Scared to Death
By Gacktosan
Disclaimer: I don't own GW, or its characters.
It was almost two years ago that we had defeated the Mariemaia faction and once again let peace reign. Almost two years of peace had me thinking that the demons of the past were gone forever. Almost two years of being wrong.
My name is Duo Maxwell, also known as Pilot 02, the God of Death. Through most of the war I was partnered with a severely stoic pilot named Heero Yuy, Pilot 01: The Perfect Soldier. It was a strange friendship at first, my talkative and carefree nature a stark contrast to Heero's silent brooding. But we managed to become friends...but we became much more than that.
It was a year ago today that mine and Heero's friendship changed drastically. It was the first Halloween we had been able to celebrate on since the wars began. For two of us, it was the first time we'd even heard of Halloween. For all of us, we never expected it to change our lives the way it did.
To celebrate, the five of us had decided to actually go Trick or Treating. I guess it's the one kid thing we actually did in the past few years. Everything started going great until we saw "Him." He was a teenage boy costumed as an Oz pilot. All of us had an almost war-like reaction to it; tensing up for a fight, watching the surroundings for an ambush. But when we saw him stroll up to the house down the road and walk back happily with candy, we all returned to normality. All of us, that is, except for Heero.
To say Heero was scared would have been the understatement of the year. Immediately after the child walked by, Heero went into a fit of convulsions, shaking so violently that it took me and Wufei to get him to walk straight. Seeing Heero's reaction, the rest of us decided to call it a night. We walked back to Heero's house, and tucked him away into bed, hoping that he would be alright by morning. I decided that it would be in all of our best interest if I stayed there to make sure he was alright. The others left, and I waited by Heero's side to wait for him to wakeup.
He woke up sometime around midnight, screaming my name as he bolted up right. I took his hand in mine and waited for him to realize I was ok before asking what was wrong.
It seems that the Oz costume had reminded him of one of our particularly costly battles. In fact, it was the battle that had almost cost me my life. The first thing that went through his mind when he saw the child was a picture in his mind's eye of me after I had self-detonated. It was when I looked into his eyes and saw his grief at describing that moment that I noticed the feelings he had for me.
Seeing the bewildered look in his eyes I knew that I had found the person for me. I knew that I had finally cracked his war-torn shell and influenced him for the better. I stared into his eyes for what seemed like hours before I knew what I had to do. Shoving all my hesitations and thoughts aside, I kissed him. Not a family-style kiss, or a kiss on the cheek, but a full on kiss on the lips. At first, he was too shocked to understand what was happening, but when he did, I felt arms wrapping around my body.
To this day, I'll never forget what he said: "Duo, you've split the rock that is my shell. You're my anchor...I hope I never lose you."
To which I replied, "Heero, you're the one thing that I can count on, and you can count on the fact that I'm never going to leave your side."
And stay I did. I was there for the nightmares he had of the war, through the trauma he went through when he remembered some of the particularly gruesome details. I was also there through the times when he would revert to his monosyllabic past self, not talking to me for days, each day feeling like it was our last. But after a few days of not talking to me, he would break down again, and become the hurt child he was during those few tenuous hours after Halloween.
You see, that incident happened exactly one year ago. And as I write this, Heero is at the door handing candy out to trick or treaters. Sure, a few of them remind me of the time he almost lost me, but I can tell immediately after one has left, for he comes right up to me and wraps me into a tight bear hug, not letting go until the doorbell rings with the next group of children.
I glanced at the clock; it was getting late. The little kiddies would soon be put to bed, much to their parents' chagrin as the children bounce off the walls from the candy they've eaten throughout the night. There hadn't been any trick or treaters for a while now, and I suspect that they've finished their canvassing in lieu of getting their sugar fix.
I feel a hand on my shoulder and I look up. Heero is standing there, smiling as he watches me write this little memory into my diary. "Duo," he begins softly, "can you come with me, there's something I need to tell you."
I sit for a second, puzzling what he could possibly want to tell me, before I nod my head and follow him to our bedroom.
He sits me down on the corner of the bed, and kneels before me. "Duo, it was a year ago that I realized just how much you had helped me. It was a year ago that I realized my feelings and how you were involved. It was a year ago that I committed myself to you."
I open my mouth to say something, but he covers my mouth with his index finger. "Let me finish, Duo," he says softly. "It was a long hard road to where we are now, but I think it was worth it. The past few weeks have made me realize just how much you mean to me. And I know I feel the same. Which is why I'm going to ask you this."
He reaches under the bed and pulls out a small black box. My heart skips a beat as I begin to realize what it is. "Duo Maxwell," he begins, as tears start to form in my eyes, "would you do the honor of marrying me?"
I sit there, stunned, as I think of what to say. I think Heero misunderstands my silence as a negative answer, for he begins to turn away, unshed tears sparkling in his eyes. I reach down and grasp his chin with two of my fingers, turning it so he can face me. "Heero, nothing could make me happier. Of course I'll marry you."
I can see sobs racking his body as he sheds tear upon tear of happiness. I pull him into a hug, then kiss him. We break our kiss moments later, both of us breathing softly. We fall asleep in each others' arms, breathing softly as we envision our future together.