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 20
The next day dawned early and crisp from the chilly night before, and the five went about getting ready to move out. A short, light breakfast and a splash of cold water on the face was their morning before they tacked the steeds, and mounted up.
Duo was so stiff that it took a good bit of moving around to get him limber enough to be at all comfortable. Before long, the pain returned, but then numbed to a barely noticeable ache he could live with.
Another long ride through the day with a short rest stop at midday, they again bedded down at night. The next day another long ride, then exhausted sleep.
In this way, they passed through the lowlands in five days; all of them more or less acclimated to the duress of long riding by the time they reached the foot hills of the Northern Reaches.
On the evening of the sixth day, they entered a small village that marked the head of the trade road which they would be traveling for a ways.
Finding the presence of a respectable inn -The Red Falcon - they decided to stay there for the night and have a full rest and meal before heading up into the harsh mountains, buying the supplies they needed before leaving the shelter of the village.
Rather than leave their mounts to the care of the stable hands, they each led their respectable mount into the small, yet clean and warmly furnished stables just behind the main building.
After taking care of that, they filed inside, seating themselves at a round table near the hearth fire.
The inn looked tidy as well, with the floors swept, and the tabletops clean. There were not that many other people present, just a group of three men conversing quietly in the corner, and a woman and man located somewhat closer who seemed to be a couple. A stair case led to the rooms on the second floor just next to the bar where both food and drink of the mind altering persuasion were served to visiting patrons not staying the night.
One of the women working the kitchen came out with five bowls of steaming soup, and a platter of fresh bread and cheese. Having already talked with the owner, they were getting fast service.
Despite the fact that they had eaten well over the past several days, the welcome change in atmosphere did wonders for the five's mental health. A sense of ease settled over them as they ate, far from silent as both Duo and Quatre were on the way to striking up a lively conversation about nothing in particular.
However, it didn't take long for them to feel ready to sleep. A full night's rest would be wonderful, not to mention sleeping in a bed again. Five days out, and before that a number of weeks since they had done such a thing, excusing the short time they'd spent in Phenris' hospitality.
Leaving the dishes on the table for the bar maid to clean up, the five trooped upstairs to the rooms they'd bought for the night.
Two rooms located one next to the other were their apartments for the night. Medium sized, with two beds in each room, each large enough for two people, both rooms had a small fireplace against the outer wall already alight, and glassed windows that showed a dark, chilled outer world compared to their warmed compartments.
Safe to say, the rooms were quite satisfactory to their needs, and well maintained to boot.
As to whom would sleep where, there was only one among them who suddenly felt quite awkward about figuring the arrangements.
Wufei.
The attraction between his companions was obvious, and they would split between the two rooms almost automatically. But where did that leave him? Would he rather spend the night in a room with two people who were openly affectionate (or as much as that elf would allow), or with two people who seemed to enjoy pretending there was nothing there, creating a somewhat tense situation that grew more heated by the second? Somehow, he had a feeling that things might take a bit of a turn for those two, and he had no mind to be around when it happened.
So, choosing the logically safer of the two, he bid goodnight to Heero and Duo, and went into the room where Trowa and Quatre were already stripping to their undergarments and jumping into the same bed to share a warm night with each other.
Life sometimes sucked, the warrior thought to himself as he slowly took off weaponry, shirt and boots, opting to leave his pants on and merely sleep with the cool sheets against the tanned skin of his honed chest.
...
In the adjacent room, the two so earlier mentioned were carefully avoiding each other as they got ready for bed, and blessed sleep.
Pulling his shirt over his head, Heero proceeded to fold it, and lay out his weaponry in proper order should something arise where he would need to act quickly. The black diamond sword lay in its sheath on the table, next to his clothing, the pull latch already loosed.
While he was doing this, Duo was pulling down the coverlet on his bed, when the flash of perfect bronzed skin caught his eye, and Heero's solid, muscled frame ensnared and held his gaze.
By the gods, that guy was built.
Cobalt blue eyes deep as the sea, and that rich, chocolaty hair that didn't seem to obey anyone, least of all its owner. Washboard abs that he caught a glimpse of as the soldier worked, somewhat broad shoulders that came down into a narrow waist and hips, fully accented by the tight breeches he wore. An ass like Adonis topped it off, and Duo finally had to physically shake himself to draw his eyes from the arousing sight.
Then he mentally cursed himself for letting it go so far. Who was he, to be staring so? But oh...it was such a pleasing thing to see.
Turning, he again shook his head, and reached back to pull the thick rope of braid about before him so he could unravel it. Fingers running through the honeyed chestnut hair, he was again mentally thanking Phenris, because she had given him use of the brush. He now removed it from the pack leaning against the wall, and proceeded to brush the silken mass with first short, then long, even strokes, sitting cross-legged in the middle of his bed.
This is when Heero turned to face that side of the room.
His breath caught in his throat at the angel that sat upon the bed.
Thick, chestnut hair flecked with the occasional glittering red strand curled gently down his back, part of it being run through the soft bristles of a brush held in a pale skinned hand that looked slender yet full of an underlying strength, as did the rest of his body, clothed though it was. The fire light played off his face, partially turned away from the silent soldier. Lush lips begging to be kissed, and a small, heart shaped face framed with a brace of chestnut bangs as soft as the rest of it. And the most stunning feature, Duo's crystalline amethyst-violet eyes that could at once look light and happy, and then suddenly dark and deep with such a wild, fae appearance to them that had one's heart on edge for fear he would suddenly sprout faerie wings and be gone.
The only ugly thing…the collar that held him, manmade, coarse, and full of an overpowering sadness that transfixed the angel to its earthly prison. It glittered as well.
Perhaps what drew him so was Duo's enduring good cheer. The young man seemed so overwhelmed at times, but he would still be the first to crack a smile, to attempt a joke whether appropriate or not. It was impossible that another existed in this world with such a way of looking at things. His unique sense of self prevailed, devastating as the knowledge that he was not himself could be.
Heero's heart suddenly constricted within his chest as Duo turned to look at him, again using that sixth sense he had.
Those eyes.
He could so easily loose himself in those ever deep pools of amethyst. Something of his thoughts must have gotten to his normally immobile features, for Duo blinked, breaking the spell, and took a startled breath.
"Why…why are you always…looking at me......?" Duo asked quietly, hesitantly, bringing his knees up so he could lean against them, the tumble of hair resting on the bed about him.
Heero didn't say anything immediately, and Duo was painfully aware of how the flickering firelight played with his strong features, and over the smooth, bare skin of his chest like a lover's caress.
It was now. It had to be now. Time was running out.
These thoughts spiraled through Heero's head, having a short inner battle with his soldier side. If he were to admit this even to himself, then he was bound for nothing more than grief in the future. Three weeks more. It was all the time they had. Was he to spend it mute, merely watching as this person passed forever from him, or could he sate the passion that had so unexpectedly flared within him, and take this angel into his arms for a love that might make up for a lifetime of sorrow and loneliness.
Taking the few, slow steps forward to the bed, Heero looked down on the unbound youth, the slight scent of flowers reaching his senses. A surge of wanting leapt within him, and it was only the perplexed look upon Duo's face that kept him from acting. He fell back onto the years of training, and it bolstered his resolve.
"I…"He began, seating himself on the edge of Duo's bed.
"I look at you…because you are exquisite."
Duo blinked.
What?
At Duo's confused silence, Heero somehow felt his stomach plummet to his feet, a feeling that he'd never experienced before.
"I'm sorry… I must have been imagining things…but I thought you just called me exquisite…." The long haired youth murmured, almost not wanting to understand. This couldn't be happening, because there was no way. He was hallucinating that this man, this soldier would be saying something like this to him. Only in his wildest dreams and darkest fantasies combined.
And they all seemed to come true as Heero nodded.
"I did…" The messy haired soldier replied.
"You…did…" Duo repeated, half trying to convince himself, half trying to keep the sudden surge of wild uninhibited hope that flared within him from manifesting in some way.
"…why?" He whispered.
"…because…"
A sudden eruption of screams broke through Heero's words, cutting them off as the both of them shot their gaze towards the door.
It was coming from down stairs, and it was getting louder.
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Don't kill the writer! *dodges whatever may be thrown*
la lala lala.
Time between new chapters will probably stay about the same as it has for the past two. I'm loosing availability to write, unfortunately, as parents, school and everything else keeps taking what little spare time I have.
Review, Review!!