AC 200
"Heero!" Duo Maxwell abandoned his friend's embrace to rush to the person who had been occupying his mind for the last 6 months... no... almost a year. Oh one year full of confusion, pain, hurt, and grief. One year full of emptiness.
One year he had almost given up to Death.
However, when he was still several feet away from the young man, he stopped abruptly.
From where he had been left, Quatre Winner followed him with equal astonishment. He stopped right before the braided young man. "Duo?" He turned his head to the other boy; his eyes were full of emotion, a mix of joy and confusion. "...Heero?"
Duo and the boy in uniform were staring at each other.
"Heero..." Duo whispered.
The boy smiled ruefully. "No, I'm not Heero-kun."
The slight joy disappeared; the confusion welled up. "Who are you?" Quatre choked out. The Arabian almost couldn't believe his eyes. This boy looked so much like Heero Yuy he almost would believed that he _was_ Heero, hadn't he remembered that the Japanese boy he knew was dead.
"My name is Amanogawa Masayuki," the boy introduced himself. "I am... Heero-kun's... twin brother."
Quatre felt hit by electrical shock. "T... twin brother?!" He cried out.
Amanogawa nodded.
Quatre's surprised reaction was expectable. But Duo's was not. The Arabian boy exclaimed aloud as Duo started falling. Quatre was able to catch him before he hit the ground.
The young American had passed out.
It was a dream.
It must all have been a dream. The worst nightmare I have ever had. No, there was no blood in that dream, no killing, nor any violence any censor would have had an excuse to expurgate.
In that dream, Heero was dead and that was enough to make it the worst possible dream. _That_ was the nightmare. My nightmare. The most horrible I have ever had.
See? You can hear him yourself, Duo Maxwell. That damned soldier is now talking to the others. I can recognize them as... Quatre my pal... and that Queen of the World... Relena. I can't understand a thing they're saying but I can tell Heero is somehow... more talkative. Don't tell me there's another mission. Heero talks that much only for a mission! What the Hell is that woman doing here anyway? Humph!
...But it's okay. Everything is okay with me... as long as Heero is here.
As long as my Heero is here....
The three of them snapped their heads towards the bed.
Duo was stirring; his violet eyes blinked, trying to get a focus on his surroundings.
Quatre waited until he seemed to have regained some sense before he asked, "Duo, are you alright?"
Duo blinked another few times before he focused on the Arabian boy. His face was blank at first before a grin crept out. "Quatre! Man, what are you doing in my room?"
Quatre sweat-dropped. "Duo, I don't think this is your room."
Duo lifted an eyebrow and looked around. Yep, definitely _not_ his room. Green walls, white furniture. He would have gotten better colors, like... red hot... shocking pink... neon green.... He snickered, "I guess so."
Worried, Quatre stared at him. "Duo, are you alright?"
Duo moaned. "Quatre, that's the second time you've asked me that in five minutes. Quit being a mother hen, will ya? You know, every time you start being a mother hen...."
As Duo babbled away, Relena Peacecraft whispered to Amanogawa. "Don't you think he's acting a little... strange?"
The Japanese boy nodded. "I don't know, Relena-sama. According to my calculations, he should have been screaming or some horrible thing like that."
The Queen glared at him. "You have a sick sense of humor."
Amanogawa cringed. "What should I say? I'm no good at words. I'm no much better than Heero at expressing my feelings."
Relena smirked. "Runs in the family, huh?"
The boy made a face. A while after he said quietly, "I remember...."
"Huh?"
"Heero-kun told me something about Maxwell-kun. He said... Maxwell-kun never shows his inner feelings. Whatever happens, he keeps his own grief inside, letting no one know...." Amanogawa trailed off. His eyes were distant.
Relena said nothing. Instead, she reached out and ruffled the boy's hair.
The Japanese boy blushed.
Suddenly Duo exclaimed. "Heero! Relena! Don't you dare show off your intimacy in front of us! This ain't Saturday Night yet and you lovebirds are already on for it!" He giggled out loud.
Amanogawa, Relena, and Quatre stared at him as if he had been a three-headed monster.
Soon, Quatre managed to get a grip on himself. "Excuse me, Duo." He grabbed both Amanogawa and Relena and dragged them out of the room. Once the door had closed, leaving a confused Duo behind, the three of them exchanged looks.
Wordlessly, they arrived at the same conclusion.
Things were getting worse....
~tbc~
Hime D.