See all warnings and disclaimers in the first chapter.
A/N: Ooh, my longest break yet. It's been busy, because I just got promoted at work! I'm very excited. It means more work for me, but it's fun work so I don't mind. Apologies, apologies! I'm sort of thinking about ending the story here.
Two wishes will be fulfilled in this chapter. First, ckhushrenada, and second, rainbow00. And then some requests for fluff, because this story got altogether too dark!
When the Dust Settles
Quatre took Dorothy and Heero back to Terra. Dorothy he turned over to the authorities where she was arrested to await her trial. Heero was so weak and sick by that time he couldn't walk, so Wufei had him transform so he could more easily carry the youth. Heero didn't even protest, a sure sign of how poor he felt. Quatre hated to think of what Duo was going through, so he hurried them along even more.
Wufei took Heero right up to the room he'd been sharing with Duo. Trowa was with him, of course, but he immediately got out of the way when he saw Wufei's burden. Heero half fell out of the tiger's arms in his haste to get to his love's side, and he wrapped himself around Duo with a huge sigh.
The other three left them alone. "They'll be all right after some time together and a good night's rest," Wufei assured them. "Now that this is all finally over, I think I'll return to my own Bonded and let him know I still love him." He grinned.
Trowa returned it, standing up to nuzzle his nose into Wufei's neck. Quatre watched with a warm heart as the two exchanged a deep but slow kiss. He didn't feel threatened at all. He knew better than most how close and intimate with each other the Telmaran were, because Trowa and Wufei had always been good friends.
Wufei broke away first, giving Trowa a last nuzzle before sending Quatre a smile and retreating.
Quatre found out a few hours later just after Trowa went to check on the resting pair upstairs that Dorothy was to be tried the next morning. It was a formality, he was informed, because she was guilty and everyone knew it. When convicted of murdering her father she would be sentenced to death.
"It's something of a relief," Denan Maxwell confided over the comm. "On the day of her execution, you will be announced as the new heir apparent."
Quatre blinked. "Me?" he repeated. "But what about Zechs? He was cleared as was his sister, you know."
Denan shook his head. "Zechs was never the one in the wrong, we know that now. But he approached us not half-an-hour after you returned to step down as the heir-designate. Claimed he didn't want to be emperor, because too much evil had followed his name. Said you would be better for the job." The man smiled. "And I'm afraid I agree. Zechs has been too far from politics for too long to catch up and get ahead in a week."
Quatre laughed softly. "He might be right. But how would you feel if I asked him to fill the role of the newly-available Vice Chancellor? I would appreciate his counsel, at the very least."
Denan shrugged. "I think he would be widely accepted. He's something of a hero for his role in bringing those two conniving women down."
When Quatre ended contact, he leaned back in his chair. So much had changed in the last four years. Some for the better. Some for worse. He could remember being seventeen clearly sometimes, remember his passion for change. Well, that hadn't changed much. He smiled.
o8o o8o
"I think you would be an excellent king, you know."
How many times had he heard that? Quatre always smiled. He had mixed feelings about being emperor. On the one hand, it would be a great way to impose some of the changes on the Andarian Empire that he felt would benefit everyone greatly.
"Quatre?"
Blinking, Quatre looked at his companion. Duo Maxwell. The darling of the Imperial Court. Quatre didn't know anyone who wasn't hopelessly enamored of the boy, himself included. He was beautiful, gentle, sweet, and kind. And had he mentioned beautiful? Even with a milky sheen over his eyes the violet was still visible, just not as dark as it could have been.
Smiling, wishing Duo could see it, he tucked the boy three years his junior against his side. Resting his chin on Duo's head, he sighed. There were rumors, of course. Rumors about him and Duo. They spent a lot of time alone together. He didn't care about them. In fact, he wouldn't mind in the slightest if they became truth.
"I know you love music," he said abruptly. "Do you sing?"
Duo shifted. "I love to sing. I don't know if I'm any good."
"I'll be the judge of that," Quatre decided. "I'd love it if you'd sing a song for me, Duo."
When Duo pulled away, Quatre saw his lovely face light up. "All right. I know the perfect one, too."
After a moment, he parted those full, perfect lips and began singing. The voice that poured from his throat was more pure than a silver bell, sweeter than honey. Duo sang with a voice that felt the music, interpreted it and filled it with emotion. He didn't mindlessly recite the words with a melody behind them. It was absolutely captivating, and Quatre watched, breathless and entranced.
He knew the song, of course. It had been made popular two years ago. Quatre hadn't much cared for it then, but perhaps that was because the group singing it had done it wrong. Coming from Duo it was the most beautiful song he'd ever heard, especially the chorus where the emotion streamed out of him with painful, breathtaking clarity.
It took Quatre a moment or two to realize Duo had stopped singing. He could see the uncertainty on Duo's face, the anxious waiting for a verdict. Quatre didn't have words adequate to describe the feeling, so he gently took Duo's hand in his, pressing the cool fingers to his lips.
"I'm smiling, Duo," he whispered. "Can you feel it?" A single tear trekked a solitary, warm trail down his cheek to meet up with Duo's fingertip.
A faint gasp left Duo's lips. "Yes," he murmured, his fingers brushing the dampness away, and Quatre tasted the salty flavor left behind.
He pressed Duo's hand a little closer, kissing each fingertip, worshiping that beautiful slim hand. Lovely and perfect. Duo made a soft, surprised sound, but he didn't try to pull away. He must have felt Quatre's intense focus on him, because he stirred.
"What?" he breathed.
"Nothing," Quatre replied in a similarly barely-audible voice. "You're just beautiful, that's all."
"Quatre . . ." Duo whispered.
They were so close. When had he leaned in closer to Duo? He could feel the smaller body's heat, could hear every faint breath. Duo wasn't recoiling. Surely, it would be wrong to lean in just a little closer, to take just a quick taste of those lips. Friends gave each other kisses as gestures of affection, right . . . ?
They were kissing already. And when their lips met, Quatre couldn't pull away. Even when he told himself it was time to move back he was instead pressing forward, turning a shy touch into a deep kiss. But that was all right, because Duo was twisting, tilting his head back and parting his lips, allowing Quatre's tongue to slip into ambrosia . . .
It went straight to Quatre's head when Duo made a soft sound not unlike a moan. He felt giddy, dizzy, anxious. He crushed the smaller boy closer, and their tongues met in a writhing tango. It was hot, sweet, wet, slippery, and utterly perfect. He wanted more, he wanted to take anything Duo would give, and would it be wrong to ask for more—?
o8o o8o
Quatre sighed. If he was to be emperor, it was a good thing he and Duo had never gotten serious. It would have been hard on the blind youth to be a consort.
"What are you thinking about, dear one?"
Blinking, Quatre shifted his focus down to his Bonded. Trowa padded to his side, jumping onto the couch and resting his head on Quatre's lap. Quatre idly stroked the dark, velvet fur.
"Duo, actually. How are they? Are they doing okay?"
"Yes. I don't think anything could wake Duo right now, and Heero was dozing off when I left. I'm glad this business with Relena is over with. Heero is much calmer and quieter. Duo needs that right now."
"Mm. I wish the treatment period was over," Quatre said, half to himself. "For Duo's sake."
"Are you going to testify against Dorothy?" Trowa asked, sounding a little tired.
"No," Quatre replied. "It would be tasteless. She is my cousin, after all. There's no point in adding insult to injury."
"You do know that there's nothing you could do to make the Imperial Court hate you, right?" Trowa said, sounding amused now.
Smiling, Quatre let his head fall back to rest on the couch. "You're far more perceptive to these things than you used to be, my love. I know that, but in this instance I meant that just the way I said it. My last favor to her, I suppose. I'm letting her exit with a modicum of dignity."
"I see. I doubt she'll thank you for it."
"Probably not," Quatre agreed. "She should have considered that before she murdered her father."
"I agree. Now let's put it all behind us. Your coronation ceremony is in two weeks. What color are you going to wear? And if you haven't made up your mind, might I suggest aqua? It compliments those lovely eyes of yours . . ."
o8o o8o
Wufei felt tired in more ways than one when he finally came home. His Bonded's home was impressively opulent without looking tacky or ostentatious, something Wufei had always considered a marvelous feat. It bespoke wealth and elegance, but not arrogance or conceit. As soon as he stepped inside he smiled; Treize's scent was everywhere. It always was. He loved being surrounded by it.
The tall, aristocratic Lord General descended on him at once, pulling him into a fierce hug. "I certainly hope this is the last time you will abandon me for such lengthy periods," he mumbled into Wufei's black hair. "I forget how I lived without you before you entered my life."
Snorting softly, Wufei pushed him back to lean up and kiss him. "I'm sure you got along fine, silly fool," he teased gently. "But I would like to give you a proper greeting. Have you any more politics for the day?"
"No," Treize said, his eyes darkening with sudden desire.
"Good," Wufei said, grinning as he pushed him toward the stairs. Though Treize was just shy of a head taller, Wufei was by far stronger. There were many, many times he'd taken shameless advantage of that. He was, after all, a tiger, and tigers were . . . well, lords of all they encountered. It was just the nature of the thing.
Not that Treize minded. Ever. The pair didn't remove their clothing so much as tear it off, then Wufei was all over his Bonded. Hands and lips, tongue and teeth. He left livid marks behind as he mapped the surface of Treize's skin, using his strength as leverage to keep the human from reciprocating in kind. To keep him from doing anything, really, except lie back and take whatever Wufei felt like giving.
He grinned when a particularly vicious bite made Treize's head fall back with a deep moan. He eagerly attacked the arch of his lover's throat, never one to turn down such an invitation. Treize gasped at the mix of pleasure and stinging pain.
"No . . . no one would believe that—ah!—I'm ravaged every night by a—mm—kid," Treize gasped out.
"I'm not a kid," Wufei said absently, distracted. "And you're thinking too much."
Of course, as the night wore on, neither one of them was capable of coherent thought.
o8o o8o
Heero jerked out of a strange dream sometime deep in the night. It took a moment before he remembered it wasn't his dream at all, but Duo's dream. Slowly but surely he was getting used to the new depth of their Bond, but it was taking time. And dreaming each other's dreams was just one thing to which he hadn't grown accustomed.
"You okay?" he murmured, lifting his head to lick Duo's cheek.
"Yeah," Duo whispered, voice somewhat dry. "Is that how Relena died?"
It took Heero a moment to realize what Duo was talking about. Then he recalled his dream earlier. "Yes," he said.
Duo lifted one trembling hand to stroke Heero's head. "I'm glad you weren't cruel, Heero," he said quietly.
Heero wasn't expecting—nor could he help—the heat that flashed through him. His desire for Duo wasn't exactly new, and the strength of this Bond had only made it worse. Stronger.
"I love you," he changed the subject, not bothering to hide it. There wasn't much point, anymore. Duo could hear, sense, and feel everything that went through his mind. Everything.
That made the corners of Duo's mouth quirk up in a smile. "I love you, too."
"When your treatment and recovery are over," Heero murmured, "and on that night you first open your eyes, may I make love to you, Duo?"
Now that heat, that desire, suffused Duo. In the dark it was impossible to see the flush, but Heero felt it on Duo's face just the same. The extent of their physical intimacy was limited to touches and caresses, but Heero burned for the final act. The last thing before they were truly one, that joining that would seal this mutual belonging. Make Duo his. Make him Duo's. A physical declaration of a love that didn't need any, but certainly wanted.
Duo's hesitation was a young virgin's shyness and nothing more. "Yes," he whispered. "I . . . I want that, too."
Heero phased into his human form and gave into his craving. He kissed Duo, hoping deep down in places that needed no conscious thought that his love would one day be healed. That he would be able to see again. Even though it wasn't necessary, Heero wanted Duo to look at him, to see him when he finally took him and made the boy his own.
He wanted to be able to look into Duo's eyes and see the love, and know Duo could see it in return.