He had to get away that instant. Duo threw pants, shirts, and underwear alike into the large black duffel. He grabbed the basic toiletries from the bathroom, tossed them in, and sat atop the bag while he zipped it up. He slung it over his shoulder, wiped his hair from his eyes, and set out. he would do anything to escape the dirty little apartment with cockroaches. To escape from escaping, having to run back and forth across the globe so as to prevent universal disaster. It would no longer be his problem if OZ blew up Earth. Never again would he come to the rescue so Mobile Dolls didn't execute a colony's worth of citizens. He would, once and for all, live the life of a normal student. He would get a job, have a love-life. Heaven forbid, he might even enjoy himself once and a while. He locked the door behind him, tossed his key on the landlord's desk, and hailed a taxi from the busy street.
The phone rang once, twice, thrice.
"Where the hell is he?" Heero's voice resonated his frustration, his brow furrowing. "He was supposed to have been here at seven for briefing." Trowa sighed, shrugging. Even Duo was never this late. Quatre vociferated Trowa's thought.
"It's nine 'o clock." He stood up, his lean shoulders reaching high. They were gathered in Heero's small apartment, similar in quality to Duo's. One always kicked the door of a cupboard before opening it, in order to scare away any rodents and insects. Heero hung up the phone and leaned back against the wall. Quatre had his chin supported by his hands, his eyelids drooping dispite his constant efforts to wake up.
"We have to go anyway" Wufei stated briskly. "There is no honor in letting Duo's failure bring down the entire mission." And he was right. Heero nodded his agreement solemnly, and reluctantly the young warriors stood and filed out of the apartment.