Cannibals

By DragonMage

Notes: Okay, this chapter was pretty hard since I kept on juggling ideas about what I wanted to happen. *sweatdrop* Isn't it just sad? Anyway!! I hope this is okay and hopefully, I'll wrap up this fanfic soon...hopefully...*wanders off*

And!! And, there's always an 'and'. This chapter might be a bit strange. I'm playing with more psycological stuff and weirdness. It's also pretty Une centered in the beginning. I mean, I don't think it's that important but then it might be. *shrug* I have no idea. It just gives you some background on why she's the way she is.

Oh...It's gonna be mostly Fei in this one. I'll focus a bit on Zechsy next chapter! *V*

Dedication: Goldmund (for her cool support) and Engima (who was the one who actually got me motivated into finishing this chapter)

Chapter 9

<What's going on? Damnit, was it supposed to happen like this?>

<Wufei...>

Heero watched, feeling numb and out of this world. He couldn't seem to realize what exactly was going on. Why was Wufei unconscious? And what were the Cannibals doing to him? Is Duo smiling? What's going on? Why is Mother looking so happy? Is that Zechs on the floor? Is that blood? Why is there blood?

Nothing in his mind made sense. He couldn't think!

And then...It was over. He was Heero again.

"That was very good, Heero. I knew you wouldn't let me down," Une said warmly, reaching out to embrace her eldest son. She smiled, a strange laugh coming from her throat as she watched the Chinese boy tied up and thrown over the shoulder of a strong Cannibal. His larger friend was already being carried away back to their home where they would take care of these vile men and finally have what was rightfully theirs.

Heero smiled a small strange smile that would have probably easily marked him as Une's son and hugged her back but with less enthusiasm.

"Was there any doubt?" he asked lowly. He turned his head slightly and watched as Duo grinned at him, relief written all over the delicate features of his brother. Heero wanted to feel something but he couldn't. He was there but he also felt this strange detachment that frustrated him. Wasn't he supposed to feel something? Triumph? Relief that he didn't have to deal with the enemy anymore? Happy he wouldn't have to touch Wufei again...

He suddenly couldn't understand anything suddenly! He was confused! His entire mind was in chaos and he couldn't think straight. His breathing became a bit harder and he had to pull away from his mother; she was suffocating him.

"Heero, what's wrong?" Duo asked, stepping up. He placed a comforting hand on Heero's shoulder and looked at Une. "We did it, Mother. Now we'll rule this place."

"Yes, we will!" Une exhaulted. She laughed and threw her hands into the air, her robes whipping around her as the wind suddenly picked up and tore at them. She spun around happily, like a child who had just received the best birthday present in the whole world. She stopped and grinned at her children. "Let's celebrate! We'll deal with the prisoners later! They can wait! Come on!" With that said, she grabbed their hands, losing all of the coldness and menacing aura that usually surrounded her, and ran, dragging her sons with her. She was suddenly the beautiful girl she had been at one time in her long and dark life.

~*~

//Flashback//

"Anne, what are you doing?" An amused voice asked from the doorway of the pretty young girl's room.

Anne turned around on the seat of her vanity table and smiled warmly, the sunlight behind her giving the effect of a halo around her dark curls. "What does it look like I'm doing? Help me with the blush. I can never get the right amount on my cheeks. They always end up looking a little uneven." She held out the powder case and waited patiently as her best friend took the case from her and began to apply the blush.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked.

"I'm going to go down town and see Lord Khushrenada," Anne replied softly, blushing.

"Oh no!" she teased. "Now that you've blushed, I can't tell the difference between the colors anymore."

"Hey!" Anne protested, laughing. "Stop teasing me! This is really important and I don't want to go seeing him with those words on my mind."

Her best friend smiled. "You really like him, don't you?" She motioned for Anne to tilt her head a bit before applying the blush lightly along the high cheekbones that her friend posessed.

Anne nodded dreamily. "Yes, I do. He's just...perfect."

"I wish I could find someone like that."

"Oh, you will! I just got lucky and found him earlier. I hope he likes me, though. I mean...I know he seems to show *some* interest in me but what if it's not enough..." Anne asked worriedly.

"Anne, dear, you're the most beautiful girl in the town! I don't think anyone's going to turn you down. Lord Khushrenada would have to be blind!" Her friend declared. She smiled encouragingly. "Don't worry too much. You have looks, charm and a sweet personality. I don't think there can be anyone better."

"Thanks a lot," Anne murmured gratefully.

"There!" her friend chirped. "All done!"

Anne stood up and smoothed down her dress. "Thanks again. So, how do I look?"

"Beautiful! No go and make yourself as charming as possible. I wish to be the Maid of Honor at your wedding, you know!"

Anne laughed and hugged her friend briefly. Then she took a deep breath and swept out of the room to meet Lord Khushrenada at the annual festival in the center of town. It wasn't so far away from her house so she decided to walk there instead of taking the car. Besides, taking a car was so inconvienient sometimes. Especially since barely anyone had one and everone either walked or rode a bicycle. Times were starting to get hard, especially since the new supposedly "good" Government had situated themselves so tightly into everything, nothing had been the same. Everyone had thought having a new form of government would be a good thing. So far it had just been hard on the people and some were starting to get angry. Not even the sweet promises from the Government that help and prosperity would soon come to them if they waited patiently could placate them anymore.

Pushing the thoughts of the current state of the country out of her mind, Anne thought of better things. Like seeing Lord Khushrenada. She hadn't exactly told her friend the entire truth. While she had made it seem as if Lord Khushrenada had invited her out, it wasn't exactly what had happened. He had just suggested that she come out to the festival. She had never been to one and he told her that it was a fun thing to attend and that she should see it for herself. But of course any sane person would realize that was just a subtle way of inviting her out and then "accidentally" bumping into her! Who could ignore such an invitation presented in such a casual way that wouldn't raise any rumors? Lord Khushrenada was such a thoughtful person. Who would want rumors to blight their perfect reputation, after all?

She almost giggled giddily as she carefully made her way down the street, minding her pretty dress--she only had so many!--and making sure nothing got on her shoes. She was wearing her best so she could impress Lord Khushrenada. Everyone would tell her she was being a silly girl but she just *knew* she was in love with Lord Khushrenada and he was in love with her. He had to be! She had felt the times when they talked or looked at each other from across the room at the social functions. There was *something* there that no one could possibly ignore. They were made for each other, she was sure of that.

Soon, she was in town and the festival was swarming all around her. She wore a bright, almost innocent, smile on her face. She quickly looked for Lord Khushrenada and--this had to be fate--found him right away. She made her way over to him, always careful about her dress and shoes.

"Hello, Lord Khushrenada!" Anne chirped happily as she stepped next to the handsome young man.

Nicholas Khushrenada turned his head and looked down slightly. He smiled warmly at the young girl next to him.

"Hello," he replied politely. "How are you?"

"I'm very good. Are you having a fine time here, Lord Khushrenada?" Anne asked sweetly. "I've never been to one before, so this is a new experience for me."

"Really? Well, I think you'll find it a wonderful experience. I've always liked coming to one of these once in a while. It's good to mingle with people, wouldn't so say so?" Nicholas really didn't know who this young woman was beside him but she seemed nice and he figured he would play polite. There was no sense in insulting people when all they wanted to do was make conversation. It wasn't like he was being asked to spend the entire day with this strange, cheerful young lady. His fiancée was going to show up soon and then they would spend the rest of the day together before retiring to his mansion to have dinner.

Anne warmed around the cheeks. She was finally speaking with Lord Khushrenada! And it looked like he fancied her. Why else would he speak to her? She knew that people didn't talk to people they didn't link. <This is so wonderful,> she exhaulted. <Soon, he'll fall totally in love with me and we'll be together forever. It's only a matter of time! He already likes me, after all!>

But her cheer only lasted for a little while. While she and Lord Khushrenada was having the most happy conversation a lady was making her way towards them. She was a very...beautiful lady--if you liked those types of women. Long blonde hair in bouncy curls pulled back away from her face and fastened by a light blue ribbon, milky white skin, perfect lips...warm blue eyes...Hmph! As if Lord Khushrenada went for those kinds of women! That lady looked like a flirt!

Anne's smile faltered slightly as she watched Lord Khushrenada move forward and press a chaste kiss on the young lady's soft cheek.

"Jeanette," Nicholas greeted happily. He reached out and took his fiancée's smooth hands into his own and lifted them to his lips.

"Nicolas!" Jeanette Myriel blushed prettily. "It's so wonderful to see you! I've missed you."

"Ah, but we're together again," Nicholas said in a warm, teasing tone.

Jealously, Anne watched the scene before her. It wasn't fair!! Lord Khushrenada liked *her*! Not that flirty bitch! What was this Jeanette person doing?! Taking Lord Khushrenada from her...It was wrong! Uncalled for! This was not supposed to happen. Lord Khushrenada was not to fall for the wiles of such an unclean young woman! Anne knew she had to see that Lord Khushrenada saw the light, the goodnes--her.

*Not* Jeanette. No. Jeanette needed to leave the scene...And as soon as possible.

//End Flashback//

~*~

Painfully, Wufei sat up, propped agianst a wall of his cell. He had been knocked unconscious and he just *knew* that there was going to be one painful bruise and bump on the back of his head soon. As well as a migraine worthy headache. He hated those. They always took forever to go away and drained *everything* from him.

Wincing and hissing through his teeth, Wufei tried to control the spinning of the room. When he was finally able to see straight, he carefully shifted his head and his eyes, taking in the cell around him. It was like any typical cell: four stone walls, dark with only one small grill letting the light in, and a dirty futon on the floor that looked rat bitten and diseased. At least the floor was somewhat clean. It wasn't damp. Wufei was grateful for that since dampness usually meant sickness and he didn't want to get sick and die. Not without making sure Mariemeia was fine before he left this Earth.

Closing his eyes, Wufei tried to ignore the throbbing pain in his head that was slowly spreading out to the rest of his body. The wound in his shoulder hadn't been dealt with and now it was still bleeding albeit slowly. That left him slightly light headed. The wound had been pulled and slightly torn while he had been captured and he wondered how large the scar would be this time. Well, given the possiblity he got out of this alive and able to patch it up and allow it to heal.

He breathed slowly, trying to get with grips on his body. He knew he could control the pain and make it all go away for a little while. Maybe long enough to fight his way out--if he tried really, really hard. Something he was determined to do. He opened his eyes and looked around himself, noting the door closed straight across from him. He wondered how strong it was and if it was guarded.

Slowly standing up, Wufei struggled over to the door. He leaned against the wall next to it and looked up at the grill where the light was coming down from. He couldn't tell where he was from there. It was all sky and clouds with a bit of starlight. Apparently, they were right below street level with no surrounding buildings. If he had been strong enough, he could have scaled the wall and take a quick scan of the surrounding area and figure out where he was. It would make escape and hiding much easier. Unfortunately, he wasn't strong enough and just the thought of scaling the wall for a few seconds made him sick.

<What to do...What to do?> he asked himself. He turned and looked out of the small bars of the door and saw something that resembled an old medieval dungueon from those books he had read as as child. It was dark, lit by only torches along the wall with smiliar prison doors up and down the large room. He couldn't see any guards and couldn't hear anything...Wait. He could hear something. Someone--or something--was making their way down the dirt walkway on heavy boots.

Gently pushing himself away from the door, Wufei leaned against the wall he had woken up next to, ready for anything. <Even though a child could probably take me down just by breathing on me right now,> he thought in morbid amusement.

A key was stuck into the door of his cell, turned and the door was pushed open. The light poured in and for a moment Wufei was blinded. But he quickly adjusted his eyes to the bright lights and saw who it was.

Heero.

And here he was trying not to think about the bastard. Damn.

Heero had a blank, unreadable expression on his face as he stepped into the room, a torch and some kind of box in his hands. He closed the door behind him and began to silently lighting the small unlit torches on each side of the room. Soon the room was bright and Wufei could see better. Though, quite frankly, he didn't want to see anything at the moment. Least of all Heero. He would rather be blind and deaf to the world than knowing Heero was standing there. Someone he thought cared about him; someone he thought *he* cared about. It was like some kind of cruel torture. Slow painful death by having someone you cared about next to you. Wonderful.

"Are you still bleeding?"

Heero's voice was strange yet familiar and it scared Wufei for a moment. But he quickly regained his composure. He glared up at Japanese man.

"I'm fine," he said defiantly.

"No, you're not." Heero sat down in front of Wufei, placing the box down next to him. He flipped open the top and began to pull out all sorts of stuff for cleaning and bandaging up wounds.

Wufei couldn't stop the small hiss coming from his throat when he realized what Heero was going to do. He pushed himself further against the wall and pulled his knees up to his chest, trying to get himself as far away from Heero as possible. He couldn't actually walk over to the other side of the room without falling over so he didn't try

"Don't you dare touch me," he said venomously.

Heero's movements stilled and he looked at the furious young man. "If you don't get that tended to, you'll probably bleed to death."

"I don't care. Let me bleed to death. It's better than being alive and next to you," Wufei said quietly, his voice full of hate. He looked away and didn't notice how Heero's hands had tightened into fists for a brief moment.

"You will get that tended to. And I have some pills for the pain," the Japanese man said firmly. He reached for Wufei only to have the other man slap his hand away and stumble to his feet. Wufei wasn't going to sit there, helpless. He would rather risk killing himself on a fall trying to get to the other side of the room.

"Wufei," Heero said warningly as he stood up.

"I told you not to touch me! I don't want you touching me in anyway whatsoever," Wufei exclaimed before wincing. He reached up and clutched painfully at his head. "Ugh.." His knees went out on him and he would have fallen if Heero's arms hadn't shot out and caught him. Wufei immediately screamed in disgust and anger and shoved the older man away, slamming himself against the wall, hard.

Everything went black for the second time that night.

~*~

Heero swore his heart stopped for a moment as he watched Wufei slump against the wall, unconscious. He quickly caught the young man, hating himself for loving the feeling of the slight body in his arms. He carried Wufei over to the futon on one side of the cell and laid him down. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes briefly, a deep pain welling up inside of him at the sight of Wufei hurt. And he knew it was all because of *him*. He had put Wufei in this situation and now...Now Wufei was bleeding too much and probably sported a concussion that would kill him if Heero didn't wake him up.

<Please, please...Don't hate me,> Heero thought desperately as he gathered all the first aid supplies he had brought and placed them beside the futon. He slipped an arm underneath Wufei's body and sat the smaller man up.

"Wufei...Come on, wake up," he urged softly. "Wake up...I know you can. You can't just slip out on me, all right? Wake up. Please wake up..."

It took a while, but Heero finally managed to get a groan from Wufei. He breathed a sigh of relief and continued to slowly coax Wufei awake. He reached up and brushed away errant strands of black hair from the Chinese man's eyes and resisted the urge to kiss him on the side of his forehead. He didn't have any right. None whatsoever.

"Uuhh..." Wufei opened his eyes and blinked painfully. He stared up at Heero for a long moment, uncomprehending. He looked at loss for a moment and Heero wondered if there had been any real damage done other than a bad concussion. Then those dark eyes cleared and Wufei narrowed them at Heero. He struggled to be released from Heero's hold but the older man refused to do so, tightening his hold around Wufei's slim body.

"Don't struggle. You'll just make things worse." Heero gingerly sat down against the wall. He pulled Wufei close between his legs and held him there. "Just...don't move."

"Don't touch me. Oh gods...Just let me go and die," Wufei choked out dazedly as he tried to unsucessfully pull away only to feel that warm chest pressed against his back. Finally he gave up and his head lolled slightly, falling against Heero's shoulder. He was just too tired. So tired. He closed his eyes for a moment only to be shaken. "Wha...What the hell was that for??"

"You can't fall asleep, Wufei. You have a concussion." Heero sighed and held Wufei close. "I have to treat your wound. Promise not to struggle?"

"I would. But I'm too fucking tired to give a damn right now." Wufei sighed. "While you're at it, why don't you just kill me and feed me to the Cannibals? It'll make me feel a lot better. I mean, Meia is with Sally and Noin so she'll be okay and if Zechs manages to escape he can go back--"

"Shut up, Wufei," Heero snapped angrily. He slid out from behind Wufei. He pulled off his jacket and folded it, propping it underneath Wufei's head, supporting and cushioning it. "I don't want you talking like that, okay?"

"Why not?" Wufei bit out. "It's gonna happen, isn't it? Right, Heero? That's why you and Duo showed up? To trick us into believeing you're friends and then...and then betraying us! Oh gods...Where's Zechs? Is he okay?" He was slowly losing his grip on everything, talking nonsense. Or at least what sounded like nonsense. It hit the truth painfully and Heero tried not to wince.

"Be quiet, Wufei and let me stop the bleeding." Gently, Heero pushed off Wufei's jacket and began to unbutton the shirt he was wearing. It was a bit shredded but it was better than no shirt. When he was half way down the row, Wufei's hand shot out and grabbed his wrist in a weak grasp. Heero looked up to find Wufei glaring at him, eyes burning.

"Don't touch me. How many times do I have to tell you that? You're *such* a stubborn and deaf bastard!" Wufei sighed and his grasp slid away, hand falling uselessly at his side. "But it doesn't matter does it? Damnit, I can't think..."

Heero swallowed. "Yeah, well...Blood loss and a bump on the head can do that to you. Now will you please hold still and stop trying to stop me from treating your wound?"

"Yeah...Why not? Let's prolong inevitable death!" Wufei closed his eyes but both of them knew he wouldn't fall asleep, yet.

Working gently yet steadily, Heero soon got the wound cleaned and the bleeding stopped. He pulled out a needle and hoped Wufei was too out of it to really register pain before he started to slowly sew the slightly gaping wound closed. Wufei did hiss in pain but that had been the only admission of pain since Heero first slid the needle into his flesh. Heero worked quickly and soon the wound was closed. He rubbed it with some healing salve on it before wrapping it up firmly with some clean white guaze. He then helped Wufei back into his clothing.

"Are you hungry?" Heero asked quietly as he began to put away all the things he had pulled out of the box.

"Why do you care?" Wufei asked, his voice heavy with exhaustion.

Heero said nothing.

Wufei turned his head away. "Leave me alone."

Taking a deep breath, Heero gripped the box tight in his hands and stood up. He looked down at Wufei who was staring intently at anything but him. He tried not to reach out and brush his hand against Wufei's smooth cheek but settled instead for looking at him, taking in all his beautiful features that he had familiarized himself with. When Heero felt he had been staring for too long, he turned sharply on his heel and left the room.

~*~

<Damnit, I hate him!>

<I.>

<Hate.>

<Him.>

Wufei tried to concentrate on the feelings he was currently feeling. Hate. Towards Heero. He had learned long ago it was always easier to hate someone and be angry at them forever than actually caring for them and later forgiving them. The caring and wanting to forgive was always the thing that brought the hero down to his knees. He will be compassionate and willing to let things go and be happy only to be stabbed in the back. Quite frankly, Wufei didn't want that. Even though he had been contemplated death not so long ago, he still wanted to live. He had Meia to think of and Zechs to worry about. He wondered what had happened to his tall friend and if he was okay. Wufei didn't think he was injured in anyway other than a few hairs pulled loose, thankfully. He wondered if Duo's betrayal hurt any. He himself didn't know much about Duo but Zechs did and it seemed like they were friends of some sort.

Blood loss was definitely getting to Wufei as he sat there, head cradled by Heero's thick jacket. He felt as weak as a kitten, dizzy, light-headed and his heart felt feeble inside of his chest, as if it was struggling for each pump and thump. But then it was probably because his heart was broken.

He closed his eyes and tried not to let the pain get to him, physically and emotionally. All he wanted to do was either die or be back at home with Mariemeia, holding her close and knowing that all was right in the world with her in his arms. She was his daughter. They were a family. They were happy together. Before the two showed up. Before Heero showed up. Now everything was shit and Meia was probably worrying about him. He wanted to touch her soft cheek and kiss her on the forehead, telling her that everything was going to be okay. That with or without him there, things were going to be all right.

Suddenly the only thing he wanted in the world was too see Mariemeia one last time and tell her how much he loved her. Then he would probably die happy. Probably. He also wanted to know if Heero felt for him in anyway besides guilt. Oh, there had been guilt when Heero showed up to tend his wounds. Tons of it. And while guilt was great, it wasn't the emotion he had wanted to feel from Heero. He wanted to know if Heero cared for him...Possibly loved him in some small and almost insignificant way. He had never felt the way he did with Heero and--damn that bastard--he still cared for him, deep down inside. He wanted to know if it was mutual or if he had just been a good fuck. All he wanted in life was to be loved. Not as a in father-daughter love but as in lover-lover kind of love. Maybe he had felt it for a fraction of a moment...and it had been wonderful.

~*Owari Chapter 9*~

I know, strange. *shrugs and hangs head* Tell me if it was worthy anything...

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