"Hilde, how have you been?" Duo spoke into the video phone. Hilde was not in her usual sleepwear; in fact it looked like she had angled the camera to hide her nude body. Duo arched an eyebrow.
"I've been—" She began but Duo interrupted bluntly.
"Are you naked?"
Hilde just giggled quietly, shaking her head. But the expression of her face confirmed Duo's suspicions. His eyebrow disappeared into his hairline when he heard off-screen movement.
"Who're ya fuckin?" He asked casually. He hoped that his casual approach would ruffle her feather just a little, liked they used to. She'd always stress that it wasn't funny, that she wasn't that type of girl. He'd always gotten a kick out of it. Much to his surprise—and chagrin--- she did neither. She actually just smiled, and cut her eyes to the person off screen. Duo almost didn't notice how her eyes cut downward, directly in front of her. Almost.
"Who's on the phone?" A deep, very, very---scarily familiar voice asked gruffly. Duo knew the voice immediately, but it was impossible or at least highly improbable for it to be who he thought it was.
"It's Duo," She said, looking down again.
"Hang up," The deep voice commanded. Hilde twisted her face into her patented "yeah, right" expression and looked back up at Duo.
"You are a little busy, I see. I'll make it quick," He said. She nodded, waiting for him to continue.
"I'm probably gonna stay on earth for a while, you should probably look for a permanent mechanic."
"Babe, it's been like 6 months. The position has been filled."
"I bet," Duo couldn't help but reply. As if to prove his point, she glanced down again. "Heero, stop it, I'm on the phone!"
"Hang up or I'll kill you."
"Heero?!" Duo exclaimed. Just before the screen went blank, he heard a low and sensual moan from Hilde. He stared at the phone mouth agape, even after it began to beep repeatedly---to remind him that the phone was off the hook. Duo didn't know whether he should be shocked, horrified, disgusted or jealous. The odd twisting sensation in is chest told him it was an odd combination of all of the above.
"Duo! Hang up the phone," Sally called from the other room. Her voice grew louder as she neared him, "I'm expecting a call."
Duo didn't respond. He was still gaping at the blank video screen. Sally pressed the "End Call" button, but kept her eyes on the shell-shocked Gundam pilot. Her blue eyes searched him. He was wearing a black tank top that stretched delightfully over his defined muscles. The black sweatpants he wore were loose, and Sally knew that if he were to stand they would hang very low on his hips. His pink lips were parted slightly in surprise. His eyes were wide, flickering with emotions that Sally couldn't name. At first she thought he was having a flashback, but this was different. His parted lips pulled into a grin and he laughed outloud.
"What is it?" Sally asked curious.
"Remember when you said that Wufei had been giving Heero a lot of grief?" Duo asked the grin still on his lips.
"Yeah," Sally replied. She found herself smiling, simply because Duo was smiling though she had no idea where this could be going. Duo laughed again.
"Let's just say he's found some comfort," He said cryptically. Sally arched an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"Some….sexual healing, if you will…" Duo was unable to contain his mirth and was laughing heartily. Sally's eyes widened at the suggestion of scandal.
"Who? You can't drop a bomb like that and not tell me who!" She cried. Duo just laughed. Sally found herself shaking him, which only made Duo laugh harder. He was literally in a fit of laughter—thrashing limbs and all. Sally grabbed his shoulders, spinning the swivel chair so that he faced her directly.
The laughter subsided, and he smiled slightly like the chuckles had left a sweet taste on his lips. Somewhat absurdly, Sally wondered if she could taste the sweetness. She stole a kiss from his smiling, slightly parted lips. Duo deepened the kiss, reveling in the softness of her lips and hair. Before either of them realized it, she was in straddling his lap and their hands were entangled in each others hair. When they parted for air, both faces were flushed scarlet.
"What were talking about again?" Duo asked breathlessly. Sally actually knit her brow in trying to remember. As she thought, Duo let his hands fall slowly from her blonde tresses to the gentle slopes of her slender hips. He smiled at how tiny she was. With her weight bearing down on his lap, he realized she couldn't possibly way more than 95 pounds. He could probably lift her with one arm. Duo decided to see.
"We were talking about---Duo! What are you doing?" She shrieked as he stood. Sally nearly fell to the ground, but he caught her and held her with one arm. Duo chuckled at her reaction. He reminded her of a kitten holding on to a branch. Her hair fell around her face in soft, blonde spirals. Duo noticed that she rarely wore her hair in the taut plaits around him. He liked that.
"Duo, put me down! We were talking about Heero's sexual healing," She said breathlessly. Duo carefully set her down, to fall to his knees in laughter. Sally cursed, "Dammit, Duo, now we are right where we started. Just tell me who it is!"
Duo was holding his sides and spoke between gasps, "Hilde" gasp,"Shbeiker!"
Sally's entire face became a surprised "O." She clasped her hand over her mouth and shook her head, shaking her hair all about.
"No. You're lying! How do you know?"
Sally sat beside him on the floor of her living. She was very intrigued by the newly discovered juicy morsel of gossip. Duo slid over, putting his head in her lap and grinned up at her. Instinctively, Sally ran her deft fingers through his soft, chestnut hair.
"I called Hilde. The angle of the camera was so bizarre,"
"Like she had angled it so you wouldn't see her naked?" Sally suggested as she gently scratched his scalp. Duo nodded and closed his eyes to her enjoy her attentions.
"Mhm, exactly. And I teased her about it. Normally she's all like 'No, Duo! I'm not that kind of girl!'"
"And this time?" Sally inquired.
"She just looked at whoever was off screen," He responded with a sly smile.
"Oh? So you didn't see Heero?"
"No wait, just listen. She looks at who is off screen. Which happens to be directly in front of her, directly south," He gestured lewdly with his hands. Sally couldn't contain her mirth, but didn't wholly agree, "That doesn't mean—"
"And THEN," He interrupts, childishly talking over her, "I hear Heero say, 'Hang up the phone, or I'll kill you! Ohh…it gets better she giggles and moans all sexy-like. And she's says, 'Heero stop it, I'm on the phone!"
At this, Sally stared at him mouth agape. Her shock melted into laughter, not as epic or long-winded as Duo's but it was hearty all the same. Duo smiled, just watching her laugh. Her eyes crinkled and sparkled like ocean water, her shoulders quaked like the earth and the sound was so musical and tintinabular that it put orchestras to shame. When her shoulders quaked, her hair tousled about them---sun-kissed and beautiful. She really was a goddess. His Goddess of Life. Her light warmed him and calmed him. He had forgotten what it was like to smile for real. He had forgotten how good it felt to laugh until it hurt. And for all the horrible things he had seen in his life, for all of the sorrows and pains---the light of her laugh made it all worth it. It seemed cheesy to Duo, he couldn't even begin to articulate these thoughts into words. But he couldn't ignore that soft, fluffy and warm feeling in his chest---like there was a kitten in there, and it was purring.
"What?" Sally questioned. Duo shook his head, he must have been staring. "Nothin' babe."
They sat there like that for a moment. His head in her lap and her hands idly caressing his hair. Time was slow and sweet, like pouring honey in winter. Duo's cell phone buzzed violently in his pocket. He jumped before pulling it out and flipping it open. Appt. w/ Jenn scrolled across the screen.
"Sally baby, could you give me a ride to Jen's office. I've got an appointment in about an hour," He said. His voice was husky and dreamy as if he just woke up.
"Sure," She replied, bending to kiss his forehead, "It's so good to see you smile, Duo."
"You have that affect on me, babe" He said smiling still.
Jen sat Indian style in the chair he normally sat in. She was engrossed in a thin, worn novel. Duo couldn't make out the title, but he couldn't help but smile at how childish she looked. She didn't even hear him come in.
"Good book?" He asked as he sat down on the arm of the chair beside her. She jumped, but managed to save her page. She laughed outloud.
"Very good, actually, Duo. You scared years off my life. How was your week?" Jen asked. She moved her normal seat, and Duo slid from the arm to the cushion. He clutched his journal tightly.
"It was good. I found a job," He replied. Jen's eyes lit up with a genuine smile, "Oh? Where?"
"Repair shop. Cars and stuff, they're gonna pay well---so I can stop moochin' off of Sally. I felt bad just lazin' about as she went to work," Duo said. He sheepishly rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"Understandable. Did you think about the things I said last week?"
Duo nodded, "Yeah…yeah I thought about it a lot. I've started looking at volunteer places. I'm gonna go see a couple places sometime this week. There are some after school programs, a hospital ward and a couple things."
Jen nodded jotting some sparse notes.
"Which one do you want to work at?"
"I don't know, probably not the hospital---they skeev me out a bit," He replied. Much to Duo's surprise, Jen didn't ask why. She just wrote a note as she nodded. He almost felt like he should tell her why anyway, but he quashed the notion. It wasn't really important.
"Did you do your homework?" She questioned. Duo nodded. She smiled and put her notepad aside.
"I'm ready when you are."
Duo nodded again. He opened his journal and cleared his throat.
"Dear Ma,
I don't know where you are, or if you will ever hear these words. It's me David. So much has happened since I last saw you. No one calls me David anymore. I abandoned that name when I saw Dad kill Stella, when I saw what he put you and Stella through. I got enough vengeance for all three of us though, Ma, believe that. So, I'm not David. I'm Duo Maxwell. My best friend's name was Solo, Ma, when he died I told him he would never be Solo again. We'd be a Duo. That's why I'm Duo now, for him. After that, I lived in an orphanage under Father Maxwell. He was more of father than that bastard ever was to me. Excuse my language, Ma. Sister Helen was there too. She was sweet and nice and so pretty. She reminded me of you, you would have liked her Ma. You would have liked both of them. I lost them both in a fire. That was when I lost faith in God, and became the God of Death. I already distrusted Father Maxwell's God, because according to Him you are in Hell—and I can't believe anyone would put someone as beautiful and nice as you in Hell.
Anyway, Ma, I became a soldier—a Gundam pilot. I killed so many people, Ma. So many people. I don't remember their names, but sometimes I still see their faces. I fought and fought and fought until the war was over. I made good friends---other pilots. You'd like them. I also met this girl. Sally. She's almost as pretty as you, Ma, almost. She's so strong and passionate. She's a doctor—really smart to be a doctor so young. She reminds me of you and of Stella. She reminds me of Sister Helen and Hilde too. She reminds me of peace and Christmas cookies and happiness. Before I met her, I was in the dark. I was trying to find you and Stella and Sister Helen and Solo and Father Maxwell. You are all somewhere I can't be. I wanted so bad to be with you, I love you. I nearly killed myself to try and find you, Ma. I jumped from a bridge and fell through the ice. Sally saved me though. She tended to my wounds and nursed me back to health. Even when she had her mend her own heart, she tended to me. I wish you could meet her, Ma. I think I might love her, or that loving her will fix everything. Today we were laughing about something silly. Nothing a lady like you would want to hear, and I was happy just watching her laugh. It reminded me that even if I lost you and everyone else I loved, that things can still be okay. They'll never be perfect. There's no such thing as perfect. But things can be alright, things can be okay. I can live with okay. I hope that you're okay.
Love,
Your Little D
By the time that Duo finished reading, his voice was horse with emotion and droned to a whisper. Jen's eyes watered ever so slightly, and she whipped the tears before Duo could notice.
"I think that no matter where she is now, Duo, she loves you and she's damn proud. I'm sure she heard every word."
Duo smiled and nodded. He wiped away a tear that he didn't even realize had slipped down his cheek.
"This is amazing progress, Duo. You hit the nail on the head in your letter. There is no such thing as perfect. But there is okay, there is alright, there is even happy. I think that you are well on your way to all three. How do you feel?"
"I feel…" Duo began "I feel good."
"Now, I noticed you didn't mention anything about Sally's termination in the letter to your mother. Why is that?" Jen inquired. Duo shifted in his seat.
"I'm not sure, I guess it's not somethin' to write home about," He said with a ironic smile playing on his lips. She chuckled quietly, "No, I guess not. But it's important to you. And while I understand why you wouldn't tell your mother, you are going to have to at least talk to Sally about it. If you want to have a working, productive and healthy relationship---even a platonic relationship you both need to be open and honest."
"Right. I guess the only thing that really bugs me about is how Wufei is completely in the dark about the whole thing," Duo said.
"Why would him knowing make a difference?" Jen asked.
"Well, Wufei was a pilot like me. He knows what its like to have ended so many lives. He would have liked to start one, at least, I'd like to believe that."
"Fair enough. But would it be fair to raise a child in a loveless environment? Would it be fair to any of them?"
Duo bit his lips in thought for a moment, "No I guess not."
"I know you don't believe in God, but do you believe that everything happens for a reason?"
"Yeah, more or less," He replied.
"If she had terminated, she would have been pregnant and in no shape to save you from those icy waters. If it hadn't happened at all—she would not have been able to stay home and care for you. It's just something to think about, Duo."
Duo nodded, "Yeah."
"We're out of time, Duo, but I am pleased with the progress you've made. Keep up your journal, and good luck with your new job."
Duo nodded smiling he stood, "Next week?" He asked.
Jen shook her head, "No. I'll see you in three weeks."
"Three weeks? Really?" He inquired.
Jen smiled, "Yes really," She reached into the pocket of her blue blazer and grabbed her business card. She jotted down some digits on the back.
"Here's my card, my cell is on the back. If you feel you need to come in early, or need anything at all. Do not hesitate to call me."
Duo slipped the card into his journal, still smiling.
"Will do, Doc, Will do."
So what is it with me and those 4 month increments between updates?
It's 5 AM and I should be sleep, but this just needed to be written. I hope I didn't lose all my readers again. I hope you enjoyed this. One or two more chapters and this fic is done, but I definitely wanna do a spin off from other characters perspective. Especially that hot 1xH action I hinted at. If you'd be interested, let me know.
Merry Christmahannakwanzikuh,
Syl
