Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ A Strange Fellowship ❯ Chapter 5

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

This is a story from Duo's POV. Duo is a Kitco - a race of cat-people that are viewed as 'lesser people' and trouble-makers. Following his Sixth Sense (something all Kitcos possess) he finds himself foiling a kidnapping of a young noble. Little does he know that that was only the beginning, the encounter is going to change his life forever and lead him in a direction he NEVER expected.

Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Fantasy | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 09.12.2006 | Pages: 4 | Words: 5.8K | Visits: 971 | Status: Work In Progress

Strange Fellowship: Part Five
by Kai

Giftfic: for Enna (because she deserves it!)

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own Gundam Wing and I get absolutely NO money for doing this.

Ratings: NC-17 (sexual content and language) this will likely be happening in the future so it'll be the rating for the entire fic

Warnings : AU, fantasy, action, yaoi, violence and language, etc.

Pairings : 2x5x6 (main pairing) and maybe a side order of 1x3x4 (not sure yet, we'll see...)

Summary: This is a story from Duo's POV. Duo is a Kitco - a race of cat-people that are viewed as 'lesser people' and trouble-makers. Following his Sixth Sense (something all Kitcos possess) he finds himself foiling a kidnapping of a young noble. Little does he know that that was only the beginning, the encounter is going to change his life forever and lead him in a direction he NEVER expected.

A Strange Fellowship: Part Five
by Kai

Duo's POV

By the time we made camp my legs were cramped so badly that I was almost afraid to get off of Bella. That fear wasn't nearly as bad as my fear of staying on her back though, so I waited until no one was looking before sliding/falling off her back only to land in a painful heap at her hooves. I was a little startled that both Wufei and Trowa were there to help me, almost instantly. I was really surprised by the air of possessiveness coming off of Wufei; that as well as a tinge of anger directed at Trowa.

Trowa seemed a little bewildered at first and backed off a bit which seemed to make Wufei realize what he was doing. It was fascinating to watch the blood come to the surface of Wufei's skin making the bronze color become a shade darker. It took me a minute to remember that Elves could be somewhat territorial over things and people they considered their own. Even with my Sixth Sense wielding its trademark clue bat, I still found it a little difficult to believe that Wufei, after so short a time, felt that way about me. Worse, I wasn't entirely sure what I thought about that. True, my instincts seemed to be in charge when it came to the entire group, but I wasn't so sure that my instincts were right. I wanted them to be, but what I wanted wasn't usually what I got.

Some unspoken understanding happened between Trowa and Wufei but I wasn't sure if it was because they were communicating telepathically, or if it was something on a level I couldn't understand because of the time they'd been together. Either way, Trowa smiled a little secretive smile at the two of us, causing Wufei's flush to darken, and got gracefully to his feet. "I have some things to attend to. I'll leave Wufei to take care of you, Duo." He looked directly at Wufei. "Take him near the stream - there's some shade there - and make sure to give both of his legs a good rub down before taking him for a quick walk in the stream. That should help get his legs back under him."

Before I could protest, Trowa had disappeared into the trees, moving so silently that I was only able to track him a short way before my hearing didn't register his movements any longer. Most Elves were like that. I barely had time to wrap my arms around Wufei's neck as he lifted me. He wasn't much taller than I was but he didn't have any problems with my weight. Just as quietly as Trowa had been, we were moving quickly away from the noises of the camp being made. I was a little afraid of being left along with Wufei because I was fairly certain that, left alone, I wouldn't have much luck in keeping my instincts at bay.

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Wufei finally somewhat reluctantly, put me down in the shade of a large tree. Then, without a word, he knelt and removed my socks and boots. Once they were out of the way, his fingers dance over my feet, chasing away the pain as they worked their way up my legs. By the time they were mid-shin I was purring in-audibly, and when he got to my knees, I'm sure I sounded like an angry hive of hornets. But I couldn't stop myself. When he made it to mid-thigh I couldn't keep myself from pouncing on him.

I knocked him on his back, straddling his legs and rubbing against him in every way I could. He wasn't mine, just like Zechs wasn't mine, but I still marked both of them. Anyone with a decent sense of smell would know they were claimed. Wufei had gone completely still and that helped me come back to myself enough to pull back slightly and look at him. The effort left me shaking. When I saw that his eyes were completely black, his lips were open slightly, and I smelled the lust rolling off him in waves, it didn't help me stay there.

How embarrassing... It took more than it should have to stagger to my feet, and when I did I couldn't look at him. "Th-thanks for your help. I'll be fine, th-thanks." With that I took off, not bothering with my shoes. My feet were calloused enough from going without boots whenever I could that I didn't really need them unless I was in the city. In cities, if you went without shoes, people noticed and they asked questions. Questions were always bad.

I took to the trees as if I had a Dragon after my tail. My claws easily gave me purchase on the branches and trunks as I sped away as rapidly and quietly as possible. Something I was well-practiced at.

I kept moving until the sounds of the camp were only on the edge of my hearing and then I curled up in the highest branch I could find that would sustain my weight. I couldn't claim that I didn't have a few scrapes, scratches and bruises, but it wasn't my physical well-being I was worried about.

The few times I'd been involved with someone else, it'd never been anything like what was going on with Zechs and Wufei. And I couldn't deny that I wanted it to happen, but being a Guardian I had to have their respect and there was no way I could get that if I just automatically rolled on my back for them. What would Quatre, Heero, or Trowa think of that? It hurt so much that I curled tighter around myself.

Lady Helen had known a great deal about Kitcos and she'd told me when I was younger that my body would eventually go through changes before I chose a permanent mate. She'd never told me that my body would choose my mates for me and that those chosen might not even care for me as a friend or person much less a life-mate. I couldn't seem to keep my eyes from burning, but, somehow, I managed to keep the tears at bay. Something I was grateful for when I heard the light, approaching steps of an Elf through the trees. At first, I thought it was Wufei and froze, but I gave the air an experimental sniff and knew instantly that it was Trowa. Something that still wasn't good but at least it was better than if it had been Wufei... or Zechs. So I didn't run, for a lot of reasons, but mainly because I was certain that they wouldn't stop looking for me until they found me again. My Sixth Sense was nodding sagely but with a smug look on it's face that somewhat ruined the effect. Bastard.

So I waited until Trowa caught up with me, landing on a branch beside mine, giving me plenty of room to breathe. For a moment we just eyed each other; him crouched on his tree limb - watching me through his bang - and me, curled up on my own branch - watching him over my puffed up tail that was hiding my entire face except my wide eyes.

When he spoke, it was calming, almost soothing. "How old are you, Duo?"

I blinked. "Sixteen."

He nodded and sighed. "I should have realized... You know, you're right. As a whole we don't know much about Kitcos, but during my training I did learn a few things about the physiology of Kitcos. You said you weren't a kit but that isn't really true, is it, Duo?"

I tried to sink into my tree branch. "I've seen more than most and I had sex a long time ago... I'm not a kit."

The sex comment seemed to bother him but he chose to let it go. "But a Kitco doesn't actually go through the physical changes of maturity until they're sixteen or seventeen. With their first heat they become adults. You'll be going into your first heat soon and you've already marked Wufei as your mate."

"Zechs." It came out a bit mumbled but I knew that wasn't the reason for his shocked _expression.

"What?"

"Wufei and Zechs."

"Oh." The word was neutral, but I heard more in it than he'd probably ever intended.

Suddenly the tears I'd forced back broke through and I was a mess. "I-I didn't mean t-to! I-I couldn't s-stop! I know what'll happen... they'll s-sleep with me and l-leave and then none of y-you will ever r-respect me and it'll all g-go back to h-how it was before and I'll be a-alone..." My Sixth Sense was bashing its head against the wall, but I just couldn't seem to believe what I was saying could be wrong. When I felt strong emotions, they could sometimes drown out what my Sixth Sense tried to tell me.

Trowa managed to somehow gather me up and get both of us to the ground so that he could hold me without putting our lives in danger. I couldn't stop crying which made me fell like an idiot. None of the others seemed all that much older than I was but they didn't appear the type to start blubbering their eyes out at the drop of a hat.

I must have spoken that out loud without realizing it because as I ran out of tears and hiccoughed into silence, Trowa snorted, not allowing me out of his arms even though I tried to pull away. "Kitcos mature slower and differently than Elves, Dwarfs, Humans, Sprites, and any of the other races. Sprites mature within five to six years, Humans hit puberty around ages eleven to thirteen usually, and Elves go through a rite of passage at age twenty that lasts until they're fifty. As to ages; I'm about seventy years old and Wufei is around sixty-nine. Zechs is nineteen while Quatre's almost eighteen and Heero is about a hundred."

I gaped. I knew Elves and Sprites were long-lived but I hadn't imagined... and honestly it didn't make much sense that the Guardians were so different in ages when six were born each lifetime. I mentioned as much to Trowa.

Trowa smiled at me fondly, like an older brother would. "That actually means that a new Guardian is born at the end of an old Guardian's life. We've been looking for you for about fourteen years... Well, most of us have. Quatre actually started looking when he was six, he nearly gave everyone heart-attacks when he up and disappeared." His face softened when he mentioned Quatre. "Normally, new Guardians are found extremely early, the eldest one that was found before you, was about eight years old at the time. So it's understandable that we were anxious to find you, especially after Zechs and Quatre were found nearly the day of their births. Anyway, if you look at the ages of the Guardians, you're the youngest in both age and physical maturity and considering the hormones in your system right now, because of the changes you're going through, a few tears are unsurprising."

Despite myself I began to feel better because of that information.

He didn't let me off that easily though. "You, Zechs and Wufei need to talk..." I cringed and he tightened his arms around me slightly. "You choose them instinctively Duo, so tell me, have your instincts ever let you down before? Not likely. I may not know much about Kitcos but the common thing that I've always encountered is that if a Kitco tells you to duck, you duck. It could just be instinct or it could be something else... but do you really believe either Zechs or Wufei would just leave you like that? Especially after you gave them something so precious..."

"No but I feel..."

Trowa nodded. "I know, that's why the three of you need to talk."

I peered up at him through my bangs. "What about you, Heero and Quatre?"

He blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Why don't you three get together, like you so obviously want to do."

He looked really sad all of a sudden. "Heero thinks Quatre and I are too young for anything and he refuses to let anything happen. He may be right about Quatre but..."

"Quatre's almost eighteen and you just told me he's physically mature, and he seems mentally mature as well..."

Trowa went very still. "I did, didn't I?" He seemed to be thinking about it for a moment before blinking at me. "We're not talking about me though, we're talking about you talking to Wufei and Zechs..."

"Have you told Quatre that, you and Heero think he's too young..."

Trowa sighed, "You're incredibly stubborn."

"You should talk..." I normally wouldn't have said that to most people but many of my inhibitions seemed to be nonexistent when it came to Trowa and the others.

He blinked down at me and slowly smiled as he shook his head. "Alright, I'll talk to Quatre and Heero if you'll talk to Wufei and Zechs tonight, on one condition."

I peered up at him through my bangs, ears turned to Trowa in interest and uncertainty, body and tail still. "What's the condition and why do I have to talk to them tonight?"

He looked as serene as a monk or priest. "The condition is that you use your instincts or what you call it..."

"Sixth Sense."

I caught something flashing through his eyes, astonishment maybe, but before I could be sure it was gone. "Sixth Sense, and tell me what Quatre will think if I do..."

"What about Heero?"

He tugged my braid slightly and tapped my nose but he was smiling in that big brother way again, so I didn't really mind too much. "I wasn't quite finished, Saekki. I was going to say that I wouldn't mind if you could recommend a way to change Heero's mind. And, as to why you need to talk to Wufei and Zechs... think about what happened between the two of you and just how Wufei would react to having you run off right after something like that."

I didn't need to think about how Wufei might have reacted like because my Sixth Sense was only too happy to inform me at the top of its lungs, complete with fan-fair, now that I was finally listening to it again. Wufei would have felt guilty about the whole thing, automatically thinking he'd done something wrong or unwelcome, and he would have gone to Zechs. Zechs wouldn't have been angry with Wufei because he knew his lover too well to think Wufei had done what he'd claimed but my running away, as well as Wufei's reaction, would have worried him. He would try to calm Wufei down but Wufei would think that what he'd done deserved punishment... basically, it would be a mess that I would be going back to. "Oh no..."

"Yeah."

I rubbed my eyes with my fists and sighed. First I'd deal with Trowa's questions then I would deal with the situation I'd accidentally created. "We'll head back as soon as I tell you what I can about Heero and Quatre." Once he nodded I pulled away so I could sit on the ground in front of him, before I continued. "The thing both you and Heero have to realize is that Quatre loves you both." That wasn't something he'd known.

"He..."

I raised a hand to quiet him, trying to get everything my Sixth Sense was joyfully throwing my way. It was almost like it was spring cleaning; which, it may have been, since I rarely asked it anything. It was difficult to sort through it all. "He matured early and has known he was in love with you since he was twelve; he's also sensed, not just what you and Heero feel for him but what you feel for each other. It's because of the later and the lack of interest the two of you have shown in him that he's managed to convince himself that he's projecting what he feels for you into what he feels from you. It's hurting him because he wants you to be happy, and because of that he's been trying to subtly convince Heero that you aren't a child and that you're well aware of what you want, without actually interfering in the relationship the two of you have. However, it's slowly tearing him apart, thinking of the two of you together without him. If you continue to do what you've been doing it'll slowly kill him before he turns thirty."

Trowa tried to interrupt but I bulled forward. "However, it doesn't have to be that way. The key is Quatre's empathy and telepathy. Heero and you need proof, what is more certain than the truth of what you feel?? Neither you nor Heero can argue against what Quatre feels for you or what you feel for each other if you're able to experience it for yourselves."

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I blinked up at Trowa, and frowned into his worried face as I tried to remember how I ended up on my back with my head in his lap. I couldn't remember anything after telling him what I'd said to answer his question.

"Saekki? Are you okay?"

It took a moment for me to nod. "Just tired, I'm not sure I can move just yet. What happened?"

Oops, wrong thing to say, he was frowning now and I could feel his power as he quickly checked me over, though he'd probably done it once already. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"Answering..." I yawned in the middle of the sentence and had to resist the urge to curl up in his lap and sleep. "... your questions."

"After that you just keeled over in a dead faint. Are you sure you're okay?"

I nodded again. "Fine, just tired."

He was looking at me weirdly, but he just nodded slowly and gathered me up in his arms. "Then sleep until I get you back to camp."

I pawed at his chest a little. "Wake me when..." Yawn. "... we get there so I can talk to Wufei and Zechs. Okay?"

Still looking at me strangely, almost in awe, he nodded again. "Sure."

As I curled into him I remembered something else that had gotten through. "Oh, and Trowa, it's going to rain tomorrow. A couple of hours before sunset. Heavy rain... a mudslide's going to hit the trail we're taking..." I fell asleep then, wondering why my Sixth Sense was contented to be quiet for the first time in my life.