Part
I: Treize\Duo Series
Title: I Know Why The River Runs
Disclaimer:
I do not own GW, Treize or Duo.. Lyrics belong to Julie Miller.. not me..
Warnings:
Implied Yaoi, Angst,
Pairings:
13+2 , 6+1 , (Implied 6+13, Implied
1+2)
~*I
know why the River runs*~
When
I reach to hold you I'll still be alone
When
I hear the ringing of the telephone
I'll
think it is you
It
will not be true
I
know why the river runs
To
a place somewhere far away
I know
why the sky is cryin'
When
there aren't any words to say
I
could play the message that you left for me
I
can hear your voice and I could still believe
That
you will soon be home
But
you will never come
I
know why the river runs
To
a place somewhere far away
I
know why the sky is cryin'
When
there aren't any words to say
There's
a silence that I don't want to hear
There's
a hole now where my heart used to be
They
say that healing comes in time
But
I don't know what that means
I
lie here for so long
But
you will never come
I
know why the river runs
To
a place somewhere far away
I
know why the sky is cryin'
When
there aren't any words to say~
Duo
set the timer on the explosive that would collapse the old worn building down
and then looked up to see someone walking towards it. "Hey!" he shouted. The
man paid no attention. "Hey! Get away from there!" Still no sign he heard him.
He swore and looked down at the control for the explosive. Damn, he couldn't
turn it off now. That left one other option since the company he worked for now
frowned on work-related deaths. Running fast towards the guy he pulled him away
from the building and then listened as the explosives went off and the building
groaned once and collapsed in on itself.
Wincing
at the noise, he turned back to look at the guy he had pulled out of the way.
And noticed that the man wasn't paying the least bit attention to the ruckus
happening behind them. Aw...shit, he thought as he watched the older man
straighten his clothes out. No wonder he didn't hear me. "Gomen sir. I didn't
realize you were..." he stalled not exactly sure why he was saying this to a
guy who couldn't hear him.
The man smiled faintly at him and shook his
head. "Deaf? That's alright.."
"You
could hear me?" Duo asked surprised.
The
stranger laughed softly, a pleasant tenor sound. "Now that we are closer, yes.
I have to say my hearing on my left side is shot, and my right isn't very much
better." Duo gave him a weak smile and then the man tilted his head slightly
watching him for a moment before speaking. "I don't think much of anything on
my left side works very well now days. I was sort of in a bad accident during
the war."
Duo
studied him silently trying to place the strange feeling of having heard the
man's voice before and then shrugged it off. "You fought in the war?"
The
older man nodded and glanced down as if something had upset him and then
glanced back up at him. "If I recall right you did as well. I think I saw you
once before on a broadcast during the war. You were captured or something,
correct?"
Duo
nodded slowly watching the older man. "What's your name?" he asked curious,
maybe that nagging feeling would go away once he knew the guy's name.
The
older man smiled again, but this time the smile seemed slightly saddened.
"Would you mind if I treated you to a meal for saving my life before I told
you?" the man asked softly.
Duo
glanced at his watch, then back at the guy. It was near time for him to get off
work, no one would notice if he left a few minutes early. Giving the older man
a grin he nodded. "Sure, why not?"
The
stranger's smile brightened slightly at his cheerful attitude. "Why not indeed.
Ever been to a restaurant called Shay's?" he asked.
Duo's
eyes widened slightly at the mention of the nicest restaurant the L3 colony
X132 had. "Once.. You sure you can afford it? I mean you don't even know me."
The
older man laughed softly. It was a pleasant sound, Duo thought as he watched
the man collected himself and get his breath back. "Yes...I can afford it,
besides I feel I owe you something." he said, smiling again at him. They began
walking away from the site towards the end of town where the restaurant was.
Halfway there the older man stopped and then sat down on one of the side walk
benches not far from where they were now. "Mind if we take a cab the rest of
the way?" he asked as he rested.
Duo
shook his head. "Nah, I don't mind. I'll hail one and come back and get you if
you want." The other man nodded and smiled faintly at him as he turned to walk
to the street and got the attention of the first cab that drove by. He turned
to get the guy and then jumped back slightly when he saw him standing right
behind him. "You sneaked up on me." he accused him with a small grin, teasing.
The
man bowed his head slightly. "Gomen Nasai." he said softly.
Duo
shook his head and opened the door for him. "I was just teasing, don't worry
about it." They both climbed into the cab and he glanced at the guy as the cab
made its way further downtown towards Shay's. The man's whole left temple and
neck was a web work of scars. Some were fine white lines others were somewhat
meaner looking. Whatever accident the guy had been in it had to be a pretty bad
one to leave that kind of scarring behind. The cab stopped and he climbed out
holding the door for his new friend....wait a minute...*friend?* He shrugged it
off and then noticed that he was having a slight problem getting himself out of
the cab. Without thinking he offered his hand and helped the guy out. The man
thanked him and then turned and paid the driver.
Turning
to face the restaurant, he grinned up at the guy. "Last chance to chose
something a little less pricey." he teased. The man laughed softly and shook
his head before walking slowly up to the door and holding it open for him. He
noticed then as they walked into the building the strange gait the other man
seemed to have. It wasn't exactly like a limp, but it wasn't normal either. He
watched the guy speak to the waiter that came to see them and then followed to
the table the waiter showed them. Sitting down he put the thought from his
mind, it wasn't that important at the moment. He picked up one of the menus
sitting on the table and glanced through it his eyes lighting up as he saw
something. "I can't believe they serve that here.." he said with a grin.
"Serve
what?" the other man asked him glancing at him from his own menu.
"Fried
Ice cream. Believe me its great stuff."
The
other man raised an eyebrow slightly. "They can fry ice cream?" he said with a hint
of disbelief.
Duo
snickered at his expression. "Nah.. they don't really *fry* the ice cream..
that's just what they call it. They make it with French vanilla ice cream and
cover it with a sort of a cinnamon, sugar, and brown sugar shell. Then its top
with your choice of sauces, personally I think the fudge is the best and then
there's the whipped cream and cherry. The whole thing rests on a sort of baked
flat tortilla coated in cinnamon and sugar." he finished and licked his lips
slightly.
"Ah...sounds
interesting." the man said smiling at him again.
"Does
that mean we can order one?" he said hopefully watching him.
"You
can have whatever you want.." came the reply as the waiter walked back to their
table. His new friend looked up at the waiter and nodded once in response to
the waiter's unspoken query. "I'll have a garden salad, chicken breast and
water." He glanced at Duo.
Duo
glanced through the menu again and then closed it. "I guess I'll have the Rib
eye, medium well, a baked potato and tea."
There was a raised eyebrow again.
"No
ice cream?"
Duo
grinned and shook his head. "Nah, not at the moment. Want to make sure I have
room for it before I order it." He received a nod of approval it seemed and the
waiter left to return moments later with their drinks and leaving once more. He
mixed in sugar before drinking and noticed the man watching a couple across
from them. He glanced over and tried to figure out what he was watching them
for and then heard him sigh softly turning his attention away. He decided to
take a wild guess at what was bothering him. "You could of ordered some wine if
you wanted to. I've drunk wine before."
The
man smiled and shook his head. "No.. I've found out the hard way liquor and
pills don't mix well." he said taking a small prescription bottle out of his
coat. He opened it, shaking out a small capsule, before putting the bottle
away. "Medicine, it's a pain in the ass, but if I don't take it I can kiss
walking good bye. So I said my good byes to drinking, since wine and these
don't mix at all well."
Duo
nodded in understanding. Taking a sip of tea he watched as the guy took the
small pill and then sigh softly again turning to glance at something else. The
nagging feeling was back again, he could swear he should know him from
someplace but couldn't think of where. He watched him silently and then noted
something he hadn't seen before, most likely because the whole time he had been
with him so far he'd only seen the left side of his face which hid the very
thing that gave the man's identity away. Duo swore softly and the man turned to
glance back at him. Sapphire locked onto violet, as Duo finally found his
voice. Only two people he knew of had eyebrow's like this guy had. One of those
two was supposed to be twelve years dead. "You're that General aren't you?
Treize Khushrenada?!" he hissed softly.
The
sapphire eyes seemed to dim and the man lowered his head as if in defeat. Duo
barely heard him speak, the tenor voice was so low and soft. "Hai.. Are you
going to stay now?"
The
uncertainty and sad hurt in the tone made him pause and he sighed. "No.. I'm
not going to leave." He glanced down at his hands and then finally sighed again
before looking up at the once general. "I'm sorry for reacting the way I did,
the war's over and I had no reason to react as hostile as I did." He watched
the older man sitting across from him silently for a few moments before
speaking again trying to get the man out of the sudden depression he seemed to
have caused him. "Anyway it doesn't really matter anymore, we came here to eat
so lets eat and forget about the past for now, ne?"
Eyes
flicked up to glance at him as the other man straightened up and then took a
small drink off water. "Thank you, but you seem to have me at a disadvantage
now. You now know my name but I know nothing of you save that you were a Gundam
pilot and flew the Gundam known as 02."
Duo
grinned at him trying to get him cheered up some before he spoke. It worked
some and he snickered softly. "Duo. Duo Maxwell. I may run and hide, but I
never tell a lie. That's me in a nutshell." he said and then smiled again at
Treize as he smiled faintly back at him.
Their
meal arrived after that and they both ate in silence until after they had
finished. Duo glanced up at the older man and then leaned back slightly in his
seat. "Anyone else know you're living here?" he asked quietly.
Treize
nodded and sighed softly. "Yes.. my cousin.. she was the one who found me
several years ago. She told Lady Une.. who set me up here since I decided not
to risk returning to earth. She brings Mari.. my daughter up for visits.."
a small smile graced his lips for a moment. "I tried to contact an old
friend.. but found he had moved on.." the small smile faded and Treize
looked down at the table.
Duo
watched him for a moment before speaking. "I know how that is.. I have a
bet for you.. let me guess the name of your friend and if I get it right we can
get together for dinner sometime again."
Treize
looked up at him and tilted his head slightly watching him. "You
would..?" he paused and then nodded slightly. "Alright.. then but if
you do get it right I'd like you to come to my place instead of this place.. if
you get it wrong you can fix the dinner." A small smile lit the blue eyes as
he spoke.
Duo
grinned for a moment. "Alright.. I hope I get it right then because I
might end up killing us both if I attempt to cook any kind of a big fancy
meal." he then paused for a moment before continuing. "His name
wouldn't happen to be Zechs would it?"
The
change was startling. The face fell for a moment before what he could tell was
a mask came up to hide the hurt he had seen for a split second. He knew how he
felt though and sighed softly. "Sorry... " he began, but was
interrupted by a shake of the head.
"It's
not your fault.. besides.. I thought I was over it.. "
"I
don't think its easy.. I.. I know how much it hurts.. " he drank the last
of his tea to cover the awkward silence and then forced a smile. " Anyway..
when do you want to meet again.. since I was right?" he said trying to
lighten the mood.
It
worked it seemed because the mask faded somewhat and a little life came back
into the older man. "Next week is good for me if that's alright by
you.."
"Next
week sounds good. Thank you for dinner, this was much better than the cold
sandwich I had planned." he said as the waiter came by to lay the bill on
the table and take away their plates.
"Your
welcome.. Duo."