Velvet and Stone

by Trunks

"Solace" by Fuel



[Draw the shades and close my eyes
I never want to see again
I found the cost of courage high
Sometimes hard to pay
I hear the song the sirens sing
Calling on the shore for me
So sell your soul and try to fly
The tether still remains]


I find it difficult to believe all the fighting is really over. It's been years, but the thought
still seems absurd to me.

The reality that the war could be over hadn't even sank into me yet. It has already been
several
years, but I still couldn't comprehend the fact that I didn't have to wake up, jump into my
Gundam and blow something up. It's something new to me.

I'm sure the others aren't having as much trouble as I am with this. Trowa went back to
the
Circus, to the surprise and happiness of his sister, Catherine. I don't know how long he'll
stay there, because he, no doubt, has to be missing Quatre.

Yeah, I'm one of the few that know what's going on between the two. Maybe now, since
the war is
over, they won't be too quick to hide it.
They'll be good for each other.

Wufei. He was probably my favorite one of the pilots to pick on, most likely because it
was
easier to do with him. I don't know where he went, most likely off to some corner of the
universe
to join some 'anti-weakness' club or something. Yeah, I still like to joke around, it's what
keeps me going.

I have to do something to keep my happy lil' mask on, don't I?

I still never figured out if there was anything between him and Sally. Perhaps there was,
but he
always seemed so annoyed with her.
Maybe..


[And all the finer things they laid upon my table
Smiled as their hooks were slowly sinking in]


I still see Quatre, every now and then. He's always going to this colony and that colony, to
meetings and such. Must be hard for him to run an entire company by himself, although
I'm sure
any one of his sisters would be happy to help him.

Without his father, I can imagine Quatre is finding it hard to run the company. But, who
knows?
Maybe he's already gotten over his fathers death...

None of that matters today, though. I haven't been sitting in the uncomfortable seats of the
shuttle for ten hours for nothing. Nope, I'm on my way to a wedding.

Heaven's no, not my wedding! Can you imagine it? Duo Maxwell getting married. It's
enough to make
me fall out of my chair in laughter, although I seriously doubt the flight attendant would
appreciate that.

I would have never thought, in all of my 17 years, that I would be on my way to Zechs'
wedding.
No, excuse me, Milliardo Peacecraft's wedding. It still amazes me that he and Relena
could be
related.

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against the girl, it's just...


[Another pill I'm to consume
To make me learn to feel again
Is followed by another one
To make me loose the same
God if I could recognize
The things to make me whole again
And draw this air into my lungs
Remember how to breathe]


"Duo!" Quatre waves at me, trying to get through the crowd.
I smile, literally bouncing over towards him. If it was one thing weddings were good for, it
was
to see all your friends.

Unfortunately, Dorothy seemed to spot Quatre and get to him before me.
She was certainly a strange young woman, if I had ever seen one. And she seemed to have
a certain
fixation with Quatre..Interesting.

I wonder if Trowa knew?

Snickering slightly, I make my way through the crowd, towards the back of the room. I'll
talk
to Quatre later, after he's not so busy trying to pry Dorothy off his arm. But, for now, I
have
a long awaited reunion with a certain stubborn, suicidal, spandex-wearing pilot.

Strange, Wufei hadn't turned up at the wedding, although I'm sure that Zechs or Noin
would have
invited him, if they had invited all of us.
It's not that surprising though. I couldn't really picture Wufei at a wedding, dressed up in a
tuxedo and everything.

Hell, it was hard enough to picture Heero wearing something other than spandex. But,
here he
was, low and behold, Heero Yuy in a tuxedo.

And, right next to him, arm linked around his, was Relena Peacecraft.

[For as the curtain rose I danced as I was able
Felt my deception slowly sinking in]


How long had they been going out? A few weeks? A few months? How would I know?
It's not like
Heero would tell me or anything. Geesh, I'm just his best friend, why should I know what's
going
on in his life?

"Hey Heero! Hello, Ojousan, long time no see," I smile brightly, receiving one glare from
Heero
and a happy smile from Relena.
Of course, every day is just another day in paradise, now that she's hooked Heero.

They really do make the cutest couple. Relena and her peaceful ways and Heero with his
cold
personality. God knows how long I've wanted the two to get together, but they've only
gotten
together recently.
Strange, isn't it?

No, what's strange is that I've managed to keep a smile on my face for this long, as I watch
Relena latched onto Heero's arm. That sickening feeling in my stomach, which I always
get
whenever I see them together, is present again.

I want Heero to be happy. I want him to be with someone he loves and someone whom
can love him
in return.

But, at the same time, I want to put my hands around Relena's throat and choke her until
she
can't breath any longer. I want her to die, a long and painful death, to feel the same
sadness
and pain that I feel every day when I wake up.

Because it certainly isn't going away, standing here watching them.

And I'll be damned if my pain and sadness isn't caused by her. Her and her sickening sweet
smile. The smile that says, "He's mine and not yours".

[And so I turn to you my love
For the solace that is there
And offer any cherished thing
For a slight reprieve
I hoped that you might find me here
And I could learn to smile again
And as a balm for these wounds
Take away the sting]

I should have taken my chances with Heero before the war ended. I should have told him
how
much I loved him, how happy I felt when I was around him and how much I wanted to be
with
him. But did I? No, I encouraged him to do what he wanted.

After all, wasn't it Heero that was always saying "follow your emotions"? But did Heero
even
know what he wanted?

Were those glares he gave Relena, the constant exasperation I saw in his eyes, and that
sadness all just because he loves her? Perhaps he thinks that he must love her, because it's
almost expected of him.

After all, everyone is convinced that they make the best couple. That they deserve each
other and
need to be together. That's what everyone else wants, but what does Heero want? Does he
want
to stay with Relena, or is there something else?

After Relena walks away, saying she's going to go get herself a drink, I lean against the
wall
and turn to Heero. It's still strange to see him dressed up so nicely. Not that I didn't think
he
looked good in spandex. I can assure you that wasn't it..

"So, Heero, how is life with Relena?" I ask, cheerfully grinning from ear to ear.

"Hn."

Hmph. I didn't expect much more from him. It's nice to know some things never change.

"She really likes you." Yeah, she really likes you, I really like you, your just one hell
of a likable guy, Yuy.

"What do you want, Duo?" He askes, that same annoyance in his voice that I missed so
much.
Now, if only he would turn around and glare at me, life would be utterly perfect.

I shrug, forcing that smile back on my face, "I just want to talk to you, Heero. For friends,
we
certainly don't talk."

He looks over at me, but, instead of a glare, he looks almost confused. "Friends?"

"Yeah, Heero. You know, friends. The thing were two people are really close and they
look
out for each other," I roll my eyes, although it's all in good humor.

"I know what a friend is, Duo," Heero grumbles, obviously pissed at me now.

I look over at him, grinning again, "Well, you certainly didn't act like it. What? You didn't
think we were friends?"

"You didn't act that way last time I saw you."

Ouch. I had hoped he would forget that. Yeah, trust him to catch me when I have a bad
day.
"Aw, come on, Heero, even you have your bad days."

He shrugs, although I know he's already forgiven me.

Most don't think Heero cares about things such as friends and such, but those are only the
people
that don't know him. Heero is a human being, no matter how much hell those doctors put
him
through in the past.

Human beings have feelings, no matter how much they hide them.

And, as Heero's best friend, I should know.

But, still, I wish I wasn't just his best friend. And what would happen if I told him? What
would happened if I went up to him and said, "Hey, Heero, I love you!".

I wonder if he would even look at me anymore after that. Yeah, probably just so he could
turn
and punch my lights out.
Gee, doesn't that sound like fun, boys and girls?

Maybe when I get home I'll go to sleep, forgetting all about Heero and Relena, forgetting
about
all my problems and how much I wish I was dead.
I'll go to sleep, where I'll dream about a time when Heero feels the same way about me.
Then I'll
wake up and start another day of my life.

It's funny.

We always thought of Heero as suicidal. But, now that I think about it, maybe I'm the
suicidal
one.

No one ever realizes the happy ones are really tearing themselves apart in depression.

[And as the band did play your body I did cradle
I should have known that song would have to end]


________________________________________________


*sigh* I can't believe I wrote this. Heero and Relena make such a terrible couple, in my
own
opinion. But, I wanted to write something unhappy, so here it is.

Duo acts a bit darkly in this one, but a little darkness never hurt anyone ^_-

Oh, by the way, Fuel is the greatest. Just keep that in mind hehe.