Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Rivendell ❯ The Encounter ( Chapter 6 )

Title: Rivendell 6/?

Author: Sony_Mouse

Pairings: 1+2+1

Warnings: Fusion (of sorts), Tolkien LOTR Characters, violence

Archives: GWA (if you want my fic, you can have it, just tell me where your site is)

Disclaimers: ALL characters belong to either Sunrise, or Tolkien (or in a way, Peter Jackson. :)

Author's Notes: You know I spent three hours this morning on the internet trying to avoid doing the one thing I was dying to do, write this chapter. And that's me in a nutshell, I'm even lazy when it' something I WANT to do. HOWEVER my procrastination allowed me to find some cute pictures (which I'll post at the bottom) of some of the characters in my story (Elladan, ECT). I think now you'll have a better appreciation of just how lazy I am, and how AMAZING it is that I'm actually getting these chapters out so quickly, and if any of you were fans of my earlier work, you might actually already KNOW how long it usually takes me to get out other chapters (that said, those other stories WILL be finished before I write ANOTHER story. I promise. :)

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Not smiling in the least, Duo leaned down to pick up Heero's discarded cloak and mashed it together in a ball. He then threw it hard at the rangers face before leading the band of hungry Dwarves to the south where they were get some dinner.

As he stalked past Heero, he quickly muttered something only that only they could hear. "You have amazing luck today Ranger. First to be saved by Orcs, and then by Dwarves, I wonder who will save you when we are finally alone!"

Chapter 6: The Encounter

"When you encounter difficulties and contradictions, do not try to break them, but bend them with gentleness and time."

-Saint Francis de Sales

The long silent walk until nightfall went by much quicker than Duo would have liked. In no time the mixed band of Human, Elf and Dwarves alike, were settling down for their evening meal. Immediately the Dwarves started to talk cheerfully and loudly amongst themselves, happy to be getting a warm meal.

As promised, Duo presented the group with much of the food King Thranduil had given him before leaving the Wood Elves. He was not happy in the least with having to share it with them, but he was true to his word at all times and made their meal as pleasant as possible. This basically meant that Duo didn't speak a single word while he prepared the supper, knowing that as soon as he did a fight would quickly follow.

When he finished the preparations, Duo announced that supper was ready to be eaten, and he silently left the large group of Dwarves so that he could sit as far away as possible, while still in eyesight of the group. He didn't take any food with him since he wasn't feeling particularly hungry at the moment, nor did he want to have any conversation with Heero or any of the Dwarves.

Heero picked up on this quickly and gave up on his own supper to get a chance to speak with the upset Elf, but Duo never gave him the chance. The moment he would even step in Duo's direction, the Elf would put up a hand in warning that it would not be wise to speak with him at the present moment.

Since Heero still felt horrible about what had happened earlier, he would sit back down without argument, and try to ignore the loud conversation of the Dwarves next to him. He felt like Duo was slowly torturing him as he waited to be reprimanded for kissing him. Duo's promise of death almost looked like a pleasant alternative compared to this. Heero didn't even bother to try and hide the way he felt anymore. He felt simply wretched, and it showed clearly on his face.

Heero also wanted to be left alone, but couldn't leave the Dwarves alone with their supplies, even if they had saved them. Because of this, the Dwarves were unwilling to let him be. The one sitting directly next to Heero nudged him slightly with his gloved hand, and commented right away on what the problem was.

"You really are a fool! You love him don't you?"

Heero snapped his head around with a deadly look in his eyes, he thought he was now beginning to understand why Elves were so easily annoyed by Dwarves.

"What I feel for anyone is none of your business."

"You were a fool to fall in love with him. Any Dwarf alive today could have told you that the Heir of Voronwë would despise any Human who had the misfortune to meet him. Why did you think you would be any different?"

Giving the Dwarf a look of disbelief and anger, Heero tried to ignore him again and turn around, but found he couldn't.

"I never said I loved him, you're assuming something you know nothing about."

The Dwarf took another bite of his supper and began to chuckle loudly. "We Dwarves may be no better fools than you sometimes, but we're not blind. I saw you kiss the Elf." This got Heero's attention. "Yes, I had been sent ahead to see what the disturbance was, we heard your loud voices yelling and they sent me to investigate, and that's when I saw you kiss him. It was odd enough at the time because he was an Elf, but now that I know who he is, I just find it ridiculous."

"So, I kissed him!" Heero tried to make it sound as if the Dwarf was still wrong about the while matter. "That doesn't mean I love him!" Heero then suddenly spoke much quieter to himself, almost forgetting that the Dwarf was even there. "He's right though, I am disgusting . . . To have forced that on him. I'm no better to him than any Human he ever met long before me, and nothing will ever change that, not matter what I do."

"Now you're the one who's blind! You had to have bad taste, not only do you pick an Elf to love, but to pick him out of all of them. You should at least admit that first."

Turning back to glare at the Dwarf, Heero decided he'd had enough of this. "Will you be silent! I have no wish to discuss this with you or anyone else." He then stood up and began to walk away from the prying Dwarf.

"Have it your way, Ranger! But you do love him and despite your bad choice, you have to ask yourself, why hasn't he killed you yet if he hates you so much? I was there, I saw the battle with the Orcs before my comrades came to help. He saved you when you'd lost your blade. He could have let you die, but he saved you instead. So unless this journey you go on now specifically requires your staying alive, I'd ask myself why he let you live? And why he now sits far from you, scared to even have you approach."

Heero stopped dead in his tracks, but he didn't turn around and only bowed his head down sadly. "He saved me out of habit, nothing more."

"The Heir of Voronwë is not in the habit of saving any Human life."

"It doesn't matter, he plans to kill me as soon as you are gone, he's said as much."

"Did the Orcs damage your mind when you were attacked? Why would an Elf care about killing you while Dwarves are near. He could throw his dagger now at your throat and we would not be able to defend you, nor would we have time to seek revenge for you death. Elves do not care about the sensibilities of Dwarves. You may be a fool to have fallen for him, but maybe he doesn't hate you as much as you think."

Nodding his head in acknowledgement of the Dwarf's words, though certainly not in agreement, Heero walked away from the warm campfire and laid down on the dirty ground to sleep. The Ranger would not have been surprised in the least to have found himself dead that very night, despite what the Dwarf thought, but even that did not stop him from finding himself deep within the realm of nightmares within the hour.

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Heero awoke very early the next morning by force of Duo nudging him hard in the side with his shoe. Heero immediately sat up, but remained silent when he noticed that Duo had a finger over his mouth, telling him not to speak. Duo motioned for the Ranger to follow him quickly and quietly.

As they left the small campsite, Heero noticed that there was not a single trace that they'd ever even stayed there for the night, probably thanks to the Dwarves, who had left soon after they'd eaten.

Duo and Heero had walked a short distance away from the camp when Heero had suddenly heard the sound of horses approaching at a rapid pace, he assumed that was what Duo had heard long before. Pulling Heero's arm, Duo brought him to a large tree that had a small dirt cave tunnelled beneath it. Throwing his spear into a small dirt opening, Duo then jumped in legs first, signalling Heero to hurry up behind him.

The small tunnel-like-cave had most likely belonged to some animal who had long since moved away, or so Heero hoped, and it was just barely big enough to hide the two of them safely from view. Unfortunately for Heero, to fit into the tunnel, he'd been forced to crawl, legs first, over Duo. He was now lying uncomfortably on top of him with only his forearms for support.

He tried to give Duo a bit more freedom by moving around in the tight space, but this only caused Heero to be more even more aware of the body that lay beneath him. Duo looked sharply up at him, warning him with eyes to be still.

Heero tried his hardest to do just that, but the reality of the situation soon shook him to the core of his very being.

Someone, he guessed even Duo didn't know who, was in the area, maybe even after them. It was too far South to be Wood Elves, and too far east to be Lothlórien Elves. This information wasn't at all what worried Heero so much. When were they not being chased?

The fact was that not only had the Dwarves already left, but Duo had kept him alive. Just like that Dwarf had said he would. Instead of killing him in the night, Duo had woken him and brought him to safety.

The reason why it worried him was that it only worked to remind Heero of other more pressing matters, such as the fact that Duo now lay beneath him with every inch of his body toned body pressed against his own in a very telling way. Heero knew it was wrong to think this way, especially in their current circumstances and after what had happened yesterday, but Duo did something to him, and had done so for weeks now. Just the thought of Duo near him made him want to hold him, or kiss him, or even just run his hands through his long hair.

Heero risked a look into Duo's eyes and knew immediately that Duo wasn't thinking the same thoughts as he was. The Elf was glaring up at him with all his worth, as if he knew what the Ranger was thinking.

If Duo hadn't known what he was thinking before, he was to soon find out.

Duo had a light flush growing in his cheeks from the running they'd just done, or from something else, and Heero found himself captivated by what it did to his face. Not only that, but the scent of the Elf so close to him was making it hard for him to think. Besides the kiss he'd forced on Duo, they'd never been so close to each other before, and certainly not for so long. Try as he might Heero couldn't prevent what was going to happen, he could slowly feel the lower planes of his stomach start to warm, and at the same time, his member start to harden. He knew that just being this close to the Elf would make his body react this way, and feared that it might be enough incentive for Duo to go ahead and try to kill him.

Heero gazed down into Duo's eyes, waiting for the reaction he knew would be coming, but saw nothing in them at all, just a cold hatred directed toward him, the same as usual.

This all changed as soon as Heero slowly started to feel something softly travel up the sensitive part of his inner right thigh. He shuddered at the feeling, but didn't move an inch, not sure what to make of it. He highly doubted that Duo was overjoyed by his obvious interest in him and had decided to go along with it.

The more Heero felt it move up his leg, the more he tensed up, feeling himself harden even more despite himself. He knew it was wrong now more than ever, but he really couldn't help himself. He let out a soft strangled gasp as the feeling of that something touching his inner thigh left, and he suddenly felt a sharp object press dangerously into the side of his groin. It had been Duo's Elven Knife.

Heero closed his eyes as he cursed, knowing he'd gotten himself into a bad situation. When he reopened them, there was a twinkle in Duo's own eyes, and he suddenly felt dread.

"You would be wise to control your body when we are in a dangerous situation Ranger. If you want, I could teach you a lesson right now that would prove my point."As he said this, Duo put a bit more pressure on the dagger, enjoying the barely controlled grunt of pain that Heero let out when he did so.

Feeling that there was really no point in hiding what he felt after what he'd done the day before, and now this, Heero decided it was a good opportunity to talk to Duo. He may not live to get another chance.

"I can't help what I feel for you! I know how much it disturbs you, but it's not something I can just make go away."

Duo had the look of utter confusion on his face.

"What are you talking about? What you feel for me? Let me make myself clear Ranger, if you can't control your Human lust, then I will just kill you right here and now. I can find out what's happening in the South easily enough without your aid. Don't think that you're that special."

If Heero had been able to move enough, he would have pounded his fist into the ground. "It's not just lust I feel for you! If it 'were', I might be able to forget about you for one single moment. Every night I dream about you, every day I think about you. Even as you stare at me right now with hatred in your eyes, I want only for you to smile at me just once and know that I'm not your enemy."

Not sounding quite so sure as before, Duo held fast to his dagger and replied.

"You should have thought about that yesterday, or did you think it would be fun to brake my trust as soon as you'd gained it."

"I was frustrated yesterday! Yes, you said I had gained your trust, but then you fought me on every decision, insulted every thing I chose to do, and even reminded me every few minutes just how much you despise everything about me. I'm sorry that I 'broke' your trust yesterday, you don't know how sorry I am! But if you could even know half the pain I feel right now, even just a fraction, you'd know what it feels like to love someone so much, and then be told by that person what a disgusting being you are, inside and out. I love you Duo, do you even know what that means for me? I have never even considered loving someone who was male before I met you. You confuse me greatly, I don't know what to think when I'm around you, and somehow this just makes me love you all the more."

Duo's look of pure anger suddenly turned into an expression of shock and uncertainty. Not once had the thought that Heero might want him for anything more than lust. That's the way it had always been with Humans, he'd seen it with his own eyes countless times in the past. He didn't even know Humans could love!

But then again he'd also never met any Human quite like Heero, and as much as he hated to admit it, the Ranger had not once lied to him. Heero had travelled by his side the whole way from Rivendell, he'd saved him on more than one occasion, and no matter what had happened, even learning that their quest had been a failure, he'd always trudged onwards. Before yesterday, Duo had more than just trusted him, he'd actually respected him.

Realizing this, Duo didn't really know what to think anymore. He slowly withdrew his dagger, but didn't put it away completely, keeping it safely at his side. He then looked up into Heero's eyes with a look that was equally intense.

"I don't love you, Heero." Duo said with conviction in his voice, noticing how Heero's whole expression seemed to fall when he said this.

"I know." Heero replied calmly.

Duo wanted to end the conversation right there, but for some reason he hesitantly continued.

"But I don't hate you either, Heero . . . even now! You know I wanted to kill you!"

Again Heero nodded his head, showing that he'd known this as well. "I know, I thought you would."

"I almost did. As soon as the Dwarves left, I walked over to where you lay sleeping, prepared to slit your throat, but I couldn't go through with it. I think that gives me the right to hate you even more than before, yet I still don't. You scare me, Heero. More than any other man has ever scared me before, and it's 'because' I can't hate you."

Heero looked down at the most vulnerable expression he'd ever seen in his life. Duo's face held more hopelessness and uncertainty then it ever had before, and it only made Heero love him twice as much, if that were possible. He wanted to comfort him, he wanted to hold him, he wanted to do a lot of things, but in the end he knew that there was one thing he wanted to do above all of rest.

He knew he'd promised never to do it again, but looking down at Duo now, he couldn't help himself. Heero slowly leaned down, and with the softest of touches, kissed Duo lightly on the lips. He'd barely touched him before he kissed him again, another soft kiss that was full of care and endearment all at the same time. He wasn't trying to prove anything to Duo this time, he just wanted to kiss him because he loved him, nothing more, nothing less.

Heero kissed him a third time, but stopped when he noticed that tears were threatening to spill from Duo's eyes. He didn't know where they had come from, but he now just stared into those wounded eyes.

A single tear escaped and rolled down the side of Duo's face to hit the dirt below him, and with that it was if Duo had suddenly lost control with himself. He started to kiss Heero back with a passion he didn't even know he had possessed within himself, lifting his head to meet with more pressure against Heero's rough chapped lips.

No questions were asked and Heero eagerly accepted what Duo was offering him for the first time, choosing to now lay completely flat against the Elf's body so that he could cup the sides of Duo's face with his hands. Kissing him with more intensity then he'd ever dared before.

He was lost now for good, there was no way Heero could ever go by another day without tasting Duo's lips at least once. They were the most enticing thing he'd ever laid eyes on, and he was damned if he'd let Duo go now.

The option was quickly taken away from him when Heero suddenly felt someone grab the cuff of his cloak and haul him out of the small tunnel to punch hard in the gut. Heero doubled over in pain without even getting a look at his attacker, his breath had been completely knocked out of him.

Before he could regain even that, he felt the same fist crack against his head, and he was flung to the ground by the force of it. He lay there on the ground, blood dripping from his temple, ready to receive another blow, but it never came.

As soon as the loud ringing left his ears, Heero heard the sound of Duo yelling at someone to stop attacking. This didn't make much sense to him since Duo was more the type of person to attack someone himself then try and convince them not to fight.

It was then that Heero finally looked up into the smoldering grey eyes of the young Elf Lord Elladan. He was being held back by both his brother Elrohir and Duo, but was struggling wildly to be let free.

"I'll kill you!" Elladan was screaming, all sense lost to him. "NO, I'll make you hurt so badly you'll wish I'd have killed you!"

Heero remained on the ground for a few moments, and tried to look as impassive as usually. As if he didn't really care that his supposed ally had just tried to beat him senseless and was now issuing death threats. He then stood up as casually as possible, wiping the blood from his temple as he did so.

"You better be able to explain yourself "Friend'!" Heero said with warning in his voice.

"I'll kill you! I saw what you did to him! I'll kill you now with my bare hands!"

Elrohir, who had actually not seen Heero kissing Duo, didn't know what was going on, but knew his brother was defiantly not in the right at the moment.

"What are you talking about, brother? The Ranger has clearly done nothing wrong, why else would Duo be defending him?"

This caused Elladan to stop struggling immediately, as if he'd forgotten Duo was there. He pulled himself out of his brother's hold, and placed both his hands and Duo's shoulders, gripping then frantically

"Are you alright, Duo? Have you been harmed in any way? Where are your horses? Why didn't you return to Rivendell? Why are you heading even more South when Aragorn has returned to Rivendell with the very news you set out to tell him? Has the Ranger forced you to go South with him? Don't be afraid of him. We're here to take you back now."

Felling more annoyed then he should, Duo pulled away from Elladan's grip and took a step back. "I'm perfectly fine and have gone south to seek out more information in the South, out of my own free will!"

Elladan looked confused, as if there was no way Duo could be fine. "But I saw him! He was

forcing himself on you." Duo turned away from the small crowd to hide what he was feeling about the whole situation. "I don't know what you saw Elladan, but Heero didn't force himself on me."

Elrohir, always the light-hearted one of the twins, let out a small laugh despite the intensity of the situation.

"You see Elladan, all this fighting for nothing. Duo is able enough to handle himself." He then walked over to Duo and gave him a warm hug, happy to see that his old friend was well. "Do not worry Duo, we weren't really checking up on you like my brother says. We were sent South by our father to follow down the Silverlode river and to see if any traces of Nazgûl could be found."

Duo gave a look of surprise. "The Nazgûl? You mean to say the Ringwraiths have come back? The very same from Ages past? Why would they have come now, and why are you searching for them?"

"Much has happened since you left our House, Duo. Four small Hobbits have turned up on our doorstep with a the one ring of power. The Black Riders had hunted them the entire way to Rivendell, but were destroyed in the nearby Ford. My father wants to make sure that Ringwraiths are now all accounted for and has sent us, and many other Elves, in search of them anywhere in these lands."

"It seems like a lot HAS happened in my absence, and I'm sure it is well connected with the Evil rising near the borders. But let's talk about this later, we have not even had breakfast before we ran to hide from you." He wanted to discuss it more about the events with the two Elven brothers, but had to stop himself when he saw a still upset Elladan glaring at a quiet Heero standing off to the side.

Duo felt very confused about what had happened earlier in the small earthen tunnel, and still had such mixed feelings when it came to Heero. For the past few weeks he'd felt more and more of these feelings and had known that they'd boil over soon enough, but he had been afraid of what it would reveal.

When Heero had confessed his thoughts, Duo had suddenly been at a loss. He didn't even know where the feelings had come from, but one moment he was admitting how frustrated he was not being able to hate the Ranger and then suddenly he'd felt defeated in front of him, but he hadn't even known what he'd been defeated by. He'd just felt strangely vulnerable and unsure about himself, and had immediately welcomed Heero's comfort and soft kisses, not really knowing that he was doing so. Yet at the same time fully conscious of it and feeling an overwhelming need to kiss the Ranger back.

He didn't really know how far it would have gone, had Elladan not interfered, but he knew he never wanted to find out.

Duo had actually believed Heero's words from before, and still did even now, but that wasn't the issue anymore. Duo's life was complicated enough without his confusing feelings towards a Human.

A big part of him was overjoyed that Elrohir and Elladan were now here to prevent anything further from happening, but another smaller part of him couldn't bare to look at Heero standing there completely rejected like that. To Duo's great surprise, it was the smaller part of him that won out, for now at least.

He walked over to where Heero stood, shielding him from Elladan's eyes. "We should stay with them until our paths separate again. That way we can exchange information."

Heero nodded, not once making eye contact, much to Duo's relief and disappointment. In the end it just managed to anger him. "Don't you have any opinion in the matter? We could also avoid the Silverlode and continue going directly South if that's what you want!"

Heero now looked up, his intense blue eyes silencing Duo's rising anger at once. The Ranger then grabbed Duo's hand in his own, knowing it was out of view from the two Elven brothers who could easily hear every word the spoke.

"I will go along with whatever you decide from this point on, Duo. I'm a stranger in these parts, and you are the one whom I chose as my guide!"

Duo knew right away that he wasn't talking about the journey at all, and quickly withdrew his hand before Elladan could see it. Heero obviously knew that Duo was still confused at the moment and wanted to reassure him that he wasn't going to force anything on him anymore.

"What is he talking about, Duo? It was my father who chose you to guide him! And if I recall correctly, the Ranger wasn't too happy about it."

Duo turned to face Elladan, not sure what to think, and even less sure what to do. Making up his decision for the time being, he shrugged light heartedly and began to walk up to his fellow Elf, grasping Elladan's hand with the same one Heero had held himself only moments before.

"Who knows what runs through the minds of Humans! Now tell me all about your trip from Rivendell, I've missed you greatly, Elladan."

Elladan happily forgot all about Heero and walked off hand in hand with the one person he'd been in love with for years.

Only Elrohir remained to witness the look or badly concealed pain pass over the forgotten Ranger's entire face.

TBC . . .

Well this chapter was shorter than the rest (by a good two pages) but maybe the kiss scene made up for it (then again maybe not, but in that case I PROMISE two EXTRA pages in the next chapter. :)

Ringwraiths: Well if you haven't read the book, or seen the movie, the Ringwraiths, or Black Riders, or Nazgûl were kings that have been so corrupted by the power of evil rings that they never died but only passed over into the spirit world, still clinging to the mortal one. They can't be seen by Human eyes, but wear LONG black cloaks so you know they're there :)

You probably won't hear anymore about them in my fic. They're not really a part of it.

Elladan and Elrohir: I did NOT change the course of the books for this. It clearly states in the book that once Frodo and the rest arrived, Elrond sent out Elves to account for all the Ringwraiths. He sent Elladan and Elrohir to go along the Silverlode. But when they returned, they wouldn't tell anyone BUT Elrond what they saw. So I say they saw Duo :)

That said, I found this LOVELY picture of them on mediaminer.com

http://www.mediaminer.org/fanart/view.php?id=111557

Drawings: Since my last chapter two absolutely WONDERFUL PEOPLE whom I love now have drawn me pics from my story.

JennM

http://www.mediaminer.org/fanart/view.php?id=120982

and Kris

http://www.mediaminer.org/fanart/view.php?id=120985

Thanks to both of you.

Again, send comments because I love knowing what you think.

Sony_Mouse@hotmail.com