Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Pain of Life ❯ Epilogue ( Chapter 20 )

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

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing. It is the property on Bandai. I just use the characters every now and then, but return them to their rightful place.

Pairings: 3x5, 13x4, 1+2

Rating: PG-13, for some swearing.

Author's Note: Sadly, this is my last chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it and will enjoy this last installment as well.

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The Corrections Officer looked up at the man that had walked up to the desk, his eyes watching over him in a bored manner. He only pushed out the sign-in sheet for visitors for the man to sign. When he was done, the officer dared to take a peek at the inmate that would be graced with his company. He only chuckled, with a shake of his head. His gray eyes looked back up to the gentleman, offering him a smirk.

"So, you're you one of his old junkies?", he asked, his chuckling continuing.

The man wasn't amused, and he showed him that by narrowing his eyes on him coldly. At the look, the officer's antics stopped and he sighed as he stood to unlock the door. He eyed the long braid as the man walked through, wondering about it for only a moment, before he was locking the metal door again. Then he was leading him to the visiting room, showing the man to a booth.

"He'll be right in.", he told him, before leaving him alone.

"Thank you.", it was the first thing the man had said since he got there.

The officer raised an eyeborw at the accent. This guy wasn't even local. Yuy's "business" must have been bigger than they thought. With a nod in response to the man's gratitude, the officer left him to resume his post at the front.

Duo watched the man leave. He didn't much like him and was glad that he was gone. Even with anger management, he was still easily bothered, and the officer had rubbed him the wrong way. Violet eyes were pulled to look behind the thick glass that was positioned between him and the other side, and he saw an officer leading prisoners in.

Their eyes connected the moment Heero walked into the room, dressed in the bright orange jumpsuit assigned to every inmate. A bit nervously, Duo watched as the man drew closer and then slowly took his seat. He hadn't seen Heero in three years, and he wasn't so sure what had drawn him here.

The news of the Japanese man's imprisonment had reached him via a letter from Noin, and he had wanted to come then, but had decided against it. He had been trying to start his life anew, and if he had come back, he didn't know if he'd have gotten that chance.

Heero lifted the phone off of the hook, and with a tilt of his head, signalled Duo to do the same. Duo did so, a bit unsure if he had even made the right decision to come here. Heero was a part of his past that he had tried best to forget, the man having been responsible for the majority of his drug addictions. However, even in three years, the man had a strange hold on him. He could call it love, but he didn't think such a thing could really exist between he and Heero. Perhaps, just a deep understanding of each other?

As he lifted the phone and pressed it to his ear, he watched Heero offer him a smile, but he couldn't return it. At the moment, there was nothing to smile about. He looked down at the table top, feeling as if he had made a mistake in coming here.

"Duo."

The call of his name drew his attention, and he looked up again to Heero, whose smile had faded. He could tell that Heero wasn't so sure about this either, if not a little surprised to be seeing him again.

"It's been too long.", he said, Duo only shrugging.

"Three years.", he clarified.

Their eyes locked and Duo couldn't help but wonder what exactly the colbat-eyed man was thinking. Heero on the other hand was thinking along the same lines as Duo. He had never expected to find Duo in front of him again. At least not after their faling out of sorts when they had last met. It felt good, was the only way that Heero could think of describing it, to see Duo's face again. He had to admit that he had missed him.

Jail-time had given him all the time he needed to reflect back on his life and he had found that he had done some pretty stupid shit on his part. The worse he would have to say was to Duo and his younger brother, who had a restraining order placed on the Japanese man after the night of his arrest. It was too early to say that he was a changed man, he was still dealing, but that was as a means of surviving inside prison walls. He would proudly claim however, that he was changing.

He himself had stopped the heavy stuff, though every once in a while he did smoke some marijuana. He was trying to quit though, but that had turned him into a chained cigarette smoker, which he knew he'd have to quit soon enough as well. He was amazed that he was alive. Surprisingly, drugs hadn't taken his life and neither did anyone on the inside. He already had quite a few enemies, but luckily enough for him, he had managed more allies.

It was still lonely on the inside and there were a couple of things that he missed. Sex, was one for example. Though he knew there were many "bitches" that he could gladly trade for, he had rather take comfort with his own hand. His eyes looked to Duo then, who had kept quiet the entire time of Heero's musings. He hadn't realized how much Duo had actually meant to him until the other man was gone.

"Where'd you disappear to?", he finally questioned, deciding not to waste their short span of time with silence.

"I don't think that concerns you.", Duo answered back, a bit defensive.

He still didn't want Heero to know where he had gone, uncertain of what could come to pass if he easily let Heero back into his life again. Akward bond or not, Heero could still be considered a danger to him.

"It's not like I can come and get you.", Heero said with a smirk, though he was a bit bruised that Duo wouldn't tell him, "I'll be in here for a long time."

"And whose fault is that?", Duo questioned him, a small frown on his face.

Heero chuckled, recognizing that the braided man's accent had gotten heavier. Duo had gone back to his first home. He'd pretend he hadn't figured it out.

"Why couldn't you just listen to me?", Duo's voice was low, a mixture of emotions Heero couldn't decipher himself, "Why didn't you just stay away from him?"

Heero didn't have to ask who Duo was talking about. It was obvious that the man hadn't been informed as to why Heero had been landed in jail, so it was understandble that Duo would so readily assume that Heero had gone after Wufei. The last he had truly thought of the boy was when he had seen Wufei in court.

"Is that why you came here?", Heero was asking him, "To see if I had intended to harm your brother and was caught?"

He gave a small laugh, but Duo stared back at him with his frown set.

"I admit, I assaulted him.", Heero was confessing, still confused as to why he thought he had to explain himself, "But I never did anything else. I didn't even try, because it wasn't on my mind. . .at that point in time."

"And now?", Duo seemed to hold a desperation that Heero couldn't ignore.

"Now I'm in here.", Heero said with a shrug, "Your little brother is safe and sound. I was busted for dealing and Wufei testified. I don't blame him. It was probably for the best."

"Probably.", Duo solemnly agreed.

Silence fell between them, and as it passed on, Heero wondered if he shouldn't have said those last words. He realized then, that it had hit Duo harder than Heero had expected the man to take it. He was soon feeling guilty and he knocked the glass to get the man's attention, as Duo had taken to staring down at the table top.

"Why'd you really come here?", Heero was asking, his tone serious and yet curious, "What's on your mind."

Duo was suddenly at a loss for words. He didn't know how he could answer this question, and he had tried his best to plan something to say before he got here. That hadn't worked out as he hoped and in the end, he just knew that he was here to see Heero. Perhaps he didn't have anything to say at all?

Though, that wasn't true. The past few years had been comforting, knowing that he was starting over and getting on with his life. He had been putting his dark past behind him, not truly forgetting but at least learning to live with it as a memory. The only two things that had stuck with him were thoughts of Heero and Wufei. He had long accepted the teenager as his blood, his kin, and had took to thinking of him fondly.

The boy had graduated from highschool, the main reason for Duo's return to the U.S., and would be going off to college when the summer was through. Duo had been proud of him; no, he was proud of him. So was Nana, who he had promsied that he would one day bring Wufei back to Ireland to at least meet her once. She warned him that even though it seemed like it, she wasn't going to live forever. She wanted to know every grandchild she had, no matter the manner in which they were born.

Along with thoughts of Wufei, Heero had made his presence known. There were many nights that Duo had just laid n his bed, awake and thinking back to his time spent with the man. There were mostly negative memories, with anger and resentment. He did however hold very few good memories, which he had reluctantly held on to.

Heero had been his first friend, his first sexual partner (as well as his only), and regrettably he had found himself caring for the man in an odd way. Heero Yuy was all he had known and he guessed what he needed was some sort of closure. He had met someone else, but found it hard to get as close as he wanted.

There were questions he needed answered and he felt the need to let Heero know that he was ready to move on. Yes, closure was definately the word. He couldn't cut his ties, knowing that there were things left unsaid.

"When I get out of here, will you be waiting for me?"

Heero's question seemed to have given him the opportunity to begin his final farewells. He was as nervous as hell, but this had to be done, no matter how hard it seemed at the moment.

"I've met someone, Heero.", he announced, his voice still a bit unsure.

Heero's face took a frown of misundertstanding at Duo's words and he would have questioned, but Duo kept going.

"He and I, we'd like to become more than friends but, I can't seem to say yes.", violet eyes looked up at Heero, "Not until you and I have come to terms, of sort."

"What the fuck are you talking about?", Heero demanded, a bit confused, "I-"

"Did you ever have feelings for me, Heero?", Duo interrupted him, willing to move this along.

Their time was running out; visiting hours would be over soon.

Heero's frowned deepened at Duo's question. He had to say that he had been asking the same question to himself a times when he thought of the braided man, but to hear the question come from Duo's mouth was a sort of shock. That as well as someone else had come into the picture of Duo's life. He did admit to having a possesive streak and knowing that there was was someone else ruffled his feathers, so to speak.

"Duo, this is bulshit.", he began again, but Duo was quick to cut him off again.

"Just answer the damn question, Heero!", the man demanded imaptiently, "Please!"

Heero refrained from scowling at the outburst, allowling his temporary upset to drain away, and he sighed as he leaned back into his chair. His colbat eyes studied Duo, who sat waiting for his answer, and Heero had to contemplate what Duo would decided if Heero told him the truth. If he admitted his feelings to the Irish man, would a chance to rectify his past actions be given? There was only one way to find out.

"Yes."

There it was. In one simple word, Duo had his answer, and he somehow he knew that Heero wasn't bullshitting him. He would have went on to his next question, but Heero beat him to the punch.

"I still do.", the man further admitted.

That put Duo in short moment of stunned silence, but as he thought it over, it wasn't that hard to believe. He himself still had feelings for the man in front of him. That was why he was here after all.

"What about Wufei?", he asked Heero, since that subject was still tickling the back of his mind.

Heero snorted, knowing he should have expected this to come up again. He had been a sick bastard, or rather was, since there were the occasional moments when he couldn't help but think about the ebony-locked boy. He really didn't know what to say about him, but he figured he could manage something to give Duo peace of mind.

"I was fucking you, wasn't I?", he offered, watching Duo frown.

"It's not like you didn't try.", his violet-eyed friend was accusing.

Well, it was true and Heero was guilty of wanting another, but it had never happened. With others yes, but he was always came back to Duo, no matter how far he strayed. It was plain to see that that wasn't enough of an arguement and he refrained from using it.

"What do you want me to say?", he ended up asking instead.

Duo only shook his head, finding that it was the most he would probably get from Heero. At least he had gotten his answers, perhaps now he could actually move on.

"You've said enough.", he told Heero, bringing their conversation to a close.

"Do you love this someone else?", Heero was quickly asking, his curiousity getting the best of him.

Duo stopped ror the moment, trying to figure out what Heero meant by asking him that.

"I care for him.", Duo admitted, "I could fall in love with him."

"Well, I loved you; remember that.", Heero ordered him with a smirk, "I still do."

He stood from the seat as the guarding officer announced the end of the visiting hour, while Duo sat dumbstruck, watching as Heero turned to leave. As the orange-clad man reached the door to return to the cells, he was stopped by the banging on the glass window, turning back to see Duo staring back at him.

Duo's violet eyes were holding back tears, even though the man held a relieved smile on his face, which Heero returned.

"Thank you.", came the muffled words, a single drop running down Duo's cheeks, "I love you, too."

It was good to hear and Heero nodded his goodbye before turning away to return to his cells. He regretted that he wouldn't have Duo when he got out of here, but it made him feel a bit glad to know that Duo wouldn't really forget him. It would hurt for awhile, but that hurt was just part of the pain of life.

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"Congratulations!"
Wufei couldn't help but blush as his family congratulated him on his graduation and acceptence into NYU. He was happy to have their support and he thanked them all as they stood around the picnic table. The small celebration was held in the backyard of their new home, Treize and Quatre having decided that an apartment in Manhatten wasn't suited for family life. So they had moved to Long Island a year ago.

"I'm proud of you, Wufei!", Quatre exclaimed, clinging to the boy in a nearly crushing hug, "I can't believe it's been three years."

As Quatre released him, he felt a hand on his shoulder and he glanced up to Treize who smiled down at him with pride. He had to say that Treize had become the father he had never had. Though Zechs called Quatre as such, Wufei thought of Quatre as somewhat replacing the mother he had lost; or as much of a mother that he could be, being a man and all. The blond man was like a mother hen at times, always worrying over and coddling him. It was a bit much at times, but he appreciated it all the same.

"Finally, he's out of the house!", he heard Zechs teasing, Nalini propped up on his shoulders giggling.

"A bit more privacy for your dad and I.", Treize put in, his arm going about his husband's waist.

"Pops!", Zechs objected in pure horror, "Please, spare us the images."

Wufei chuckled as Zechs was further teased, a bit distracted that he nearly missed when someone came up beside him. He turned to smile up at his boyfriend, who leaned in to give him a kiss and Wufei accepted. Trowa had drove in from upstate, where he was attending college, having graduated before the smaller boy. They were at first wary about the long distance relationship, but they had lasted three years, they were confidant that they would last longer than that.

"Ew, they're kissing!", Zechs blurted, egging on their younger sister.

She eagerly joined in and Wufei only snorted at Zechs' childish behavior. The two ended their kiss, but stayed arm in arm as Quatre took to cutting the cake that was bought for the occasion. Things continued on in a light mood, and near the end of it, Trowa and Wufei found themselves sitting on the front porch to watch the setting sun.

"I can't believe how far we've gotten.", Trowa said, breaking the silence, "I mean, we've been through so much, you especially, it's sort of unreal that we're here now."

"I know what you mean.", Wufei agreed, leaning onto Trowa as they sat together, "I can't describe it."

Their privacy was interrupted by the sound of a car pulling up to the house, both boy's curious as to who it could be. Wufei soon recognized the car, and he stood with a smile, leaving the porch and Trowa behind to greet the woman who drived it. However, he stopped in the walkway as the driver climbed out, revealing that it wasn't Noin after all.

Ebony eyes watched in disbelief as violet eyes smiled back at him, Duo circling the car to stand on the sidewalk.

"Duo?", it was still hard to believe that the man was actually standing there. He hadn't heard from him in three years.

"Did you miss me?", his brother asked with a grin.

Wufei couldn't stop himself as he went rushing forward and Duo's arms were reaching out to catch him. From the porch Trowa watched in silence, a small smile on his face as the two borthers embraced, giving them their space for the moment. Wufei pulled back to look up at his brother, still unsure if he was dreaming or not. Duo only smiled back at him, noticing that his younger brother had gained a few inches. It had been awhile since he'd seen him last.

"I heard you're all grown up now.", Duo said with a laugh, pulling away to ruffle Wufei's hair, "Off to college are you?"

Wufei couldn't help but laugh at his brother's accent. He hadn't heard one that heavy since their father had died.

"NYU.", he announced, Duo's grin growing broader.

"I'm proud of you.", Duo told him, pulling him into another hug.

Wufei succesfully held his tears at bay, even if they were happy tears. He pulled away at the sound of someone coming closer and he looked back to find Trowa had taken the chance to come closer.

"Duo.", he called pulling his brother's attention, "This is Trowa."

Duo studied the boy quickly, nodding in recognition as he took the boy's hand to shake it.

"I remember you.", Duo said, his grin broadening, "I apologize for the last time we met. I was a bit of an ass back then."

"All's forgiven.", Trowa assured him with a smile of his own.

"You better take good care of this one here.", Duo told Trowa, his head nodding to Wufei.

As Trowa took Wufei into his arms, he promised Duo that he would with a smile. The three of them were soon looking to the porch where Treize and Quatre were watching them, a bit wary. Wufei had remembered how Quatre had met Duo and Treize was unsure of him as well, even with Noin's assurance that Duo was no longer a threat.

"I best be on my way.", Duo said softly, his eyes returning to Wufei, "I don't think your dads take to me much."

"No.", Wufei objected, taking hold of Duo's arm, "I want you to be here. Come on."

He didn't wait for Duo to object, he started pulling the man towards the house and dragging him up the porch steps, Trowa following behind them. His adoptive parents looked back at Duo in uncertainty, the violet-eyed man nervously standing before them. Wufei took the initiative to start the introductions.

"Duo, these are my parents, Treize and Quatre.", the boy began, before looking to said parents, "Baba, Dad, this is Duo, my brother."

There was a long moment of silence, which Wufei was growing nervous himself, before Treize was the first to break it. He stepped forward, offering his hand, which Duo slowly took in a handshake. Quatre, after a nudge from his lover, did the same.

"I've heard we've started off on the wrong foot.", Treize began, offering a gentle smile, "I believe it's time we start over. Would you like to join us?"

Duo looked between the two men in front of him and Wufei. He hadn't planed on staying, he had only wanted to see how Wufei was doing.

"I wouldn't want to intrude.", he quietly answered, a nervous laugh escaping him.

"Please stay.", Quatre insisted, silently shocking everyone else, "It'll mean so much to Wufei if you did."

His violet eyes were looking to Wufei, whose pleading look couldn't be ignored and he grinned to his brother, before turning it to the boy's guardians.

"Who would I be to turn you down?"

Wufei was relieved as he watched Treize take to guiding Duo around to the backyard, Quatre following them only after embracing Wufei. The boy supposed it was the man's way of telling him he was glad things were turning out as they were. He was left alone on the porch with his boyfriend, the banged boy wrapping an arm around Wufei's shoulder.

"Things are finally looking up, aren't they?", Trowa asked, placing a kiss on Wufei's temple.

The sloe-eyed boy gave a small laugh in agreement, turning to fully embrace his lover. Trowa was right, things were finally going good for him. Life didn't seem so painful anymore.

Owari

I can't believe I finally finished this. It's actually over. Thank you all for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it. I appreciate those who stuck with me for so long and those new readers as well. It was really a journey writing this. Now I have to finish the rest of my fics. :P