Author's note: The first chapter is simply to introduce you to the main character in such a way that it makes sense for what happens to happen. Do NOT be fooled by what it seems right now. It's a little long, but we should be able to get into it quick enough.
Also, this is my first Gundam fic, and it's AU, so I'm taking some liberty with the characters. Yaoi is inevitable when I write, so don't be surprised. No pairing is indicated yet, nor do I have one figured. I like Duo with anyone, so it's all up for grabs.
Disclaimer: Don't own.
~~~~~_____~~~~~
"You guys have yet to realize that gender is as unimportant as race. If the only reason behind falling in love was to procreate, then why are so many people in relationships born sterile? If it's their job to produce offspring, they're failing as we speak. They will never have children, and they will never help continue the lineage of the world. So, if sex and love are only for breeding purposes, why are some men and women born unable to produce?"
"You can twist just about anything." Violet eyes swung to the speaker, taking in the Ayrian looks of the young lady. Blue eyes, blonde hair, tall and slender build. "Then you think that if someone is open to love, they can truly fall in love with just about anyone?"
"Exactly. The reason that people don't fall in love with the first person they see is because we're all raised to believe that there is only one person for us, and so we damn well better make the most of our search. We can't just fall in love with anyone, right?"
The remainder of the room's occupants, all young ladies of noble breeding, nodded, eyes glued tot he speaker. Brown hair, loosely held back by a violet ribbon, hung to mid-back, brushing the ground as the attached head shook and moved with emphasis. Violet eyes met those of its audience boldy, refusing to back down.
"We're conditioned from the time we're born to fall in love with Prince Charming, and Princess Wimpy-Ass." The girls laughed. "Ladies are told to be genteel, polite, soft-spoken, and all that crap! Guys are supposed to be sensitive and gentlemanly, unless they're with a group of other guys in which case they're supposed to be neandrethals, beating each other over the heads as they compare their latests conquests."
"That's not exactly what my mother told me to expect." Exotic eyes met the speakers. The girl, oldest of the group and the most out-spoken, had blond hair, braided on either side of her head so that a braid fell on each shoulder. "Men are brave, faithful, strong, and handsome."
Many of the others nodded, then looked back at the original speaker. "Of course. That's the pretty end of it. Men believe in justice and truth, righ? Wrong. Men are horrible, low-bellied liars. They are the filth of the earth. Women are just as bad. It's not a gender issue. We both have are problems. Think about it. Most men are so closed off from their emotions that they wouldn't know love if it hit them in the head with a billy-club."
"Let's not go down that road." Relena smiled at the blonde, who had been about to interrupt, and the brunette, whose mouth was open in mid-tirade. "I want to hear more about your theory on love. Please."
The other girls nodded, and the brunette sighed. The twinkle in the violet eyes belied the frustration in the small exhale of air, however, and the audience settle back to listen some more.
"Love is love. We can chose who we love, but not who we fall in love with. I can go out tomorrow, and walk past every man on the face of the planet, and realize that I could never truly love a one of them. I could walk past every woman on the face of the planet, and not fall in love. There may be no love for me. That would not be a choice, that would be a simple fact."
"You don't think that there's someone for everyone?"
"No. I think that there are several someone's, and it's pure luck if you meet a one of them. Love and fate are that way. I could walk out of here tonight and fall in love with the first man on the street. He may love me back, he may not. It's fate. He would be my mate, but I would not be his. Since he's not it, does that mean that there's no one? I refuse to believe that. I refuse to believe that I could be alone for the rest of my life."
"Some would say that that's just wistful thinking." Sally spoke into the slight pause. "We can all end up old maids. It's simply a matter of chance and opportunity. If a rich, handsome man walks up to that door, and asks you to marry him, would you refuse him because you happen to be attracted to the pauper begging on the street behind him?"
"Yes." No hesitation. "I'm sorry, but I will never marry for wealth, or comfort, or because it's easier. I will take the hardest road if it means that I can find love at the end. The more you're willing to work, the more of a payoff you get. If you take the easy way out, then it's all for nothing."
"You say that gender is no issue." Violet eyes swung to a smallish brunette curled into a corner of the sofa. "You have professed, time and again, an interest in the male sex. Does your new position mean that you would give up most of what you have for a woman? Because, lets face it, your family will never approve."
"I know." Violet eyes took a sad look. "If I were to fall in love with a woman, my family could be damned. I will not sacrifice love for love. It's pointless. If they could not accept me for what I am, then they don't love me as much as I love them."
A young woman with dark blonde hair slid off one end of the couch and onto the floor. They all turned to her as she regarded the speaker. "You speak very well, Duet[1]." The two girls stared at each other for a moment before Une smiled. "You make it all sound so easy. But there is more to it than familial pressure."
"Society, and the norms of a hostile nation that doesn't like anything different." The brunette nodded, brushing her hair away from her face absentmindedly. "I know. But if I were in love, it wouldn't matter. The only thing that matters are the ones in love. Love cannot be wrong, until it intentionally harms another. I can be in love with the same person as one of you. It will hurt you if I get him, but the pain is not intentional, therefore it is not wrong."
"But if you love someone, and you tear them away from someone they were happy with, and make them both miserable..."
"Then it's wrong." Relena added her input, looking at her friends. Sally, whose hair was just slightly darker than hers, then Une, whose hair was a strawberry blonde, and then Duet, with the dark brown hair and red highlights. "You approve of Milliard's decision, then?"
She brought up the subject that had started the whole debate. Duet nodded, her violet eyes smiling. "I think it's wonderful that he and Treize are truly happy together. I know that it hurt Noin, but I wouldn't worry too much about her. She's resilient." Violet eyes flashed to Une. "It's a common trait amongst our little group."
"I am by-and-large over Treize Kushrenada, Duet. Never fear. I will not start missing our chit-chats over that man." She smiled, and straigthened up a little more. "Noin will be back with us soon, no fear."
"If my brother hadn't left things so late, this never would have had to be such a horrid thing."
"I hope your referring to all the plans that it took to long, and not to the fact that it happened at all."
Relena laughed. "Of course. I love my brother, and I wish him the best happiness. If this is what pleases him, and makes him happy, then who am I to say that it shouldn't be this way?"
"Exactly!" Duet raised her arms in triumph. "That's it exactly. Half of the people that your brother used to call friends have exiled him at the first word of homosexual. And I respect him so much for his strenght in overcoming whatever pressure was applied and going through with what he knew to be right."
"He's an exceptionally strong person." Une added her agreement, stretching her legs out in front of her. The bulky blue dress she was wearing bunched up around her legs. "Especially doing that in front of such a large crowd."
Duet laughed. "Did you see the expresson on Dorothy's face? She thought that you were her only rival." They all laughed together, before violet eyes narrowed. "I can't believe that she caused such a ruckus in the middle of the church."
They all frowned, remembering. Sally was the next to speak. "I'm glad that Noin supported Milliard in the end." They all nodded in agreement. "Of course, I think someone should have slapped Dorothy long ago, but today was a good day for it."
They spent a few minutes in silence, reflecting. Duet brushed her hair back again, then fixed the strap on her bra. Relena fixed the creases in her Maid of Honor dress, picking off invisible lint. "I'm glad to see that Quatre was there."
"He said that he's been feeling a lot better lately." Sally added, ready for a new way to break up the silence. "Since they took him to that new doctor, he hasn't had quite so many problems. They finally got his medicine figured out, I guess."
"That's good." Une interjected. "That poor boy deserves whatever can make him happy." They all nodded in agreement again, not knowing which words to use to make up the silence. Duet looked at the clock.
"I have to be going." She stood up, looking down at her friends with a small smile. "I love you, guys." They smiled up at her as she made her way gracefully around the furniture to the door. "Hey, Lena? If your brother calls, tell him that I think it's great."
"I will. We love you, Du." They all waved goodbye, and the brunette stepped into the corridor. She made her way down the hall and to the front door of the stately mansion. The butler wasn't around, and she didn't feel like disturbing him, so she found her own coat in the closet and put it on, then let herself out the door.
The night was slightly chilly, the slightest of breezes blowing against her thin dress as she walked to the sidewalk and turned towards home. Her house was only four blocks away and it would take less time to walkt than to call the house for a car. She started that way with an easy stride, her feet moving easily within the high heels.
The moon showed overhead, and she smiled up at it. With a quick glance around the area, she deduced that there was no one else around. With an impish grin, she took her shoes off, and then spun. It was quite a sight, this young girl with her hair flying around her as she spun under the moon in the dark night. She laughed freely, the sound a sweet twinkling in the air.
After a few minutes of this, she sobered enough to start in the direction of her house again, enjoying the feel of the still warm pavement beneath her feet. The day had been hot, and she could still feel the residual heat on the soles of her feet. "It has been a glorious day."
"'m 'appy to 'ear it, miz.[2]" She spun around, her eyes widening at the sight of a young teen in the shadows. His build was similar to hers, but made more threatening by the appearance of a knife. "'Cuz when ye don' manage to get 'one wit' all yer money, ye might feel kindly 'nuf to let it go wit'out callin' de cops."
"Right." She raised an eyebrow as she drew in a deep breath. She took in his ragtag appearance, and the thin, guant look to his face, and then took off her coat. "Here. All my money and personal possessions are in the pockets. She waited for him to take it, and then spread her arms wide. "As you can see, I haven't any other place to put things."
He stared at her for a moment, displaying his shock in a slack-jawed expression. "Wat game is dis?"
She smiled. "It's no game. Tonight, I will go home and be cuddled after my horrible misfortune. You, on the other hand, will be left to fend for yourself. I by far would rather be in my shoes, money or no. There should be enough in the pockets to last you for a while. If not, sell the coat. It's real fur, so it should fetch a good price."
His eyes widened. He opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it again.
Her eyes softened. He was only a boy, a young man on the verge of growing up in a world that didn't seem to know he needed it. "Go on. Take it. If anyone asks, my name is Duet. This is my gift to you. I would give you more if I had it, but I don't."
He took a step back, his natural instinct to distrust her being pushed aside by a faint smile. "Tank ya, Miz."
"Be careful walking home." She called after him, staring at his fastly disappearing form with pity. She bowed her head, her eyes closed. "This is what I hate. The world's inability to love. If that is my test, lord, it wasn't a difficult one."
She looked back up, staring into the darkness where the boy had disappeared.
"If you never know anything, young man, know that you were loved." She turned to cross the street, her bare feet making their dainty way to the tar and pebbles of the road. With her head bowed and her dark hair hanging over her face, she was a mere shadow in the road, the dark violet of her dress pulling at the shadows to camouflage her.
It was no wonder then, that the drunk driver who rounded the corner at that instant didn't see her. His headlights were off, and the streetlamps didn't cast enough light in the road to bring her out of her illusionary cover.
Violet eyes had barely looked up when she felt the impact jar her body, breaking bones the instant she connected with first the bumper, and then the hood and windshield. The driver didn't stop as her body was flipped over the roof before crashing back to the ground in a bloody pool.
~~~~~_____~~~~~
Hopefully, the next part will be up soon. It will explain a good many things. For a brief summary, I'll kind of tell you what happened. Brief, hell. The summary is nearly as long as the story, just not quite as nicely *hehe* written.
The girls are talking, the girls being Relena, Une, Sally, and a girl named Duet [1]. Duet is the name, horribly unoriginal, that I figured would work for the female version of Duo. No, this story isn't about how the guy and girl find each other, and about how Duo-ish *SHE* is. It will be shounen-ai, and Duo will make *HIS* appearance soon.
The event that has brought them together is the wedding of Milliard Peacecraft (Zechs Marquise), Relena's brother, and Lucrezia Noin. If you paid attention, you'll notice that that's not exactly what happened.
Mil was supposed to marry Noin, but he realized as he watched Noin come down the aisle that he couldn't put them both through the misery of being married to each other. He said that he couldn't marry her, and then ran of with Treize (who is a good guy, because it suits my purposes).
Dorothy, who wanted Treize as much as Lady Une, who is simply Une here, because I don't know her full name was left behind to bash them specifically and gays in general. In steps Noin, the scorned bride, who slaps her a good one.
I don't know Dorothy. I'm sure she's wonderful on the show. Wouldn't know. Noin, I like, along with Une and Sally. Relena I can take or leave.
[2] If you all remember this little thing, it was next to the greeting from the young man at the end. He is, essentially, unimportant. He's just something I put in so that you can see how wonderful Duo (Duet) is. Kind of like praising him before he comes into the ficcie.
Confused? Good. I'll explain more next chapter.
Also, this is my first Gundam fic, and it's AU, so I'm taking some liberty with the characters. Yaoi is inevitable when I write, so don't be surprised. No pairing is indicated yet, nor do I have one figured. I like Duo with anyone, so it's all up for grabs.
Disclaimer: Don't own.
~~~~~_____~~~~~
"You guys have yet to realize that gender is as unimportant as race. If the only reason behind falling in love was to procreate, then why are so many people in relationships born sterile? If it's their job to produce offspring, they're failing as we speak. They will never have children, and they will never help continue the lineage of the world. So, if sex and love are only for breeding purposes, why are some men and women born unable to produce?"
"You can twist just about anything." Violet eyes swung to the speaker, taking in the Ayrian looks of the young lady. Blue eyes, blonde hair, tall and slender build. "Then you think that if someone is open to love, they can truly fall in love with just about anyone?"
"Exactly. The reason that people don't fall in love with the first person they see is because we're all raised to believe that there is only one person for us, and so we damn well better make the most of our search. We can't just fall in love with anyone, right?"
The remainder of the room's occupants, all young ladies of noble breeding, nodded, eyes glued tot he speaker. Brown hair, loosely held back by a violet ribbon, hung to mid-back, brushing the ground as the attached head shook and moved with emphasis. Violet eyes met those of its audience boldy, refusing to back down.
"We're conditioned from the time we're born to fall in love with Prince Charming, and Princess Wimpy-Ass." The girls laughed. "Ladies are told to be genteel, polite, soft-spoken, and all that crap! Guys are supposed to be sensitive and gentlemanly, unless they're with a group of other guys in which case they're supposed to be neandrethals, beating each other over the heads as they compare their latests conquests."
"That's not exactly what my mother told me to expect." Exotic eyes met the speakers. The girl, oldest of the group and the most out-spoken, had blond hair, braided on either side of her head so that a braid fell on each shoulder. "Men are brave, faithful, strong, and handsome."
Many of the others nodded, then looked back at the original speaker. "Of course. That's the pretty end of it. Men believe in justice and truth, righ? Wrong. Men are horrible, low-bellied liars. They are the filth of the earth. Women are just as bad. It's not a gender issue. We both have are problems. Think about it. Most men are so closed off from their emotions that they wouldn't know love if it hit them in the head with a billy-club."
"Let's not go down that road." Relena smiled at the blonde, who had been about to interrupt, and the brunette, whose mouth was open in mid-tirade. "I want to hear more about your theory on love. Please."
The other girls nodded, and the brunette sighed. The twinkle in the violet eyes belied the frustration in the small exhale of air, however, and the audience settle back to listen some more.
"Love is love. We can chose who we love, but not who we fall in love with. I can go out tomorrow, and walk past every man on the face of the planet, and realize that I could never truly love a one of them. I could walk past every woman on the face of the planet, and not fall in love. There may be no love for me. That would not be a choice, that would be a simple fact."
"You don't think that there's someone for everyone?"
"No. I think that there are several someone's, and it's pure luck if you meet a one of them. Love and fate are that way. I could walk out of here tonight and fall in love with the first man on the street. He may love me back, he may not. It's fate. He would be my mate, but I would not be his. Since he's not it, does that mean that there's no one? I refuse to believe that. I refuse to believe that I could be alone for the rest of my life."
"Some would say that that's just wistful thinking." Sally spoke into the slight pause. "We can all end up old maids. It's simply a matter of chance and opportunity. If a rich, handsome man walks up to that door, and asks you to marry him, would you refuse him because you happen to be attracted to the pauper begging on the street behind him?"
"Yes." No hesitation. "I'm sorry, but I will never marry for wealth, or comfort, or because it's easier. I will take the hardest road if it means that I can find love at the end. The more you're willing to work, the more of a payoff you get. If you take the easy way out, then it's all for nothing."
"You say that gender is no issue." Violet eyes swung to a smallish brunette curled into a corner of the sofa. "You have professed, time and again, an interest in the male sex. Does your new position mean that you would give up most of what you have for a woman? Because, lets face it, your family will never approve."
"I know." Violet eyes took a sad look. "If I were to fall in love with a woman, my family could be damned. I will not sacrifice love for love. It's pointless. If they could not accept me for what I am, then they don't love me as much as I love them."
A young woman with dark blonde hair slid off one end of the couch and onto the floor. They all turned to her as she regarded the speaker. "You speak very well, Duet[1]." The two girls stared at each other for a moment before Une smiled. "You make it all sound so easy. But there is more to it than familial pressure."
"Society, and the norms of a hostile nation that doesn't like anything different." The brunette nodded, brushing her hair away from her face absentmindedly. "I know. But if I were in love, it wouldn't matter. The only thing that matters are the ones in love. Love cannot be wrong, until it intentionally harms another. I can be in love with the same person as one of you. It will hurt you if I get him, but the pain is not intentional, therefore it is not wrong."
"But if you love someone, and you tear them away from someone they were happy with, and make them both miserable..."
"Then it's wrong." Relena added her input, looking at her friends. Sally, whose hair was just slightly darker than hers, then Une, whose hair was a strawberry blonde, and then Duet, with the dark brown hair and red highlights. "You approve of Milliard's decision, then?"
She brought up the subject that had started the whole debate. Duet nodded, her violet eyes smiling. "I think it's wonderful that he and Treize are truly happy together. I know that it hurt Noin, but I wouldn't worry too much about her. She's resilient." Violet eyes flashed to Une. "It's a common trait amongst our little group."
"I am by-and-large over Treize Kushrenada, Duet. Never fear. I will not start missing our chit-chats over that man." She smiled, and straigthened up a little more. "Noin will be back with us soon, no fear."
"If my brother hadn't left things so late, this never would have had to be such a horrid thing."
"I hope your referring to all the plans that it took to long, and not to the fact that it happened at all."
Relena laughed. "Of course. I love my brother, and I wish him the best happiness. If this is what pleases him, and makes him happy, then who am I to say that it shouldn't be this way?"
"Exactly!" Duet raised her arms in triumph. "That's it exactly. Half of the people that your brother used to call friends have exiled him at the first word of homosexual. And I respect him so much for his strenght in overcoming whatever pressure was applied and going through with what he knew to be right."
"He's an exceptionally strong person." Une added her agreement, stretching her legs out in front of her. The bulky blue dress she was wearing bunched up around her legs. "Especially doing that in front of such a large crowd."
Duet laughed. "Did you see the expresson on Dorothy's face? She thought that you were her only rival." They all laughed together, before violet eyes narrowed. "I can't believe that she caused such a ruckus in the middle of the church."
They all frowned, remembering. Sally was the next to speak. "I'm glad that Noin supported Milliard in the end." They all nodded in agreement. "Of course, I think someone should have slapped Dorothy long ago, but today was a good day for it."
They spent a few minutes in silence, reflecting. Duet brushed her hair back again, then fixed the strap on her bra. Relena fixed the creases in her Maid of Honor dress, picking off invisible lint. "I'm glad to see that Quatre was there."
"He said that he's been feeling a lot better lately." Sally added, ready for a new way to break up the silence. "Since they took him to that new doctor, he hasn't had quite so many problems. They finally got his medicine figured out, I guess."
"That's good." Une interjected. "That poor boy deserves whatever can make him happy." They all nodded in agreement again, not knowing which words to use to make up the silence. Duet looked at the clock.
"I have to be going." She stood up, looking down at her friends with a small smile. "I love you, guys." They smiled up at her as she made her way gracefully around the furniture to the door. "Hey, Lena? If your brother calls, tell him that I think it's great."
"I will. We love you, Du." They all waved goodbye, and the brunette stepped into the corridor. She made her way down the hall and to the front door of the stately mansion. The butler wasn't around, and she didn't feel like disturbing him, so she found her own coat in the closet and put it on, then let herself out the door.
The night was slightly chilly, the slightest of breezes blowing against her thin dress as she walked to the sidewalk and turned towards home. Her house was only four blocks away and it would take less time to walkt than to call the house for a car. She started that way with an easy stride, her feet moving easily within the high heels.
The moon showed overhead, and she smiled up at it. With a quick glance around the area, she deduced that there was no one else around. With an impish grin, she took her shoes off, and then spun. It was quite a sight, this young girl with her hair flying around her as she spun under the moon in the dark night. She laughed freely, the sound a sweet twinkling in the air.
After a few minutes of this, she sobered enough to start in the direction of her house again, enjoying the feel of the still warm pavement beneath her feet. The day had been hot, and she could still feel the residual heat on the soles of her feet. "It has been a glorious day."
"'m 'appy to 'ear it, miz.[2]" She spun around, her eyes widening at the sight of a young teen in the shadows. His build was similar to hers, but made more threatening by the appearance of a knife. "'Cuz when ye don' manage to get 'one wit' all yer money, ye might feel kindly 'nuf to let it go wit'out callin' de cops."
"Right." She raised an eyebrow as she drew in a deep breath. She took in his ragtag appearance, and the thin, guant look to his face, and then took off her coat. "Here. All my money and personal possessions are in the pockets. She waited for him to take it, and then spread her arms wide. "As you can see, I haven't any other place to put things."
He stared at her for a moment, displaying his shock in a slack-jawed expression. "Wat game is dis?"
She smiled. "It's no game. Tonight, I will go home and be cuddled after my horrible misfortune. You, on the other hand, will be left to fend for yourself. I by far would rather be in my shoes, money or no. There should be enough in the pockets to last you for a while. If not, sell the coat. It's real fur, so it should fetch a good price."
His eyes widened. He opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it again.
Her eyes softened. He was only a boy, a young man on the verge of growing up in a world that didn't seem to know he needed it. "Go on. Take it. If anyone asks, my name is Duet. This is my gift to you. I would give you more if I had it, but I don't."
He took a step back, his natural instinct to distrust her being pushed aside by a faint smile. "Tank ya, Miz."
"Be careful walking home." She called after him, staring at his fastly disappearing form with pity. She bowed her head, her eyes closed. "This is what I hate. The world's inability to love. If that is my test, lord, it wasn't a difficult one."
She looked back up, staring into the darkness where the boy had disappeared.
"If you never know anything, young man, know that you were loved." She turned to cross the street, her bare feet making their dainty way to the tar and pebbles of the road. With her head bowed and her dark hair hanging over her face, she was a mere shadow in the road, the dark violet of her dress pulling at the shadows to camouflage her.
It was no wonder then, that the drunk driver who rounded the corner at that instant didn't see her. His headlights were off, and the streetlamps didn't cast enough light in the road to bring her out of her illusionary cover.
Violet eyes had barely looked up when she felt the impact jar her body, breaking bones the instant she connected with first the bumper, and then the hood and windshield. The driver didn't stop as her body was flipped over the roof before crashing back to the ground in a bloody pool.
~~~~~_____~~~~~
Hopefully, the next part will be up soon. It will explain a good many things. For a brief summary, I'll kind of tell you what happened. Brief, hell. The summary is nearly as long as the story, just not quite as nicely *hehe* written.
The girls are talking, the girls being Relena, Une, Sally, and a girl named Duet [1]. Duet is the name, horribly unoriginal, that I figured would work for the female version of Duo. No, this story isn't about how the guy and girl find each other, and about how Duo-ish *SHE* is. It will be shounen-ai, and Duo will make *HIS* appearance soon.
The event that has brought them together is the wedding of Milliard Peacecraft (Zechs Marquise), Relena's brother, and Lucrezia Noin. If you paid attention, you'll notice that that's not exactly what happened.
Mil was supposed to marry Noin, but he realized as he watched Noin come down the aisle that he couldn't put them both through the misery of being married to each other. He said that he couldn't marry her, and then ran of with Treize (who is a good guy, because it suits my purposes).
Dorothy, who wanted Treize as much as Lady Une, who is simply Une here, because I don't know her full name was left behind to bash them specifically and gays in general. In steps Noin, the scorned bride, who slaps her a good one.
I don't know Dorothy. I'm sure she's wonderful on the show. Wouldn't know. Noin, I like, along with Une and Sally. Relena I can take or leave.
[2] If you all remember this little thing, it was next to the greeting from the young man at the end. He is, essentially, unimportant. He's just something I put in so that you can see how wonderful Duo (Duet) is. Kind of like praising him before he comes into the ficcie.
Confused? Good. I'll explain more next chapter.