Gundam Wing is copyright...Sotsu, I think it is, and a few other important companies and people, and I obviously don't own these wonderful bishounen.

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THURSDAY:

Shi-chan: Skip the banter, let's jump right in...

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Death Becomes Him

~By Shimegami-chan

Part 15

WARNING! SHOUNEN-AI!

Later, Duo was headed down to the living room when he ran into Wufei, holding his sheathed katana. "What's up, Wu-man?"

"Nothing much." Wufei walked past Duo and down the stairs to the basement.

Sensing something more interesting than what he had been about to do, Duo happily followed the Chinese boy into the training room. He then sat down on the floor with his headphones on and closed his eyes.

"Maxwell, what exactly are you doing?" Wufei asked curiously. It wasn't like the American boy to take any interest in Wufei's kata exercises.

"I'm booooored, Wu-man! Are you gonna practice or what?" Duo was swaying a bit with the beat of the music.

"Hmph." Wufei grunted and turned away from Duo, then started practicing slashes with his katana. Duo watched with avid interest.

"You got your chain fixed," Wufei observed, his back still facing the American.

"Yeah!" Duo grinned and fingered the pendant. "Trowa fixed it for me."

"Trowa, eh?" Wufei wondered. "They must have been glad to see you...Duo."

"I guess so...Wu-man, did you miss me?" Duo was still wondering why Wufei hadn't called him 'Maxwell.'

"Well..." Wufei was still wondering that himself. "...Yeah. I did."

"Ah! Such devoted friends!" Duo laughed with genuine delight. "Hell on earth or not, I'm sure glad I've got you guys here with me."

"'Hell on earth?'" Wufei wondered.

"Yeah, kind of...did anybody tell you what happened between me and Heero?" Duo suddenly looked sad.

"Not really...you said something about a demon earlier..."

"Yeah, I did." Duo sighed. "Heero doesn't believe it's really me. He thinks I'm in cohorts with the devil or something to take his soul or god-knows-what. I don't think he's in his right mind actually...that's what hurts the most...it's like he really doesn't recognize me."

"I don't think I catch your meaning." Wufei sheathed his katana and came over to sit beside Duo.

"No? Quatre thinks that Heero's really lost it...he's insisting that he's dead--or rather, a part of him is dead--and lots of other stuff. Last night...he said some awful things. I know he can't help it; it's hard to believe! But I don't know what I can do to make him come back to me."

The Chinese boy looked thoughtful. "That is somewhat of a dilemma. Have you tried approaching him when he's alone, maybe getting him to ask you questions no one else would know?"

The American looked surprised. "Good idea, Wu-man. I have to figure out how I can get him alone without him taking off..."

"I'll help, I guess." Wufei smiled at his friend.

"Really!? Wow! Wufei...did you mean it, when you said you missed me?"

Wufei's left eyebrow raised. "Of course...I missed your intolerable chatter, your loud singing in the shower, your tendency to put empty boxes back in the cupboard, your public displays of affection with Yuy, your annoying American habits and horrible sense of humour or and all the jokes you played on me...actually, Maxwell, I missed you quite a bit."

Duo took everything he said as absolute gospel. "Wu-man! I would never have thought!"

"Seriously, though," Wufei looked into Duo's glittering indigo eyes. "I was quite upset...I'm very glad you've come back."

Duo was grinning and trying his best not to crack a joke. "Wufei..."

"And annoying as you are, I am far from wishing unhappiness on either you or Yuy. Go straighten things out." Wufei stood and assisted Duo in getting to his feet.

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Heero, by some luck, was still asleep when Duo and Wufei cracked open his door an inch. "Go on, Maxwell. Best of luck." The Chinese boy gave Duo a gentle shove into the room.

"Thanks." Duo quickly phased and drifted over to the bedside, seating himself on the not-so-solid floor. Then he just watched Heero sleep.

He looked so peaceful when he was sleeping. He seemed to almost smile--Is he dreaming about me? --and his mouth made a tiny 'o'. Duo longed to kiss the pink lips, but kept his distance. He didn't want Heero to wake up just yet.

A wave of sadness threatened to wash over Duo, but he pushed it away. What right did he have to be sad? He had met his end bravely, died, and then suddenly been granted a second chance that he knew any normal person would long for. He mustn't break down, not when Heero needed him. He couldn't.

Duo observed his sleeping koi with love and regret. Heero's face was pale, thinner than it had been--Duo worried if the Japanese boy had been eating. Heero moaned a bit in his sleep.

"Duo. DUO!" Heero cried, reaching out a hand. Duo jumped to his feet and ran to Heero's side. "Heero? Are you okay?"

"Duo..." Heero opened his eyes a bit and brushed Duo's phased fingertips with his own. "My Duo..."

This is a big change from last night... Duo thought worriedly. Not wanting to scare the other pilot, he did not turn solid, just raised a finger to his lips.

Heero studied Duo's pale face intently. He sat up and brought his hand to the side of Duo's face--the shaking fingers passed right through it. "Oh, Duo, koi...could I be dreaming? Is it really you?"

"Ano...it's me..." Duo smiled sadly and put his ethereal fingers against his chest. "Did I scare you?"

"No...Oh, Duo..."

"But Heero..." Duo decided he must have been missing something vital here. "I thought...last night, the things you said..."

"Last night?" Heero looked confused. "What happened last night? Duo...you can't be here, you can't be real...I'm dreaming..."

Duo had reached the conclusion that Heero wasn't going to give him an answer he wanted. "Last night, I came to you, Heero. You said some terrible things to me..."

"No!" Heero reached for Duo. "Please don't leave! I don't remember anything like that...I've been waiting for you to come back to me! I was going to go to you...I missed you so much..."

"I'm here now, koi." Duo soothed. "Don't worry." What's wrong with him? How could he forget something like that?

"Oh, thank God, don't leave me again...my angel..." Heero smiled sadly.

Duo moved a little closer to his lover. "I'll stay as long as you need me."

Heero sighed happily and passed his hand through Duo's leg, catching a blue glow on it. "You're so warm...arigatou, Duo."

Duo nodded. "I'd be happy to. Anything for you."

Heero lay back against his pillows, his fingers resting in the same place as his koi's. "Ah, Duo...I missed you..." He closed his eyes and smiled happily.

"I missed you too, Hee-chan." Duo didn't understand it; the game had just appeared to completely reverse. Was something wrong with Heero?

And more importantly...Duo stuck his transparent fist through the comforter, worried about the problem he had just noticed.

Why couldn't he turn solid anymore?

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Shi-chan: That should make for some interesting action...

Duo: Why me!?

Shi-chan: More later tonight...