Shi no Koibito

-----part 1-----

Dark wings rustled, restlessly, as the god of death watched from the heavens. Recently, he'd been told of a young boy who'd claimed the dark angel's name for his own. His first impulse had been to kill the presumptuous fool, but when he'd seen him, he'd found the boy far too beautiful.

"You love him."

Shinigami turned and saw Ainimegami standing there. Without replying, he turned his attention back to the braided mortal who'd managed to reach his heart, which until then all others had thought unreachable.

"You and he will be togeher soon." Ainimegami told the younger god.

Shinigami's heart sank. "No." he whispered. "Please. Not now. He's too young, too beautiful. Must he leave the world now? He's not even sick. And the war is going to be over in two days."

Ainimegami nodded. "Yes. He will be the last direct casualty of the war. But, don't be sad. It will be a day of happiness for him, not one of tears."

"I don't understand." Shinigami whispered.

"You will." Ainimegami promised.

*****

Duo woke feeling especially cheerful. He ran into the kitchen and gave Wufei a big hug, laughing at the expression on the Chinese pilot's face. Then, he playfully kissed the tip of Quatre's nose. Or rather, he tried to. Instead, he found himself jumping back in surprise at the sudden jolt of static electricity that stung his lips. "Wow! I didn't know you could do that, Quatre! That's so cool!"

"What are you talking about?" Quatre asked.

"Didn't you just shock me?"

"Nope."

Duo shrugged. "Aw... darn. And here I thought you were getting interesting."

As soon as no one was looking, the Winner Heir stuck his tongue out at Duo.

"What are you so happy about, anyhow?" he asked, a moment later.

"Dunno," Duo shrugged, "just am, that's all."

"Let's move out!" Heero shouted, bursting into the room. "We've got orders to attack an OZ storage facility."

Duo leapt up and rushed past him, a look of anticipation in his eyes.

"What's up?" Heero asked, catching up.

"I'm not sure." Duo admitted. "But I feel like I've been waiting for this day all my life."

-----part 2-----

The OZ facility was better guarded than the pilots had been lead to believe. 

"Duo! Look out!" Heero called.

Heero fired on the Aries fighters that were heading for Duo. He managed to take out most of them, but one slipped past him, firing on Deathscythe.

Deathscythe swung around, slicing the remaining fighter in half.

Another phalanx of fighters went after Quatre. Duo spotted them and sped to Quatre's rescue, not seeing as Tallgeese swooped down from the clouds behind him.

"DUO! LOOK OUT!" Quatre screamed.

But it was too late.

Using a new light-sword weapon, Zechs impaled Deathscythe. The Gundam froze, and for a brief second, a shadow passed over it. Then, it exploded.

"DUO!" Heero screamed "NO!!!" All of Wing's weapons were firing now, as he bore down on Tallgeese. "Quatre! Get out of the way. Quatre?! QUATRE, MOVE YOUR GODDAMNED RICH ASS BEFORE I SHOOT IT OFF!"

Quatre sat there, stunned, as if he didn't even hear Heero.

Unable to kill Quatre, especially with Duo gone, Heero sank back into the pilot's seat of his Gundam and watched the OZ troops retreat into the afternoon sky.

Heero and the others rushed to the scattered wreckage of Deathscythe, searching for anything that might remain of Duo.

"He's not there." Quatre said, quietly.

"He got out?" Heero asked, hopefully. "He survived? But then.. where is he?"

"Didn't you see?" Quatre asked. 

"See what?" Heero was getting iritated. "Quatre, what are you talking about?"

"He was here. Shinigami was here." Quatre explained. "He took Duo with him."

-----part 3-----

"You're not making sense." Heero told Quatre.

"Didn't you see him?" Quatre asked. "Shinigami rode up on his horse and Duo climbed on the back and rode off with him."

"We didn't see anything like that." Wufei replied, his voice firm.

"I'm not making it up!" Quatre told them, urgently. "I know what I saw!"

"We don't think you're lying, Quatre." Trowa told him, putting an arm around him. "But you just experienced a bad shock and you may be..."

"What?" Quatre shot back, uncharacteristically upset. "Having a nervous breakdown. Mentally unstable? Freaking out?! You think I'm nuts, don't you?!"

"No, Quatre," Trowa said, gently, "I'm just saying..."

"I thought you were my friend." Quatre said, regretting the words almost as soon as he'd said them.

"I am." Trowa sounded hurt. He knew Quatre was in pain, but the blond Arabian's words hurt all the same. "And I'm worried about you."

"Why are you so sure I'm wrong?" Quatre asked.

"Just tell me why you saw it, and no one else did?" Trowa replied, gently.

"Tell me what you *did* see." Quatre asked. "Please. I have to know."

"Quatre..." Trowa began. He didn't want to tell Quatre about what he'd seen. About the impalement of Deathscythe, and the explosion that followed. He felt sure it would drive the obviously already unstable boy over the edge.

"I'll tell you." Wufei spoke up. Ignoring Trowa's protests, feeling it would be unjust to keep the truth from Quatre, he started to tell Quatre about the battle.

"I know that part. I mean just when Deathscythe was impaled. Didn't you see Shinigami arrive?"

"No." Wufei admitted. "There was a shadow for a moment, no doubt a cloud passing over the sun."

"It wasn't a cloud." Quatre replied. "It was Shinigami. And he was all cloaked in black and riding his horse. It was most definitely him. Why won't you listen to me? Shinigami took Duo."

"Shinigami eventually takes the souls of everyone," Heero replied. "It is inevitable."

"He didn't just take Duo's soul, Heero." Quatre whispered.

-----part 4-----

"Would you get to the point?" Heero fumed. "What exactly are you talking about, Quatre?"

"I'm trying to tell you, that Duo is with Shinigami, in body as well as in spirit." Quatre sighed.

Trowa considered this. "If that's true...."

"It is true. I know what I saw and I know I'm not crazy."

"So, why don't you go after him? Use that uchu-no-kokoru of yours to bring him back?"

"I can't." Quatre shook his head. "His heart and soul are not mine to fight for." He looked meaningfully at Heero.

"Hn....."

"Look, if you want Duo back, you have no choice. You'll have to face Shinigami. The *real* Shinigami."

"The *real* Shinigami can kiss my Perfect Soldier ass." Heero proclaimed, giving his own backside an inviting slap. "I'm getting *my* Shinigami back whether anyone likes it or not."

The room became suddenly dark and a figure stepped forward, clad in black.

"Shinigami." Quatre breathed.

"So, you did see me." Shinigami smiled. "Who challenges me?"

Heero stepped forward, defiantly. "Duo's mine."

"I'm afraid you're wrong." Shinigami shook his head, sadly. "Duo Maxwell was conceived for the purpose of becoming my wife. The fact that he turned out to be male doesn't change that. He belonged to me before he was even born. However, if you wish to challenge me, I'll gladly accept the contest."

-----part 5-----

Tears fell from Duo's eyes as his hair, free of its braid, was pulled through the bridal headdress that had been placed upon his head, then combed out, leaving it to cascade behind him like a glorious chestnut waterfall.

//Today, I become Shinigami's bride.// he thought. //This is supposed to be the happiest day of my life. So why does my heart ache so? I'm sure Quatre would be happy for me if he knew, and Trowa and Wufei and Hee... Heero... // his thoughts trailed off as he realized what it was that was bothering him so much about his upcoming wedding. "Oh God. Heero. I love Heero. I've always loved him. But I have no choice. I must marry Shinigami.

The seraphim attending him smiled. "Perhaps all is not lost." she told him. "Your Heero has challenged Shinigami for your hand."

"No!" Duo gasped. "You must stop him! I've be responsible for so much death. Please, not another death on my hands. Not Heero's!"

"It's too late." the seraphim replied. "it's already begun."

-----TBC-----