History Repeats

Disclaimer: I don't own.

A/N: Um. An attempt at getting myself out of a rut? heh. I'll probably not write more for this, so I'll call this a one-shot for now.

. . .

"Heero!" It was Wufei's voice. Heero's eyes flicked to the monitor as his face appeared.

"Why are you fighting?" His eyes were blazing, yet screwed up in some sort of unknown pain.

"It is up to us who can fight to battle for freedom again. Wufei, why are you not fighting?" His question was sincere, without any malice.

Wufei's eyes glazed over.

"These are the people we once fought for-"

"They are our enemy now."

"I know!" Wufei's eyes flashed in frustration. "I know, yet-" He broke off.

"Has your fighting spirit died?"

"It died with Treize." He looked up defiantly. "I promised never to fight anymore."

"But humans are creatures of habit," Heero responded. "No matter what, history will repeat itself, war after war. I can fight, therefore I will."

Wufei clenched his teeth, revealing his inner struggle.

"Choose your own road," Heero mused a while later. "Decide what's right for you."

With that, Heero killed the connection, and the screen went blank.

. . .

Several months later...

As soon as Heero had opened his eyes, he knew that it was all over.

Getting slowly out of the small cot, he padded across the living room of the abandoned bungalow to his makeshift radio. He shifted through the different frequencies and halted when something caught his attention.

"-was killed last night at the hospital that had been taken hostage. The United Earth Sphere Alliance is horrified and enraged by these acts of senseless terror. Even the revolutionists have shown opposing attitudes towards this incident. Vice Foreign Minister Darlian will be mour-"

Heero switched it off quickly. So. It was over, then. Stilling his hand as it moved to pack up the radio, he turned and slid down against the table to the floor. He inhaled once deeply. Then twice. Finally, he buried his head into his hands as a sense of uselessness took over.

Several hours later when Heero finally lifted his head up, he decided that it was time to go back to Earth.

. . .

As Heero wandered the streets of the small town, he was slightly overwhelmed at its peacefulness at this time of war. Everything was running normally as if nothing devastating had or would ever happen to this town. Heero had to remind himself that, even though his world had fallen apart, the strength of humans will keep them alive through any and all wars. And so it was at this town.

Sometime after he'd meandered into the town's only park, he nearly jerked his gun out at hearing footsteps echoing his. Something clicked in his mind, however, and he blinked owlishly at his own conclusion. Even though he wasn't a believer, he chuckled humourlessly, thinking that fate must really be playing tricks on him.

Heero continued strolling leisurely until he came upon an empty bench. He took his hands out of his pockets and sat down to wait. Only thirty seconds later, the one who'd been following him arrived and took the seat beside him. They were both quiet, drawn into their own thoughts.

"So," Heero said some time later, leaning his elbows against his knees. "History repeats itself."

Wufei snorted sardonically.

"So it does."

Silence fell.

"As was with Mariemaia, Relena was taken hostage in order to gain power," Heero murmured. "And, as was with Mariemaia, Relena retaliated. Except, this time, there was no one to save her."

Wufei looked away. Heero looked at him and smiled faintly.

"Don't feel sorry. Maybe this is a good end to everything as well." Heero leaned back against the bench and looked up to the sky. "The outcome of this war has changed already."

Heero could feel Wufei's gaze on him, but didn't feel like elaborating.

"Heero..." The other paused. "That woman lived honourably." Wufei nodded as if to himself. "Out of all the women I know, she was by far one of the strongest. There is no disgrace in her death." He blinked, then snorted to himself. "I see."

"How did you find me?" Heero turned his head.

Wufei blinked again at this sudden question, then looked away.

"Since the mobile suit you'd taken was of Preventers origin, it was a simple matter to track it down." He shrugged, not meeting Heero's inquisitive eyes.

After a while, Heero shifted and murmured, "You've left the Preventers."

"Yes, well," Wufei snapped. He glared at Heero for a second. "If someone as inadequate as me is able to hack into their system, then they have major reparations to do."

Heero laughed suddenly, feeling some of his tension wash from him. Oh, if only the world was alright again...

"What will you do now?" Wufei asked.

Heero shrugged noncommittally.

"Maybe I will help out with whatever you're doing. Small victories win a war, right?"

"I haven't been doing much," Wufei said in a reserved way. "Just offering my assistance to whoever looks like they need it."

Heero smiled sideways at him.

"Isn't that a great help already?" he mused.

Wufei looked away and cleared his throat.

"In any case, I'll just let you know that I've stayed true to my ideals. I thought that you'd be happy to hear that."

"I am," Heero replied simply.

"Even if my ideals are contrary to yours?" Wufei probed, looking at Heero with an intense gaze.

"It is not my place to say what's right or wrong," Heero replied tiredly. "If you believe in yourself, then do whatever you want."

Wufei nodded, though it seemed that he wanted to say something to that.

"It's almost funny how, time and time again, we're placed at opposing sides because of our differing opinions," he continued.

"And, even so, we haven't killed each other yet," Heero replied dryly.

They looked at each other and promptly broke out into grins.

"I'm surprised at the amount of sarcasm you managed in that one sentence," Wufei chuckled. "It must be the most humour I've heard from you in the past three years."

"I'm a human, too," Heero responded, giving him a slight smile.

Wufei's gaze broke away towards the ground.

"You're the most human of us all," he murmured, "even if it seemed to everyone that you didn't have any human emotions at all."

"I wouldn't go that far," Heero interrupted. "I do what I have to."

"But at least you're certain of your decisions!" Wufei cut in. "You do what you have to, knowing that it is your ideal as well. I- I envy you." Wufei sounded so small saying that that Heero suddenly felt overwhelmed by their conversation.

They sat in thick silence for a while, each off in their own thoughts. Finally, Heero frowned as he broke away from the consuming silence and looked over at Wufei.

"Even so, we always chose the same road in the end, didn't we?" he asked. "We always ended up at the same destination. That says something."

Wufei tore his gaze from its study of the ground and grinned in a faltering way at Heero.

"That we're both blockheads following misguided roads towards a mutual goal?"

Heero smiled suddenly.

"Then we're all the same, aren't we?"

Wufei nodded, grinning fully.

"Alright," he said in agreement. "Want to leave?"

Heero nodded back.

"Let's go."

The End

. . .