Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Back On Earth ❯ Back On Earth ( One-Shot )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

::I have fallen from grace, and my ashes are scattered::
::No longer of passion and flesh::

An explosion behind us. Sent us flying. I landed on my back shoved against a wall; Duo
slammed into my stomach a moment after. There was a sickening snap, and he cried out in pain. I
sensed another explosion right before it happened, and instinctively threw myself over Duo to
protect him from the shrapnel. Pain shot up and down my back and legs as pieces of who-knows-
what cut and tore at my flesh. I gritted my teeth and tucked my head down close to Duo's.

The force of the next explosion almost caused me to crush the braided pilot I was
protecting. I put my arm around his waist and pressed him against me, using my legs to brace us
against further bombardment. He had been hurt much more badly than I had in the initial dogfight,
but the trap had been set before we'd had time to escape. Now, there was no way out.

::My flame is alive, though my wings have been shattered::
::They laid my body to rest::

Heat from the fire raging closer and closer to us scalded my bloody skin. The pain was
becoming unbearable, but something deep inside me willed me to bear it. I opened my eyes for a
moment, to see Duo's face, spattered in his and my blood, looking at me with a strange calm.
"We're gunna die, Heero," he said softly, just loud enough to hear over the crackling fire. I shook
my head fervently, though my denial was slipping away with every word. "No, no, we're gunna
get out of here, we're gunna get out..." My words trailed off into nothing. Then Duo did
something I hadn't expected - he smiled.

"Hee-kun, we're gunna die. We've gotta face it." I shook my head again. "No! I'm not
going to lose you Duo!" Duo laughed softly. "Heero Yuy, you're not going to lose me, nor I
you." I wanted to believe him. But I also didn't want to believe him. Another explosion cut off the
conversation as we hunched closer together. A jagged piece of metal gouged into my back,
sending a barrage of nerve impulses to my legs before I lost all feeling in them. Good, at least they
still worked as braces.

::My spirit is breathing, my senses are pure::
::Like reincarnation my soul will endure::

"I can't feel my legs, Duo," I said evenly. A spark of sympathetic worry danced in his eyes
for a moment before he closed them. "Heero... Heero, you're dying... I'm dying..." He looked at
me and smiled, but tears were trickling from his eyes. Seeing my Duo like this triggered my own
tears. I held him close to me, neither of us minding the agony it caused.

::Like fountains of sorrow, the faces are crying::
::I'm witnessing all of their pain::

I bit my lip to stop my weeping, although it did little good. "Aishiteru Duo... I love you..."
I felt him lightly rub his cheek against mine. "Aishiteru, Hee-kun," he whispered. Suddenly I was
thrown against him by the force of another explosion, knocking the wind out of both of us. Blood
mixed with the tears seeping into my mouth. Duo was the same.

::Death is so final for only the living::
::The spirit will always remain::

The explosions were coming in rapid succession, each one louder than the previous. I
looked at Duo for the last time. "No... Not the last time..." I blinked. Had he read my thoughts?
Duo smiled weakly at me. "I'm not just called Shinigami because I feel like it..." The last thing I
thought he could do right now was amaze me. I was proven wrong yet again. Then, I amazed
him: I laughed. "Aishiteru, Shinigami."

We kissed for the last time. No, not the last time. The last time in this mortal life. His
warm body against mine, or whatever of mine I could still feel, was a comfort. I had never wanted
to die alone. Nor did he. Neither of us would.

I held Duo as the roof caved in. My Duo Maxwell. My Shinigami.

::Bury me deep just to cover my sins::
::My soul is redeemed as the journey begins...::


********

Owari