Chapter sixteen- No Assumptions or Excuses
Duo walked down the hall, heading to the rest room. He glanced around, and was grateful to be alone.
He inhaled deeply, and then let it out. Frustration built up inside him, and he was having a hard time keeping it down.
Duo pushed open the bathroom door, and it slammed shut behind him. He sighed, and dropped his bag on the floor, as he stumbled towards the sink.
Duo sighed, and rested his head against the cool mirror. The faucet turned on, but he paid it no head. He just stayed there, his hand gripping the end of the sink tightly.
With another sigh, Duo pulled back. He cupped his hands under the hot water, and splashed it against his face. Water dripped slowly from his closed eyelids. Some clung to the tip of his nose, unyielding to the force of gravity.
Duo pulled back, and reached out for a towel, his hand hit the wall, and he cursed. Casually his tapped the wall to find his way to the towel dispenser. He found it, and ripped out a long sheet. Duo worked back to the sink. His hand reached out, but instead of hitting a wall, he his something softer.
Duo frowned, and felt around, realizing he was touching someone's chest. "Oh sorry, I didn't realize I wasn't alone."
Duo tried to open his eyes, but the water blurred his eyes, and stung his eyes. Duo made it to the mirror, and was about to dry his face with the towel. Suddenly to arms grabbed him by the shoulders, and slammed Duo against the wall. Duo cried out in pain, as his face hit the side of the mirror. He heard it crack, and he felt the warm flow run down between his eyes.
Duo asked, "What the hell do you..." He froze, when he heard the unbuttoning of pants, and unzipping of a zipper. Duo inhaled deeply, and fear clutched his heart in a mighty grip. The person behind him threw Duo back against him. Duo's eyes widen, as the man's erection was rubbed seductively against his butt.
Duo gagged, and cried out, "Help!" The man behind him unbuttoned Duo's pants, and slid the zipper down. Instantly the guy threw Duo back into the wall. Then he was spun around quickly. Duo tried to open his eyes again, but he felt tears surface his eyes, and he shut them quickly.
A door opened, and Duo wasn't sure where, he waited, but realized it had come from the girl's bathroom on the other side of the wall. "Help!!!"
"No one can help you, everyone's at lunch."
Duo paled, and he realized he was going to be raped. Duo bit his bottom lip, and waited for the next move.
Something squeaked, and then there was a rush of air, before a smack. Then a few seconds later, there was a loud thud as something hit the floor. The grip on Duo's shoulders had vanished, and Duo slid to the floor in a heap.
Something brushed his face, and Duo recognized the towel. Duo grasped it, and dried his face, and rid his eyes with the unwanted drops of water. He sniffled, and let his hand drop, that held the crumpled up towel. He opened his eyes, and all he could see was a blurry figure in front of him. He blinked several times, and his vision cleared. "Heero?"
Duo glanced down at his attacker, who laid on the floor, a black bruise form at his right temple. Duo looked back at Heero. He was staring calmly at him, in a crouched position. Duo moved forward, and wrapped his arms around Heero. He latched onto the pilot for dear life. Heero froze, and didn't move. Duo felt a sob rise in his throat, "Thank you, thank you Heero."
Duo pulled back, and wiped his eyes riding the tears he would rather go without. Heero grunted, and stated, "We should clean that up."
Heero stood, and went to the towel dispenser. He grabbed a towel, and wet it at the sink. He knelt back down to Duo, and dabbed the cut. Duo winced, "Is it bad?" Heero shook his head, and dabbed it again.
Duo sighed, "Sorry I've been ignoring you Hee man. I'd just thought, you'd rather like it, if I'd just...well, disappeared. You always look unhappy when I show up with the guys." Heero glanced at Duo's eyes, but then returned his gaze to the cut. He dabbed it again, and Duo hissed in pain.
Heero frowned, but wiped at the blood. He folded the paper towel, and dabbed the cut with a clean side. Duo winced as he reached up, and touched the cut. He felt the stickiness, and looked at his hand. "Man. At this rate, I'll bleed to death."
Heero smirked, and went to stand, "We should take you to the nurses office."
Duo shook his head, and pulled Heero back down on the floor, to sit next to him. "No, I don't want to go out there yet." Duo glanced at the man on the floor. It was a kid from his homeroom class. "Man I just can't seem to find the right people for friends, can I?"
Heero looked at the man on the floor, and scowled. "Hn." Duo sighed, and rested his head against the wall. "I'm just going to go to class." Duo climbed to his feet, and buttoned his pants and pulled up the zipper. He knelt down, grabbing his bag as he watched the man on the floor carefully. "I'll see you after class, Heero."
Heero watched Duo leave, and his eyes narrowed. Something wasn't quite right.
Heero stood, and scanned the room. He was going to have to get the puzzle together, before it drove him crazy. Just a few more pieces, and he knew he would know what the picture was.
Duo hurried to his class. He glanced left then right, waiting for someone to jump out on him.
He saw Noin, and scowled, as she moved towards him. "Duo I'm sorry."
Duo turned his gaze away from her, and crossed his arms. "Duo please just listen. When we made the mission, it was before I found out about you. Please, it's the god-awful truth. If I'd have known before hand, I wouldn't have offered the deal."
Duo stopped, and turned to look at Noin. She was standing in the hallway. She wore a large uniform, then what was needed, but it probably was for future use, when she gets a pouched belly. "Where's Zechs?"
Noin answered, "With Relena sama." Duo nodded, "You should get off you feet, and rest."
Noin smiled, "I will later, but there is still things that have to be done. How are you feeling Duo?" Duo's mind wandered to what could have happened in the bathroom and shuddered. "Great...couldn't be better."
Noin slowly nodded, "That's good then. Well I'll se you around Duo."
Duo watched her go; slowly making her way down the hall he had come from. Duo sighed, and started towards his class.
Duo turned the corner to his hallway, and was stopped by Relena, and her brother. "Hey Zechs, Relena."
Relena softly smiled, and clasped her hands together, but didn't look him in the eyes.
Zechs cleared his throat, and stated calmly, "Duo Maxwell, you have been called onto another mission." Duo frowned, "Another one? But why."
Relena shrugged her shoulders, and looked up at him, "Dr. J...well he wants you to attack a base 300 kilos to the north from here."
Duo's eyes widened, "But I'm not good at things like that. What do you expect me to find there? And all by myself?"
Relena inhaled deeply. "You'll go tonight, alone. You will sneak into the base, and find files on their plans for war against us, and information on their artillery."
Duo's eyes seemed to shadow over, as if they had grown darker, "I see. And destroy the base." Relena nodded weakly.
Duo's eyes hardened, and he shouted, "What about your ways Relena! What about your plans for peace! Attacking an enemy, who we don't even know for sure, is not on our side, and destroying them. When have you become so unmerciful?"
Relena wiped at her tears, and cleared her throat, "It's not me, who has to destroy the base Duo, it is you. Dr. J orders you to, to kill innocents."
Duo scoffed, "Yea, and who is giving the assassin his orders, Miss Relena..."
Duo then chose to turn, and walk the other way. He knew he had hurt Relena, but he was only stating the truth. She can make herself think she's not apart of this mission, but she can't hide the fact from everyone, that she had taken the first step into war.
An attack on an innocent base, what a cruel world he lived in.
Duo brushed passed Heero, but paid him no heed. He stalked down the hall to his room.
Heero stared at Relena, and scowled, "Why'd you pick him?" His voice was cold and harsh towards her, inflicting only anger towards her.
Relena looked up at Heero, "What do you mean?" Her face had gone pale, but her posture never faltered.
"I saw the message, why'd you pick him over me?"
Relena bit her bottom lip, and she knew Zechs was staring at her now. "I...I...well you hadn't been feeling well, and so I thought Duo would be better...I just thought..."
Heero narrowed his eyes, "You thought, and assumed wrong. You just put that man to his death, just because you wanted me to stay."
Relena's eyes water with tears, and her pale when as white as a sheet of paper.
"I...I..."
"Save it for your listeners, Relena. Cause I'm not one of them." Heero then turned, and stalked after Duo.
Relena's posture crumbled, and she collapsed to the floor with a cry of anguish. "No...oh god no. What have I become?"
Duo walked down the hall, heading to the rest room. He glanced around, and was grateful to be alone.
He inhaled deeply, and then let it out. Frustration built up inside him, and he was having a hard time keeping it down.
Duo pushed open the bathroom door, and it slammed shut behind him. He sighed, and dropped his bag on the floor, as he stumbled towards the sink.
Duo sighed, and rested his head against the cool mirror. The faucet turned on, but he paid it no head. He just stayed there, his hand gripping the end of the sink tightly.
With another sigh, Duo pulled back. He cupped his hands under the hot water, and splashed it against his face. Water dripped slowly from his closed eyelids. Some clung to the tip of his nose, unyielding to the force of gravity.
Duo pulled back, and reached out for a towel, his hand hit the wall, and he cursed. Casually his tapped the wall to find his way to the towel dispenser. He found it, and ripped out a long sheet. Duo worked back to the sink. His hand reached out, but instead of hitting a wall, he his something softer.
Duo frowned, and felt around, realizing he was touching someone's chest. "Oh sorry, I didn't realize I wasn't alone."
Duo tried to open his eyes, but the water blurred his eyes, and stung his eyes. Duo made it to the mirror, and was about to dry his face with the towel. Suddenly to arms grabbed him by the shoulders, and slammed Duo against the wall. Duo cried out in pain, as his face hit the side of the mirror. He heard it crack, and he felt the warm flow run down between his eyes.
Duo asked, "What the hell do you..." He froze, when he heard the unbuttoning of pants, and unzipping of a zipper. Duo inhaled deeply, and fear clutched his heart in a mighty grip. The person behind him threw Duo back against him. Duo's eyes widen, as the man's erection was rubbed seductively against his butt.
Duo gagged, and cried out, "Help!" The man behind him unbuttoned Duo's pants, and slid the zipper down. Instantly the guy threw Duo back into the wall. Then he was spun around quickly. Duo tried to open his eyes again, but he felt tears surface his eyes, and he shut them quickly.
A door opened, and Duo wasn't sure where, he waited, but realized it had come from the girl's bathroom on the other side of the wall. "Help!!!"
"No one can help you, everyone's at lunch."
Duo paled, and he realized he was going to be raped. Duo bit his bottom lip, and waited for the next move.
Something squeaked, and then there was a rush of air, before a smack. Then a few seconds later, there was a loud thud as something hit the floor. The grip on Duo's shoulders had vanished, and Duo slid to the floor in a heap.
Something brushed his face, and Duo recognized the towel. Duo grasped it, and dried his face, and rid his eyes with the unwanted drops of water. He sniffled, and let his hand drop, that held the crumpled up towel. He opened his eyes, and all he could see was a blurry figure in front of him. He blinked several times, and his vision cleared. "Heero?"
Duo glanced down at his attacker, who laid on the floor, a black bruise form at his right temple. Duo looked back at Heero. He was staring calmly at him, in a crouched position. Duo moved forward, and wrapped his arms around Heero. He latched onto the pilot for dear life. Heero froze, and didn't move. Duo felt a sob rise in his throat, "Thank you, thank you Heero."
Duo pulled back, and wiped his eyes riding the tears he would rather go without. Heero grunted, and stated, "We should clean that up."
Heero stood, and went to the towel dispenser. He grabbed a towel, and wet it at the sink. He knelt back down to Duo, and dabbed the cut. Duo winced, "Is it bad?" Heero shook his head, and dabbed it again.
Duo sighed, "Sorry I've been ignoring you Hee man. I'd just thought, you'd rather like it, if I'd just...well, disappeared. You always look unhappy when I show up with the guys." Heero glanced at Duo's eyes, but then returned his gaze to the cut. He dabbed it again, and Duo hissed in pain.
Heero frowned, but wiped at the blood. He folded the paper towel, and dabbed the cut with a clean side. Duo winced as he reached up, and touched the cut. He felt the stickiness, and looked at his hand. "Man. At this rate, I'll bleed to death."
Heero smirked, and went to stand, "We should take you to the nurses office."
Duo shook his head, and pulled Heero back down on the floor, to sit next to him. "No, I don't want to go out there yet." Duo glanced at the man on the floor. It was a kid from his homeroom class. "Man I just can't seem to find the right people for friends, can I?"
Heero looked at the man on the floor, and scowled. "Hn." Duo sighed, and rested his head against the wall. "I'm just going to go to class." Duo climbed to his feet, and buttoned his pants and pulled up the zipper. He knelt down, grabbing his bag as he watched the man on the floor carefully. "I'll see you after class, Heero."
Heero watched Duo leave, and his eyes narrowed. Something wasn't quite right.
Heero stood, and scanned the room. He was going to have to get the puzzle together, before it drove him crazy. Just a few more pieces, and he knew he would know what the picture was.
Duo hurried to his class. He glanced left then right, waiting for someone to jump out on him.
He saw Noin, and scowled, as she moved towards him. "Duo I'm sorry."
Duo turned his gaze away from her, and crossed his arms. "Duo please just listen. When we made the mission, it was before I found out about you. Please, it's the god-awful truth. If I'd have known before hand, I wouldn't have offered the deal."
Duo stopped, and turned to look at Noin. She was standing in the hallway. She wore a large uniform, then what was needed, but it probably was for future use, when she gets a pouched belly. "Where's Zechs?"
Noin answered, "With Relena sama." Duo nodded, "You should get off you feet, and rest."
Noin smiled, "I will later, but there is still things that have to be done. How are you feeling Duo?" Duo's mind wandered to what could have happened in the bathroom and shuddered. "Great...couldn't be better."
Noin slowly nodded, "That's good then. Well I'll se you around Duo."
Duo watched her go; slowly making her way down the hall he had come from. Duo sighed, and started towards his class.
Duo turned the corner to his hallway, and was stopped by Relena, and her brother. "Hey Zechs, Relena."
Relena softly smiled, and clasped her hands together, but didn't look him in the eyes.
Zechs cleared his throat, and stated calmly, "Duo Maxwell, you have been called onto another mission." Duo frowned, "Another one? But why."
Relena shrugged her shoulders, and looked up at him, "Dr. J...well he wants you to attack a base 300 kilos to the north from here."
Duo's eyes widened, "But I'm not good at things like that. What do you expect me to find there? And all by myself?"
Relena inhaled deeply. "You'll go tonight, alone. You will sneak into the base, and find files on their plans for war against us, and information on their artillery."
Duo's eyes seemed to shadow over, as if they had grown darker, "I see. And destroy the base." Relena nodded weakly.
Duo's eyes hardened, and he shouted, "What about your ways Relena! What about your plans for peace! Attacking an enemy, who we don't even know for sure, is not on our side, and destroying them. When have you become so unmerciful?"
Relena wiped at her tears, and cleared her throat, "It's not me, who has to destroy the base Duo, it is you. Dr. J orders you to, to kill innocents."
Duo scoffed, "Yea, and who is giving the assassin his orders, Miss Relena..."
Duo then chose to turn, and walk the other way. He knew he had hurt Relena, but he was only stating the truth. She can make herself think she's not apart of this mission, but she can't hide the fact from everyone, that she had taken the first step into war.
An attack on an innocent base, what a cruel world he lived in.
Duo brushed passed Heero, but paid him no heed. He stalked down the hall to his room.
Heero stared at Relena, and scowled, "Why'd you pick him?" His voice was cold and harsh towards her, inflicting only anger towards her.
Relena looked up at Heero, "What do you mean?" Her face had gone pale, but her posture never faltered.
"I saw the message, why'd you pick him over me?"
Relena bit her bottom lip, and she knew Zechs was staring at her now. "I...I...well you hadn't been feeling well, and so I thought Duo would be better...I just thought..."
Heero narrowed his eyes, "You thought, and assumed wrong. You just put that man to his death, just because you wanted me to stay."
Relena's eyes water with tears, and her pale when as white as a sheet of paper.
"I...I..."
"Save it for your listeners, Relena. Cause I'm not one of them." Heero then turned, and stalked after Duo.
Relena's posture crumbled, and she collapsed to the floor with a cry of anguish. "No...oh god no. What have I become?"