444 Fic

[misanagi]

Unseen
By Misanagi

Rating: PG13
Pairing/Characters: Gen. Hints of 1x2. Quatre and Heero.
Warnings: AU. Fantasy. Angst
Summary: In a dark cell a strange boy brings hope to Heero's life.

Notes: Written for the sdqb 444, prompt 24: Monster

Thanks to Anne for the quick beta.

_______

"You are not a monster," said a voice from the corner of the cell. It was so dark that Heero could hardly see. The figure moved, and a boy, around his age, crawled out of the corner and approached him.

"The Seer disagrees." Heero sat against the cold brick wall and brought his knees to his chest.

"She doesn't see everything," the boy said. "She can be wrong."

Heero didn't dare to hope. Everyone knew the Seer was never wrong. "If you are here," Heero said, "then you are a monster too."

The boy was quiet for a moment. "She was right about me." His eyes, that had been hesitant a moment ago, bored into Heero with a certainty he didn't believe possible. "She isn't right about you."

"What's your name?" Heero wasn't sure why he asked that. He usually didn't bother with other people, but seeing as this boy was going to be his cellmate for many years to come, maybe it was important to know how to address him.

"Quatre, and yours?"

"Heero." He used his fingers to draw patterns on the dust of the dirty floor. "The Seer said I was going to be a killer. If I stay here, I won't hurt anyone, even if I am a monster."

Quatre moved closer, not close enough to touch Heero, but close enough to be impossible to ignore. "She said my sister was going to kill me, so they put her here. My family helped her escape, and she raised me. She died protecting me."

Heero stopped moving his finger. "That's not possible."

"But it is. Iria used her body to shield me from an arrow. She died instantly." Quatre sighed. "The Seer's guards went looking for us, for going against her wishes and rescuing my sister. They killed my father and my three sisters. I was the only survivor."

"How did you end up here?" There was a small spark of hope in Heero's heart, a small voice that told him that maybe Quatre was right, that maybe he wasn't a killer.

"I was arrested and brought before the Seer. She did a reading and…" He lowered his eyes. "And here I am."

Here.

Heero looked around the dark dungeon, seeing the price of peace. Before the Seer, crime and death assailed the land, making the citizens live in fear, but the Seer brought them a new way of life. By being able to see the monsters inside people, she could tell who would commit a crime, long before they would. She summoned people randomly for readings, and even though there was still some crime, the people felt better.

The monsters were locked away, and the world was calm.

Heero was willing to stay in the dungeon, to be locked away and forgotten, if it meant that he wouldn't hurt his friends, hurt Duo. More than the captivity, the thought of being away from Duo was what was killing him.

He wouldn't hurt Duo, he would stay here to protect him, but if Quatre was right, then maybe…

"Did the Seer say you were a monster?" Heero asked.

Quatre nodded.

Heero frowned. "You said you didn't believe her."

Quatre shook his head. "I said she could be wrong. She wasn't with me."

"How can you be so sure?" Heero asked. He hadn't believed it when the Seer said he was a monster. He was ready to accept it but it didn't mean that he was sure, himself, that he was capable of the things the Seer said he could be. How could Quatre be so certain? Quatre didn't even believe that the Seer was infallible.

"The same way I can be sure you are not." Quatre lowered his eyes. "I can feel people's souls, and yours is pure. You are not a monster."

"You are like the Seer?" Heero couldn't help the instinct to pull back, away from Quatre.

"No." Quatre replied. "The Seer has a sense of possible future paths but they don't always come true. I can't see the future. I feel the essence of people." He moved all the way back to the other wall. "I'm sorry. I'll stay away from you."

"No." Heero moved towards Quatre but didn't sit as close as they had been before. "I'm sorry I reacted that way."

Quatre shrugged. "I deserve it. I'm not normal. I would have left you alone but I wanted you to know that you are not a monster." There was a lot of sadness in Quatre's eyes.

"Why do you have so much faith in me but not in yourself?" Heero asked. He couldn't believe a boy who cared so much about a stranger could really be a monster.

"I knew the guards' souls were black, I felt them coming. I told my family and that's why they fought, and died. I killed them."

Heero took a good look of Quatre, noticing the clothes, the length of his hair and the dirt on his face. "How long have you been here?"

"Five years." Quatre paused. "If the guards told me the truth."

"You were just a child," Heero whispered. "What could you have done?"

He didn't reply.

"It's not your fault," Heero continued. "It can't be." He closed the distance between him and Quatre. "If I am to believe you, to believe that I'm not a monster, then I need to believe you aren't one either."

"Of course you're not, Heero. Now stop the yapping and let's get the hell out of here."

Heero turned to the door, surprised to find it open, and Duo standing on the threshold, grinning at him.

"How did…"

"We don't have time for this now. Trowa and Wufei are covering for us but we need to move, now!" Duo walked into the cell and grabbed Heero's hand. That was when he noticed Quatre. "You too. We need to go."

Heero stood up but didn't move to the door, his eyes on Quatre. "Well?"

"Come on!" Duo pulled Heero's hand again.

Heero, in turn, grabbed Quatre's wrist and followed Duo outside. He didn't know Quatre very well, but he did know the other boy didn't belong in that dungeon any more than he himself did. The rest, they would figure out on the way.


- The End -

Comments

[raletha.livejournal.com]

Oh, I really liked this! It's a fascinating theme to explore, how human society would change given the ability to predict the future. It's usually handled in science fiction type settings, so this is very unique. Prescience in fantasy is rarely handled as interestingly. I also like how I can feel the larger universe around this scene, both temporally and setting-wise.

And - as always - your Quatre & Heero friendshippiness makes me happy!

Is it very wrong of me to ask if you've got more plans for this univere? Maybe an occasional, not-a-series? ^_~

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Ral! I'm glad that you can see the universe through the little scene. I wanted to show the setting so it makes me happy it worked. This wrote itself. I kind of remembered Minority Report but I'm not that good with science fiction, and besides, I like to play with fantasy settings better. I'm really happy you think it worked.

Quatre & Heero friendship makes me happy too. I'm glad that you liked it here. I'm about to post something longer with lots of H&Q friendship ^_^

I have nothing else planned for this universe so far but who knows? non arcs tend to jump on me when I least expect them.

Thank you for the comment ^_^

[wildchildcait.livejournal.com]

Oh, very angsty! cool concept..but its begging for more!

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm glad that you liked it. There's no more for now but maybe *shrugs* who knows?

[wildchildcait.livejournal.com]

*hugs*..if the bunny bites though, I'll happily read.

[meritjubet.livejournal.com]

I loved the Heero and Quatre interaction, the differences between them and the turmoil they are going through. Fantasy seems to suit them, all too well.

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

I'm glad that you liked it. I love writing them in fantasy settings, I'm happy that you liked it too. ^_^

[alleyprowler.livejournal.com]

Oh, Mis! I really adore this, how the doubts slowly melted away. I like how Heero just reacted at first, but then rallied and let himself listen and reason it out for himself. And Quatre just accepting it as it came along. Perfectly paced, too. Thank so much!

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Alley! I'm glad that you think it worked. Heero was willing to believe what the Seer told him because he didn't want to hurt others but it didn't mean that he liked what he heard or that he wanted to believe it. Quatre gave him a reason to doubt what he believed truth and beieve in himself instead.

*hugs* Thanks for the comment ^_^

[sharona1x2.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed this very much. The banter between Heero and Quatre was perfect, and Duo coming to the rescue makes me squee. I'm so happy you wrote more of this! *huggles*

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

I'm glad that you liked it, Sharon! And of course Duo came to the rescue. Heero may have been willing to accept the Seer's words but Duo sure as hell wasn't.

Thanks for the comment ^_^

[dentelle-noir.livejournal.com]

I love how you giv eus timbits into the Heero and Duo relasionship, that heero was supposed to kill Duo, and becuase of that, he had no problem being locked up; just so he wouldn't harm Duo.

I have to wonder if "the seer" truly saw them commiting a crime, or if the seer saw them growing to overthough him/her. Hm, I like to think overthrough, it makes such a delicious corrupt-society to fight.

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

I'm glad that you liked this and the hints of 1x2. And as Quatre said, the Seer doesn't always see or say the truth.

Thanks for the comment.

[dysis.livejournal.com]

This was excellent, Mis! I love fantasy/AUs anyway, but this was just wonderful. I like Heero's faith in Quatre ... whose self-sacrificing nature - and tendency to believe the worst of himself - seem very IC. *pets Quatre* I'd love to see more in this universe!

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Dysis! Fantasy AUs are fun! I'm glad that you liked the interaction between the guys and thought they were IC. I have nothing more planned in this universe yet but who knows? it may happen.

[lil-1337.livejournal.com]

Very nice! I love the interaction and how Duo doesn't believe the prophesy either.

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Duo isn't as willing to believe the Seers words as Heero. He knows Heero and he wasn't going to leave him in a dungeon. No matter what the Seer said.

[yanagi-wa.livejournal.com]

Wow. Poor Heero, poor Quatre. I'm so glad Duo and Wufei rescued them. I think the Seer needs a new crystal ball. Great story. Is there more?

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm glad that you liked it. Duo wasn't about to leave Heero there. There's no more for now but who knows? it might happen.

Thanks for the comment.

[sanguine-paia.livejournal.com]

squeee! oh how you indulge me. the fandom could use more 1+4, imho. Thanks Mis!

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm glad that you liked it. And yes, more 1x4/1+4 is definitely good.

[thejennabides.livejournal.com]

I have to admit that I haven't really been reading much that isn't Trowa & Quatre these days, but I made an exception for this - and I'm so glad I did. Your use of language, not just in description but in dialogue, creates the setting wonderfully - not just the small piece of the world you show us here, but as others have said, the larger world around it.

"Five years." Quatre paused. "If the guards told me the truth."

This line, particularly followed by Heero's observation that Quatre would only have been a child when he was imprisoned, really got to me. Not just because of how much of his life he's obviously spent like this, but for the uncertainty of facts and reality and the accepting resignation that such things are beyond his scope. *heartsigh*

And of course, I love the ending. Oh boys!

Thank you for continuing to share your marvelous stories, Mis.

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

Oh, Jenn, thanks! I'm so happy that you liked this and that the universe came through in the small scene.

*hugs Quatre* I do angst him a lot. I wanted to show Heero, not just with Quatre's words and actions but by what has been done to him, that the Seer's words are not beyond all doubt. If what was done to Quatre was wrong, then what Heero was willing to accept be done to him, might be wrong too.

I'm happy that the feeling of sadess and despair in the dungeon came through with what Quatre has lived.

And well, I couldn't leave the boys there. And Duo was less than happy of what had been done to Heero.

*glomps you* Thank you for reading and always leaving such wonderful feedback!

[thejennabides.livejournal.com]

Yay for Duo! *big muskrit grin*

And of course, thank you for always writing such wonderful fic. ♥

[penguin88.livejournal.com]

This is such a unique and interesting fic. I like one on one conversations between Heero and Quatre because I think of them as very different people who have some conflicting ideas and a lot of common interests. Adding that to the fact that both of them are notoriously clever, and voila! Wonderful debates abound :).

Quatre is great, as per usual. You do a wonderful job in capturing his emotions for each of your fics. Even though this fic is not in his point of view, you manage to pull of a complete and interesting facet of his character. Heero is a great counterpart. As I said earlier, I like the way in which he is able to spar with Quatre because of their mutual stubborn qualities. His insecurities about his status as a good human being are nicely portrayed - his concerns about Duo are especially touching.

Thank you for writing and for sharing! It looks beautiful.

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you!

Heero and Quatre are so very interesting characters to have interact because they are so similart and yet so different at the same time. I like to think of them as two sides of the same coin.

I'm happy Quatre's and Heero's emotions came through. That was very important for the story ^_^

Thank you so much for your kind comments *hugs*

[tyreling.livejournal.com]

Wahh, this is really a fascinating universe. I like 1_4 interaction here, encouraging each other in some way till the end of the story. Could this one ever turn into something more? I wonder...

[misanagi.livejournal.com]

Oh thank you! I like the universe and I have thought a bit more about it. I guess I just need to kind of commit that to a story, right?