trowa was the body, where Quatre was the heart.

However it came about, for he did not wish to question providence too far, the deed was done, and the mutual agreement said that they belonged to each other now.

Slipping from the bed, the tall elf padded on bare feet to the cot just above his, which housed the slumbering form of his cherub. Looking down on the little mage, he actually felt his insides flutter.

Gods…to think that this blond seraphim was his.

It was these thoughts that sent waves of heat flowing through him, and he quickly stifled them for lack of cold water to cool his overheated passions in.

All in good time.

Now was not the time to be loosing one's self in the flare of passion. Things could happen without a moment's warning, and to be caught so unawares could possibly mean the death of any of them. It was not something he personally could risk, and not something he was willing to risk by far. There were just too many things at stake.

However...the elf did allow some of his follies. He was rarely far from Quatre's side, slight caresses slipping through to the little mage; a brush of a hand, a sweeping back of bangs from a feminine, childish face with aquamarine eyes that sparkled with barely suppressed delight. Earlier, he had spared a brief, heartfelt moment to hold the smaller boy to him in a tight embrace, resisting the all too strong urge to reach down and capture those small, exquisite lips with his own. But, he did resist, contenting himself with simply being able to touch and hold his cherub.

Now, he sat with elven grace on the side of Quatre's bed, one slender hand reaching out to confidently brush satin soft blond bangs from the sleeping face.

It was a gesture of pure, unadulterated affection, one that was mirrored only by Quatre's complete and utter trust in the elf he'd known for so short a time.

...

Wufei, Heero, and Phenris were aboveground, mapping out their course of action and route. The cobalt eyed soldier was not about to let budding emotions interfere with keeping his company alive on this journey.

Unfortunately, Phenris had little to offer by means of vital information on Sarkan. He knew the forces that worked against him, and had powerfully spelled his keep against spies of any sort.

It was more of a dungeon, from how the earth spirit described it; made of dark stone with an almost tangible air of foul carrion. As a trafficker in demons, their reek hung about the place as a visible pallor, dulling the colors and killing the life about the stone fortress. It stood on a barren scrap of rock where the sparse forest around it had retreated until all about the keep rest a field of granite that hosted no living thing.

It sounded desolate in the least.

Phenris did know, as she knew most things when it came to the 'where', that the sorcerer's keep lie north, in a low valley within the heart of the Northern Reaches.

They would have to cross a good half of those treacherous mountains to even get to it.

It was difficult, but not impossible. Travelers had crossed those mountains in the wilder parts, though there were routes that led through the gentler, less rugged peaks. As luck would have it, Sarkan's keep lie not too far west of one of those very routes, though a good half of the journey would have to be made in the unchartered wilds that rest beside the marked trails.

The hardest part would be packing for the journey. They would need not only rations, but clothes better suited for cold travel than they currently had.

The clothes could be purchased when they got closer to the mountains with the money Heero and Wufei still had from their last job. Food would be a bit more complicated, because it would be somewhat difficult to judge just how much they would need. They had no real idea how long they would be out there.

However, these were things that would have to be taken care of just prior to the ascent up into the mountainous country. Otherwise, they would be laden down with provisions that were not yet needed, forcing themselves and their mounts to carry such a load, overly taxing their vitally needed strength.

It was then, as they planned, that Phenris disclosed the most important of information to the two.

Sarkan would open the gate at midnight on the winter solstice, the day with the longest night. The new dark moon would shadow the earth on that eve, completing the cycle that had been building for hundreds of years.

It was then, on the stroke of midnight, when the dark moon was at its peak, that Sarkan would spill the blood of a virgin to summon forth his master. Phenris had an uneasy notion that the sorcerer would be using Shinigami's power to strengthen the portal. Tremendous amounts of energy were needed to do such a thing, and there was no mortal human with that much power.

It was vital that they either delay the ceremony, or stop it all together. There would be a window of a sparse few minutes for Sarkan to work in. A short deferral was all that was required, then the freeing of Shinigami's soul came next to prevent another from rising to such heights in power.

Short and sweet, that's how it sounded, but the two of them wouldn't let such an easy sounding task take them off guard. There were too many things that could go wrong if they were late by even a day.

They had to make sure they wouldn't be.

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Meh….a little birdie told me that I had too few Quatre/Trowa scenes, so here's a bit of spice for the two of them.

Despite the fact that I originally didn't like Wufei in the series, he grew on me, and I have no intention of leaving the poor guy all alone. Now I have only to wrack my brain for a situation/person to give to him.

Aren't I nice…^_^

Erm…I guess everyone wanting me to post, (going so far as to threaten my very life @_@)is a good thing.

I be famous...wee!

For those of you who have been complaining about the shortness of each chapter, I hope to remedy that soon. I'm going to try and step up the ante. Don't get your hopes up though ^_^'

Review, Review!!