January 12, 2001
Sequel to 'Have You Ever...'
Standard Warnings and Disclaimers apply.
The four gundams were already docked into their assigned bays when Duo's voice came over the speakers.
"I'm gonna need a medic! And quick!"
Four heads immediately snapped up from their surveillance of their gundams, eyes locking on the hanger bay's wide doors expectantly. Heero climbed out of Zero's cockpit; Wufei jumped down to the catwalk below Altron. Quatre joined Trowa at the foot of Sandrock.
Almost on cue, DeathScythe and a battered Taurus suit appeared, the large black gundam cradling the smaller suit.
"Hurry up!" the braided boy shouted to the waiting medic team as he jumped down from his cockpit with ease provided by the lesser gravity on Peacemillion. He was bouncing back up to the front of the Taurus suit, pulling at the hatch with his bare hands until it came free, the pilot falling practically into his arms.
The other four pilots hovered curiously around the suit's feet, staring up at the braided boy and--and... girl?
Duo pulled away, cradling the pilot until the med team took her from him, and even then, he stayed by her side as they wheeled her away--stopping only to toss a disk to Quatre, telling the blond boy that there was the information for the battleship Libra that the Sandrock pilot had mentioned 'dying' to get his hands on.
The other four followed him, slightly curious of the girl, and more than just a bit concerned for their friend. They caught up with him at the airlift.
Heero swallowed hard, watching the braided boy hover over the girl so much that he felt sick. A part of him realized he was jealous. He wondered if Duo would ever hover over him like that if he was hurt in battle. Probably not, he thought, unconsciously fingering his arm where a bullet had pierced the skin ten months ago.
Ten months. Had he really known the braided boy for that long? Why did it seem so much longer? Why did it seem like nothing at all?
He watched the braided pilot lean over the stretcher, moving closer to the girl's face until her lips brushed his cheek, his lips, hers. Heero swallowed down the sickness that pierced through him. Who was this girl? How did Duo know her? What was she to the braided pilot? They seemed awfully familiar with one another.
The airlift arrived and the girl was whisked away, leaving Duo behind. The boy in question stared after the closed doors. Quatre said something, but Heero really didn't hear what. His focus was too intent upon the boy who disturbed him so.
And then the boy turned around, looking at him.
"Relena Peacecraft is on Libra."
"Sometimes those two are so much alike! Argh! I want to scream!" she grounded out, pacing angrily. "How did she even *get* there? That's what I want to know!"
"There's nothing that can be done about it now," he said calmly.
"You don't understand, Quatre!"
"Noin, please--"
"No! You don't understand! To many people on Earth, Relena *is* peace," the dark haired woman snapped. "If the Earth Forces find out that their former Queen is *on* Libra, it will seriously handicap their performance!"
"I *do* understand that, Noin," the blond boy returned, still trying to be calm, but the strain of recent events were even beginning to take their toll on *him*. "But there is *nothing* we can do for her now. All we can hope for is that she can remain safe onboard Libra until Earth Forces can get to her."
Heero pushed away from the wall outside the room, leaving the voices of the two arguing strategists behind him without their ever having noticed his presence. He wasn't quite sure yet what to think.
What was she trying to accomplish? Getting onto Libra and placing herself in danger? Not only that, but putting the Earth Forces in a bind like that...
Did she do it on purpose? Was she abandoning her beliefs of pacifism in favor of her brother's psychotic plans?
No... Relena might be a bit psychotic herself... but she would never abandon her beliefs. He was sure of that.
So why was she on Libra?
To try and reason with Zechs--no, Milliardo, of course. To try and change his mind.
That would prove useless, though, he thought.
And then he looked up, realizing for the first time where he was--in the hanger bay.
Wing Zero loomed up before him--impressive to anyone who wasn't used to it; shining even in the darkness of the hanger bay. He studied the large mecha for a moment.
'The former Queen *on* Libra will seriously handicap the Earth's offenses against White Fang....'
'I *do* understand that,' Quatre's sweet voice answered back. 'But there's nothing we can do about that now...'
"But there's something *I* can do," he whispered. "Relena..."
He walked into the room, careful not to make too much sound. He succeeded too well. The braided boy jumped when he brushed Duo's shoulder.
"Oh! 'Fei, didn't hear ya come in," Duo mumbled, turning back in his chair to watch the bed. Or, more precisely, the unconscious girl laying on the bed. His hands were clasped as if in prayer, pressing against his lips; his elbows propped up on his knees as he hunched forward in the chair.
Duo didn't pull away from his touch--that was a glimmer of hope for the Altron pilot. Taking confidence in that small gesture, he pressed closer, moving up beside the other pilot, letting his hand slide completely over the boy's shoulder, fitting it into his palm; his fingers wrapping around and slightly exerting *just* enough pressure, and completely relishing the simple physical contact. The only contact between them since--
"Who is she?" he asked, his voice just above a whisper.
"Her name's Hilde," Duo said, his voice scratchy before he cleared his throat. "Lives on L2, like me. I holed up at her place a couple-a times now. Nice girl."
And with that, the normally talkative boy fell quiet. Wufei, not much of a talker himself, was at a loss of what to say next--but the other boy didn't seem to mind, so, he just stayed there, like that, his hand resting on the sitting boy's shoulder as he stood, both watching the silent bed.
And then--Duo's head fell against Wufei's arm, shocking the Chinese pilot. "It'll be my fault if she dies," he whispered hoarsely, his voice thick with tears that refused to fall. "I should have know better. She's just like me. L2, through and through. Pure, stubborn, American. Always have to do the exact opposite of what we're told."
He swallowed, but didn't cry.
"Really?" Wufei asked somewhat wondrously, his other hand coming up unconsciously to caress Duo's cheek. Duo turned into the touch without thought.
"Really..."
"So if I told you... to... stay away from me...?"
Wufei's eyes searched the shimmering violet depths of the boy before him. Duo stared back, studying the face of the Chinese boy.
And then he reached out, his fingers brushing against Wufei's cheek. "You'd have one hell of a time trying getting me to leave..." His hand slipped around Wufei's neck, pulling gently enough to bring the Chinese boy's face closer to his. He leaned up, his eyes beginning to shut.
"Are you so sure?" Wufei's breath brushed over his cheek.
"No," Duo whispered back. "I ain't sure of anything anymore," he admitted before pressing his lips to Wufei's.
End of Part 23: The Devil's Confusion
Andrea Readwolf
Please send comments to: andrea_readwolf@hotmail.com