Ever After
Part 1
by Akuma
After Colony 212
5th of February
Hospital, Maxwell VIP Room
Duo sat on his bed, leaning against the headboard while his son was taking a nap on the other bed to his right. After the night they slept together, a double bed was brought in to replace Duo's and Heero's beds while Solo was back to his own bed. Save for the bruises on his head, Heero was relatively unscathed. So it was no surprise that the doctor wanted to release him on the second day. However Duo protested, not wanting to be apart from Heero yet. It would have become a big argument if Solo hadn't come up with excellent suggestion. He told the doctor that Heero needed treatment for his legs. So in the end, it was decided Heero would stay in the hospital and do some exercises till Solo and Duo had been released.
At the moment, Heero was in the rehabilitation room doing some walking exercises so Duo used the time to read Heero's diary. He managed to read a few pages this time until he came up with Heero's entry on Valentine's Day 15 years ago.
I want to find a time turner to turn back the time.... I want to go back to 14th of February AC 196. I know I was happy at that time. Duo ate my chocolate and we spent the day together, kissing and hugging. That was the day where I felt very contented and happy. I even had planned to make a bigger Deathscythe chocolate next year.
Who would have thought that this year I spent this day without him? I was so confident at that time that Duo would stay with me.
I miss Duo... I miss him so much...
"I'm really a bastard!!!" Duo wiped his tears angrily with one hand while his other hand put down the worn out diary. "Stupid bastard. I'm so stupid." He whispered the words lowly, not wanting to wake his son up.
"Duo?"
Duo looked up and saw Heero standing next to his bed. He noticed Heero's shoulders slumped, a sign that the Japanese boy was tired. Slowly, he took the Japanese boy into his arms and put his head on Heero's head. "I don't deserve you, Heero."
"You read my diary again, did't you?" Heero sighed as he sat on the bed and wiggled around till his back was leaning against Duo's chest. "Stop blaming yourself. Pregnancy made me emotionally unstable at that time. It affected what I did, including my writing."
"But what was written here is what you were feeling at that time. My selfishness has made you suffer." Duo hugged his lover as he felt Heero lean further against him.
"It was my own decision to get pregnant. It had nothing to do with you."
"Still it was my actions that made you make such a decision." Duo fell silent for some time. His hands caressed Heero's stomach unconsciously as his mind was far away. He tried to imagine what would have happened if he chose Heero instead of Hilde at that time. Would Solo have been born? Would Heero have considered getting pregnant? He didn't think so. Pain stabbed his heart at the thought that it was his choice which decided whether Solo would be born or not. He wanted to turn back time. He didn't want to turn back time. Two opposite wishes collided in his heart. He didn't want to make Heero suffer, but he didn't want to lose Solo either. If he could turn back time, he probably would have chosen the same way...... "I'm a bastard. A very selfish bastard. Why do you love me so much, Heero?"
Duo waited for an answer but he got none. Looking down, he realized that Heero had fallen asleep in his arms. His violet eyes softened as he watched the steady rise of Heero's chest.
"Dad"
Duo glanced to his right side and saw his son sitting on the bed. "How long have you been awake?"
"Just now." Solo answered then lowered his gaze to look at Heero. "Mom is exhausted, isn't he?"
Duo grunted a positive noise as his answer.
"...say Dad, I have been wondering."
"Yeah?"
"What should we tell the others about mommy?"
"What do you mean by 'others'?" Duo raised his eyebrows toward his son.
"My schoolmates, your business friends, your managers and subordinates and so many others." Solo answered. "Right now they don't know since you asked them not to visit us. They will start wondering when they see me calling a boy as young as me 'mommy'."
"Don't worry about that. I'll marry Heero as soon as I can get rid of this goddamn bed." Duo growled into Heero's messy hair. After Relena's marriage, same sex marriage was treated like an ordinary marriage so the step children should call their new step parents 'father' or 'mother'. "Of course they will wonder why you call Heero 'mommy' instead of 'father' but that's their own problem. Let them fry their own head thinking about that. I'm not going to announce our private business and life to them."
Solo snorted. "Some will think I call him 'mommy' as an insult.... "
"But you don't and that's the most important point." Duo looked thoughtful for a moment. "Unless you want to start calling Heero 'father' or 'tou-san'......."
"No." Solo scowled. "Heero is my mom!"
Duo smiled as he noticed a little possessiveness in his son's tone. Like father, like son. He chuckled inwardly while nodding his agreement. "Alright, alright." He delivered a kiss on Heero's forehead gently. "I'm going to marry your mom soon."
Solo smiled as he noticed his father's eyes became warm and full of happiness, no doubt planning the wedding while his mommy slept within his father's arms obliviously.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
After Colony 212
14th of February
The music had started.
His heart beat twice as fast as the music's tempo. Was this real? He wasn't dreaming, was he? He never thought this day would come. Even when he had said yes when Duo proposed to him a week ago, he still had feared that something would come up and ruin his hope. His hands worked idly, tidying the imaginary crinkles on his white shirt. He still remembered how gently and warm Duo was ah he held his hand and asked him to marry him and he really hoped it wasn't a dream. A hand, larger than his own, closed around his hand, stopping his motion and making him look up at the hand's owner.
"Relax, love."
He searched the violet eyes and found reassurance in there. He nodded and lowered his hands to his side. To his delight, the large hand kept holding his.
This was real.
He was going to marry to Duo.
The thought sent another flutter to his heart. He glanced at Duo to reassure himself again and couldn't help but admiring how good Duo looked in his white shirt with blue cuffed long sleeves and black trousers. Duo had ordered the clothes for their wedding. His own clothes were almost identical to Duo's save for the buttoning style and the color. Duo's shirt was buttoned on the right side while his was in the middle, fashioned in a buttoned strip. His trousers were dark blue instead of black, which brought out his eyes or so Solo had said.
He felt so overwhelmed when he first put on the clothes. Still overwhelmed now when he was fully dressed.
The music grew louder as he watched the door in front of him open slowly. Bright sunlight shone upon the children whom were walking in a procession in front of him. He felt like he was watching a movie in slow motion. In the front row were Wufei's third and fourth daughters. The second row was Gillian and Winner's second son, who was the same age as the girl. Behind them were Wufei's second daughter and Winner's second daughter. The six of them were throwing flower petals. Next row was Meiran and Milliard. And the last row was Midii and Solo, who were turning to him and smiling happily. He watched the couples turn their heads back to the front and followed the procession.
The hand holding his hand squeezed and a gentle voice whispered near his ear. "Let's go, love."
Heero squeezed back the hand holding his and together with his soon to be husband, he stepped forward following the procession. The sun blinded him for several seconds but he could hear a gentle breeze of wind and smell the scent only plants could produce. He knew then that he was in a garden. When his eyes adjusted to his surroundings violet was the first color he saw and a word appeared in his mind.
Lavender.
Heero could feel his eyes become hot as he looked around the garden, full of lavenders.
"This is the surprise I told you about before." Duo's soft voice whispered to him as they marched toward the dais in the middle of the garden. "I bought the houses around ours, removed the buildings, and asked the gardeners to fill the land with your favorite flowers.
Heero felt like he was walking in a dream. The music seemed so far away as he noticed his friends standing among the lavenders. Wufei and Sally stood at his right, their youngest child in Sally's arms. Next to them stood Quatre, with Ramsey sleeping in his arms, leaning against Trowa. Howard was standing together with android J a few feet away. It was the first time he saw the old man wearing something other than the Hawaiian styled clothes. Turning on the left side, he saw Relena holding hands with Dorothy while Zechs had an arm around Noin's shoulder. Marimeia and Lady Une stood next to them. They all were smiling at him. At Duo and him. He didn't think he could be happier than at this moment.
As he stepped onto the dais, he recognized the oak tree shadowing the dais. It used to be in the corner of his garden. Now it was in the middle, no doubt because Duo had expanded the garden. How he couldn't wait to tend this new garden. He looked up and saw Duo's violet eyes watching him. Love, joy, and happiness shone from them. He squeezed Duo's hand and lifted his head up, hoping his eyes also reflected the love and happiness he felt. And then together they turned to the front and faced the waiting priest.
"Today we gather here to witness the joining of Duo Maxwell and Heero Yuy." The man of the cloth made the sign of the cross. "This is a sacred moment where two hearts become one and may they remain one for eternity."
Eternity. He liked the word. Glancing up at Duo, Heero hoped they would be one forever and ever. Never again apart. Growing old together and watching their son and grandchildren playing in this garden.
When the priest finished his homily about the marriage, he and Duo turned so they were standing face to face. Duo lifted their joined hands and the priest placed his hand over them, telling them to exchange their vows.
"I, Duo Maxwell, will take Heero Yuy to be my wedded husband and live together with him. I'll love him, comfort him, honor and keep him in sickness and health, and forsaking all others, keep myself only for him. Forever."
Heero breathed very slowly as if he was afraid if he breathed too loud, it would break this sacred moment. Not breaking his gaze with Duo, he said his vow. "I, Heero Yuy, will take Duo Maxwell as my wedded husband. I'll love him, cherish him, honor and keep him in sickness and health. Forever, I'll be no one's but his."
Heero didn't hear what the priest said next. His ears ceased to hear. All he was aware of, was the feeling of cool steel sliding around his finger. Looking down, he was mesmerized with the ring encircling his ring finger. Slightly trembling, he took the other ring from the box and put it on Duo's finger. When he looked up, Duo was smiling down at him. He then felt Duo's face getting closer and closer, until he felt soft warm lips upon his own. Heero didn't hear the priest announce their union. He wasn't aware of the applause that followed, nor the cheers either. All he knew was Duo's lips were on his, Duo's hands were hugging him, and his hands busy unraveling the short braid Duo had bound his hair into.
Never again they would be apart.
|