Forbidden Love

Forbidden Love

by Duo's Chick

and

Star Kindler

Chapter One

Disclaimer: We don't own GW, never have and never will

Authors' note: We have decided to try something totally different and unique. This new fic is an AU set in the time of Nazi Germany during WWII.

We have tried to make this fic as accurate as possible to the events happening during the Holocaust. Some things, however, of course aren't factual. For example, we understand, there were no Japanese or Chinese Nazis, but we had to give Heero and Wufei a part in the story, so that's what we made them. And it is not known what religion Hilde actually is, or if she even has one, but we've made her Jewish. It's for the sake of the story.

Warnings: AU, Yaoi, and EXTREME OOC!

With that in mind, please enjoy and send us feedback!

***

February 18, 1940

"…I would like to develop a couple of ideas for you on the question of homosexuality. There are those homosexuals who take the view: what I do is my business, a purely private matter. However, all things which take place in the sexual sphere are not the private affair of the individual, but signify the life and death of a nation…The people which has many children has the candidature for world power or world domination…"

Nikolai glared across the old table at his best friend, Duo Maxwell, and sighed loudly.

"Christ, Duo, turn that crap off." Duo looked up from the radio and held his index finger to his lips.

"…When I bring a homosexual before the courts and have him locked up, the matter is not settled, because the homosexual comes out of prison just as homosexual as before he went in. Therefore the whole question is not clarified. It is clarified in the sense that this burden has not been identified, in contrast to the years before the seizure of power." [1]

The speech ended and Duo finally switched the radio off. He looked over at his friend, who was glaring daggers at him.

"Don't look at me like that…Humph. Ignorant shit, isn't it?" Duo said.

"Yeah, it is. Why do we even bother listening to it?" Nikolai responded.

"Because it pertains to me. My life is in danger here…"

"You know, you could be a little more discreet about your sexuality if it's troubling you. The Gestapo are carrying more and more people away to God knows where. Frankly, I'm very worried about you." Nikolai moved to a seat next to Duo's.

Duo smiled. "You have no reason to be worried. I've been able to avoid arrest this long, and I will continue to outwit the Gestapo until this whole mess is over. I've had to fend for myself my whole life as an orphan; I'm a survivor. I will make it through the war."

"I understand all that Duo, but this is getting serious. The government is being built on hate, and people are going along with it. What if Hitler ends up the victor? What then?"

"I seriously doubt it. There are countries that refuse to let him do this, and their taking action."

"Still, you know as well as I do that this is going to get worse before it gets any better. And I'm almost positive extreme measures will be taken to get rid of the people considered inferior by the government. Hitler wants a pure race and he's not going stop at nothing until he gets his master breed of people. And unless you meet his standards as a straight, six-foot blonde, blue-eyed man, you are less than his view on perfection. The man is insane, and therefore, worthy enough to fear."

Duo smashed his fist against the rickety old table in anger. "I don't see why we have to go through this. He is brainwashing the public. Just because I'm gay doesn't mean I'm less than anyone else. And why are all these people disappearing? Does this mean if I'm taken away, I'll disappear, too?"

"Duo…"

"Why don't we just escape? Get away from this hell hole and move; to America or somewhere."

"You know we can not do that. The best thing in this time would be to remain inconspicuous. Why don't you go get a girlfriend, or something?"

Duo laughed. "I don't think so."

"Why not? There's that girl who works down at the corner grocers; she has a thing for you. What's her name?"

Duo looked down and shook his head. "You mean Hilde…"

Nikolai nodded. "Yeah, her."

"First and foremost, I am gay, I am not attracted to her. She would end up hurt and that is not what I want. And second, she is Jewish. If I even thought about dating her, it would mean both our lives." Duo said with tension building in his voice.

Nikolai thought for a moment. "Fine, it doesn't have to be Hilde. There are many pretty girls around here who would love to get with-"

"Hell no! Look, I'm not going to change who I am just because one man has some serious problems…"

"I don't want you to change, Duo, but for your own safety…"

Duo stood up angrily. "No, I don't want to hear anymore. Damn, I need a cigarette."

Nikolai sighed. "We don't have any."

"Just perfect." Duo turned and headed to the door. He grabbed his coat off a hook on the wall.

"Where are you going?" Nikolai asked, with a slight glint of annoyance in his voice.

"I'm going to get a pack of cigarettes, I just said I needed one." Duo replied, about ready to step out the door.

"It's dangerous to go out at night, just wait till morning."

"I'll be fine. Why do you worry so damn much?" Duo asked.

"You know why…"

Duo groaned. "You're just being ridiculous." And with that, he walked away, slamming the door behind him. The braided boy ran down the single flight of stairs and out into the freezing German air. He shivered and wrapped his jacket around his body tightly, shutting out the bitterly cold wind. Sirens could be heard in the distance. They were quite common, but every time their shrill scream sounded, someone disappeared. Duo brushed the painful thoughts away, and tried to shut the sirens out. Quickly, he made his way to the small corner grocery store. He sighed in relief as he reached it, grasped the door, and pulled it open. He was greeted by a cheerful young woman of his age.

"Good evening, Duo. What are you doing out on this cold night? She asked sweetly.

Duo smiled. "Hey, Hilde. I just came to buy a pack of cigarettes." She nodded and handed him a carton. Suddenly, the sirens Duo had heard, seemed very close now, in fact it was like they were just down the street.

"Oh no…" Hilde muttered. "Oh-oh, please don't let them come here…" She began to tremble violently.

"Hilde, what's the matter?" Duo could sense her fear.

She pointed to the Star of David on sewn on her shirt. "I'm Jewish, Duo…"

"I know, but that doesn't mean-"

He couldn't finish his sentence. A large truck stopped with a screech outside the store. Two men, heavily armed, burst through the door. They knocked Duo to the floor and grabbed Hilde. She screamed and struggled in their grasps, having no luck. A few more men came in and pulled Duo out. Harshly, they threw him out on the sidewalk and closed the store up. Shocked, Duo asked,

"What's going on?"

"Jewish run store. We're shutting them down. Orders from the Führer, Hitler." One of the men replied, then he called over to another officer standing in the shadows.

"Officer Chang? What should we do with this guy?" The man pointed to Duo.

A man in an SS uniform, with dark, black hair and obsidian eyes stepped into some light emitted from a street lamp.

"What were you doing in a Jewish store?" He asked with a heartless tone.

The man's voice caused Duo's blood to run cold. "I-I just wanted to b-buy a pack of cigarettes…this is the on-only store opened."

Officer Chang seemed satisfied with the answer. He nodded and motioned for the SS officers to get back in the truck.

Then Duo saw Hilde's tear-stained face appear behind a barred window in the back of the truck. His heart screamed at him to go and save her, release her from that prison. He knew that wherever she was to be taken, it would mean nothing but torture and sorrow. His body would not allow him to move. No matter how hard his brain tried telling his legs to move, they would not. As the truck sped away, and the mournful sirens sounded, he cursed himself for being a coward. It soon disappeared in the distance and Duo was left alone on the dark and silent sidewalk. All that could be heard was the sorrowful howling of the wind.

For several minutes, Duo did not move. He was overcome with fear. He couldn't believe that someone had been taken so cruelly. What had she done? Why was this happening? Duo could feel hot tears running down his cheeks. Quietly, he turned around and headed back to the apartment with a heart weighing heavily in his chest.

***

Nikolai looked up from a newspaper as he heard the door open and close. He saw Duo enter, and immediately, he could sense something was wrong. He stood up and rushed over to his friend.

"Duo, what happened?"

The braided boy looked at him through tear-filled eyes. "She-she was taken…"

Nikolai was confused. "Who was taken? What are you talking about?"

"The Gestapo, the Gestapo got Hilde. They took her…right before my eyes." Duo choked back a sob.

Nikolai gently pulled Duo to a table chair. He then poured him a glass of water and handed it to him. Gratefully, Duo took the water and took a long drink.

"Duo," Nikolai spoke up. "When was she taken? For what reason?"

"She was just arrested – taken right out of the store! For what reason?! What do you think?! She is Jewish!" Duo began to weep bitterly. Sympathetically, Nikolai pulled Duo close to him and allowed him to cry on his shoulder. After a few minutes Nikolai pushed Duo away, and grasped his shoulders. Softly, he said,

"Duo, you knew this kind of stuff was happening. We were just discussing it before you left. Don't you understand it will keep happening as long as the Nazi government is ruling us? It's just the way it goes…"

"Why? Why does it have to happen? Why are humans hurting humans? Hitler is one man! He is one man full of hate. Why are the people allowing him to do this?" Duo could not stop crying as he poured his heart out to his friend. "Hilde had done nothing wrong, yet she was arrested because of what she was. And that's what will happen to me."

"No, no it won't happen, don't talk like that. You said it yourself. You're a survivor."

Duo looked Nikolai in the eyes, yet seemed to be staring past his friend to a far off place. "Maybe I was wrong. I don't know how any of us will survive this…"

***

November 25, 1942

Winter was around the corner and Duo could already feel the chill in the air. He walked quickly down the street with an armful of groceries. He turned the corner hurriedly, avoiding the Nazi officers standing guard. Since he had seen Hilde being taken by the Gestapo two years before, Duo decided to take Nikolai's advice, and be more discreet. Before he left, Nikolai reminded him to be safe and stay in the shadows. After what had happened, Duo had no intention of risking his life. But last week, another man Duo had had his eye on, chose to make a move. Now he feared the Nazis knew and were just waiting to arrest him.

"C'mon, Duo, no one will ever know." The man leaned in close.

"No, it's too dangerous, please don't do this." Duo tried backing away, but he hit a wall. The man leaned in even closer. "We're outside in plain daylight. They'll see us for sure." Duo muttered.

"We're on a back road. They will never even know…" He grasped Duo waist, captured his lips and engaged him in a deep kiss. Duo didn't want to pull away, it was too wonderful, but he couldn't risk being caught. He forced himself to part from the sweet lips and squirmed away from the man's tight hold. While backing away, he mumbled an "I'm sorry…" and ran away as fast as he could.

-What Duo didn't know was that a pair of eyes was watching the two from high above in an apartment home. And he had every intention of letting the Gestapo know what he saw…-

Duo brushed the memory of the kiss away, and continued down the street until he reached his apartment building. He ran up the stairs and slipped into his home. With a wave of relief coming over him, he sat the bag of groceries on the kitchen counter and began to unpack them. Then, from somewhere rather close by, he heard sirens – the horrible wail that only meant someone was going to be arrested. But the howling siren didn't fade into the distance like he expected to. It became louder until it seemed like it was just outside the building. Next came the sound of tires screeching to a halt, the same sound he had two years ago. He was too scared to look out the window, he knew they were here, most likely for him. The sounds of several sets of heavy boots running up a staircase echoed throughout the building. Duo was struck with fear as the stomping boots stopped and someone pounded heavily on the door. He didn't know what to do. He was frozen with fear as the door burst open and several men in German uniforms stormed in. Two of them grabbed him. Officer Chang, the same man who arrested Hilde, approached him.

"Duo Maxwell, you are charged with participating in homosexual acts, punishable by imprisonment." Then to the officers, "Let go of him."

He turned back to Duo. "Alright, you piece of filth, you can pack one bag. Hurry up."

Confused, Duo consented and ran back to his bedroom with the men behind him. He threw a few articles of clothing and a few other personal belongings in a knapsack. The whole while Officer Chang poked him in the back with a shotgun and screamed at him to move faster. When he signaled he was finished, he was pushed out of his apartment and down the stairs. Once outside, he was ordered in the truck. Sadly, he told himself over and over that it was going to be okay as he climbed in back of the vehicle. There were several other men there, even the man who had kissed him the week before. He wouldn't look Duo in the eyes. Duo sighed as the truck drove away. He could feel tears sting his violet eyes.

'Guess you were right Nikolai. It just got worse…'

~~End of Chapter One~~

[1] This was a speech made by Heinrich Himmler, the SS leader, concerning the Nazi feelings of homosexuality.

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So what did you think? This fic is going to hard to write and we're going to be working very hard on it. Please let us know how you like it! ~Star Kindler and Duo's Chick