Fade Away

By De Mouse

Standard Disclaimer : I do not own any characters in this fanfic. They solely belong to Bandai. This fanfic do not make any profit of any kind. Please take note that the story has a hint of yaoi in it so those who cannot stomach yaoi or has a weak medical report that can lead to heart failure, kindly press your back buttons.

I will not entertain any flames that disapprove of yaoi coupling. And lastly Fade Away belongs to ME. Thank you

An old fashion black and white photograph lies on the table. The edges yellow with the stain of time as a group of people gaze solemnly at the camera. A young nine-year-old stands in the midst of the scholars. His small frame and smooth face contrast sharply with the elders around him. But somehow the dark eyes seemed to betray his youth. They gleam with intelligence and unspoken knowledge that stretched far beyond the limits of a child.

Wufei turned in a graceful arc, his sword catching the light as its owner weave a dangerous dance that sent his invisible opponents to a violent death. The sharp end of the metal silently sliced the air causing a slight breeze by its swiftness. His feet confidently grazed the wooden floor, mindlessly navigating through the complicated steps.

Sweat trickled down his brow as the Chinese boy strove again and again, tirelessly perfecting his skill in handling his blade.

The scene blurs into a huge library where Wufei sits alone reading in the faint light of a lantern near by. Tall shelves brimmed with dusty books towered over the Chinese youth. Outside the leaves rustle in the cool air and the shadows echo their movements. The moon gently shines down through the window at the reading boy whose thirst to learn could never be quenched.

Far away a clock chimes.

The red splash of color decorates the sky as the sun sinks into the bloody waters of the sea. Wufei lifts his head up to admire the setting sun. Colors rippled past the moving water as their twins patiently wait in the sky for the darkness of night to come. Slowly he allows a delicate smile to cross his features.

Eyes closed, a ten year old Chinese boy sits near a waterfall in a pose that strongly suggests meditation. The sound of liquid crashing into the rocky surface felt almost soothing. A figure appears over the hill, heading straight to Wufei.

The figure glances at Wufei and rolls her eyes. Silently she stalked over to her Chinese companion. Making sure that he does not realize that she was right behind him, Meiran laughs and pounces.

Wufei opens his eyes in surprise

The duo tumbles in a wild bundle of limbs down the grassy hill. Still laughing the Chinese girl grabs a handful to grass and throws them towards Wufei who grins back while returning the favor. Soon a friendly fight ensues and countless green grass starts flying. Above the laughing children, the clear blue sky encircles the colony.

A flashback as the duo gets a scolding from an instructor. Their hand pinned demurely behind their backs, their faces hung low in a standard posture of repentance

Under the dark bangs, Meiran winked at the Chinese boy while the instructor continues the scolding. Wufei faintly smiles back at her. Their eyes sparkle with youthful companionship.

The reprimanding words fell onto deaf ears.

An explosion that rocked the L3 Colony blasts deep into outer space. Wufei stained with Meiran's blood, still holding the warm body, stand in the middle of the grass field. He numbly remembers the time when they were children, playing on the greens. The Chinese boy closes his eyes against the once sweet memories. His heart clenches and a single tear slips down the bronze cheeks.

Wufei stares up at Shen Long. He tries to see Meiran's image. Everyday he tells himself he was doing this so that such bitterness could never occur to someone else. He spares a glance at the cold stars in the velvet night, his heart stubbornly telling him that Meiran will be always with him yet his mind whispers otherwise.

He stares at his hands remembering the crimson blood. Gently rain drizzles down from heavens above.

Wufei glares at Treize who gently holds his chin by the edge of a sword. His lip thins in a fine line for a split second before his eyes reluctantly close. His own blade drops to the floor in a silent acknowledgment of his failure and the Chinese pilot steeled himself, waiting for the killing blow that never came. He glances up in surprise along with a touch of annoyance mixed with relieve.

Treize smiles as he slowly lifts the blade away.

Space exploded in a flash of bright light coloring the void darkness with light for just a moment. Wufei stares at the burning metal that streak past his gundam with disbelieve. His fingers lay frozen on the controls as the Chinese boy's eyes glances unseeingly at the blazing Oz mobile suit. From his lips, a silent name slipped into the still air.

"Treize"

Almost desperately Wufei hits the buttons glaring at the screens, daring them to show him the face he wanted to see.

"Treize!"

Dark eyes closes to shut away the tears. Clenched fingers slammed onto the blinking lights.

"Iie! Treize!"

Smiling, Wufei watches Duo pulling Heero into an ice-cream parlor on Christmas Eve. Half dragging and half cajoling, the Deathscythe pilot somehow manages to get Heero into the little shop.

Small snowdrop distracts the Chinese pilot from the little drama. Fascinated, he watches the white flake slowly descend from the sky. Trowa pushes the glass door open causing the tiny bell to tinkle. Wufei turns back to see Quatre keeping the door open for him. Still smiling, the Shen Long pilot enters the shop.

Many things I care not to understand,

Walking down the busy streets, Wufei passes a florist. He peers into the glass. His glance catches the bright crimson colored roses. Slowly, his pace stops.

Snow falls from the heavens.

"Checkmate"

Wufei glared good-naturedly at his chess companion then at the chessboard.

"Considering the amazing amount of times you manage to beat me, I would think that you have somehow cheated," the Chinese pilot said.

"I wasn't aware that there were ways of cheating in a game of chess, my dragon" Treize replied, a hint of a smile on his lips.

"There are loopholes in every game" Wufei absently picked up a pawn. "It's just the matter of finding it."

"Oh really? Then would you mind assisting me in finding some of those holes in poker?"

Wufei dropped the pawn, eyes wide. "No! I will never play that game with you. I refuse."

"Are you sure, dragon?" Treize's voice as smooth as velvet yet holding an almost hidden predatory tone. "I correctly recalled that you quite enjoyed it the last time we played."

"But all I remembered was that you took advantage of me" Wufei folded his arms, his eyes on the older man in front of him.

"Hmmm, shall I refresh your memory, my dragon?"

Outside in the snowy streets, the Chinese pilot touches the cold glass of the florist shop as he remembered another time where he saw the same crimson color in a brightly lit room along with a familiar voice that was still haunting his living days. At the freezing chill, his fingertips jerked back.

Without a glance backward, the youth disappears into the crowd.

Wufei blinks into the horizon as he recalls another sunset that happened years ago. The sound of dogs barking draws his attention back onto the seashore. He leaned onto the wooden frame on the small cottage the group had rented while watching Heero running in the water with Quatre's dogs.

Duo laughed as he splashed salt water over the running boy succeeding in drenching him and also himself.

"Duo, omae o korosu!"

"Nye nye, come get me then!"

The Chinese pilot smirked in amusement as the duo raced up the shoreline.

In a silent room, Wufei places his palm over a tattered but well loved book. He traces the hard cover, memorizing each scratch and tear.

"You were my teacher, my friend, my companion and my lover"

Gently the pilot touched the fading elegant handwriting on the front page. The dark eyes closed soaking up the memories. The abandoned room stayed still and the huge fireplace that once always held a burning log remained cold.

Wufei stared at the room he knew so well.

"What do I do now that you are gone?" he whispered. A question that he knew none could answer.

The war was won and the peace restored. Wufei hugged himself standing in the midst of the celebrating crowd. Relena's voice fluttered from the television screens announcing end of war. Knowing that he did not belong, the Chinese youth stepped out of the colorful parade and onto the sidewalk.

A hard won war, an accomplishment worth being proud of, yet…..

Wufei turned away from the party that was going on all over the world.

"No, nothing for me here…."

Looking up into the sky, Wufei notices the brilliant tail of a comet making it way through the passages of space. As he watches the light diminishes leaving the night sky empty once more. His mind returns to the time where the day was bright and when Meiran first threw a handful of grass at him.

A time when he could still hear Treize's smooth voice soothing away the pain and his fears. His hand reached out for the book. Gently he opened it to reveal a single dried petal of a rose.

"I think I understand now, Treize."

-----OWARI-----