Started: March 6, 2001 Finished: March 7, 2001 Disclaimer: *grumbles* The G-boys are about to face my wrath. Poor babysitter has been up 21 hours and on PMS. I have five reports to finish and two high school exit exams to take this week. One will last 5 hours and another about 6 hours. *the G-boys try and hide from Shammy* Me listening to BGC music... *cackles evilly* 1+2/2+1... ^_^ Shounen ai... yaoi soon? Maaaaaybe. AU, fantasy, TWT. Comments! Please!!!!!!!!!! Imminent Fate, part 12 Shamera sitafire@hotmail.com Duo moaned as Heero's tongue made war with his own. The other boy's warmth was almost more than he could take. This was something that he had wanted for so long.. but hadn't taken because he had been afraid. Now he wasn't afraid. He wasn't afraid because no one could hurt him. Not even the boy before him. It felt even better when Heero pulled Duo to him, meshing their bodies together and building the hunger that Duo had kept inside him so long because of fear. A fear that was now gone that he had control. Everything he ever wanted- he was going to have. Everything he ever longed for. It was then that he felt a slight change in the wind behind him. It wasn't enough for him to really take notice, but the pain that suddenly hit him in the shoulder was enough to make him scream. Blood! Blood that was so warm, that had been coarsing inside him, flowed through the shoulder wound that he had recieved. He broke off the kiss with Heero, pushing the other boy away and realizing how much it hurt to do so. Every muscle that he moved in his left arm hurt. In fact, every- where his blood touched burned. His blood felt like hot lava on his skin. Whirling around and ignoring the pain, he realized that the eyes of the Delos' were now on him. In fact, everyone one there was looking at him. He didn't like the look in their eyes either- they wanted to take his control away from him! To make him weak again! Facing the doorway, Duo was not surprised to see NightMare there. Somehow he knew in the back of his head- the part that was still sensable- that the Holy Fire had been to call NightMare in the first place. He remembered hearing the Delos' talking about it. How come he didn't remember this before? "You," he hissed, voice sounding strangely disoriented. He clutched his shoulder, wincing as the pain grew. The blood only ran through his hands, marking them as stained as the dark red liquid ran its path down Duo's body. NightMare did not respond to him the way he thought she would. Instead, the alicorn had a almost furious look in her dark eyes as she lowered her horn as a threat if Duo moved. Although all of Duo's instincts told him that she wasn't going to hurt him, the painful wound in his shoulder proved him wrong. He wasn't going to take that chance again. It was in the corner of his eye that he saw Artemis rush forward and he craned his head to see what she was doing, trying not to take his eyes off of NightMare. Seeing her armed with a bucket of boiling water made his blood turn cold. "No! Don't!" He shouted, but could see that it didn't stop the raven haired girl as she threw the water on top of the Holy Fire, putting out the bright flames. The last thing that Duo was aware of was how pitiful the ashes of the once-bright fire looked. And the feel of Heero as Wing's pilot caught the falling boy. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Heero rushed forward when he saw Duo's eyes roll back as his body go limp. He caught the long-haired boy just before he could hit the ground, having to drop to his knees to do so. The wound on Duo's shoulder, which had been bleeding so much just moments ago, seemed to slow and almost stop. So that was why Duo was behaving this way? The fire? Heero looked up from the precious bundle he held in his arms to the alicorn that stood in the doorway, Duo's blood on her black horn. The alicorn looked shamed, although there was a bright fire of fury that Heero could see that eminated from her. It was one of the Witches- Diana, he guessed, that stopped Heero from threatening the Elysian creature. "Alicorn. We've sent for you." the small blonde girl said quietly. "We are here to tell you of important news." ^So important that you had to place my charge through Cold Fire?^ NightMare snapped at her, tossing her long mane side to side. She looked restless, her legs taking small steps front and back, as if unable to decide whether she wanted to stay or flee. ^You're lucky I got here in time!^ "Yes, but there was no other way of calling on Elysian other than in times of distress to the soul." Diana said flatly. Heero's head perked up at the news. Distress to the soul? That's it, Duo was *never* going anywhere else without knowing *exactly* what was happening and why it was happening. ^So you'd risk sending his soul to the Void?^ NightMare was pissed. ^Are you here to save souls, or to destroy them?^ "We're here to ask you to send a message to the Angels." Diana continued, ignoring NightMare's obvious distress for Duo. "It's souls that we are trying to save, those souls that have been disappearing- unless there was something going on in Elysian which prevented the Angels and other creatures there to see clearly?" NightMare back up a few steps, standing outside the doorway now. ^There has been a few problems.^ "Enough that the souls of the deceased start disappearing?" Diana pressed. ^Enough for that.^ NightMare admitted. ^One of the Angels has dis- appeared.^ There was a slight hesitation. ^The ranks are causing chaos, thinking that someone has stolen an Angel from Elysian. Even if that Angel had already been banished.^ "All this conflict over a blanished Angel?" Diana flat tone was starting to waver, showing disbelief. It wasn't hard to see that she was disgusted to know which souls had higher rank. "What about the hundred souls that disappeared? And is disappearing at the moment?" ^There's nothing I can do for them,^ NightMare snapped. ^If they'd disappeared into the Void, no one can get them back.^ She knelt down her front legs in the grass and lowered her head slight. ^Soldier Heero, come here. I will take both you and my charge home.^ Leto stepped before her niece and spoke, "Can you at least get the message that we carry to the Angels? That there are souls dying here?" Heero had walked over to NightMare and had climbed on her back, stradling Duo in his arms as his legs tightened around the black mare. Night- Mare stood up and gave her wings an experimental flap. Satisfied, she backed up a few steps and looked directly at the Delos'. ^They already know.^ With a few flaps of her wings, NightMare and the boys disappeared. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> ^You have something to ask me.^ Heero looked up at the mare, who had turned to face him. He persued his lips, and placed Duo gently on the bed, moving the boy's hands away from his shirt. "Aa." NightMare lay down on the carpet between the beds and the table where Heero's laptop was, and folded her wings around her. ^Ask. I have time.^ Heero was rummaging through the cabinates, looking for the first aid that they had around somewhere. Finally finding it, he put it under his arm and went into the bathroom, coming back a second later with a pot of water and a towel. He lay the items on the floor and knelt down besides Duo's bed, beginning to tend to the wound. NightMare watched all this intently, studying the soldier. Her horn was now clean, perhaps through the mysterious flight that NightMare had initiated when she said she would take them 'home'. ^You care about him a lot, do you not?^ Wringing the water out, Heero dabbed at Duo's wound and pressed a hand on Duo's forehead when it looked like the boy would be tossing around. He quickly cleaned around the wound and placed the towel back in the water again. There were pink swirls that were beginning to appear. "Yes." ^He does, you know.^ NightMare said quietly. Heero stopped washing the towel out and looked at her, eyes questioning. ^What you're thinking. He does. As much as you do.^ "Aa." Heero went through the first aid and gave out with some bandages. "Thank you for telling me." ^You don't need to hear it from me,^ NightMare admolished. She continued to stare at the two. ^It's useless when it's from me.^ "I'll hear it when he's ready." Heero said softly. ^Hn. Are you ready?^ "Yes." ^Then tell him.^ Heero stayed quiet, bandaging the wound and making a makeshift arm sling for Duo, lifting his head slightly at times. ^There will be a trial coming on. There's always a price when you some- thing. Except for love. There's no price for love. That's what Duo need to know.^ NightMare almost sighed, and stood up again. ^When you... the both of you... need me, I will come. You don't have to go through the Cold Fire to call me. I'm always watching.^ Heero didn't turn to look at her again, but knew that she was know gone. That was how the alicorn was, he supposed. Seeing that he had finished cleaning the wounds, he stopped for a moment. Just watching Duo. There was a joy about watching the other boy that Heero couldn't really describe. He sighed also, and went back to his tending. *I might be ready to say it, but are you ready to hear it, Duo?* <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Cold. It was so cold. Duo curled up on the bed, dimmly aware of his surroudings. He huddled with his arms drawn protectively around his middle, nearing jerking the make-shift sling out of place and ignoring the pain that movement caused. "How is Maxwell?" That was Wufei, Duo's fuzzled mind provided. Wonder why he's asking how I am? I'm just really cold.... "Same." There was an adjustment to the blankets around him. Duo could feel hands tucking in the blankets, and then adding another layer of warmth on top of the thin sheets. He relaxed slightly, burying his face into the pillow in search for more warmth. "Quatre's gone to L4." "I know." "Trowa's gone with him." There was silence this time. Duo could almost swear that he heard a muffled curse. But he quickly dismissed it as a warm towel was added on his forehead, nearly making him sigh in relief. "What happened?" Duo felt a slight shift in the bed and leaned into the hand that was pressed against his neck. Checking his pulse and temperature, he supposed. But then, his mind was really muddled at the moment... "I'm not asking again, Yuy. He's freezing." "I know." "Then answer the question." The venum in Wufei's voice made Duo tense up all over again. He wasn't sure if the room had dropped or raised ten degrees... He heard a chair by his bed creak slightly. There was a hesitation. "The Delos' are Witches." "WHAT?!" "The Delos' are Witches." "I heard you the first time," Wufei snapped. "Then why'd you ask?" Duo could almost see the smirk on Heero's face, and for a moment wondered if Heero had been hanging around him too much. There was movement on the bed before Duo heard Wufei speak again. "Zechs knew." "Yes." "So something happened to Duo." Duo heard the repessed anger in Wufei's voice. "Weren't you supposed to be with him at all times?" There was no response. "Nataku help me, Yuy, if you *allowed* Duo to get hurt-" "I didn't!" The voice was nothing but a soft hiss, but enough for Wufei to register the warning behind it. "I didn't know!" While Duo slowly regained his senses again, he felt the absense of Wufei's weight from the bed. "Quatre and Trowa will be back tomorrow." Shenlong's pilot sounded as tense as a plucked wire. "We'll discuss this then. After Duo wakes up." "Fine." Duo could just *see* Heero's annoyance. "Good night." There was an intense pause. "Same here." There was soft footfalls in the thick carpetted floor, and then Duo heard the door shut. There was silence for a few continuous minutes before the lights were shut and Duo heard bedcovers being drawn back. There was a shuffling noise and then a sigh before the sounds disappeared. Duo didn't move. It had to be an entire hour later before he actually got up the strength to open his eyes. The first thing that Duo saw was the full moon outside. It was a cloudless night, and the stars were bright in the night sky. Had long had he been unconcious? Everything ached... his left shoulder was throbbing dully against the warm covers. Duo moved his head downward slightly and nearly hissed in pain as he saw the blood-covered bandages that covered his shoulder. Shit. That was one messy wound. He shivered slightly in the warmth of the room, goosebumps running up his skin where the blankets had untucked itself by his slight movement. It wasn't even that cold, damnit! In fact, Duo was sure it was very warm for a spring night, and knew that the temperature must have been 75 degrees or above at the moment. The Holy Fire. It had to be. That freezing fire had numbed him inside and out. He didn't think that the blankets actually caught any warmth at all. He wasn't sure if he emmited any warmth at all at the moment. Giving in the a small sigh, he turned his face away and in one great heap of strength, sat up and twisted and legs out of bed. He gasped, closing his eyes tightly as lights began to dance in his vision. He must have lost a lot of blood... he remembered the hot liquid flooding down his body, not stopping until his cold body had been emersed in the burning coppery fluid. He felt as if he had been bled dry. Bled to clense the fire. The so-called Holy Fire. Finally opening his eyes when his pain had gone back to a throb, he realized that the night air was doing nightmares on his bare arms. He felt as if they had been doused in cold water for a last few minutes that he had been out of bed. Shivering, Duo searched for the outline of the door in the darkness, but was distracted by eyes opening on their own accord. Eyes quickly leaving the inanimate object and settling on the person who was looking right back at him, Duo shivered again- this time not able to tell whether is was because of the cold or those eyes. Seeing Duo shiver, Heero lifted the covers, scooting over almost to the edge of the small bed. Duo looked at him for a moment, head cocked to one side. Then after a wordless message was sent, he smiled gratefully and stood up slowly, letting his arm hang in the sling. Walking the short steps that distanced the two beds, Duo climbed in gratefully, smile growing as he hit the warm spot in- side. After seeing Duo settled in, Heero shifted and tucked the covers under Duo from the inside of the blanket, and pulled the cold boy closer for body heat. Duo accepted the awkward embrase and snuggled closer to the heat, his body unable to provide any himself. Staying like that, the two boys soon fell asleep, basking in each other's presense and holding each other tight throughout the entire night. End part 12. *bounces around* whatd'ya think?! Whatd'ya think?! Oooohh, we had that stupid high school exit exams today. Freakin' five hours of testing!! *grumbles, grumbles* At least it's only English today, though. Next week is Math. *pales* ANY-way.... this took FOREVER to do! Donno why. I liked this part. Well! Laterz! ^_~.