A Promise Between Souls

By DragonMage

Notes: *hides behind Wufei* Sorry, sorry, sorry! I know it took beyond forever to get this chapter out but...I just got stuck! *bows and hopes for forgiveness* I hope this chapter makes up for it!

Oh, and excuse all grammar mistakes. I didn't look this thing over. *sweatdrop*

Chapter 5

The next morning, Heero woke up--very late, almost twelve--to find Wufei still deep asleep. The Chinese man was curled up with a pillow pressed to his cheek, his breath soft and low. His expression was peaceful, almost serene, save for the slight tension around his lips and eyes. That was the only sign of Wufei's battle with depression.

Heero sat up and stretched, working the kinks out of his back and arms. He yawned and smiled slightly. He almost felt like today was going to be a good day. He stood up and made his way to the bathroom, took a quick shower and changed into his extra clothing. He stepped out of the bathroom, towel drying his hair, to find Wufei just waking up from his slumber. The Chinese man moved slightly, moaned and sighed before slowly opening his eyes.

Wufei blinked, wondering for a moment why the room was so bright. He never left the curtains open because his eyes were always too sensitive in the morning. He winced and rubbed his eyes, turning away from the direction of the window and settled down for sleep again when all of last night rushed back into his head. He sat up abruptly and blinked at the image of Heero standing at the foot of his bed with a towel in his hand.

"Good morning, Wufei," Heero said, nodding. "Did you sleep well?"

"Aah...yes..." Wufei nodded jerkily. He ran his fingers through his hair, feeling a bit disorientated. He wasn't exactly used to waking up and having someone there, watching him. He rubbed his eyes again and stifled a yawn. "What do you want for breakfast?"

"I think I'll go buy McDonald's or something. You don't have *anything* in your refrigerator at the moment," Heero said as he walked back into the bathroom to replace the towel.

Wufei flushed sheepishly. "I told you I wasn't a big on eating."

Heero walked back out of the bathroom and eyed Wufei critically. "I think it's time you get started. You're too thin." He walked over to the bed and sat down beside Wufei. He reached out and brushed errant strands of hair out of the Chinese man's face. "Come on, get up, shower and we'll go get something to eat. And you're going to eat whether or not you want to!"

"But--"

"No buts. I've seen how you eat and I don't like it." Without thinking, Heero reached out and took Wufei's hands into his own. He lifted them and pressed a soft kiss to the smooth, bronze skin. "Listen to me. I want you to get better." Then he stood up and left the room, not even really realizing what he had just done.

Wufei sat there in his bed, stunned. <He just...He...> He fell back onto the plush pillows and tangled blankets. "Heero..." He tried to wipe the silly grin off his face but it was near impossible. Finally, after composing himself a bit, he sat up and started getting ready.

~*~

"So, McDonald's?" Wufei asked as he got into Heero's car.

"Yep. It's the nearest fast food place," Heero said, nodding. "Afterwards, what do you want to do?"

Wufei shrugged and buckled his seatbelt. "Well, I have the week off to recover so I guess we can do about anything."

Heero grunted and turned on the ignition. He then backed out of the parking space and into the street. The drive was made in silence, as both men weren't talkative, but it was a calm, relaxing silence. They enjoyed each other's company and didn't need words to make it even more pleasant.

When they reached the McDonald's, Heero made sure Wufei ate instead of nibbling on those stupid salads the restaurant offered. The Chinese man had been a bit annoyed, being forced to eat so much when he knew he couldn't handle it, but took it silently. He didn't want to upset Heero any further, especially after what the man had done for him. He owed Heero a lot and it wasn't going to be any more trouble to the Japanese man. No one ever really cared about him like Heero was at the moment and he knew well enough not be a brat about it.

Due to his agreement to eat whatever Heero ordered him, he was now stuck trying to finish a Big Mac, large fries and a medium drink. He had managed to eat the entire burger, half of the fries and a few sips of the soda before he couldn't take anymore.

"I'm sorry, Heero, but I can't," the Chinese man said, shaking his head after he swallowed another fry. "My body...I'm sorry."

Heero sighed. "Are you sure you can't eat anymore? You're so skinny!" And to emphasis his point, he reached out and pinched Wufei's thin arm. Wufei yelped and glared at him.

"Yes, I'm sure. I'll throw up!"

"Does that mean you'll be able to eat more?"

Wufei threw his napkin at him. "No! Heero, I'm going to get sick if you make me eat anymore."

"Fine," Heero conceded. "You don't have to eat everything. But you really should. You need to get your energy back and put some weight on yourself."

"Hmph. Back in the war it wouldn't have mattered if we were under weight," Wufei said quietly. "We needed to be thin, to fit in the cockpit of the Gundam."

"You're right. Another reason why we were chosen was for our size," Heero said seriously.

"Why couldn't they pick another short guy?" Wufei demanded irritably. He played with the fries on his tray, not really eating anything. "I wonder what life would have been like if we were never pilots."

"We can't change the past, Wufei," Heero said softly, noticing Wufei's sudden melancholy. "You know that. What's done has been done."

"Yeah, well, you haven't done any of the things I have," Wufei snapped angrily. "You haven't...you haven't *turned* on your friends."

Heero stopped eating and wiped his hands with a white napkin. "Is that what's got you so on the edge? Wufei, we've all forgiven you for that! Everyone! No one cares anymore. You were confused, we understood that. You're not on the other side anymore, Wufei. You're good."

"It still doesn't change what happened," Wufei said tightly, anguish clear in his velvet eyes. Heero suddenly wondered if this was one reason why Wufei was so depressed. It was pretty clear that the Chinese man tortured himself with the thought that he had turned on his friends in the second war. Why was Wufei doing this to himself? Why was he torturing himself by dredging up a past that everyone was better off forgetting?

"Stop it, Wufei," Heero suddenly commanded. "Stop making yourself feel like this. You're just bringing up the pain again and again, making it worse. If you just stop--"

"Heero, you don't understand--"

"Like hell! You think I don't see what's going on? You're hurting yourself like this! You have to got to let it go."

Wufei shook his head. "It's not that easy. Please, just...stop, okay?" The Chinese man suddenly stood up with his tray and walked over to the trash can. He dumped everything inside and placed the tray back on the top of the trash can. He stood there for a while, just breathing deeply, trying to rein in the emotions and confusion that Heero had set inside of him. What was this man doing to him? He thought he had gotten some kind of control over his emotions when it came to Heero but apparently, he hadn't. <I can't always do this. He's Heero. He's nice, sweet, and...he means well. But he doesn't like me. Does he? No, that's not possible. Who would want some worthless whelp like me?>

He hadn't realized how long he had been standing there until Heero appeared at his elbow and started leading him away, out of the restaurant.

It wasn't until they were in the car did Heero start speaking. He reached out and touched Wufei on the shoulder, letting go of all restrictions he put on himself to be of some comfort to the special man next to him. "Wufei, I know you're hurting and you feel guilty and you're blaming yourself for everything. But it doesn't have to be like that. You can fight this. You can get better. Please, Wufei, understand that you're a good person."

"I'm...I'm lost, Heero. I've been lost my whole life," Wufei whispered softly. "I'll never find my way." He reached up and touched his pendant. "This is the only thing I have left of my past and I can barely remember it. My mother had worn it for as long as I can remember. But one day, she was gone and the pendant went with her. She had died, killed by a rebel attack before I was even old enough to realize what death was.

"When I was older, I searched for the pendant, thinking maybe she had left it behind somewhere for me to find, her only son. She had been the only who loved me. My father might have cared for me, but my mother loved me. I never found the pendant, no matter how hard I searched. I went through all of the trunks in the attic where her things were packed away. I searched and searched. I couldn't find it. I was so upset and at loss with myself, not being able to understand why I wanted the pendant so desperately.

"Eventually I gave up. The pendant was lost, just like me. I threw myself into everything around me, forgetting the sorrow of losing my mother and the pendant. I didn't find the pendant until recently, when a trunk arrived at my doorstep. Apparently, it had been put away, safe in a bank, for me until I was of age. Then it was to be sent to me. My mother's lawyers had set it up." Wufei smiled slightly as he caressed the pendant. "You wouldn't believe how happy I was when I found it. Finally! This is where it's been the whole time. But you know what? Even after I found the pendant, I was still loss. I didn't know what my purpose was anymore."

"Is that the problem? You want some purpose in life?" Heero asked softly, drawn in by Wufei's soft voice as the man recounted a part of his past.

"Yes. That's all I want," Wufei admitted in a broken voice. "I was raised to be the leader of my colony, I fought for Meiran after our colony was attacked, I fought for the soldiers discarded after the war. My whole life has always been driven by some great cause. And now that the cause is gone, I'm lost."

Heero felt his heart twist and he reached out, without thinking, to take Wufei's hand into his own. He pulled the man over and into his arms. Wufei fell into them easily, closing his eyes, desperate for the other man's support. He had been trying to hold himself up for so long, it was time to let go and have someone else support him for a little while.

"If I give you a reason to live, will you take it?" Heero asked softly, using the opportunity to try and save his friend.

Wufei pulled away, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Live for me."

~*~

Relena walked calmly and confidently into the Preventers Headquarters, her steps firm. She passed by several Preventers, watching as they stepped out of her respectfully--just like they're supposed to. She didn't bother to greet anyone she knew. She had a purpose for coming to Preventer HQ and she was going to get it done. If she didn't, everything would fail and she was lose the one thing she wanted most in life.

She finally reached Lady Une's office. She knocked the door and waited for the invitation to come inside. Then it came.

"Come in!"

She pushed open the door and walked inside, changing her mood immediately to a sweetness that everyone knew her for.

"Lady Une? I'm so sorry to intrude like this," Relena began.

Lady Une shook her head and gestured to the seat in front of her desk. "No, it's all right, Miss Relena. Please sit down and tell me what's wrong or what brings you here."

Relena sat down and smiled. "Yes, well, I heard that Chang Wufei has been unwell."

Une raised her head and nodded slowly. "Yes, that's true. Where did you hear that?"

"Oh, here and there. I'm worried about him actually," Relena said in her most sincere voice. "He always seemed so troubled. I was wondering if he was here so I might speak with him and possibly help him in any way. After all, he and the Gundam pilots have done so much for the world. We wouldn't want one of them to be suffering like this."

Une nodded slowly, not trusting the girl at all. There was something entirely false about her. She knew Relena was a good girl and meant well but suddenly, Une had a feeling that Relena didn't mean well about anything at the moment. In fact, she didn't even know Relena knew Wufei until right now. Wasn't the girl always obsessed with Heero Yuy? Une had expected her to ask for Yuy, not Chang. The last person she expected her to ask for as Chang. "I'm sorry, Miss Relena, but he's not here. He took leave yesterday."

"Leave? Then may I have the address to his apartment?" Relena asked hopefully.

Une shook her head. "I'm permitted to release that kind of information. I'm sorry, Miss Relena. You're going to have to just wait until he comes back."

Relena fought back the anger and frustration that had welled up inside of her and nodded politely. "Of course. You're right. I'm sorry to bother you." The young woman stood up and smiled kindly. "Thank you, Lady Une, for your help."

"You're welcome," Une said, nodding slightly.

Relena turned and left the office, closing the door behind her. She clenched her fists tightly and quickly walked down the hall, her steps harsh and staccato. When she finally reached the door, she pushed them open almost violently and threw herself into the car waiting for her outside.

"Take me to Winner's place!" she snapped at the driver.

"Yes, Miss Relena." The car pulled out of the Preventer HQ parking lot and down the street.

~*~

"What are you talking about, Heero?" Wufei asked softly. He stared at Heero in confusion.

"Honestly, I'm not so sure myself. But, Wufei, if you're not willing to live for yourself, at least live for me. Know that if you did give up, I'd be crushed." Heero pulled Wufei closer and kissed him softly on the forehead. "I care for you, deeply. Now don't ask why because I don't know either. What I do know is that if you stop living, so will I."

Wufei was stunned and pleasantly so. He leaned against Heero and sighed happily. His eyes slid shut and for once he actually felt happy, at peace. <I've waited so long for this,> he thought, dazed. He wrapped his arms around Heero's shoulders and nodded against Heero's neck, where his face was currently nestled in.

"All right," he murmured. "I'll live for you. Is that good?"

"Very, very good," Heero murmured. He held Wufei tightly, something inside of him refusing to let the Chinese man go. He wanted to hold Wufei forever, let him know that he was never going to be sad again if Heero had a say in it. Unbiddingly, he felt another 'dream vision' coming...

//"Will you hold me forever? And make sure nothing bad ever happens to me?"

"Yes. I will. We promised we would be friends forever, remember? And that means protecting each other, right?"

"Right. Just...never let go. I can't live if you do."

"You're being too dramatic. I'll never let you go."

"...Thank you."//

As he shook himself out of it, he could feel Wufei slowly relax against his chest. He looked down to see Wufei with his eyes closed, his breathing soft and slow. He had fallen asleep. <And that's a good thing. He hasn't been getting enough sleep lately.> Gently, so as not to wake him, Heero shifted Wufei back into his seat and started the car. Amazingly, Wufei didn't wake up but slept on. Smiling, Heero pulled out of the parking lot and started back to Wufei's apartment.

~*~

Heero was reading on the couch--one of Wufei's books about Chinese traditions--when he heard the doorbell ring. He frowned and stood up. He quickly answered the door before all the noise could wake up Wufei. The Chinese man needed as much sleep as he could get. Being exhausted like that wasn't a good thing.

But Heero wasn't prepared to see who was the one ringing the doorbell.

"Relena?" he blurted out--something he *doesn't* do. He stared at the young woman in shock. "What are you doing here?"

Relena frowned. "What are *you* doing here?"

"Ah, I'm just staying over with Wufei," Heero said, not necessarily giving the entire truth. There was something about the girl that just didn't feel *right*. Funny he had never had that feeling before, never mind what the other guys had told him about Relena being 'evil'. The girl seemed normal enough and she *was* the salvation of the world. Even if she didn't feel 'right' he couldn't have killed her--maybe.

"I see. Can I come in?" Relena asked, feeling anger and hate build up at an incredible rate inside of her. <What is Heero doing in this slut's house?? Damnit, why doesn't just he leave Heero alone? Doesn't he know Heero's mine?>

"I don't know. Wufei might not like it..." Heero trailed off. Clearly *not* invitation. He knew how Wufei felt about Relena and he wasn't going to invite the young woman in while Wufei was resting.

Relena's expression tensed for a moment before she relaxed and slapped a 'stage smile' on her face. The smile she gave the world when she was giving speeches and trying to encourage peace among the people.

"Of course. How silly of me. This *is* Wufei's place," she demurred. "Well, I heard the poor man wasn't doing so good and I wanted to give him a charm." She pulled out of her pocket and pendant hanging from a simple silver chain. It was beautiful but Heero thought it looked a bit sinister.

"That's really sweet of you, Relena," Heero said politely as he reached out and took the charm from her. "I'll give it to Wufei when he's awake."

"He's asleep?" Relena asked, interest perked.

"Yes. Like you said, he hasn't been well and he's resting," Heero said smoothly.

Relena smiled. "Good. Well, I guess I'll see you later. Make sure to give Wufei the charm. I hope it helps him. I know it's just superstitious silliness but I couldn't help it."

"Of course. Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Relena." The Japanese man made it a clear dismissal.

Relena accepted it and smiled before saying her good-byes. Then she was walking down the hall to the elevator. Heero closed the door and locked it, almost sighing in relief. Relena was *not* all right. She didn't..feel all right. Heero had always relied on his instincts to get himself out of trouble and currently his instincts were screaming that Relena was a danger to him and even Wufei. He stared at the charm in his hands and snorted before chucking it into the trash. Like hell he was going to give that to Wufei. Something told him it wouldn't be safe if he did.

He walked back into the living and continued reading from where he left off at.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I know this was really short and probably sucked but I just felt like ending it there so I did. *sweatdrop* Anyway, like I told most people, I continued it. *V*