Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Eagle In Flight ❯ Chapter 11 ( Chapter 11 )

This is a disclaimer. Please note the dis before claimer. As in, I make no claim. In other words, the characters in this work are not my own. I'd like to think the storyline at least somewhat original, any similarity to other works, fiction or non-fiction is entirely unintentional.

Eagle in Flight

 

Chapter 11

 

Duo frowned softly and stepped closer to Heero, “Can you tell me anything about what will happen today?”

 

Heero turned, clasping Duo's hand in his, “It will be fine. The bonding will take place in three rituals over the next two days. The first of these is a ritual bath, the second is the first bonding, and the third is a public presentation and the reinforcement of the mind bond between us. The first two will happen today, then we will spend the rest of the day and the night together, before the presentation in the morning tomorrow.”

 

“Okay, and this starts . . .”

 

“Now,” J said, as they came up to a large building in the center of the campus, “Come in, the first ritual must begin.”

 

Duo looked cautiously at Heero, face blank, “Now?” he squeaked.

 

Heero smiled, took his hand and led him into the building, “I swear no harm will come to you when I am near.”

 

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Duo stepped through the door into the building, still clutching Heero's hand and was immediately confronted by a wall of steam, “Woah.”

 

“Shush, it is fine, the baths are always so.”

 

J's voice spoke as the steam cleared, “Come a chamber has been prepared, this direction.”

 

Heero tugged gently at Duo's arm, then started walking after J, “Come, Mine.”

 

Duo looked at him, and indecipherable look in his eyes before following, “I am coming, Heero.”

 

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J led them through the steam to a small chamber off the side of the main bathing hall, separated by a curtain. Upon entering, there were two pools of water in the center of the chamber, and a door off opposite the curtain. J took Heero by the arm, and G stepped up to Duo,

 

“You must release each other now,” G spoke softly, “You must bathe separately, that your joining may be made keener.”

 

Heero looked softly at Duo and then released him, smiling gently “It will not be so long, Mine and the joining will bring closeness and security beyond mere words.”

 

“I trust you, Heero.” Duo's hand released and he stepped closer to G.

 

G led Duo to the side of one of the pools, as J did the same for Heero. Beside each pool were scentless shampoos, conditioners and soaps, and the pools chamber was filled with candles. “Undress” G spoke to them both, “And wash that you might enter your new life clean.” As he spoke, J lit the candles throughout the room, finishing shortly after they both entered the water. As soon as he finished, G turned out the main lights in the chamber.

 

Once the lights turned out, J began to speak, “I am Sentinel, protector and guardian,” He began “For centuries have I watched, and for centuries more will I guard. It is my place, to watch over the people I have claimed as my own, that no harm might come to them. From the depths of the jungle, to the vast darkness of space I watch, for I am the eternal watchman, protector of the tribe.”

 

Seamlessly, G followed him, “I am Guide, protector and teacher. As my Sentinel guards the tribe, so I guard him, protecting him from the blackness of the void. As my Sentinel guards their bodies, so I guard their minds, teaching the young and old alike. My place is at my Sentinel's side, for we are stronger together than apart.”

 

Together they spoke, voices blending as one, “Sentinel and Guide, together we stand, protectors, guardians of the people. Body, heart, mind and soul, these people are ours, given to us and in our care. We will watch over them.”

 

As they spoke, Duo had found his hands moving without conscious thought, cleaning his body. As they finished he stood, hair streaming around him, and stepped out of the pool. At the sound of a splash, he turned, to see Heero rising out of the water. At the sight of him, he felt something rush through his veins, it felt like he was suddenly aware of every person for miles, and Heero's mind bore down on his with a rush of sheer power. Suddenly, he could not bear to be separated from the other man any longer, any nervousness he had felt was gone, there was only a sensation of overwhelming desire.

 

G spoke, “Are you ready to proceed?”

 

Two voices spoke as one, “Yes.”

 

“Then come, young Sentinel, young Guide, and feel the joy of the bond for the first time.”

 

J opened the door at the far side of the chamber, and led Heero and Duo through into a small room, lit by small wall sconces, the only furniture a futon lying on the floor, just large enough for two people.

 

G walked in behind them, and the older pair made their way across the room to another, door. “When you are done,” J spoke “Join us beyond this door.” With that they opened the door and stepped out.

 

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Heero turned to Duo and smiled, “Do you feel it mine?” He spoke as he sat on the futon.

 

Duo looked at him, understanding without words what he spoke of “What is it?”

 

“The bond has begun. The water contained minerals to spark the opening of awareness between us, and draw us into our first cycle.”

 

“First cycle?”

 

“All pairs go through cycles, it is the time when their minds are most responsive to each other. Come to me Mine, My Duo and feel the joy of the bond.”

 

Duo stepped forward, and sat on the futon as well, facing Heero. They touched their hands together and fell into the bond.

 

Duo lay on the futon, as Heero swept his hands along his body, intended not to arouse, but to develop as familiarity with his Guides body, so that he might know if something was wrong. Then Heero lay beside him, head on his chest, listening to the heart beat that he would from this day forward know as well as his own, and drowning in the bonding scent of his guide, rolling it through his nose and tongue like a fine wine.

 

At last, Heero lay beside his guide on the futon, an allowed the final stage of the bond to come over them.

 

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Overwhelmed by the feeling of Heero's mind all around him, Duo barely registered the shift to lying down, or the gentle feel of Heero's hands and head. But when Heero's mind began to change, reaching out to form the first stages of the bond, he noticed.

 

`Heero?' He thought fearfully.

 

`Do not worry,' he felt more than heard, `It is just the bond. I must reach inside your head, and you inside mine, that the first linkages might be formed. The final linkages are not part of the bond, and we will not form those tonight. Come, join with me.'

 

Duo relaxed, and let his shields go, and felt Heero's shields envelop him. As Heero, strove forward, he reached out, and touched that place his teachers had told him all telepathy and empathy originated from, and fell once more.

 

Heero's childhood flew by him, the fear of a youth on the streets, the trust and kinship he felt when J picked him up, the happiness of friends and learning from his time as a student at Ganymede, and then, loneliness, aching years of loneliness as he searched for a Guide. Finally, at the end of the stream of memories, he felt their meeting, a shock of joy, fear at separation, aching despair as Duo resisted him, hope as they seemed to make progress, frustration when they seemed to backslide, then finally at last, the sheer exaltation of the bond.

 

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Heero felt Duo's mind relax and let him in, and made sure the young psychokinetic/telepath was within his shields. Then, reaching out with the extremely limited tele-empathy that was the gift of every Sentinel, he felt for the telepathic centers of Duo's mind, and sighed with bliss as his Guide's mind enveloped his senses.

 

Pain, that was the first thing he felt. The aching pain of hunger, and the more sharp pains that told of unhealed injuries. The pain continued for what seemed like ages, then it gave way, to a soft voice, and gentle hands, and schooling, which were then torn away in a blaze of flame. More pain, than a sharp voice, stealing through it all, “Hey boy, I'm impressed, how'd you like to be a pilot?” Training, and more school, but above it all a goal. Then, the day he met Deathscythe, joy, and wonder, he was free. Finally, at last, meeting Heero. Anger and frustration, who was he to take his goal from him. But at the same time, a muted voice, here was someone who would love and care for him alone, because everyone knew that there was nothing more important to a Sentinel than his guide. That chance at finally belonging led him to go along fairly quietly, do what they told him, and soak up the affection Heero heaped on him. The anger broke out sometimes, but Heero never seemed to give up, always seemed to stay by him. Then, the bond, the heat of the cycle, the comfort of Heero, he wanted nothing else, until that final moment of . . .

 

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Exaltation!

 

The two young men broke out of the bond, newly formed link humming in that shared moment. Voices overlapping, minds entwined, they spoke:

 

“I'm sorry I didn't understand”

 

“I am sorry I couldn't do more”

 

Standing slowly from the futon, Duo walked around to Heero, who was standing closer to the door. Wrapping his arms around him, he lowered his head to Heero's shoulder, eyes misting over. Heero allowed him a moment to compose himself, then stepped back, reaching to raise his head until their eyes met, “That was the past, this is I the future. There is no need to look back. You are here for me now, just as I am and always will be here for you. Let us walk together into the sun, heads held high.”

 

“Is that your polite way of saying it is time to go?”

 

“After a fashion. Are you ready?”

 

“As I am going to be.”

 

Heero, wrapped one arm around Duo's waist and reached out with the other to open the door. “Then let us go.”