<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>
~ As Long As You Love Me~
X/GW crossover
By: missa and miriya (the demented sisters)
<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>

Pairings: 1+4,?5+2?

Warnings: Angst? Language. Weird dreams, so on and so forth, yadda, yadda, yadda...

Disclaimer: Believe us... If we owned _any_ of these bishies we wouldn't be writing about them. We'd be watching them boffing like bunnies and video taping it. ( Tomoyo, eat your heart out. ) But since we don't own them, all we can do is play with them in our own little fantasy world.

Archive: All previous parts can be found at http://destined.to/lunariviera or http://steelsong.com . For archiving on your site (yeah, RIGHT), ask first. ^_^;;

AN: There's an outtake at the end of the chapter.
Miri: I can't believe missa wanted to put that in the real thing.
Missa: Well... it was funny! Too much, HP, Trigun, CCS, GW, WK... god I love anime...
Miri: I do too, but that was sacrilege.
Missa: ^__________________^ I know. But at least I annoyed the hell out of you. Got you to write didn't it?
Miri: Shut up. >_< I was gonna write it... eventually...
Missa: *smirk*

 

Part 6:

"Are you sure there's nothing to worry about?" Trowa asked one more time as he was heading towards the door.

"Quatre doesn't believe that they have died; they probably just wanted to go and spend some time alone together," said Heero. "It would be just like Duo to take off without even a note saying where he was going. I'm just surprised Wufei went along with it."

"Well, you know Duo," murmured Trowa as he was walking out of the door, "He probably drugged Wufei and kidnapped him without his knowledge, although I doubt Wufei would have protested too much." Trowa opened the door, "Goodbye," he said as he closed the door behind him.

As soon as the door had closed, Heero turned and walked back across the room and into the study that was attached to it. Not even a smile graced his features as he hugged a small blonde from behind.

Quatre smiled as he felt Heero's arms wrap around him. "Did you appease Trowa's worries?" he asked, leaning back into the embrace.

"Aa," said Heero. "Are you sure nothing is wrong with them?"

Quatre shook his head slightly, "What I do is not a precise thing. What I can feel is that they are doing something that is very important to them... I don't know why, but I think it is important for us too."

"If you're sure, then," said Heero, releasing his hold on the blonde. "I'm going to go make dinner; Rasid said that he would be stopping by. Apparently he is angry that you once again left the Maguanacs behind on your latest assignment."

Quatre sighed. "It's not that I don't like them, but my whole life I've been sheltered in an abundance of people. I enjoy being by myself, not having to endanger other people with my problems, or lack thereof. There are only a few people that it seems I cannot live without: you, Wufei, Duo and Trowa. Everyone else, they're not inconsequential, they're just... not needed."

"You don't have to explain to me, Quatre. I know you better than almost anyone else and it's the same for you towards me. I don't have to act like anything I'm not and you accept me as I am. You have a good heart; I used to think that having that kindness that you possess would get you killed or captured, but I'm glad to know I was wrong. Sometimes, I still think that you are too kind." With that, Heero left the room.

// That must have taken a lot for you to admit, Heero... //

---

//Well, it's over now. // Wufei thought, staring blankly at the wall. //I've made my stand against Duo, without realizing that I was doing it. He's made his decision... //

Wufei was sitting in the depths of despair. Because he had made one decision, because he _had_ to make that decision he had most likely lost Duo forever. He still didn't understand everything that was going on, or at least he didn't understand it as much as he would have liked to, but... it didn't matter anymore. Now that Duo had chosen, his path was destined. Even he knew that.

"Have you decided what you are going to do?" A soft voice asked from the open doorway.

"Kamui." Wufei acknowledged his presence with a slight nod. "There's no decision to make, is there? He's chosen; there's nothing I can do but to accept that decision and the consequences that follow it."

"If that is what you choose to accept. I was faced with that decision myself."

Wufei nodded to show that he was listening, but he truly did not care. It seemed that nothing could break through the barrier of his depression.

"When I chose, when I became a Dragon of Heaven, I wanted to protect those I cared about...namely, Fuuma, and Kotori. They were all I had left. But, Fuuma had no choice but to become a Dragon of Earth, and become my enemy. Where did that leave me? I could either fight him, as we are destined to, or I could try and change our destiny."

"How can you change something that is already established?" asked Wufei irritably.

"Destiny is not established. Fate is not established, unless you believe it so. I will do what I can to bring Fumma back; the man I fight is not Fuuma. I will protect Fuuma. Wouldn't you do the same for Duo?"

Wufei thought about that. Was he truly willing to give in to everything just because one thing went wrong? It really wasn't in his nature to do something like that... but he knew Duo. Once Duo made his mind up in anything, especially something this important, he never backed down or retracted his decision. He had one of the strongest characters that Wufei had ever seen. It was one of the many things that had made Duo a good Gundam pilot, one of the things that made them _all_ good Gundam pilots.

Wufei sighed wearily, "I don't know, Kamui... I just don't know." He continued staring at the wall, his thoughts, his confusion flowing together like that rapids of a river. He was so deep in his thoughts that he never heard Kamui leave the room.

---

"Do you think he'll be all right?" asked Kamui, trying to look anywhere but at Subaru.

"It depends on what he chooses to do. It also depends on what Duo chooses to do."

"It was almost the same for me, you know. His situation."

"Yes, but there are those subtle differences that mean so much. When you chose to become a Dragon of Heaven, it was as if Fuuma had no choice but to become a Dragon of Earth. He is your twin star; whatever you chose he would be the opposite. I don't know if that will work out the same way with these two... but I am hoping it will not," said Subaru, glancing at the closed door.

"Yeah, hope..." said Kamui, a weary lilt in his voice.

Subaru stared at the door, closed and uninviting; much like himself. It was hard to remember a time when he was open with his feelings... it seemed so long ago. No, it was so long ago. He remembered when he was still young, when he still had his sister, his loving, caring, exuberant sister, at his side, looking out for him. He remembered the year he spent, knowing Seishirou and yet not truly knowing him. He remembered the embarrassment that fluttered through his soul every time Seishirou had hit on him had made a passing remark... and then remembered realizing the own depth of his feelings towards Seishirou... and then of course...

Snapping out of his reverie, Subaru turned and walked from the room. It didn't do well to dwell on the past, when others needed help more. His needs did not matter when others were more concerning.

---

"He is still resting comfortably?" asked Fuuma, looking at Nataku with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, daddy."

"Thank you, Kazuki-chan. I think that I will-- go and check up on him then." A decidedly wicked smile graced Fuuma's face as he strode stealthily out of the room.

---

Duo was dreaming. He knew that he was dreaming, at least he assumed it was a dream, because there was no way reality could be this confusing-this conflicting... so jumbled.

He was back in Deathscythe, back where he belonged, back where he knew what he was doing. He aimed the thermal scythe, swiping through the vast expanse of space, slashing wildly at countless mobile suits. Warning klaxons wailed in his ears, but he had no time to check the gauges. He _felt_ the battle, it raged through his veins and made him invincible...Oz couldn't touch him.

Another suit; slash, a bright explosion. Liquefied metal froze instantly in the non-atmosphere, reforming into spheres that splattered across Deathscythe's view port.

They kept coming; he kept slashing, taking them all down, one by one. /Behind him./ He growled, swinging with all the energy his suit could possibly muster as he turned, driving the brilliant blade of his scythe into the 'chest' of the suit.

A white suit with distinctive markings; teal, red, and blue. He cried out in surprise, his gaze finally flickering up, punching in a code... The static-filled screen reflected Wufei, the pristine white of his clothing splattered with blood.

"Oh, god...Wufei!"

The Chinese boy wearily opened his eyes, and another trickle of blood ran down the side of his face. Around him, wires and panels sparked, more klaxons blared. "Why...?"

Duo was in shock, numb with horror. "I...I didn't know you were there! I thought you were the enemy!" //Oh, god, what have I _done_?//

Inside Wufei's Nataku, one of the panels finally exploded, catching fire, sparking hot flame against the suit's pilot chair. Wufei looked up at the camera. "It's going to explode...get back..."

But the American couldn't move.

"Get back, Duo!" With the last of his energy, Wufei reached out, making one final maneuver. Nataku's sparking arms pushed against Deathscythe with all its might, sending the other suit flying backwards, back towards space, towards battle.

Then it exploded, a brilliant supernova. The screen flickered, and went completely static.

Duo screamed...everything went white.

"Target acquired." Duo pushed his hat up, closing one eye as he peered into the sniper rifle's scope again. Below, on the street, the unsuspecting 'target' walked towards a tall building, one almost as tall as the one he was currently hiding in. The person's back was turned to him; all he could see was the sand-colored jacket they wore...

"Fire at will." Heero's voice returned over the small headset, sounding just as cold as he did in real life.

"All right..." Duo aimed carefully...

And fired, just as the target turned around...A familiar angelic face, blue eyes wide in surprise and agony as his body spun with the force of the bullet.

"JESUS FUCK, HEERO! YOU DIDN'T TELL ME THE TARGET WAS _QUATRE_!" Duo practically screamed into the headset. In morbid fascination, he stared at his friend's corpse, at the blood that was pooling, sliding down the corner of the young Arabian's mouth, the brilliant crimson spot that was blossoming from his chest, soaking the cement around him in scarlet puddle.

"Would it have interfered with the mission?" Heero's cool voice asked, without even a slight hint of remorse.

"But he was your lover, Heero!" Duo was struck with an undeniable horror.

"He was too kind; I told him it would get him killed. Mission complete." Heero's cold voice echoed into the headset.

"Good job." Another voice, filled with scorn, spoke from behind him. "Is killing your friends one of your more popular pastimes?"

"Wufei..." Duo turned away from the gruesome sight, his eyes resting on Wufei's form. The Chinese boy leaned against the opposite wall, dark eyes narrowed into slits.

"Which one of us is next, ne? You planning on taking out Trowa while you're at it? I mean, why not? You've killed everyone else...but there's always more blood to shed, I suppose."

Duo stared. "I...I...I didn't know it was him!"

"Isn't the future a wondrous thing?"

The scenery began to blur into scarlet and ebony, and Duo whirled, gasping as Fuuma came into view.

"I mean, it shows you so many things that you'd never guess would really happen if you didn't know better..."

"You're trying to tell me that this is the future?" Duo was incredulous. These things would _never_ happen in real life, it was nothing more than a dream...nothing more than...

Fuuma arched a brow. "Would a yumemi's dream lie?" He gestured to the ground beside him, where a frail, ethereal-looking young man lay, his white robes pooled around him like snowfall.

"Yumemi...?" Confusedly, Duo stared at the long-haired man.

"A dreamgazer. His name is Kakyou." Fuuma gave an almost tender look to Kakyou as he sat down beside the man, drawing him into his arms. The dreamgazer showed no resistance; in fact, his expression was something akin to relief as he closed his eyes.

"You're actually within Kakyou's dream right now," Fuuma continued, "this is nothing more than your future. Or," the Chi no Ryu /Kamui/ looked thoughtful, "a possible future."

"I wouldn't kill them..."

"How would you know?" Fuuma countered coolly. "You didn't know it was them, this time...why would it be any different?"

"I wouldn't." Duo insisted stubbornly.

"Of course," the dark-haired boy said soothingly. "But then again, you wouldn't know the entire ploy, either, would you?"

Duo arched a brow. "What do you mean?"

Fuuma sighed, one hand absently reaching up to stroke Kakyou's hair. "The _whole_ of your mission...eventually, you would all be commissioned to kill each other. After all, after your job was done, who would need you? It's very elaborate, I have to compliment them on their execution of the whole deal..."

Duo shook his head. "How could you possibly know that?"

"I know a lot of things, Duo Maxwell. Would you like to see another possible future for yourself?"

"Can you try something a little happier?"

Kakyou looked sad for a moment, but closed his eyes, placing his hands on the ground. Like water, the surface rippled, then focused into yet another scene.

"Wufei?" Duo whispered quietly, staring at the image in fascination.

The Chinese boy stared up at Duo, clutching his stomach in pain. "You bastard..."

"I...I have to." Duo's image murmured, though the expression on his face was mournful. "You're interfering with the mission...what do you hope to accomplish like this?"

Wufei growled, raising a hand, looking pensively at the blood smeared across his palm. "I was _hoping_ I could bring you to your senses...but obviously I was wrong. I was _hoping_ I could keep you from killing anyone else..."

"It's the mission." It sounded almost like a pitiful excuse, especially to Duo, who was watching the scene unfold in disbelief. His image raised the gun, pointing it at the boy he loved. His hand was trembling.

"Don't you realize," Wufei asked quietly, "that the mission may be wrong?" He took a step forwards, towards Duo.

"Don't move!" Duo cried, his hand trembling even more as he steadied the gun at Wufei's chest.

Wufei took another step. "It's wrong! Our mission got corrupted! Duo, don't do this..."

"I said don't MOVE!" Duo screamed, pulling the trigger. The shot echoed loudly in the still atmosphere, a stunning contrast to the quiet noise Wufei made as he fell.

He'd killed Wufei.

It hurt...he didn't want the pain.

He didn't want to feel it anymore.

Cold. Still. Unfeeling...like stone. No more pain...

"See?" Fuuma murmured, glancing up at Duo, who watched his avatar cradle Wufei's dead body close. "It gets easier. If there's no pain...then it won't bother you anymore."

If there was no pain...?

---

"Can he even raise his kekkai yet?"

"No..."

"Can he do _anything_?"

"No..."

Wufei leaned against the doorframe, listening intently at the conversation in the next room. He knew that they were talking about him. He didn't know who _they_ were, but one of the voices sounded like Subaru.

"He's not of any use if he can't even raise a kekkai. The only thing he can do is get himself killed!"

"If that is what he chooses..."

"What is that cryptic statement supposed to mean?"

"He can do what needs to be done. He has all the potential to be as great as anyone here, but he is blocking his powers. I believe that he thinks that if he chooses to accept them, then there truly is no hope for himself and for his lover."

"So, he is merely blocking them?"

"Yes."

"Then make him stop blocking them! He is needed, like all of us are needed. He is one of us, we _must_ save this Earth. We need him to fight."

"I cannot make him do anything. It is for him to decide."

"Even if it would upset the balance of everything? Even if it would destroy everything?"

"Yes."

"I hope you're sure about this..."

"..."

Wufei pulled away from his concealed spot at the door. // So, I am blocking my powers? Is that all I'm really doing? Living in a fantasy world so that I don't have to face reality? // Wufei walked down the hallway. // What would Duo do? //

He sighed. He knew what Duo would do...but he didn't know if he could make himself do the same thing.

---

Kakyou sighed, near-skeletal fingers reaching out towards the rippling surface of dreamscape. "I hate it," he murmured softly, turning slightly to gaze at his /Kamui/, golden cat-eyes narrowed. "I _hate_ this."

Fuuma looked back coolly. "Why?"

"It's not right for me to do this to him...what I showed him was a _lie_, inspired by his own fears."

"Kakyou," Fuuma soothed, stroking pale hair back from a paler face, "It wasn't a lie...it was just an unlikely possibility. Besides, if Duo wins, it'll be that much faster until your wish becomes reality..."

The pale yumemi closed his eyes, acquiescing to Fuuma's calming voice.

 

---

Wufei walked down the halls of the Imonoyama mansion, reflecting on the conversation that he'd just heard.

<Can he raise his kekkai?>

<To raise a kekkai, you need something to protect...>

//What if that were gone? Then what?//

//...Isn't that what happened to Subaru?//

//The person he wanted to protect...died. But he killed him...and he had nothing left. Duo is still alive...but, does it matter?//

//Is it even _Duo_ anymore?//

The hallway opened into the foyer, and Wufei realized that he'd been walking aimlessly for over half an hour. The room had massive windows, and was decorated in yellow--as sunny and cheerful as he was sad and depressed.

There was a clicking sound; Wufei turned as the doorknob twisted and the door swung open. A tall man stepped through, wearing glasses and carrying a pile of folders and notebooks underneath one tweed-clad arm. The smile on his face was kind and fatherly, reminding him of his former instructor on a good day.

The man looked up at Wufei. "Ah...hello."

//Another seal?//

"Who are you? Are you another seal?"

Aoki blinked, not used to such abrupt greetings, especially not _here_. "Seiichirou Aoki...who, may I ask, are you?"

Wufei really wasn't sure how to answer that; well, he could, but it would be interesting trying to explain
_why_ he was here. Especially considering he wasn't entirely sure of that himself.

"I'm Wufei..."

"Pleased to meet you, Wufei." Aoki extended his hand towards Wufei, unsuccessfully keeping his books and papers in his grasp. Papers, drawings, and magazines went crashing, scattering across the floor.

"Oh, dear..." Aoki bent down and began to gather up his things, casting an apologetic look at Wufei. "I guess I'm a little clumsy...but I wanted to stop by before going home...is Kamui here?"

Wufei knelt and began to help pick up the papers. He was mildly surprised to see 'Asuka' stamped across the front of the folders; but he didn't comment. He handed the papers back to Aoki.

"So...you are a seal, too?"

Aoki nodded. "I control wind."

Wufei sighed. "Can I ask you a few questions?" He figured it would be easier to ask someone he didn't know, who likewise didn't know _him_.

The man picked up the last of his stray papers, returning them to their proper places in his folders. "Sure...what about?" He didn't seem at all uncomfortable with the thought of a literal stranger asking him anything.

"Um..." Wufei realized this was more difficult than it first seemed, maybe because the question seemed so personal. "...Who do you fight to protect?"

Aoki blinked. _That_ was an interesting question. He studied the smaller Chinese boy a moment, phrasing his answer in his mind. "I fight for my family, and because I love Tokyo. I know that people aren't perfect...but that's no reason to kill them. I want to make it so that Yuka-chan has a safe place to grow up...and I'm willing to give my life to make that happen."

"I see." Wufei murmured, eyes unfocused as he looked out the window. "What would you do if you were lost them?"

Aoki looked startled. "Why do you say that? Is something wrong?"

Wufei held up his hand in a placating gesture. "No, no...nothing like that. I don't even know them...I just wanted to know what you would do if the ones you wanted to protect weren't there anymore. How would you react?"

The tall man looked thoughtful for a moment. "I would keep fighting...even if I lost Shimako and Yuka. There would be more people to protect...though I would be very sad." He smiled faintly. "I just hope that I never have to deal with that."

Wufei nodded. "Thank you..."

"Why do you want to know, Wufei?" Aoki asked after a moment.

"I...just wanted to know if you'd be like Subaru, too."

"Like Subaru? Oh...is he okay?" The man berated himself silently for not seeing the Sumeragi earlier, but he couldn't help it. Maybe he'd be with Kamui...

Suddenly, his cell phone rang. "What now?" Aoki muttered, flipping it open and giving an almost-weary 'hello?'.

Wufei couldn't help feeling that he was somehow eavesdropping.

"Oh? Is that all? Yes, I know, two cans of tomato soup, and strawberry Pocky for Yuka? All right...I understand...see you in about half an hour...all right. Yes, I have it, love you too, I'm going to go now. Yes, Shimako, I know, your favorite brand. Love you, love you...bye. Yes, bye!" Looking half-scared, he shut the cell phone and returned it to his pocket, nearly dropping his paperwork yet _again_.

"Looks like I won't be able to talk to Kamui or Subaru today..." he sighed. "It was nice meeting you, Wufei, but I have to leave now...could you tell them I stopped by? Thank you..."

He headed for the door, just as his phone rang again.

"Hello? Yes, yes, Shimako, I'm going! I'm walking out the door now, I love you...yes, yes..."

Wufei arched a brow as Aoki's voice faded into the distance. Then he sat down... the answers that Aoki had given him were so conflicting with what he had already seen, but Aoki's intentions _had_ seemed entirely pure...

He knew what he had to do in order to decide. He had to think of what he, and the other Gundam Pilots had fought... he hadn't wanted to think on it; it made his heart hurt to think about them... to think about Duo. But, he had to try.

Heero. He knew that Heero always fought for what he believed in, no matter what was at stake. He would base his actions on what needed to be done and he would go to any length to accomplish his goal. He fought with an almost cold intensity and determination, no matter what. If he lost Quatre... he would still go on and do his job.

Quatre on the other hand... Quatre fought to protect those he loved. He fought on pure emotion, yet managed to maintain a calm head in most situations. If Quatre lost Heero... he would probably walk the same path as Subaru had. He would be so consumed by grief that he would quite literally lose his mind.

Trowa. Well, Wufei didn't truly know what Trowa would do. Trowa was the biggest enigma that Wufei had ever met. He would probably do what was needed... but then... Trowa would most likely accept the situation and move on.

Duo... Wufei abruptly stopped that train of thought. He didn't know _who_ Duo was anymore.

Why did he, Wufei, fight? What had possessed him to take Shenlong and go to the Earth against the will of his colony? What had been there for him to protect? Meiran had already died...

Wufei sighed. He fought because genocide was wrong. If he didn't fight... then it would be like the original Operation Meteor. Genocide. Could he allow that to happen, just because he would lose the one person who he loved? No. Could he fight and still try and save Duo from himself, from who he had become? He didn't know... but he had to try. If Duo couldn't be saved... then Wufei would do what was needed... and then follow his love.

End Part 6/?

----
----
OUTTAKE
----
----

Duo was dreaming. He knew that he was dreaming, at least he assumed it was a dream, because there was no way reality could be this confusing-this conflicting... so jumbled. So... _fucked_ up.

Yes, Duo stared at Deathscythe with something akin to horror. Actually, it was horror, dread, disbelief and Duo knew without a shred of doubt that he was dreaming. Deathscythe just did not, _did_ _not_ wear a pink tutu with frilly lace. And it most certainly did not carry a wand that was 30 feet long, made from cherry wood with a unicorn hair as its core... and there was no possible way that Deathsythe would be dancing with that wand, with that wand shooting off green sparks as it hit a floating card... and Deathscythe would not say the words "Release" and the distinct words of 'love and peace' come from the card. Not possible.
(At this point, miri put missa in a straight jacket and took over the computer. Farfie, eat your heart out.
Missa: *Being carted off* But I don't want to go to sleep! Just coz everything is getting really weird and I can't stop laughing and... ok, maybe sleep is good. But I will be back! Unless the munchkins from OZ come for me in my sleep... or I die and get reincarnated as a bishounen in an anime, or I go into the HP universe and I get to watch all those fuckable boys go at it with each other... or even watch anime boys go at it with each other... ok, going now... I've just guaranteed myself great dreams. )

Part 7