Destination Eden (revised)
Epilogue
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Epilogue
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style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Today was finally the day.
Every hour of the day since he'd awoken, it had
been in his head and at night he had seen everything in his dreams. But today it would happen for real. Invitations,
picking out a party room, formalities at the town hall, he had all taken it
with a smile. His engagement to Duo had flown
past and neared perfection.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>That morning, a hurricane
had passed through Heero’s house. Heidi had made it her personal task to force
his hair down, which seemed to be pretty darn impossible. Stubborn locks kept
on escaping the styling gel and the girl was close to desperation. In the mean
time, Quatre was in a tearing hurry to wash a 'just
discovered stain' out of Heero’s jacket -how did
that get there anyway?- not to mention the ruck in his own pants. Somewhere
amidst the bowls of cereals and mugs of coffee, Heidi’s lipstick and mascara
had got lost, and where the hell did that hairspray go?
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>They had stuck to the usual
tradition that bride and groom, in this case groom and groom, weren’t allowed
to see each other twenty-four hours prior to the
wedding. Duo had spent the night with Trowa, together with Wufei and even
Hilde, while Quatre and Heidi had kept Heero
company in his last hours as a free man. Several scenario’s of how Duo’s night
striving to be the most foolish. Baka. Probably
been painting the town red and now he couldn't
get out of his bed with his hangover.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>In Heero’s bedroom, six
other guests were waiting patiently until it was
time to leave for the church. They had decided for themselves that that was
probably the safest place in the house and Heero hadn’t objected when they had
asked him. He agreed with them after all. There was only one woman in the
kitchen. One woman, but she counted for ten. Heero, let me help you with that
bow tie. Quatre, honey, how is that jacket
doing? Look at your pants! Has someone seen the
hairspray? Where are my shoes? Heero, what have you done
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Heidi darling, where did you
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>The ride to the church
passed off less chaotically, thank God. It was remarkably quiet on the streets
and all hail! For once no diversion to be
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Heero stepped out of the car
and followed by his entourage, made his way to
the entrance of the church where he was greeted by the priest. He was
Look at that, the scatterbrain was actually on time.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>He let Heidi and his other
six guests take their place
The big organ started playing and the guests stood up and faced the entrance of
the church with expectant eyes.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Are you nervous?” Quatre
whispered.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“A little,” Heero replied
with a quick smile. “Just promise me you won't
laugh when I faint, okay?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Laughing, Quatre pulled
Heero’s bow tie into place and offered him his
arm. “Come on. It will be alright.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Duo followed the gaze of the
guests and could only stare as he saw Heero slowly approaching him. His own
smile faded in comparison to Heero's and he
could’ve sworn the sparkles in his eyes had never been brighter. Maybe he didn’t
believe in God, but he wanted to do this for Heero. Heero did believe, this was
important to him and he believed too
a life with Heero that would last forever and that he would cherish as long as
he lived. His past undoubtedly would rear its ugly head every now and then,
from both of them, but that’s where it would
stay: in the past. It would be kept safely in
their heads, under lock and key and if it still found
a little hole to escape through, then they would be all the more happy with
their present life. He was very grateful to his friends. He had been trapped in
a world where dreams didn’t exist, where luxury, comfort and love were nothing
more but far away fairy tales. A street life where you didn’t have to wonder
what you would be doing next week, but whether you’d still be there next week.
Just when he started wondering if he would ever use his good looks for anything
other than making money, a blonde angel took him
to a dark haired love god, a love god he was now about
to marry.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>With a deep sigh, Heero
forced his feet to go at the same pace
were weak from the nerves tearing through his body when he saw Duo standing
there, almost with tears in his eyes.
You
have cried so much. You have shed so many tearsstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>, Heero mused. A boy that
to you, my love, the only tears that will tumble from your eyes will be tears
of happiness; no longer of pain and misery. You
smile at me, a smile even the angels would be jealous of, and I will do
everything in my power to never let that smile disappear from your face.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Duo’s eyes radiated love and
told him: Thank you for living through
the war and the tyranny of Doctor J.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>And his own eyes answered
him: Thank you for being there for me,
for supporting me and giving me a reason to live
through the war and the tyranny of Doctor J.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>What would he be doing now
if he hadn’t had Duo, if he hadn’t listened to
him. He didn’t know. One thing he did know, was that life would suck.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>For years, Duo had been an
imitation of love for people without a face who paid him. With Heero it was
real love and he received that love without having to pay one single penny. And
Heero did have a face, a face he would never
forget and would carve into his memory forever.
and boys he could’ve had, he had picked
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Without ever having asked
for it, their eyes had made contact. Destiny. People sometimes say you can
never avoid destiny. Well, even if they’d had the choice they’d refused to
avoid it. Destiny had made them both unhappy, had pushed one in the gutter, the
other in the hands of a maniac. But that destiny could also be indulgent and
honeysweet, was something this marriage was proof
of.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>After they had said their
vows to each other and the rings were exchanged, the ceremony was sealed with a
kiss. A wet smooch, as Duo preferred calling it. Knowing
done with, Heero took his hand and pulled him out of the church where
they were still delayed for pictures and tons of rice. The bright sunlight had
an almost blinding effect and they had to shield their eyes.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Congratulations, old buddy,”
they suddenly heard behind them.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Duo froze. It was a voice he
would recognize anywhere, but
stupid grin on his face? What was going on here?! As he turned around, he felt
the street disappearing from under his feet.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Solo!!” he hollered. “Benoît!
Marco, Clady, Micky! You’re all… Heero, they’re all here! Are you behind this?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Benoît took a step forward
and looked at Heero with his eyes half squeezed shut. “So, are you the
unfortunate one?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Benoît!” Solo hissed from
the bear hug he was trapped in.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“My name’s Heero,” Heero
smiled, offering his hand. “You’re Benoît, I assume?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“How do you know that?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Intuition.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Benoît shrugged carelessly
and shook his head in a nonchalant manner. “Well,
Heero, I wish you all the luck you can get with him.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Benoît,” someone called
again, Micky this time. “Remember your manners,
will ya?!”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Shut up, kid. You’re still
too young to meddle in these kind
over the still equally as ginger head.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Hey, I’m already sixteen
years old, you know!” Micky reminded him.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“You’re already sixteen?”
Duo said surprised. “Dear God, is it been eight years since we last saw each
other? Hold on Solo, then you are… twenty-four now?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Kiss
smirked.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“So, tell me. How have you
been? Do you still live in one of those homes?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Home, my ass,” Solo
grinned. “I’ve since long left that place. I got
a good job now and we’re cozily living together, the two of us.” He looked
behind to the boy who shyly hid behind his back and took his arm. “This is
Simon.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Oh, your boyfriend?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Nope.” He raised his hand
and waved it in front of Duo’s eyes. Gold sparkled around his finger. Yes, real
gold, he still couldn’t believe it himself.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“You’re kidding me, aren’t
ya?” Duo said amazed.
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“I’m not.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“You?”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Yes.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Come here!” Again a bear
hug. “Congratulations. You too, Simon.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>“Say,
Duo, where is that Quatre guy who found all
those homes for us? Never got the chance to thank that fellow.”
style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Heero watched as his brand
new husband tiptoed away and stuck his head
above the crowd in search of a blonde head. He
looked at the sky. The weather was brilliant, everyone was
laughing or smiling.
He was happy; and everything was
dream.
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style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Owari
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