Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Of Fortune Tellers and Full Moons ❯ Of Fortune Tellers and Full Moons Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

"Duo, stop…." Heero murmured in his sleep, well, he was half awake already due to the wet tounge that was licking his nose rapidly. A sudden howl made the japanese boy jump onto his two feet. That kicked the little wolf off the bed. It howled as well, but much more silent. After the boy looked around in the room, his mind came back to him as he realized that he was still in his room, alone. Then he realized the howling animal on the floor.

"Oh, sorry, little one." Heero apologized before lifting the petite creature and putting it onto his bed.

"You can't tell me where your `big brother' is, can you?" the japanese boy asked, knowing that the creature couldn't understand him. He heard another howl from outside and as the little wolf howled as well, the japanese boy got an idea. Racing out of his room, he quickly took a fleshlight and bolted out of the house, running as fast as he could through the forest. He remebered that there was a quite large hill in the middle of the forest. He had seen wolfs around there some time ago. Maybe Duo was there.

Out of breath, Heero finally reached the place and quickly turned the flashlight on, looking for Duo. Why am I doing this here anyway? He asked himself. Duo could take care of himself, So why was he looking for him? But all his thoughts were forgotten as a long chestnut braid shimmered in the light. Duo!

Heero carefully went forward, not wanting the other pilot to see him. As he got closer, the howling, which continued the whole time, got louder and louder. Finally he reached the top of the hill and saw Duo from behind - howling. The braided boy was crouching on the hill and howled over and over, making the other wolfs do the same.

Heero had to smile at the sight. His companion as the leader of a pack of fierce animals. Well, they weren't really fierce. Especially the little one in their room. Just as the japanese pilot thought about the wolf, something furry brushed his jeans, making the boy turn around.

"Little one.." the boy whispered before bending down to stroke the animal. It caught Duo's attention.

"Heero?" The boy asked urprised. " What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to make sure you were okay since it's really cold and I wasn't sure if you were dry enough." Heero blurted out, wanting to sound cold, but he really sounded worried, although he couldn't explain to himself why he was worried.

But Duo smiled at the explanation. Heero was worried. Maybe the short haired boy was finally learning to express himself a bit towards other people.

"I appreciate it that you are worried, Heero. And don't deny it. I can hear it in your voice, Heero. You are worried about someone. And I'm happy about it." The braided boy smiled.

Heero just turned away, somehow a bit hurt that Duo knew how he felt. Hurt? He asked himself. I'm not hurt. I.. my pride.. that's the one thing that's hurt. Duo just hurt my pride. But what is pride? Why do I need it? It just causes troubles and hurts the one… the one I care for. Yeah… that's what the fortune teller told me. I care… for my comrades. I care for them as a friend. But Duo… I think it's more than just caring. But what is it? Is it… is this what the lady meant? Love? What is love? A strong care for others, the wish to share his feelings with someone who feels the same. Do I wish for someone to care for me in a higher way than friendship? This is not what I was trained for. Is it why I want it? Humanity has the strong will to have what they can't get or don't have. Is it my human nature that asks for more than friendship?

"Heero?" the worried voice got Heero out of his thoughts. "What's wrong? Why you're making a face like that?" Duo pointed at Heero's serious expression.

"Nothing…" Heero murmured. A cold breeze made the boy shiver slightly.

"Heero?" Duo looked at the boy in front of him seriously.

"Hm?" Heero tried to surpress the slight trembling. He was perfect! Oh wait, there was the silly pride again.

"Let's go home." Duo suggested smiling. Heero just nodded. To his big surprise, Duo suddenly lifted him up into his arms.

"Duo!?" The japanese boy asked surprised.

"We will be faster like this." The cursed boy smiled and started to run. Cool, Heero thought, really fast. And before he could think any further, they were already at the front door of the safehouse. Pushing the door open, Duo carried Heero up to their room.

"Uh, Duo?" Heero asked in the middle of the stairs.

"Yeah?"

"… why are you carrying me all the way?" the japanese pilot asked confused.

"Dunno… I just wanted to do it." Duo smiled.

"Oh, okay…" Finally, the braided boy opened the door to their room and laid Heero down onto his bed. After that, Duo went to close and lock the door.Heero set up, staring at the door. The boy looked at Duo confused, his eyes asking the question his mouth didn't want to ask.

"I know that you want to tell me something. And I want to talk to you as well. So I want the two of us alone in this room, without any disturbance." The braided boy explained while he sat down besides the short haired pilot.

"What do you want to talk with me? I mean, about what?"

"…… Heero, your expression, just a few minutes ago, when we were in the forest, it was … so tensed, bothered, worried… I want to know what you were thinking about that it made you tense so much." Duo's voice sounded very worried, which made Heero wonder…

"Why are you worried, Duo?" Heero asked first.

"Why? Such a silly question. Because I care, Heero. I ……… I care for the one's who are called my friends. I care for the people I respect, I care for the people I love. I care for those who trust me, and those I trust. I care for…you, Heero." Duo looked at said boy with the most adorable expression Heero could have ever thought of. The braided boy looked really …lovely. Very serious, but sweet, almost cute.

"Why do people try to love someone when they don't know if that person loves them too? Do they want to get hurt? I mean, aren't they afraid that they could be refused?" Heero blurted out. That made Duo smile lovingly.

"So that's what you worried about. Love. I'm not an expert, but it seems that you have been hiding from your emotions for the past few years. I just wonder why you are thinking about it lately."

"Well," Heero explained, "it's because of you."

"Huh?!" Duo was really surprised.

"You know, the fortune teller, she told me I had to learn to show people that I care, and she said something about love as well. But I still don't understand it. If I don't, then your curse won't fade." Heero finally stated.

"Oho…" Duo began thinking about what he had just heard. Then he started to smile. "I have to thank her for that then."

"Why?"

"Because you really can hurt people if you act like you were emotionless. It hurts especially those who care for you most. For them it seems like all their caresses are dull and nothing. And they start thinking that they are worthless for the person they care for." The braided boy explained while bowing his head slowly.

"Do you care for me so much, Duo?" Heero asked curious. It took some time but slowly, Duo nodded.

"I care for you more than any other pilot, Heero. You asked why people loved people when they aren't sure if their feelings will be returned." Heero nodded before Duo continued.

"Well, you can't change feelings on impulse, Heero. You can't control emotions like you can control a Gundam. If you really love someone, then you do so. And of course people hope that their beloved person returns their feelings. And they risk to be refused because they don't want to be alone Heero." Duo sighed before continuing.

"Everything is better than to be alone. Loneliness is something very bitter. But it is even more horrifying if you have loved someone before and the person left you alone again. You know what it was like, you know what you miss. That's worse than before. But still, people live for that little time they have together, because they enjoy it as long as it lasts." The cursed boy stopped to look at Heero. The japanese boy had bowed his head and was definetly thinking hard.

"Then friendship is better than a relationship." Heero suddenly stated.

"Huh?" The braided boy was surprised.

"Well, if you have a relationship then it won't last too long and you feel bad afterwards. That's what you told me more or less." Duo nodded. "Okay. But if you have a friendship, you have a wonderful time as well and the chance of a loss is very minimal.So, it's less risky to have a deeper friendship than a relationship." Heero finished his explanation which made Duo stunned.

"Uh, Heero…" the braided boy tried to argue, but was still very surprised by the way Heero was thinking.

"What?"

"You… never had any relationship before, did you?"

"No. Why?" The japanese boy stated flatly, and slowly, Duo started grinning and then he silently giggled.

"Why are you giggling?" Stupid honor, shut up! Heero told himself. His pride was hurt again.

"Well, Heero… if you would have any relationship then you would know that those two can't be compared. A relationship between two lovers is something deeper and more private, more intense than a friendship. A very good relationship often leads to marriage. And I know not a single pair that married out of friendship. You could say that a relationship is the higher form of a friendship, I guess. But on the other hand… not really. Those two are just something very different." The braided boy `hmmm'ed before crossing his arms in front of his chest and started thinking. Heero just looked at the braided pilot while he absorbed every information Duo had told him.

The cursed boy tried to start some sentences with "Well," then he stopped, wanted to continue with "You know…". Then he went over to "You could say…" but stopped again. Heero could have sworn that Duo was thinking more than any time before. Finally, after about five minutes, Duo finally continued.

"Heero…" The braided boy said serious.

"Yeah?"

"……I'm too tired to think about it. Don't you have any other questions I could answer?" The boy said, partly whining, partly begging.

" Yeah… how does love feel like?"

"Huh?!" Duo stared at the other pilot as if he'd grown another head.

" You said that a relationship was deeper and more intense than friendship. How much more?" The short haired pilot asked with a serious face.

"Well… I can't tell because I've never really had one before, moreover you have to feel something like that yourself." Duo quickly explained, feeling a bit unsure.

"…." Heero lowered his head again, thinking a lot. He was getting curious. What Duo told him sounded great, but how should he know what those emotions felt like? Then he thought about the fortune teller's speech again. Over and over. There was just one explanation, one way, one opportunity left. It had to be Duo the woman talked about. Duo cared about him and Duo trusted him. But how should HE show or prove, hell, how should he know himself if he felt something for Duo.

Oh, you coward! Heero cursed himself. You don't have to fear anything. Just try it, damnit!! What could he do to you? If you don't help him, then he could bite or scratch you. That was right. Duo's curse. His mission was lifting the curse from his companion.

"Heero?" The cursed boy asked worried.

"Duo…." Heero sighed.

"What?"

"… I don't know how to say this…." The japanese boy sighed once more.

"Well, whatever it is, just blurt it out." Duo answered cheerfully, not thinking about what Heero could mean.

"Do you want to try a relationship with me?" Heero blushed and bowed his head while asking the question very fast. The braided boy just stared at his comrade as he heard those words. If he wasn't sure that his hearing was okay, he could have sworn his ears were damaged.

"Wh… What did you just say?" Duo stammered, not believing what his ears surely heard.

"I know that I feel something for you, but I just don't know what. Maybe, if I'd try a relationship with you, I could understand what the lady meant AND lift your curse." The japanese pilot explained. The braided pilot bowed his head as he heard those words. A short silence followed before Duo spoke up again.

"You know that a relationship brings along many responsibilities and all kind of other things. It's not something like buying a car."

"I know that", Heero suddenly smiled, "but I'm not buying anything here. I know… I think… I…." He suddenly stopped, not daring to say the next words. Duo just looked astounded at his comrade. And he could have sworn that his ears weren't working as his friend really said those words he had'nt dared to hope for to hear.

"I think… I love you, Duo." As Heero said those hoped-for words, his own mind was racing. All the things the fortune teller told him, all the treats he had received from Duo, all those things rushed through his head and suddenly it all made sense, for him at least, and for the first time in a long time, he, the perfect soldier who doesn't have emotions, felt happy. Happy and contend.

At the same time, Duo's poor mind was overly confused and refused to accept the heard words. In the following silence, Duo's head was working hard, thinking if he could believe it, thinking if he maybe just dreamt.

Feeling unsure how the other boy would react, Heero decided to break the horrible silence. Moreover, if Duo didn't answer, would it mean that he refused him, that he made a huge fool out of himself? The fear was slowly eating up all of the nerves which were still intact.

"Duo?….." his voice trembled and it sounded… as if the perfect soldier was about to cry.

"Heero… do you know what you have just said? I mean… how….when……………. ……… why?" The braided boy couldn't form the right words.

"How… because you were treating me so good all the time and I refused to notice it. When… when the fortune teller told me how to lift your curse. She helped me to understand those funny feelings I had inside me all the time. Why… because you are the most wonderful person I ever met. I just realized it too late. My trained soldier instinct just didn't let me notice what I was missing all the time. And the more I talk about this, the easier I feel. It's like some kind of cage was locking up my emotions towards anything since I was trained. I am sorry for it but I mean what I just said and yes, I know that I've just told you that I feel this intense thing for you called love." Heero finished with a shaking smile and a hug. The japanese boy hugged his comrade and didn't want to let go. He just wanted to whisper something into Duo's ear. Something important.

"Duo… do you love me?" Thatwas something the braided boy didn't had to think of.

"Heero… of course I do." Some tears escaped his eyes as he finally hugged back. "Of course I do, Heero…" They stayed like that, hugging each other on the bed while the moonlight was shining freely into the room. But after a few moments, Duo began to howl loudly and it made Heero pull back in shock long enough for Duo to rush up and stand in front of the bed.

The braided boy was howling like mad, and it seemed that he was in pain. Heero's eyes widened as he suddenly saw Duo's snout becoming shorter again, the ears doing the same and his paws slowly turned into more human-like looking hands. A final scream and Duo collapsed onto the floor beneath him.

"D- Duo?!" Heero said worried, and as he got no answer, he rushed to the boy's side, shaking him lightly. No reaction.

"DUO!"

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