Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Goodbye Yellow Brick Road ❯ Part Twenty-Three ( Chapter 23 )

Part Twenty-Three

Heero awoke gradually to the familiar sound of soft voices.

His eyes opened slowly and turned his head away from the harsh sunlight, resting his cheek in the soft grass.

Duo heard him moan softly and shot over, throwing his arms around his sore body and squeezing him tight.

"You're okay, you're okay!" he cried joyously.

Then he dropped him and put a hand on his hip.

"Now what's going on, Heero Yuy?! I'm sick of not knowing anything! You better tell me--"

"Cut him a break," Wufei suddenly spoke. "He just woke up."

Heero gave him a grateful look, which Wufei glared it away.

Though he didn't like Heero and thought he was a bastard, Wufei was human. He wouldn't want to wake up to Duo's squeals.

"Where are we?" Heero asked as he realized he was clad in nothing but a light pair of pants.

"Contrary to your beliefs, we're not *stupid* and knew people would be upset to see you come in with all that blood on you. We got off the road and into the forest. Found a small stream and washed you up."

"How long have we been here?" Heero spoke, trying to ignore the annoyed and spiteful tone of Wufei's voice.

"Not long. A few hours."

"Where's Quatre and Trowa?"

"Searching for something edible, in case we have to stay here longer," Wufei growled. "They're not your charges. You don't have to pretend to worry about them. I think they'll be able to manage on their own, Heero Yuy."

Heero sighed. This wasn't what he needed right now.

Suddenly Duo fell down next to him and snuggled against his body.

"I was worried," he whispered. "Maybe Wufei could live without you, but I don't know what I would do."

Heero stroked Duo's soft hair and realized how truly adorable he was. He basked in Duo's glory as Wufei glared.

How come he didn't get mad and shoot some wise crack back at him???

Then Quatre and Trowa reappeared, carrying a bag.

"You're awake," Trowa observed.

Quatre say down near Duo and Trowa followed suite, setting down between them the enormous amount of berries they had gathered.

"What happened out there? That man was so strange.... It was like trying to weave through water when I attacked him," Quatre spoke quietly.

He tried to sit up, but was still very sore. Duo saw this and helped him out.

"I...I was hoping I'd have time to tell you all of this. I wasn't expecting it so soon...."

Duo watched Heero intently.

Maybe he would shed some light on the shade of his mind.

"You know I am an Incarnate, however you don't know that in one of my past lives I was Shukan."

There was a loud gasp from everyone--including Wufei.

"That's why that...thing...called you that!" Quatre exclaimed excitedly.

Heero nodded. "I suppose that is who he sees me as. The way I saw that he was Treize as we dueled. Not snaked headed, but young. Brown hair and crystal blue eyes. I think his appearance has to do with his death."

Quatre nodded. "You're right. He died because he was bitten by a snake. He was once the ruler of Yuotain. I know my history...."

Heero nodded. "I guess I was right.... I think that each of us was once someone greater.... However, I'm not sure. I'm not going to pretend I have *all* the answers." He shot a glance at Wufei, who glared steadily back. "If this is true, then it's someone who was of your Art. Shukan was, after all, an Earth Artist, though he was in touch with the spiritual world. Which might have had something to do with his lover, but I've never seen anything of that from the past...."

Heero gave them a moment to digest what he had just said.

"Shukan once wrote a book of prophecy. He knew it would be destroyed in fire, but he had to try anyway. Needlessly said, it was burnt.

"The prophecy said that five, the Sha-Zraj-Ni, roughly translated from H'sung meaning 'The Five Bodies Chosen for Rebirth', would rise to meet the Zher'Nak. A rough translation being, 'The Keeper's of the Gates of Hell'."

Duo had drawn his knees to his chest, hugged them and began to rock slowly back and forth.

"Basically the prophecies were predicting the rise of the Zher'Nak, the battles between them and the Sha-Zraj-Ni, and the end of, well...life."

Trowa held Quatre against his chest. Wufei sat numb to the previous discussion.

Duo kept rocking....

Back...forth.... Back....

"I won't cry," he whispered. "I'm not scared.... I can handle this.... I won't cry...."

"He lies."

Everyone turned to look at Wufei in disbelief.

Wufei stood.

"He could never have defeated one of the Zher'Nak."

Then Wufei walked away.

~~~

Wufei did eventually return after their 'dinner' of berries that Quatre and Trowa had discovered.

Duo was a little disappointed they weren't going to be eating real food or sleeping in real beds, but he didn't say a word about it. It was selfish and there were more important things to worry about.

No one talked to Wufei. Frankly, they all feared him a little. He was strange and distant. The whole experience had affected him dramatically. His entire belief system came crashing down and it had affected him hardest. He need some balance, more than the others, and to know he wasn't even who he thought he was.... It crushed him.

"Heero?" Duo whispered in the quickly fading light, stumbling to find him.

"Yes?" Heero asked, looking over.

Duo sat down next to where he lay and looked down on him.

"I'm confused.... Will they all be that easy?"

Heero shook his head. "I don't think so. They probably increase strength with number."

Duo pondered this thoughtfully. "Oh, then I suppose that won't be so bad," he spoke with a light smile. "We'll get stronger too."

Heero smiled back at him as he rested down against his side.

He stared up at the thousands of stars in front of him. So beautiful....

It wasn't fair.

Here he was just beginning to live, and now the phrophecy which fortold the end of life came into play.

How many more days would he have to stare up at the beauty of the stars?

"Heero...." he whispered suddenly. He was running out of time for living....

"Yes?" he replied just as softly.

"Have you wondered what it was like to be kissed?"

Heero paused. "I've kissed several times."

"Ah...." Duo answered. "That's right.... You had a girlfriend...."

"You've never been kissed?" Heero asked, sitting up and staring down at Duo, so beautiful.... The moonbeams danced across his delicate features, catching in his eyes and reflecting from the pale purple orbs and into his soul.

Duo shook his head slowly. "Of course not. Well, no. I've been kissed when They raped me, but that.... That couldn't have been what kissing is...."

Heero shook his head. "No."

They were both very quiet.

"If you want I...." Heero started, fading off.

"I wouldn't get any ideas...." Duo returned gently. "It wouldn't be a love thing...."

Heero lightly stroked his cheek, brushing back a few whisps of honeybrown hair.

Then he slowly lowered his head and let his lips touch Duo's hesitantly. He opened his mouth a little more and let his lips suck tenderly on the soft, sweet taste of Duo....

Then he realized how much he was enjoying the simple kiss. He backed off, blushing heavily and turning his head away.

When Duo didn't say anything, he turned back to look at the other boy.

His eyes were closed, a light blush across his face, his soft lips still parted a little. He looked so enthralled.... He looked so beautiful.

Slowly his eyes opened and he looked over at Heero through half closed lids.

"Thank you...." he whispered. "I wanted to experience it before I died...."

Heero looked at him questioningly.

"How many of those stars do you think are in the sky?" he murmured.

"More than someone can count in a billion lifetimes," Heero replied as he lay down next to him once again.

Duo let his head fall against Heero's shoulder as he stared into the sky.

"How much longer do you think we have to stare into the sky and wonder how many stars there are?"

Heero paused. "As long as we want...." he answered. "Forever...."

"Let's count the stars.... I don't want to fall asleep...."

Heero nodded and stroke Duo's bangs rythmically as he began to count.

"One.... Two...."

~Til Then~