Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and Gundam Wing does not belong to me!
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For a moment, Duo thought that she was going to cry. A barely concealed frown crossed Quatre's face as he laid a comforting grip on her arm. Her bottom lip trembled as her cerulean eyes welled with tears; her posture stiff as she reached the door knob to the left of her. Her fingers trembled before she withdrew her grasp, sliding down the white wall. What was she going to do?
Even Wufei was at a loss of words as he punched the wall opposite of her, furious about the change of events. Trowa glared down at the floor silently, sitting down on a bench beside Wufei.
It hurt to speak. Her heart throbbed with pain, but regardless she looked up at Lady Une with a hopeful approach.
"He must… That person in there must just look like him!" Usagi countered out, looking at Lady Une for support.
With a frown on her face, Lady Une wondered if she could possibly lie to the girl and say that it was all a misunderstanding; further saving her from the heartbreak. The woman sighed deeply and looked down to the girl's begging eyes. She looked like a child at that moment; fragile and easily broken; but then again Usagi was always a child.
The door opened quietly and all but one looked towards the room. Usagi glared down at the floor, refusing to accept that the person in there was him. Her heart broke slowly, remembering the face and hair of that person as they carried him in on a stretcher. The same scowl, same hair, same Prussian eyes, even the same hair; but it was impossible that he was him. It was impossible that that person in the hospital room was Hiiro Yui. The same Hiiro Yui that had promised to always come back to her.
"I'll never leave you."
"It is without a doubt, Usagi-chan, that the person in that room is," Lady Une sighed.
"Hiiro Yui," the boy cut off the woman in monotone, watching the group warily as he sat up in the bed.
-
No.!
"You're lieing!" Usagi hissed through her teeth, her voice trembling as she turned –still on the floor- to face the person in the room that dared to steal the face of her beloved.
Sobs racked her body as she leaned against the door frame and shot accusatory glares at the boy, "You can't be- he died four years ago!"
Duo leaned down to pull her up but she slapped the appendage away, angry that the boy didn't even defend her accusations.
The boy scowled at her, "I'm alive."
Quatre blinked and a question popped up in his head, "Why didn't you come back?"
The Prussian eyed boy scoffed and watched the girl's face as she looked away, refusing to acknowledge him. She was pretty, he decided, uncommonly pretty. Blue eyes that gleamed like ceruleans looked back at him with defiance. Certainly a face that even he couldn't forget.
But even then, he couldn't recall –ever- seeing such a face in his whole life.
"Why come here?" he muttered, watching the look of shock that crossed the pretty girl's face; shock and something else… Hurt?
"I don't even know you."
How could he? Usagi wondered as she glanced at the boy. How could he say that? Her Hiiro would never say such a thing to his friends; to her. But even now, she watched as the boy frowned and looked down at his fingernails in boredom; with traits so similar to Hiiro. Her heart constricted heavily in her chest.
Her head bent forward as golden locks covered her face; the silent tears threatening to roll down her cheeks. Hiiro's fingers twitched as he resisted the urge to pull them back.
There was finality in her mind as the statement repeated. This is Hiiro.
"Watch your damn mouth!" Duo yelled at the boy as he glared at him from outside the door. Usagi's hand grasped his own as she shook her head, causing him to stifle the curses at the back of his throat. Duo glared down at the floor. Hiiro had known what he was doing. There was no doubt. The triumphant look on his face when he watched her crestfallen face definitely was a sign that he knew –exactly- what to do to hurt the girl he'd sworn to return to so many years ago.
"Don't you dare talk to him like that!" That girl, the one that came with him to the hospital, countered as she laid a restraining hand on Hiiro's shoulder. Duo glared at Relena and reeled back in surprise when he noticed the similarities of her and Usagi. He hadn't realized before, too caught up in his own thoughts to even bother to look at the girl.
But the similarities were uncanny- a similar facial structure, the hair – even though Usagi's was more of a golden tone while Relena's had been more blonde and the obvious difference in length. But even more so, they had-
"Don't look at her like that!" Hiiro snapped at the observant boy.
The same startling cerulean eyes.
Quatre, Lady Une, and Trowa had noticed but stayed quiet as they watched the act play out. Wufei had long since left to "go get some coffee" as he liked to call it.
"I think we should- " Usagi forced a smile as she bit her lip and looked at the pilots; standing up and ready to leave.
He knew what she was going to do, Hiiro realized with a sudden familiarity as he noticed forced smile and her stiff posture. She would leave, unable to confront the problem face on. And there was a strong chance that he'd never see her again he thought with a scowl. Suddenly, the thought of being without her company tinged at his heart heavily.
"Look, I told you we shouldn't be here Relena. I don't need help regaining these memories." Hiiro snapped at Relena who turned towards him, a furious look on her face.
"Regain memories?" Trowa recalled with confusion before a look of realization crossed his face, "You have-!"
"Amnesia," Lady Une cut the pilot off with an annoyed tone. This was taking too much of her time and it was already getting too late; she had to return to Headquarters soon. Usagi stared back at Hiiro who glared at her coldly- ready to retaliate- before she withdrew her gaze. He cannot remember me?
No. She thought harshly as her heart won over her rationality. He WON'T remember me.
"Who are these people?" he asked irritably, staring down Lady Une as she scoffed at his defiant look, "You insisted that I meet them. Why?"
The woman snorted as she looked down at her watch, "They are your friends."
"You mean," Hiiro raised his eyebrow arrogantly as he corrected her, "They were my friends."
A pregnant silence filled the room as Usagi turned her head away. Duo pursed his lips as he desperately resisted the urge to beat the hell out of his former best friend. Even Trowa and Quatre were surprised by his coldness.
Duo burst.
"How can you fucking say that! We spent four years mourning for you while you were living it up
fucking-" Duo gestured towards the bright red-faced young woman beside the amnesic pilot.
"Stop it, Duo." Usagi's monotone cut the furious American off as he ranted on about how much of a bastard he'd turned into.
"Glad someone talks rationally around here," Hiiro grunted while turning to look out the window.
"You bastard-!"
"I said stop!" she repeated forcefully.
"I want to go home." Hiiro addressed Relena while grabbing her hands. Relena smiled gently at the boy but shook her head, pressing a kiss to his knuckles as Usagi looked away quickly.
"Do you even know where your home is, Hiiro?" Quatre asked, peacefully, as he carefully questioned the amnesic without ruffling any feathers. Looking down at the entwined hands, Hiiro wondered about the question. Where was home?
Blue eyes popped up in his head but he quickly shook it away. It was too often an occurrence.
A humorless laugh cut the thick atmosphere while Usagi got up again and brushed the dirt from the floor off of her clothes. Lady Une watched her warily, wondering about the stability of her mind.
"Wherever it is," The golden haired girl scoffed as she turned her head backwards towards the room, "Its obvious that you'll be piloting Wing Zero again. You really would have had better luck if you stayed wherever you were."
Rolling her eyes, she addressed the pilots and Lady Une before she cantered off throwing a peace sign behind her, "I'm off to see what's taking Wufei so long with that damn coffee."
And for some odd reason, Hiiro had never hurt as badly as when she spoke about him with such indifference.
"It's getting late," Lady Une announced while looking down at her watch for what seemed the hundredth time.
"But what Pilot 06 says is right; she and the others will be helping you to recover your memories. I refuse to subject myself to anything less. Wing Zero will not operate for any other than his pilot and now that we know that you are indeed alive, you WILL return to Preventor's HQ and pilot Wing Zero." She continued despite the look of outrage that crossed Duo and Relena's faces. Quatre and Trowa nodded, they hadn't expected anything less out of the Preventor's. Even Hiiro had realized what would eventually happen when he was told about his former life as a pilot.
-
"Wufei," she sighed as she leaned against the angry boy as he leaned against the wall across from the coffee machine, his head pressed tightly against his lap. He was always like this; unable to cope with changes socially. When Hiiro "died", he took it the hardest next to Duo and Usagi, of course.
Now that he was back, he found himself looking at the injustice of the situation. It didn't take long for the Chinese boy to recognize what was going on. The lack of recognition in Hiiro's eyes only supported his foundation. He hadn't remembered them. And he probably never would.
"Lady Une wants us to help him remember," Usagi sobbed as she burrowed her face into his shoulder, grasping his hand for comfort. Wufei scowled as he wondered how she was feeling. It was obvious, before the accident, that Usagi and Hiiro had a relationship. He'd confessed to the others before his last mission that he planned on marrying her after. Now that he looked at her with such indifference, she must have been heartbroken.
And how affectionate the amnesic pilot was towards the woman in the room didn't exactly help the situation any further.
Usagi, I love you!
She muffled her sobs into his jacket as he wrapped his arm around her.
"He doesn't remember you," Wufei grunted as he patted her head awkwardly. The golden head nodded.
"I still love him," she murmured as her bleary eyes looked down at his soaked jacket.
"I'm sorry,"
-
"Wufei, Usagi, finally." Lady Une muttered as she watched the two walk down the hall together, Usagi holding steaming coffee while the pilot held the napkins.
"Sorry! There was a line at the machine!" Usagi giggled as she put on a cheery composure to fool the others. With a cheeky grin towards Quatre and Trowa, she placed the coffee on the bench. Hiiro scowled while he thought about how long the two had taken –together-.
"So, Lady Une, I'm guessing that there's no objections towards helping him with his… situation?" Relena asked the older woman as she sat up at the foot of Hiiro's hospital bed watching his former fellow pilots with uncertainty.
The Lady snorted as she snatched a coffee out of Duo's hands and sipped, "You act like they have a choice."
"Besides," she sipped at the coffee again, savoring the fresh taste, "Pilot 01 and 06 were friends since childhood."
"Friends since childhood," Hiiro wondered as he watched the cheery girl talk with Pilot 05 and nudge him jokingly. Could he have actually been friends with such a girl for such a long time?
"So we have to help him remember?" an exasperated Duo quipped irritably as he glared.
"Yes," Lady Une muttered, gulping down the coffee.
"But is it really… important?" Usagi asked wrinkling her nose as she shook her head, golden curls wrapping around her face.
"Of course it is!" Relena answered indignantly, eyes wide at the carelessness of the other girl. She'd been friends with him since childhood, why would she not want him to remember?
"No it isn't," Hiiro contradicted.
"Stop disagreeing with me all the time!" Relena frowned as she hit his leg playfully.
"But I insist that this is really important to us," she added thoughtfully to Usagi.
Usagi bit her bottom lip and agreed with Hiiro, "But, you know, he's right."
The boy watched her with confusion in his eyes. They'd been friends. He'd expected her to be happy to see him and –want- him to have his memories back, but obviously that wasn't the case. What was it that caused her to have such indifference towards him?
Only you, Usagi, I want to be only with you.
"The only thing that matters is that he's alive," Usagi pointed out with a gentle smile towards the affronted pilot. He looked away, uncomfortable with the smile. Odd feelings were overcoming him and he didn't want to know why.
"But yeah, we're engaged. I want to meet his parents and get their blessing." Relena continued, oblivious to the different reactions in the room.
Usagi bit her cheek as she looked down at the floor. Engaged. Engaged to be married.
"..engaged?" Duo repeated, a dumbfounded look on his face as he looked between Usagi and the two.
"Engaged to be married?" he asked, putting a stress on married to convey his point.
"Of course, silly! What other engaged is there?" the girl with similar features to Usagi's giggled as she pointed out the obvious.
Shocked gazes pointed at Usagi who looked up brightly.
"Well," she cleared her throat and smiled widely, "Congratulations."
Duo gaped at her response and shrieked.
"WHAT THE HELL! THAT'S NOT YOUR LINE! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO TELL THAT BIT-"
SLAM.
Usagi laughed nervously as she rubbed the back of her head.
"You have to excuse him, Duo was dropped on his head while he was a baby."
A muffled laugh that came out as a cough passed Wufei's lips as he turned his head to the side.
"Whatever," the American drawled irritably as he padded out, "I'm outta here!"
"Hey! Where are you going? We're not done yet!" Relena yelled as she raced to the door, watching as he sauntered out the emergency room. Lady Une shrugged.
"It's okay," Usagi reassured the other girl with a smile.
"Lady Une, we have to leave now. Setsuna wanted me back for training by 9. It's almost 8:45." She addressed the Lady.
"You just came back from your mission. The other pilots don't have to train." Lady Une frowned as she looked at her pilot's disheveled appearance.
"Well you know how Slave Driver Setsuna is. Duty calls!" she saluted, laughing heartily.
Hiiro analyzed her critically. She was already tired. It seemed that more training would be overkill.
Lady Une squinted, "Don't worry. I'll handle Setsuna."
The female pilot shrugged then flashed her team mates a sly smile.
"You're dismissed. I only summoned you to see Yui and to give you the new mission stats."
A bright smile bursted from her lips as she summoned her courage to turn towards the room, "Well it was nice to see you again, Hiiro. I'm happy to know that you're alive after all these years."
Hiiro blinked, wondering why she sounded so forced while she talked.
"Catch you later!" she gave a small wave and turned towards the emergency room exit.
"Wait." An impatient demand from the Japanese boy made her wheel around in confusion. What now?
"Who are you?"
The other pilots and Lady Une watched the confrontation with interest.
He crossed his arms and looked at her indifferently.
She snapped up guardedly.
It was short; a short easy question. But the effect was painful; horrible and devastating.
He found himself entranced with her eyes; those brilliant cerulean eyes framed by long dark lashes. It irritated him, more than anything else about her- more than her hair, more than her attitude. Yet he couldn't help but stare- stare too much.
Only one reason; I know those eyes.
"I didn't hear your name," he offered with a shrug.
Only you for eternity.
Marry me?
I love you the most.
You are my most special person.
"Tsukino Usagi desu," she bowed respectfully and ran.
Yui Hiiro only watched, feeling a strange moisture fall down his cheek.
-
"It'll rain soon, I suppose." Wufei murmured to the other two pilots while they watched the sky from the window. Below the window pane, the three pilots watched as their friend exited the building.
One step at a time.
Slowly down the staircase.
And then she stopped.
"I thought she'd start crying."
The clouds grew darker quickly.
"When he asked who she was, I though she'd cry right there."
"She's so strong."
"Did you know that he was going to marry her after that mission?"
"He proposed to her before we left."
"It must hurt to see him engaged to another woman."
Her golden hair hung wet and heavy on her back as she raised her arm to wipe her face.
"Especially after what happened at the funeral,"
"What happened?"
"Oh that's right, you didn't go. She broke down and had to leave on an ambulance."
"They told her she lost the baby."
"She was pregnant?!"
"She didn't know when we left for the mission."
"Poor girl."
-
It was cold, her teeth chattered but she didn't care. He was happy. He was in love. But not with her.
How long had it been since she'd cried over him? Since the funeral?
She remembered crying; loud hoarse crying. The funeral was packed with people who he knew. People that had come to celebrate his life and mourn his death.
The sermon was horrible.
We have all come here to mourn the death of Hiiro Yui. Friend. Love. And Brother.
May Kami-Sama guide his soul.
But even worse than that, was the standing there. They were digging in a memorial – without a body.
She'd approached the memorial with cautious steps, the white rose gripped tightly in her grasp. Each step symbolized the accepting of the fact that he was dead – and that he wouldn't return.
Step.
Step.
Step.
She couldn't go any further.
Then there was a hand. A patient hand that guided her own. But she couldn't do it. She refused to do it.
"Onee-chan. You have to do this. You have to let go." Duo's sad whisper floated to her ears as he tried to lead her to the memorial. She wouldn't budge.
The hand became more persistent. Tugging, Pulling. But still.
"Let me go!" she screamed, pounding mercilessly on the younger boy's chest as he held onto her.
"No Onee-chan, You have to let go!" he cried, pushing her towards the memorial. She fell to her feet as she looked up at it.
Cold Stone. Impersonal. His name blurred out at the top of the stone. YUI HIIRO.
And she couldn't understand.
"He's not dead." She whispered, again and again, with finality to her voice.
Duo cried as he watched her.
"Quatre! Tell Duo that he's not dead!" Usagi ordered the other boy that stepped forward to help. He shook his head.
"He's not dead!"
"He's not dead!"
"He's not dead!"
"HE'S NOT DEAD!"
The crowd whispered as they watched the poor woman.
"You're in denial. Wake up, Usagi. He's dead. And he's not coming back."
Then she could remember the ringing. The ringing of the ambulance. She'd broken down and they called the ambulance. Apparently, she was unstable. She was stressed. She was ruining her body.
"Please not the baby."
And then…
Something that hurt even worse than his death.
"Gomen, Tsukino-san, the baby… The baby didn't make it."
What would Hiiro have thought?
She sat down on the cold steps as the rain poured down on her, washing away her tears.
And then suddenly the rain stopped falling but the pitter-patter continued. She looked up.
An umbrella over her head.
"Hiiro?"