Tomorrow We'll See

KiKi and Co

Lyrics by Sting. Not a traditional 'songfic', but based upon and using lyrics from a Sting song.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sting, his music, or any of the Gundam boyz, or in fact the show at all. Gundam Wing would be far more interesting if fangirls owned the boyz. I do, however, own Shane, Diane, and the Dragon's Tavern.

Duo Maxwell walked the streets of L2, where the five pilots had been on a mission. The mission was now over, and they were staying for a few days more on leave.

The braided boy paused for a moment to watch the people go by, before looking back down at the concrete, as he continued following his memories of the streets back to his old hideout.

The busy sounds of the city were soon left behind, and only the occasional car driving past broke the quiet.

Faint footsteps, then a soft voice broke through Duo's thoughts. "Hello, haven't seen you around here before…"

Duo looked up. "I'm Duo. Duo Maxwe-…" Violet eyes met brilliant emerald, and Duo forgot what he was saying. He quickly regathered his wits, taking in more of this other person's appearance. His mouth was still slightly open, and his jaw slowly dropped. The boy in front of him looked slightly puzzled, and then smiled sweetly.

"See something you like, Stranger?"

Duo's jaw snapped shut, as he yanked himself back to reality, and he stared in confusion at the boy who was almost a mirror image of himself. "N-nandato?"

"I asked if you saw something you liked." One high-heeled foot tapped edgily, seeming impatient.

Duo's gaze took in the short leather skirt, fishnet stockings, high boots, and what he could only describe as a 'hooker shirt', and returned to the face, where the brilliant green eyes caught his gaze again.

The boy's gaze went from impatient to sympathetic, and he shook his head slightly. "You look like you need a drink. My name's Shane, by the way."

Duo blinked, and shook himself out of his daze again. "Err, yeah, hi. Duo Maxwell. A drink actually sounds like a really good idea right about now…"

Shane smiled. "Follow me. I know someplace we can get a good drink." He started walking, with a little smile at Duo, who followed in a half-daze again.

/He looks exactly like me.. The long braided hair, the facial shape, the grin, the body language, the body in general…/

Duo found himself staring at the leather-clad ass in front of him, the long legs, the way the braid swayed back and forth…

/No no no no, don't -even- go there! Do -not- think about what a nice… Augh/

He closed his eyes, banished the image of himself and Shane from his head, and promptly crashed into Shane.

Strong and slender hands shot out and caught him, as his eyes flew open again.

"Woah, you okay there?"

Duo stood up straight, and gave himself a mental shake before answering. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just wasn't watching where I was going is all."

Shane smiled. "We're here, anywho." He waved a hand at the wooden sign hanging over the door, which read:

"Dragon's Tavern- Enter at your own risk.

'Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons,

for you are crunchy, and good with ketchup.'"

He opened the door for Duo.

The place was empty, which Duo was glad for. They found a seat in an alcove near the back, and a tall girl with wavy fawn-brown hair and a skimpy pale-green outfit glided over.

"Hi, I'm Diane, and I'll be your waitress-ey person tonight." She grinned, winked, and continued. "What's your poison?"

Duo thought for a moment. "I'll have an amaretto and sprite."

Shane grinned. "Just a glass of apple cider for me, Dia."

She grinned back at him. "Righty, ho. Be right back with them drinks, then." She sauntered off, her hips swaying slightly, in time with the music.

Shane turned back to Duo. "So, wanna tell me what's got you so out of it?"

Duo took his jacket off, and laid it on the seat next to his, revealing his face and hair to the light. "A lot of little things. Not the least of which is the fact that we could be twins, but for our eye color."

"Aah, I see now why you looked so stunned, but what's really got you down?" Shane queried.

Just then, Diane returned with the drinks, and further conversation was taken over by her and Shane trading gossip for a good five minutes.

She left to deal with another customer, and Shane's gaze returned to the violet-eyed boy. "So. What is really getting you down?"

Duo sighed, and took a gulp of his drink before he started. "It's this guy... My roommate, partner, and best friend, Heero..."

Twenty minutes and several drinks later, Duo concluded the story with, "So whadd'you suggest?" and a hiccup.

Shane looked thoughtful, and sipped at his Bloody Mary, which was only his third alcoholic beverage of the night. Unlike Duo's twelve.

"I think you should tell him how you feel."

Duo shook his head. "What if...what if he said he hated me? Or somethin' like that?"

At Diane's quirked eyebrow, Shane shook his head slightly, and mouthed "only cider for him" at her, before replying to Duo's question. "Have you ever caught him staring at you when he thinks you aren't looking?"

Duo thought for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Yeah, I guess I have."

"Has he ever said your name aloud in his sleep?"

"Occasionally. More often lately."

"Then just tell him that you love him. It'll work out, trust me."

Duo looked skeptical, but shrugged. "'Kay then. Hey, why don't we go back to my cabin and you can tell me your story, and tell me why you're doin' what you're doin'?"

Shane shrugged. "Sure. Dia, bring me a bottle of that 'Dragonwyne' stuff, to go. Duo, you paying?"

Duo nodded. "Sure. I'll pay." He fished in his pocket, and pulled a vaguely wallet-shaped item from its depths. "How much?"

Diane returned with the bottle, and counted on her fingers swiftly. "About...twenty-six seventy-five, without tip."

Duo pulled two twenties out and handed them to her. "Here. Keep the change. And on second thought..." He pulled out a five and tucked it into her shirt. "There. An appropriate tip for perfect service and a pretty lady." He smiled, hiccupped, and fell out of his chair while reaching for his coat.

Shane and Diane both chuckled, and Shane got up and helped Duo to his feet.

A little while later, they stood outside the door of the small cabin Duo and Heero had rented.

Duo fumbled with the keys, and Shane waited patiently while he opened the door and clicked on the lights.

Duo waved around the relatively small room, with its little kitchenette off to one side, the bed against the far wall and to the left, with a desk in the other far corner. "Small, but it's all we need. Pull up a seat." The walk in the crisp early-autumn air had cleared his head some, and he was more coherent, though still uncoordinated.

He nearly tripped over his pajamas, left on the floor by the bed that morning in his rush, and sat down on the bed. Shane pulled the rolling chair away from the desk, and sat facing Duo, his legs crossed.

"So. You want to hear my story?"

Duo nodded. "If you don't mind telling it."

"Of course not. To begin, you have to imagine how hard it was to be an orphan ten years ago, and live on the streets here when you are only five or six..."

Tomorrow We'll See

The streets are wet

The lights have yet

To shed their tawdry lustre on the scene

My skirt's too short

My tights have run

These new heels are killing me

My second pack of cigarettes

It's a slow night but there's time yet

Here comes john from his other life

He may be driving to his wife

But he'll slow down take a look

I've learned to read them just like books

And it's already half-past ten

But they'll be back again

Headlights in the rainy street

I check, make sure it's not the heat

I wink, I smile, I wave my hand

He stops and seems to understand

The small transaction we must make

I tell him that my heart will break

If he's not a generous man

I step into his van

They say the first is the hardest trick

After that it's just a matter of logic

They have the money I have the time

Being pretty's my only crime

You ask what future do I see

I say it's really up to me

I don't need forgiving

I'm just making a living

Don't judge me

You could be me in another life

In another set of circumstances

Don't judge me

One more night I'll just have to take my chances

And tomorrow we'll see

A friend of mine he wound up dead

His dress was stained the color red

No next of kin no fixed abode

Another victim on this road

The police just carted him away

But someone took his place next day

They were home by Thanksgiving

But not with the living

Don't judge me

You could be me in another life

In another set of circumstances

Don't judge me

One more night I'll just have to take my chances

And tomorrow we'll see

And no it's just not in my plan

For someone to care who I am

I'm walking the streets for money

It's the business of love, 'hey honey'

C'mon don't leave me lonely, don't leave me sad

It'll be the sweetest five minutes you ever had

Forty-five minutes or so later, Duo was listening avidly to Shane, a large bunny plushie in his arms, his chin resting on its head, wide violet eyes following every movement of Shane's hands, as he gesticulated. The hands fell still as Shane finished his story.

"...Don't judge me, you could be me in another life, in another set of circumstances, don't judge me, one more night I'll just have to take my chances, and tomorrow... Tomorrow we'll see."

Duo stared, his face vacant, a slight frown creasing his brow, apparently lost in thought, and rather stunned. His eyes were locked on the wall behind Shane, but unfocused.

Shane stood, with a sad smile on his face and reached over to wipe a lone tear from Duo's eye as he turned towards the door. A soft voice stopped him, and he turned, green eyes meeting violet once more.

"Here." Duo handed him a hundred dollar bill, with a slight smile, then went back to his thoughts.

Shane smiled. "Thanks." He continued to the door, opened it, and smiled at the vaguely startled expression that the boy with cobalt eyes, who had been reaching for the door handle, wore.

Heero stared, as Shane brushed past him and faded into the night, with a gentle smile on his face.

He turned his gaze to the braided boy still inside, and walked cautiously in.

Duo lifted his head, and looked at Heero, then put the plushie aside, and glomped him. "Oh Heero, I'm so glad I'm a Gundam pilot... I would never have met you or Quatre or Trowa or Wufei or anyone if I hadn't become a pilot. I would've ended up like him, selling my body to strangers for money, and I never would have met you..." He sniffled into Heero's shoulder, as the Japanese boy put his arms around the distressed American pilot uncertainly.

Heero wasn't exactly sure how to deal with this, and just held him like that for a while. When Duo didn't show any signs of letting go, Heero shut the door and led him over to the bed, sitting down on the edge. Duo still clung to him, curling up so his head rested against Heero's right shoulder, half-sitting to Heero's left, his arms still around his companion.

After a few minutes, he turned his head, and looked up at Heero. "Heero?"

Heero looked down, making their faces that much closer. There was a softness to his features that Duo had only seen once before, when he had been given that ferret. "Hai?" he said softly.

"Heero...I..."

"You?"

"I love you," Duo whispered.

Heero's eyes widened, and then he smiled, a real smile, one that warmed his eyes as well. He leaned down the last few inches, and pressed his lips to Duo's gently, tentatively.

Duo's eyes closed, as Heero gathered him into his lap, still kissing him. Duo wrapped his arms around Heero's neck, and they fell back into soft blankets, lost in the moment together.

Duo looked fondly around the little cabin one last time before closing and locking the door. "Well, I guess that's that. You ready to meet up with the other pilots, koi?"

Heero smiled, another brilliantly warm smile, and nodded. "Ready." He picked up his bag, waited while Duo picked his own bag up, slipped his free arm around Duo's waist, and they headed off.

"You're WHAT?" The look on Wufei's face was absolutely priceless, as he stared at the two, who had their arms wrapped around each other's waists nonchalantly. Sally Po chuckled, and smirked.

"'Fei, you really do have a hearing problem. They said they were screwing each other."

Wufei's eyebrow twitched, and he brought a hand up to his nose quickly, glaring at Sally. "Stupid woman."

Quatre stifled a giggle with his hands, as Sally smirked and handed Wufei a box of tissues.

Trowa smiled, and shook his head. "Come on, or we'll be late."

Something caught Duo's eye, and he slipped away from Heero. "Be right back. There's someone I have to say goodbye to."

Brilliant emerald eyes met violet across the crowd, and Duo made his way to the other braided boy.

"Hi Shane. I wanted to say good-bye to you, and thank you."

"No, Duo, I should be thanking you. If you hadn't asked me to come and tell you my tale, I might have been one in a series of hooker murders that night."

Duo's eyes widened, and then misted over, as he smiled at the green-eyed boy. "So I guess we're even, huh. Well, I wish you the best of luck, and maybe we can keep in touch."

Shane smiled. "Yeah."

There was an awkward silence, before Duo hugged Shane on an impulse. Shane hugged back. "Go well, and may peace and happiness go with you."

"You too, Shane. Ja matta ne, tomodachi. Arigato." Duo shook hands with Shane, smiled, and then turned and walked away, back to his group, with a tiny bounce in his step.

Shane looked down at the two hundred-dollar bills and the note in his hand, smiled, and vanished into the crowd.

Owari: The End

Translations:

Nandato: What's that?

Koi: short for koibito. Boyfriend/girlfriend/lover. Often used by otaku as an add-on to a name (Hee-koi) to signify that person being so-and-so's lover.

Ja matta ne: goodbye, see you later, etc. SLANG: Ja ne

Tomodachi: friend.

Arigato: thank you.

Owari: end/finished.