Shinigami's Song Part 21
Beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep......
Duo sipped the coffee that had gone ice cold long ago. There was no comfort of any kind to be found in the austere room filled only with the noise of the heart monitor and the whoosh of the respirator.
The incessant beeps and whooshing could have driven him insane a long time ago, if not for the fact that the noises were proof that Heero still lived.
Quatre and the others had tried to get Duo to leave the room after the first 10 hours of his vigil, but once he'd made it clear nothing short of physical violence would budge him they gave up.
It wasn't looking very hopeful. Duo knew that his friends were planning on intervening immediately if things were to go bad. And it looked like they would.
Heero had yet to regain consciousness from the coma he was in.
The doctors said the longer he stayed in the coma, the less likely it was that he would ever wake up. As much as it hurt, Duo had already planned for that possibility. If Heero died, Duo would soon follow him.
He knew deep down that Heero wouldn't want him to resort to that... but there was no way he would be left alone again, not now.
Duo reached up to the two rings on the silver chain that rested on the base of his throat. He wouldn't wear the ring... not until Heero put it on his finger. So until the day Heero woke up and slipped it on his finger... or until the day he- Duo shook his head. He refused to think of that right now.
Duo leaned over Heero's body and rested his head on the undamaged shoulder and linked the fingers of his right hand with Heero's. "Heero... come back to me. I can't live without you now, so you have to wake up!"
The tears blurred his vision until he buried his face in Heero's neck. "Can you hear me Heero? I need you! Please don't leave me. Please don't leave me... Please don't leave me... please don't leave me......... please don't leave me............"
~*~
Please don't leave me.... Please don't leave me... Please don't leave me...
Heero swam in blackness. Unending unrelieved blackness. He couldn't see, couldn't feel, he could only hear. And he could barely hear the voice of someone calling for him. Someone... who... Important... violet... only vague impressions of the voice that called him.
Love. Bright shining. The only warmth in this cold, cold place... came from that voice. He followed.
Please don't leave me... Please don't leave me... Please don't leave me...
Leave? Never. He couldn't leave the warmth... It grew brighter as he followed that voice. He grew closer and closer to the source, and as he did he could hear it more clearly.
He could hear the pain and anguish in broken sobs. What could have caused such pain? Not him... he would never...
Please don't leave me... Please don't leave me... Please don't leave me...
So close! He could smell... apples. Apple shampoo. But underneath was the smell of sweat and tears and blood... underneath everything was the unmistakable scent of blood.
"Please don't leave me... Please don't leave me... Please don't leave me..."
Slowly feeling returned to him, and he could feel a weight upon his chest. Next to the weight was pain. Dull throbbing pain. He could feel a hand clasping his own, and wetness soaking his shoulder. Tears. Crying.
"Please don't leave me... Please don't leave me... Please don't leave me..."
He clearly heard it now, sobbing pleas, pleas from Duo... DUO!!
Heero's eyes flew open as recognition hit him. He tried to speak, but there was a tube down his throat. Instead, he squeezed Duo's hand tightly. Suddenly the body on his chest froze.
Incredulous eyes opened and met his own. Duo's mouth opened and closed but no sound issued fourth. A look of total shock registered on Duo's pale, gaunt face.
Duo stared for only a moment. "nurse... nurse..." His voice was only a dull croak, but as realization hit him, a wide smile lit up his face. "NUUUUURRRSEEEE!!!!"
Minutes later a nurse Duo knew to be surly and grim walked slowly into the room. "Mr. Maxwell, I know you seem to think that this hospital is at your beck and call, but that is simply-" She finally looked over from her admonishing to the bed where Heero glared at her... as much as someone who had just awakened from a six day coma can glare... "Oh my!"
She turned on her heel and hurried out into he hall.
Duo looked own at Heero and chuckled. "You always had to make an entrance..."
Suddenly people in white jackets rushed into the room and tried to push Duo out of the way. Tried. He snarled at the nearest doctor, causing the balding man to take a few steps back.
He regained his composure in a moment and tried to stare down the younger man. Tried. When that failed he tried to reason with him. "Mr. Maxwell, we need to check his vitals... He seems ok but there might be something else wrong."
Duo reluctantly relinquished Heero's hand, but he only moved to the corner, out of the way, but he could still see Heero and Heero could still see him.
The first thing they did was remove the tube from Heero's throat and give him a drink to soothe his throat. After a few minutes of shining lights, asking questions, and holding up fingers, they deemed Heero in good shape. Then left the room and patted themselves on the back, leaving Duo and Heero alone again.
"... Heero..." Afraid he was dreaming, Duo slowly walked back to the bed. He reached out a trembling hand to grasp Heero's hand. Duo limply fell into his chair and mutely stared at Heero. His mind was officially on overload. It was over.
A big goofy grin spread over Duo's face. It was over.
~*~
Heero stared at the emaciated face of his lover. He frowned at Duo's haggard appearance, the boy who refused to go more than a day unwashed looked as if he hadn't showered in a week!
"... Heero..."
"Duo..."
Duo leaned over Heero's prone body and clasped his hands. "I... Heero... You..."
Heero smiled while his usually glib lover stumbled over the words that were in both of their hearts. So Heero decided to help. "Duo. Ai shiteru."
This statement was just the catharsis needed. "Heero, I love you too!" Duo buried his face in Heero's neck and sobbed quietly in relief.
Fighting his own tears, Heero wrapped his arms around Duo's shaking body and held him close until the other boy seemed to cry himself out.
Reluctantly, Hero let Duo pull back from the embrace. Just as he was about to say something, A glimmer caught Heero's eye. Dangling on a chain at Duo's throat were a pair of rings. One light and one dark.
He reached out and touched them with the tips of his fingers. He then gripped the rings and tore them from around Duo's neck. As the braided boy stared speechless, Heero held out the dark ring with his shaking hand. Before Duo could get the wrong idea, Heero cleared his dry throat.
"Duo, I was interrupted before. But... will you marry me?"
~*~
Tears filled Duo's eyes as he looked down at the ring in Heero's hand. He reached out with his left hand and let Heero slip it on his finger. "Yes... Oh, yes Heero!!" Duo quickly took the other ring and slipped it upon Heero's finger as well. "I love you!"
Duo hugged Heero once more, and smiled as he heard clapping. The pair looked over to the door where everyone stood. Wufei was grinning ear to ear, even Trowa seemed to be smiling at their happiness. Quatre was clearly in tears.
The blonde tried to regain his composure, but failed horribly. Finally a new voice piped up. "Congratulations you two!"
Relena Peacecraft walked into the room carrying a huge basket of flowers and placed them on the table beside the bed.
"Here is your get well gift! And now, about your wedding gift!"
Heero frowned. "Relena, really you've done enough for us..."
She waved her hand totally dismissing him. "Nonsense! I owe this to you both! Hmmm. "Her eyes lit up and finally she grinned widely. "How did you enjoy the Montana estate?"
Duo blinked at the sudden change of topic. "Uhh it was rally nice! We had lots of fun-" He was abruptly cut off when Heero softly elbowed him in the side.
"Perfect! It's yours! I'll have the papers drawn up immediately!"
Everyone in the room stared at her socked by the generous gift, even Quatre. Heero was the first to recover. "We can't..."
But he was once again cut off by the woman. "I insist. Consider it payment for all the times you saved my life." She winked at the couple and turned to leave. "Get well soon. Oh and Duo, I expect front row seats for your next performance!!" And with those parting words, she swept out of the room.
The minute everyone realized she was gone, they all proceeded to surround the bed and talk at once.
Duo caught Heero's eyes and grinned wickedly. At Heero's questioning look Duo mouthed the words... ::I might be moving to Montana soon...::
TBC...
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