Jewel Hunters Part 3
A week after the ball...
"Wheeze! Hey, Heero! Wait up!" Duo cried, and stopped in his jog. He leaned down and panted heavily.
Heero jogged back to him immediately. Once beside Duo, he knelt down and stroked his back in a soothing manner. "Feeling any better?"
"Yeah, I guess so." After taking a few more deep breaths, Duo stood up again, and replied sheepishly. "Sorry, I just couldn't keep up with you anymore. I know that we've been jogging together for almost a week now, but I'm still not used to this. Really, how do you run a marathon nonstop, constant speed, no panting, no wheezing, in under an hour!? And you still look like you could run another twenty! Just how do you do it?" The braided boy asked incredulously, gesticulating wildly.
"It's just twenty miles, Duo." Heero countered laconically.
Duo slapped his forehead. Was this guy human or what? "Just." He parroted with a dry smile. "Sure, it's just twenty miles." He added, all the while rolling his eyes.
Heero sighed placidly. "Fine. If you're that tired, come to my place. It's not far from here anyway."
That certainly got Duo's wholehearted consent, for he almost found the braided baka groveling at his feet to see his place.
*****
Heero opened his gate gingerly, then moved aside to let Duo in.
Duo gawked in awe. This place was done up most delicately; gorgeous wall paper, matching frieze, extravagant furniture... It was what Duo always wanted in a house. He twirled around ecstatically, "Wow! I never thought you were the house-interior designing type!"
"You like it?" Heero asked absently, walking back into the living room with two glasses of water.
"Absolutely positive! It's lovely, Heero! What more can there be?" Duo assured, then flopped down onto the cozy sofa.
Heero sat down beside him and handed one glass over. Duo gulped it all down quickly. Setting the glass on the wooden coffee table in front of him, he exclaimed thankfully. "There's nothing better than water after a long jog!" Standing up again, he pulled at his friend's arm. "C'mon Heero! Show me around! We'll start from upstairs!"
*****
For the umpteenth time, Heero was grateful for the simple fact that both Thunder and Shield were away with the other jinn they had met the other day at the ball. Duo had been latching onto his arm for the past few minutes, and he knew that he was blushing like hell.
"Is this your bedroom, Heero?" Duo peeked in curiously. Before his companion could answer, he burst into the room and dug under the soft cool covers. He shifted, trying to make himself comfortable. "Hmmm! This bed is magnificent! I could just hibernate here!" He moaned wantonly, stretching.
Heero gulped nervously. He saw the way Duo's muscles had rippled when he stretched. Together with his erotic moaning and lascivious expression, he resembled a wet dream come true for Heero. Too dangerous. Too tempting.
However, the fey creature did not seem to have noticed the situation he was in. Instead, he offered, "Come lie beside me. I know you're tired. Come on. There's plenty of space."
Before Duo's words had registered themselves into his mind, Heero had already closed the agonizing few steps and slid under the covers beside Duo. The braided knockout beauty poked at his ribs playfully.
"You know, if I didn't know better, I would say that you are close to drooling." He laughed.
Heero flushed uncontrollably.
Duo laughed even harder. "Nothing to say about that eh? Silence means that you agree with me!"
More silence.
"I bet you wanna kiss me too!" Duo winked at him flirtatiously. Heero was so cute when he blushed.
"... ... I do."
"Huh?" The words were barely registered in his muddled mind as Heero climbed on top if him and pushed him down. In an instance, those soft lips were on his. Duo's eyes widened in shock, and his body stiffened. "Wha--?"
Heero took that opportunity to slide his tongue into Duo's enticing warm cavern. That kiss seemed to have hit some button in both of them, as they wrapped their arms around each other in an attempt to get closer. Their tongues mashed together and sparred relentlessly.
Duo's violet orbs had fluttered close some time ago, and he used his body to feel the deluge of emotions flooding his senses. He had lost touch with the world; Heero was all he felt.
Heero didn't know why he was kissing Duo. When Duo had teased him, he acted merely on his instincts. He didn't know what he would do after that. All he knew was that he wanted to kiss Duo everyday for the rest of his life. That thought triggered the burning desire to take the beautiful dazzler right there and then. Heero reached under Duo's clothes, and hastily pulled them off. Duo moaned fervently as he felt the cool air breathe against his freshly exposed skin. That groan excited Heero even more, and his hands slithered under the waistband of Duo's pants. However, the rubbing of cloth against his thigh caused Duo to wake up.
"NO!" He sat up suddenly, and shoved Heero away.
"Duo?"
The said boy shook his head in fear, backing away against the headboard. "No! We can't do this!" He shouted again, getting out of bed. Grabbing his tank top that had been strewn carelessly on the floor, he sped down the stairs and out into the street, not listening to Heero's surprised cries of his name.
Heero cursed fluently under his breath as he wondered what was wrong with Duo. Was he too fast? Why couldn't they do it? Duo had been so enthusiastic before his sudden outburst.
Quickly, he took off after Duo.
*****
Duo didn't know how long he ran, but he just kept on running, running, running... further and further away from him. Heero had almost caught him at one point, but he cleverly ducked into Quatre's mansion.
He looked up to the intimating building, then walked to the door forlornly. Once he was inside, Rasid, Quatre's head of bodyguards, had directed him to his master's room.
"Quatre?" He whimpered. Duo's breath got stuck in his throat when he saw Treize sprawled out tiredly on the oak chair, with a weeping Quatre on the bed. Duo stepped into the room flabbergasted. "What's going on?"
Treize lifted his head languidly. "Dear Duo, my friend. Why are you here?" He summoned up a fake smile. "We're in no mood to go out, though."
"What happened?"
Quatre gazed at his braided friend for the first time since he entered the room. "I... I saw Zechs... kissing... Noin..." He sobbed miserably. "When I asked him why... he didn't look at me in the eye... and... and said that we should... just break up... He loves Noin now... I... I..." His voice trailed off as tears caught up with him again.
Duo frowned, and walked over to his crying companion. "Quatre... I... I don't understand. How could this have happened?" Quatre didn't answer. Then he looked at Treize questioningly.
"Treize?"
The man nodded. "I... got into an argument with Dorothy. I've never seen her so angry." He shuddered as he recalled. "She hasn't been going out with me since the party... She keeps hanging out with that Relena girl..." Treize sighed morosely. "Duo?"
"I... I don't know what's wrong with me!" He slumped into the bed, face contorted in a deep frown. "I haven't seen Wufei for a few days too. And these few days, I've been with Heero. Just jogging, watching movies, dining together. Then just now..." He faltered, not knowing how to continue. "... I almost slept with him." He whispered brokenly. "What's wrong with me? I've never let Wufei do anything more than a simple kiss, but then I almost slept with a guy I've known for less than a month! What's gotten into me?!"
"This shouldn't be happening..." Quatre started, still sobbing. "The jinn said so before... that we should only be with the one we were destined to. But now..."
An uncomfortable silence descended between them.
*****
Une wandered the streets mindlessly. She didn't know where she was going, or how long she had been walking. The rain poured on her mercilessly, breaking her. She made no attempt to get into a shelter. She wanted the rain to splash onto her, needed the rain to wash away her anguish, her agony.
Wash away her pain of breaking up with one Noin Lucrezia.
*****
Hilde swept her hand across the table, smashing the ornaments onto the ground. She shrieked, gritting her teeth. Storming into her bedroom, she flung herself onto her bed.
Finally, she couldn't stop it anymore. Tears streamed down. This time she knew. There was no turning back. Her relationship with Trowa could not go on anymore. They had walked together on the path of happiness for almost ten years now, and they had reached a dead end. It was all finished.
Her eyes landed on a picture of them still together on the nightstand. Resolutely, she picked in up and hurled it across the room, its glass shattering, just like their love...
*****
Sally sat on the sofa in her living room, eyes staring into space. She heard the clocks ticking away, but time mattered not to her. She needed to think, to sort things out.
Were things between her and Catherine really over?
Could they go on no longer?
She sighed, briefly wondering when had life become so complicated.
*****
Relena put down the phone, then picked it up again. Punching in a familiar set of numbers for the god-knows-how-many time, she waited patiently for the other end of the line to greet her with the sluggish 'Moshi-moshi' she liked so much.
'Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!'
She sighed, then hung up the line. Vaguely, she wondered why wasn't Heero at home. He should have finished his usual jog by this time, and would be home to enjoy some coffee. Although she guessed what might've happened. Maybe he was too busy with Duo. After all, Heero had spent the last few days all with him. She wasn't stupid. Even though she wasn't sure how Duo felt, but she knew that Heero was smitten.
Not that she minded anymore.
Puffing her bangs, she walked over to her table to retrieve Heero's spare keys. Since she could not find Heero with her phone, then she would go over personally.
*****
Catherine leaned back against her chair and sulked. Nonchalantly, she picked up her darts, and threw them with precise accuracy into the dartboard. On the dartboard, she had hung a piece of paper. The message Sally had written to her years ago. Their first love letter...
Pouting angrily, she slammed another dart into the letter.
*****
Trowa put down his phone back onto its stand wordlessly, mind still going through his conversation with Hilde just a while ago.
He had simply said that they were through, that he could love her no more, destiny wasn't working her magic anymore. Hilde had been a sobbing wreck, choking on her tears.
'Cry, Hilde. Cry as much as you need. Cry as much as you want. After crying, you'll find yourself feeling better.'
Trowa remembered his own words to Hilde. He wanted to cry too; he felt the sadness that lingered too. But after considering for so long, he knew it was better for them to split. Both would be sad initially, but they would also start to appreciate the breakup after calming down. And after thinking so much, having weighted the oppositions, thought of alternatives, he couldn't cry anymore. Since it was the right thing to do, then why should he cry?
But why did his eyes sting?
*****
Wufei brushed a hand in his willful hair, then tied them together in a ponytail again. Satisfied, he sat down on the cold, hard ground and crossed his legs. Shutting his eyes, he willed himself to meditate silently.
He treasured moments like this; where he could be alone and just think.
The Chinese boy felt a pang of guilt spear through him. After loving Duo for so many years, after believing that they had been deeply in love, he met another. And not just that, that person was already attached. Not married, but still...
Wufei sighed. This was why he had avoided Duo these few days. He had to sort out his thoughts, to set them right again. But why was his attempt leading him to abandon his long-time lover?
*****
Dorothy curled up by the fireplace feeling alone. She remembered a time when Treize used to embrace her and sit with her at the same fireplace. Hesitatingly, she reached out and rubbed the spot on the carpet Treize always occupied.
It felt like him.
But it wouldn't be him anymore. Not after their argument. Dorothy shivered. She couldn't believe how angry she was that day. Treize had done nothing wrong! But she acted like he had. Screaming at him like a crazed woman must've scared him away, and the fact that she had said those words made it impossible for them to make up again.
'Let's just forget it! We're not meant for each other! I don't love you!'
She knew it was her retribution, that she would sit alone by the fireplace from then on. There will be no more Treize in her life.
*****
Noin stood at the window, watching the rain fall. Suddenly, a warm set of arms wrapped themselves around her waist. She didn't even bother to turn. "Zechs."
The blonde kissed her gently on her cheek. Breathing into her ear, he asked. "Still thinking about the breakup?"
She turned around in Zechs' arms. "Zechs, I'm worried. We've hurt both Une and Quatre. Aren't we too selfish?"
Zechs lifted her chin with a finger, and stared at into her eyes intently. "Tell me, Noin. Do you want to be with me?"
"Of course I do! It's just..."
"Shh. No more. Just as long as we're happy."
Noin protested. "But!"
"I know that we're being selfish. But there is nothing we can do. We can't stay with the one we don't love! We'll hurt them even more!"
She lowered her head. "But I feel so guilty." She fell silent, and turned back to watch the rain. Wrapping her hands together, she closed her eyes. 'May heaven bless us, thy sinful children of Destiny. Grant us eternal peace.'
*****
Heero threw the door wide open, and trudged into his house grumpily. He had hunted the city for any trace of Duo for at least an hour now, and yet had seen none of him. Just like he had vaporized into the atmosphere.
He clenched his fist. What had gone wrong? They had been kissing so ardently, and all of a sudden, Duo just bolted away. Did he do something wrong? Even if that were the case, Duo should have given him a chance to explain! Crabbily, he tossed his shoes aside. He knew that if Duo were avoiding him, then he wouldn't be able to find him so easily. But that wasn't going to deter him. He would find the braided beauty no matter what it was going to take! No way he was letting him go after finding him. The other half of his soul. Heero had believed Relena was his other half, but time had proven him wrong. Relena isn't, Duo is. And Heero vowed to find him, to confess to him his feelings.
As he entered his living room, he tensed when he saw the figure sitting on his sofa. Relena.
She smiled sadly. "Konnichiwa, Heero." Seeing him nod, she intoned. "Heero, I've got something important to tell you." She gestured to a seat opposite to hers.
Once he was settled down, he inquired. "What is it?"
"I've been thinking... a lot... about us. Maybe we're just not suitable for each other. Our mind and perspectives are too different. Do you understand?" She paused, swallowing apprehensively. "Perhaps... perhaps we should stop. It would do both of us a lot of good."
Heero listened attentively, but he kept quiet.
"I know that you haven't loved me for a long time now. I know that. But I didn't say anything, because I thought that we should just follow whatever Destiny had decided for us. But now I think that we should go against destiny. I understand that you're... interested in Duo. And I think he's the one for you. Not me. So..." She trailed off.
Heero's breath caught in his throat. Eventually, he smiled faintly, just enough to let her know that he understood her. "Relena... thank you."
She smiled sadly. But she wasn't sad. She just felt unfortunate that their relation had to end so soon. However, it was needed.
*****
Fourteen jinn knelt in front of the holy altar in the Destined Temple.
Cyclone beseeched. "Mistress! Please come forth and enlighten us!" The other jinn did so the same.
Finally, a beam of light shot down from the heavens. "Jinn, what is it you wish to see me for?"
Thunder spoke up first. "Mistress, we believe that there is something wrong with our masters. They are falling in love with someone not of their destiny! Why is this happening?"
Destiny grinned coldly, turning their warm blood into shards of ice. The jinn cowered under her aggravating scrutiny. "Fret not, jinn. There is nothing wrong with them. Just sit back and enjoy the show. Everything shall resolve themselves. They shall precede my will and be fated to love another." Then she disappeared, leaving the jinn even more confused than before.
"Fated?" Shield echoed doubtfully.
"You were right, Mountain. There is another being other than Mistress." Holy frowned. "Now that we know that, what do we do?"
"Didn't you hear? Mistress told us to 'sit back and enjoy the show'. I think she implies that we shouldn't partake in this confusion." Wind replied, shuddering as he remembered Destiny's malevolent grin. "Let's just go back to our masters. The journey back to the mainland and to our various masters will take at least another week, depending on the weather. Perhaps by then, things will indeed have resolved themselves."
TBC...
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