A/N: (jumps
for joy) I can't believe it! I actually put it up! ^ ^ The thing is that
I had written this about a fortnight ago and I *finally* publish it! I'm
warning all of you that this is so not like my other fics. It actually
doesn't have any angst! (whispers) As a matter of fact, this is *total*
sap! Who would have thought, eh? A sap story from me. Look I swear it's
a blue moon! ^ ^; Read and Review like always and I'm so sorry for its'
shortness.
In Friendship's Hands
It really was a beautiful night. Duo wasn't the type to lie about things like that. There was a soft scent of magic in the air this particular night. The stars seemed to sparkle merrily at all the attention and the moon itself was a wonderful enigma of its own, dappling the surrounding area with pale light.
The planet Earth just made everything seem beautiful. All the things that people took for granted were so rare in outer space. The plants, the animals, you just never realized the beauty of nature until it has gone.
From the colonies, the moon was seen for what it really was, a barren wasteland, but from Earth, it seemed so much more. Like a lighthouse shining through the darkness.
That was one of the reasons why Duo chose to stay on Earth after the war had ended. That and the fact that he didn't want to be found.
By anybody.
Duo cringed slightly at the briskness of a passing breeze as he laid himself on the long blades of grass.
It just wasn't fair! Nothing in his life was fair. It wasn't fair that he was going through all of this. After the war had ended, he had thought that he would finally have the opportunity to live a normal life, to finally shed the role of the ruthless soldier.
Ha, what a laugh! How naïve was that? You'd think after all the ruthless acts he had seen and done continuously would clue him in on reality. Yet again, he was wrong. Like that was a big surprise.
There was a time when all he had to do was look at the night sky, at all the things it had to offer, to make himself feel better. Now, his eyes just took it for what they really were, be they be big balls of gas or the burning of ice and nickel.
Duo let out a sigh and twirled his waist-long braid about as the chestnut hair caught the moonlight, displaying the richness of each strand.
"I should really be getting back," the tiny thought made itself known as it hammered his mind relentlessly. "I don't want Sister Ana to worry about me."
It really was quite ironic. You know the whole situation. He was trying to get away from his past, his memories, but staying with Sister Ana just made the memory of his childhood spent at Maxwell Church much more vibrant and painful.
At first, he really did want to move on, but he just couldn't resist the Sister's kindness and hospitality. He could tell that she really did want him to say with her. In a split-wise decision Duo made the surprising decision, saying he would stay… for the time being that is.
However, he knew that Sister Ana understood his partial agreement but nevertheless, went on happily at her own duties in the church nearby.
What he didn't understand was how she could keep on believing God and His so-called "fairness" when he let such horrible actions take place. There were so many people who truly believed in Him and His purpose who had died such a horrible death.
"Father Maxwell… Sister Helen…" he thought sadly as he felt a tear slide down his cheeks. "You believed in Him so much and He still let you die…"
= ~ * ~ = ~ * ~ = ~ * ~ =
Rays of golden light filtered through his eyes as he opened his eyes quickly and jumped quite startled.
"It's morning… Already?" questioned the bewildered Duo as he hastily scanned his surroundings.
The scenery, itself, was quite breath taking. Duo couldn't help but appreciate such sacred beauty. He always tried to cherish the different aspects of nature, one of the reasons he admired the moon so much. However, his mind was preoccupied with other thoughts when his reflexes kicked in and he sprinted towards Sister Ana's house.
"I must have worried her so much," thought Duo ruefully as he continued at his unearthly pace. "I can be so selfish at times!"
Trees and people rushed by in a haze as Adonis continued on. At last he could see the humble abode of the sagely Sister Ana, and spent a minute at the surrounding white picket fence, gasping desperately for some much needed oxygen.
When he did enter the house, he did so tentatively, searching for any signs of its inhabitant. Duo visibly jumped as he heard the soft voice of the Sister cry out.
"Duo! Where have you been? I thought that you might have been hurt!"
Duo paused for a minute as a middle-aged woman stepped out, adorned in a nun's habit. He could easily see the nervous woman wringing her hands as she looked at him with unmasked worry.
"I'm so sorry… I was about to head for home, but then I fell asleep. Next thing I knew it was morning and I rushed back here as fast I could." Duo said all in a rush, apologetically smiling.
Sister Ana smiled back, and years were taken off of her face. "I know you're sorry Duo. I'm just glad you're safe," she replied giving the teenage boy a quick hug.
"You couldn't have come in a better time. I have to go soon…official church business," Sister Ana informed as she grabbed a nearby bag with held something or another. "It looks like you have a visitor Duo. He's waiting for you in the greenhouse out back."
With a wave, Sister Ana whisked out the door as Duo was left to muse on the sudden piece of information.
" A visitor? How does anyone know that I am here? How could they have found out?" Questions such as those flashed through his mind as he walked through the kitchen and then to the greenhouse, which was attached to the main structure of the house.
Duo didn't understand why, but all of a sudden, wave after wave of familiarity washed over him the minute he entered the glass edifice.
"These feelings… Why?" Duo whispered the jumbled thoughts. He gently pushed the assortments of leaves that blocked his way when he spotted a shrouded figure on the opposite side of the room.
"It figures…Anyone I know would be stubborn enough to be all the way at the other side of the room," Duo grumbled to himself as he continued on.
As he got closer, he realized that the figure was a young man… fifteen at most. Tousled brown hair hung about his face and thus his eyes were shadowed. But then, when Duo was nigh but a few feet away, startled blue eyes look up and Duo froze.
Duo was beyond shocked. He had to muster up all the will power he possessed to muffle the gasp that was ready to escape his lips as he studied the person before him. It couldn't be… but it was! His lanky but slightly muscled frame clothed in his trademark green tank top and a pair of light blue jeans completed the ensemble. His brown hair, which lay uncontrolled about his head, was just as same as before. There was no doubt about it. It was indeed he… A fellow Gundam pilot.
Heero Yuy.
But what caught Duo off guard was none of that, far from it. No, it was his eyes. Those cobalt blue eyes that used to hold such fierce intensity, such coldness, held something else. It held gentleness; a sweet type of kindness that Duo thought would never occupy the Perfect Soldier's eyes.
That and the soft smile occupied the boy's face as he welcomed Duo in his own silent way.
"Who are you and what have you done with Heero?" Duo asked almost frantically as he eyed the "stranger" before him rather suspiciously.
It was obvious that Heero—no an imposter acting like Heero—was shocked. It was written all over his face. However, the look softened to one of understanding as he questioned the bewildered boy before him.
"Duo? Don't you know who I am?" Heero asked in a subdued voice, rather uncharacteristic from the deadly monotone voice his voice once carried. "It's me… Heero."
"B-but it can't be!" stuttered the braided boy as he looked at the other a bit fearfully.
A silence settled before them. A silence that could have lasted a few moments to the end of eternity; however long it was, a peaceful silence surrounded the two boys who seemed to be stuck in time.
Heero, who finally managed to break the impenetrable silence, looked at the other a bit curiously and started.
"You must be wondering what changed me so much… Only about a year after the war, after both Relena's and Mariemaie's reigns ended. Even I don't know. After the war had ended, I was lost. Just lost. Since I was little I was trained… no programmed to be the perfect soldier. No weaknesses, no limits, to be nothing but a machine."
A lone tear slid down Heero's face and Duo had to restrain himself from brushing it away. He couldn't stand to see anyone sad lest anyone he cared about. All this time he had been so selfish! It was always about him. Him, him, HIM! But there must have been so many people out there who suffered so much... Had to endure so much pain… Duo never thought about it until this unusual encounter with Heero.
Heero quickly continued. "Then something happened to me. I don't know what exactly… Something just clicked. It was as if everything fell in place again. My perspective of the world had changed. I felt like I was finally human! God… Do you know how beautiful that feeling is? The wonderful feeling of knowing, that you are truly alive?
"It was a pure coincidence that I knew that you were here. Not through pieces of data, no, just a feeling that you were here. It was so odd… It was like there was something that pulled me here, towards you.
"All I know is that I want to be your friend Duo. The first time I saw you… even with you pointing that gun towards me… I knew that someday that we would be friends. That's why I am here. To see if you feel the same way."
Duo was beyond words. No words could fit this current situation. Not one word in the dictionary could describe that precise moment as the two boys were locked in a transfixed gaze.
Heero… Heero had changed so much. It was somewhat unnerving to see the huge difference in his persona. But a little voice made itself heard as it pierced through Duo's stunned mind. Duo knew that this was the real Heero Yuy. Not the machine-like pilot with only data in mind, the person that only held regard to the happenings of the battlefield that looked on everything with uncaring eyes. No… This gentle-hearted person before him was who Heero really was.
Duo could feel his heart melting as he regarded his new friend. He then smiled a small smile that contained every uncertain emotion that flowed through him. "Heero…"
"Friends?" Heero questioned amiably, eyes twinkling with happiness as he held a hand a hand out.
"Friends." Duo stated his amethyst eyes a reflection of the other's as he shook Heero's hand, fully knowing that this was a friendship that was meant to be.
"Maybe there is a God…" Duo thought, almost admiringly, an almost residual effect of his previous shock.
"Who
would have thought?"