Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Phantom ❯ Chapter 5 ( Chapter 5 )
Phantom
Chapter 5
Heero climbed up to the catwalk just fine, and then walked out to the center of the great maze of wooden planks and ropes. Soon, he found himself no longer alone, but with the Phantom beside him. "Fallen One, you truly are lonely aren't you?", the Phantom asked.
"Yes, I am.", Heero replied back.
"That is because you have lost the one you loved once didn't you?", he asked.
"I did, and shall never have another.", Heero replied.
"Is that why you want to turn your cheek away from me so quickly?", the Phantom asked.
"Yes.", Heero replied.
"I see, well, at least give a poor lost soul a friendly ear to hear it's tale.", the Phantom replied, "I was human. Once. Before the accident that crushed me alive. I was rather social yet, could never bring myself to tell the one I loved, that I loved him.",
A pause seemed to linger forever into the predawn hours. "I lived through the accident though, but not without punishment. I was scarred for life, I could have gone into society again as I was. However, I did not, I knew my love wouldn't accept me as I was. I had died inside when I knew that. I couldn't be with people.", the Phantom continued, "I spent years moving from place to place, until I found this theater, run by two kind old gentlemen. However, they sold this to your two friends, and left. I found myself alone, a person watching society from behind a window pane, every night I wondered if he felt the same as I.", the Phantom licked his dry lips, "It took years to grow back the hair that I believed he loved to brush to feel between his fingers every time I gave him my consent to do so. Though, I have a grave, I still have lived, as always evading death.",
"Did you once have a name?", Heero asked, not looking at the masked face.
"I did, once, but haven't been called by it since the day I was buried.", the Phantom replied, leaning close to Heero's ear.
Heero could feel the warmth of his breaths as his lips came close to touching Heero's skin. "You want to know my name, Fair Knight? Then tell me what I want to know.", the Phantom whispered seductively, "Now, the person you loved died and yet told you he loved you in some form, right?",
Heero nodded, feeling the puffs of air upon his exposed neck. "I want to know even if this person was disfigured in some way, the worse way possible, would you still love him?", the Phantom asked.
"I would, even if he was the most hideous thing in the world, I still would love him.", Heero replied, "If I could still love him....",
"You will Hee- chan, you will.", the Phantom replied.
Heero whipped around to find nothing there, "Duo....",
.....
Quatre watched as Heero paced back and forth frantically trying to explain everything that the phantom had told him. Quatre just nodded, "So our Phantom is actually alive?", Quatre asked.
"Yes, why else would he need money, the guy's got to eat.", Heero replied, "That's not it though, the Phantom, I know who he is.",
"You do? Well, who is he?", Quatre asked.
"Well, remember, he's been warning us about hazards since we started to renovate this place, right?", Heero asked.
"Yes.", Trowa spoke looked at Heero worried.
"He's been doing that because he doesn't want us hurt.", Heero replied, "Because- because.... Because the Phantom he's- he's Duo...",
"What?!", Both Quatre and Trowa said at the same time.
"He's Duo, apparently, he faked his death because he was disfigured, and didn't want anyone to know. But, he left me standing there on the catwalk by myself before I could react.", Heero said, getting excited now.
"Are you sure?", Trowa asked.
"It's him all right, he's the only one who ever called me Hee- chan, remember?", Heero said, now grinning from everything, "That, and his casket was closed the whole time at his funeral.",
"Right.", Trowa remarked, "It makes sense now why he would want his coffin closed.",
"So, if this really is Duo, and he's faked his death like you say he did, then why tell you now who he is?", Quatre asked.
"He's- he's been lonely, on the move, and apparently he settled here where he thought would be the last place to see me.", Heero replied, "It's him, it has to be.",
"Well, what are you going to do, Heero?", Trowa asked.
"I'll wait for him to come to me.", Heero replied, "He doesn't want to be alone anymore, don't you get it, he feels like he's an outsider looking in upon us and doesn't want to be that anymore.",
"Okay, Heero, but you know this might be a little longer than you want.", Quatre replied.
"I know, but it's better than never seeing him again.", Heero replied, "We could plan another costume ball, it worked the last time didn't it?",
"I don't know, Heero, he might not want to this time.", Trowa shrugged.
"We'll still do it anyway, it sounds like it could work.", Quatre said, "Besides, it'd be nice to see the Phantom knowing it's Duo this time.",
"I have to go shower.", Heero replied, walking off, as Trowa couldn't help but notice with a little more bounce in his step.
"Do you think this is the right thing to do?", Trowa asked.
"It can't hurt to try, Tro, besides if I were Duo and you were Heero right now, wouldn't you want us to do the same thing?", Quatre replied, hugging Trowa close.
"I wouldn't wish it any other way Kat, any other way.", Trowa whispered kissing Quatre lovingly.
End Chapter: Next Chapter, the ball, and Duo shows Heero why he decided to stay at the old opera house.