25-May-2000
Warnings: this part is severely depressing (at least
it was to write), death, language, angst too I guess
Notes: see warning number 1
Feedback: don't flame me ^_^; please!
Disclaimers: I do not own nor do I profit by the use
of the GW story line
Duo leaned back against the tree, staring out at the river and the entertaining, seven-foot monument that gave the scenic spot its name. "So what do we do now?" he joked. He adopted a goofy grin and pretended to hold a microphone to his mouth. "'Today at seven-forty-three p.m., local student Duo Maxwell dropped an unexpected bombshell on his boyfriend, Chang Wufei. Chang's reaction at eleven. On to sports... take it away, Fox.'"
Wufei cracked a tiny smile, but the frowning crease between his eyes did not lighten. He hunched forward a little more and re-clasped his hands between his knees; his knuckles were white with the force of his concentration. Duo finally fell silent, too nervous to continue his inane, one-sided banter.
After a long time, Wufei reached over and took Duo's hand. His mouth opened as if he were going to say something; but Duo shook his head. So after a moment, he only squeezed Duo's hand, hard, and leaned against the American's shoulder.
"I know you care about me," Duo murmured, his nose brushing Wufei's ear. "I know that you changed a lot, since you... picked me. That's enough for me. More than enough. I love you the way you are. Love you for trying. It hasn't been as easy as it might have been."
"Yes," Wufei said. "Yes, all of those things. More, probably. Love... I don't know how you can do it, frankly. I don't think I've ever loved anyone."
Duo was quiet, and his head tilted away from Wufei's, as he dropped his eyes to the ground.
"But... I think... " Wufei, frustrated, gripped Duo's captured hand so tightly that the other boy squawked and looked up. When their eyes met, Wufei finished, "I think, if I was going to fall in love, there isn't anyone in the world that it would happen with but you. I know that's not what you wanted to hear. But it's all I have, Duo. What-ifs, and maybes, and give-it-times. I'm sorry."
Duo smiled. "Don't be," he replied. "I'd rather you were honest. That's part of why I feel the way I do, about you. I know where I stand."
"And you don't mind standing there? Even if it takes a long time to change--even if it never changes?"
"I don't make bets on forevers," Duo softly said. "But, yeah. I don't mind, Wufei."
Heero pedaled smoothly, settling into a ground-eating pace that whizzed him past pedestrians too quickly to note their surprised expressions. The gun was a comforting weight, banging regularly against his ribcage. His hands on the bars were steady and his grip was casual.
///"He is a danger to the mission. His threat must be removed. You will accept?"
Heero lifted a hand to touch the weapon concealed in his clothing. "Hai."///
Boy Sings Bride. Duo shouldn't have told him where they were going to be--but then, Duo simply hadn't seen this coming, had he? Duo could be blind when he wanted, the boy who saw so much so clearly. Heero dismounted his bike and left it lying carelessly in the grass. He scanned the area, seeing and dismissing the odd pairings of lovers and dates here and there, all of them potential witness. It really wouldn't matter what happened to him, after the mission was completed.
There. By the tree. Heero removed the gun from his jacket, and began walking toward them.
///Duo stared at him. His silence was hurt, troubled, chill, furious. "Heero!"
He nodded once, shortly. "Are you going to try and stop me?" he inquired.
"I'd be a sheep like you if I didn't!" Duo cried. Tears glittered on his face as he shoved Heero with all his weight, trying to keep him from Wufei. "You traitor! Sacrifice the mission, not our lives!"
Heero swept an arm up in a block, and swiftly retaliated with a clenched fist to Duo's abdomen. His best-friend--one time best friend now, he supposed--doubled over, trembling in Heero's arms until he dropped the boy. He stepped over Duo's body, and lifted his gun to aim.///
Wufei held up his hands quickly. "Hey," he hissed. "I'm unarmed, you freak! What the fuck do you think you're doing?"
"Ninmu kanryo," Heero replied, and squeezed the trigger--
Duo hit him, knocking him sideways, and the bullet grazed a treelimb as Wufei ducked aside, accompanied by screams from the other park-goers. Heero somehow kept his grip on the weapon as he and Duo tumbled, rolling and crashing into the tree.
"I can't believe you're this selfish!" Duo gritted. His hair, torn loose of the braid in their tussle, blinded them both. "What about friendship, Heero? Trust! Heero--"
Heero's hand scrabbled on Duo's slender neck, seeking to strangle. Finally--he freed his other wrist with a vicious twist, and lifted the gun to Duo's temple. "Get off me," he snarled. "If you impede the mission I will shoot you--"
Sobbing, Duo thrashed, caught now in Heero's hold and unable to loosen the choke-hold at his throat.
Another hand appeared, bronze in colour and white-knuckled, ripping the gun from Duo's head and forcing the muzzle skyward. "Let him go, damnit!" Heero dimly heard the cursing, felt the hard toe of a shoe connect with his shoulder, with his cheek-bone. To protect himself he rolled, crushing Duo beneath him, wrenching the gun free, aiming it as surely as he could but unable to lock on that fast-moving black-haired body--he fired.
It seemed a long time before his vision cleared. Slowly he sought, found, the limp form crumbled like a forgotten bit of white cloth... stained cloth... still moving a little, like a dying butterfly, fluttering helplessly and pathetic to watch. Heero stood, and this time his aim was better. The movement stilled.
Duo curled on his side, wheezing, crying, covering his ears and squeezing his eyes tightly shut. "Why?" he choked. "Hee-heero, no. Please, don't do it--I'm sorry. I'm sorry... "
Heero saw the police cars screaming to a halt, pouring forth black-clad men and women who rushed toward him, scattering the frightened witnesses. He decided to ignore them, and knelt beside Duo. Gently he reached out, and ran his palm over his best friend's hair.
"I'm sorry, too," he whispered. "But the mission can go on now, Duo."
Duo shuddered. "No," he breathed. "No."
Heero was sure that Duo felt no pain as he died; the shot was straight to the brain.
End Part 17
(:./erin/rising17)
