Chapter nineteen- Nanashi
Duo sat up in the bed, with a long sigh. He hadn't gotten much sleep that night, barely a few hours at least.
He climbed out of the bed, and moved to the bathroom door, and opened the door, but shutting it behind him. He walked to the shower, and turned the tap on. Water spluttered from the showerhead, and Duo adjusted the temp to hot.
He then shed off his clothes, and climbed into the shower. He closed the curtain, and faced the water that had been beating down upon his back as he did so. He tilted his head back, and ran his hands over his face, and down his throat.
He shut his eyes, and let the water drip onto the front of his body, and clean him of foulness. Slowly his façade disappeared. In the gleam of water, his dark hair turned silvery blonde, and seemed to grow longer. As the water washed over his face, it looked as if his dark skin had once been white, but covered with dirt. Pale skin, lightly tanned shone through the darkness, as if pealed away.
Dark eyes had closed, but when he opened them, they turned to azure stones. Pouty cheery colored lips pursed together, as Usagi turned around in the shower.
Usagi felt the water grow cold, and she sighed. She just stood there, unsure what to do. She looked down at her hands, and saw how slender they looked. It had been so long, since she had seen this body. She felt the tears surface her eyes. "I'm such a failure."
Her own voice was a stranger to herself. "I don't want to be Duo anymore. I don't want to lie anymore. Can't I ever be just myself?" She crumpled to the bathroom floor, and let the tears fall. "I want to be me...just me."
Through her tears, she never heard, the door to the bathroom open. She let out an anguished sob, and her body trembled.
The curtain was pulled aside, "Usagi?" Cold water blasted from the showerhead, and slammed against Usagi's back. She looked up, to see Noin in front of her.
Noin shut off the shower; "lets get you out of there." Noin then turned, and grabbed a towel. She looked at Usagi, before swooping down, and covering the shivering blonde. Noin helped her to her feet, and led her back to the bedroom. "You could have caught a cold."
Usagi looked up at Noin, the tears still falling from her eyes. Noin asked, "Usagi, what's wrong?" Usagi's body shook, "I just want to be me... no one else."
Noin pulled Usagi against her, and held her close. "It will be okay, everything will turn out all right. Just you wait." A few minutes passed, and Usagi's sobs subsided.
"How is he?"
Noin, then suddenly remembered something, and pulled back from Usagi, "Oh god, Usagi he...he's disappeared, gone. He's not in his bed anymore. Miss Relena is scared stiff, that he ran away. No one can find him anywhere."
Usagi's eyes widen in fear, "Oh kami, he's hurt! I have to find him."
She wrapped the towel around her body tightly, and she ran towards the door. Noin shouted after her, "Usagi, but you're not Duo!!!"
Usagi barreled down the stairs to the entry hall. Many students stopped to stare as she ran past them.
Soaking wet, and only dressed in a towel, Usagi threw open the front door, and leaped down the steps outside.
Her long hair, whipped the air behind her. "Heero!" She looked left then right, and then took off to the right heading for the garden out back.
She saw him, standing in the clearing of the garden. His shoulder bandaged, but was only dressed in his black spandex shorts. Both his arms hung at his side, as he stared out into space, as if searching for something. His hands were clenched tightly into fists.
Usagi could only stare at him. She felt the bitter touch of wind, and sighed, he would never accept her. She shut her eyes, and whispered, "Change me back to Duo, the one everyone knows."
Instantly Duo replaced her.
Duo was dressed in boxers, ones he had slept in, and an over shirt, that clung to him. His chest was wrapped tightly, because of his wounds that were slowly healing on their own. His hair, braided once more, fell to his butt.
Duo inhaled deeply, and called out, "Heero!" Heero turned, when his name was called. He saw Duo, and raised an eyebrow in questioning, wondering how he found him, so quickly.
Duo clenched his fists, "Dammit. God dammit Heero." He ran towards the taller boy, and threw his arms out, and pulled Heero into a hug, before he could pull away.
Heero looked down at Duo, slightly frowned, "Duo."
Duo looked up, angry tears now covering the ones of sadness, "you scared the hell out of me. You need to get out of here, and in the cold with no shirt on!"
Heero didn't move, but just stared at Duo, as if studying his face closely. Duo's frown never faltered, that was until Heero swiftly wiped a tear that trailed down Duo's cheek.
Duo pulled back slightly, and looked Heero over, "Are you okay buddy? I mean you just walked out of your room, and you have Relena pulling her hair out." Heero raised an eyebrow in mild interest. Duo rolled his eyes, and hugged Heero again, relishing that he was alright, and not hurt worst.
Heero let Duo go, when he pulled back, and crossed his arms over his chest. He watched Duo, and studied his figure out here in the light.
He could still see Duo's body slightly under the loose fitting shirt, and knew Duo had a figure. "What's your secret?" Duo blanched, "What? I don't know what you're talking about. I don't keep secrets. Hell I can't even keep one for mare than a day."
Heero frowned, and narrowed his eyes. "Hai you do."
Duo crossed his arms over his chest, "I come out here, worried as hell that you're dieing, and I get the third degree. What kind of relationship do we have here?"
Heero's eyes widen briefly, but then his shock vanished just as quickly as it had showed up on his face. Duo continued, "Yea sure I want to be your friend, but I don't want the interrogation as well." "Why was that man after you, twice?" Duo turned away from Heero, "There is nothing to say. I guess I wasted my heart on you, you don't even care that you nearly made my heart, stop now do you?"
Heero let his hands fall to his side, and he clenched his fists. "Answer the question Duo!"
Duo felt the air rippled around him, when Heero spoke. Duo turned back around, and sighed. "I wont tell you Heero. That is my life, not yours. I don't see you giving away all your damn SECRETS. I don't see you confessing all your damn FEARS, or your damn ENEMIES you've made. So I don't have to tell you, mine."
Tears fell from his eyes, and he turned away from Heero, to hide his weakness.
Heero reached out, touched Duo's shoulder, and turned him around. Duo frowned through his tears, but then tried to smile, "Just forget I said anything, okay." He wiped at his eyes, and rid the trace of tears, but he cold hide the red rims around his eyes.
Heero shook his head, and spoke calmly, "Iie, you're right." Duo looked up, and saw the pained looked in Heero's eyes.
Duo softly smiled, and pulled Heero into another hug, "Nah we're both right, Hee chan." Heero looked at Duo from the corner of his eyes, and asked calmly, even though it caused Duo to pale, "Why'd you visit me last night?"
Duo pulled back, and stared into his face. "I...I don't know what you're talking about."
Duo swallowed hard, and looked away from Heero.
Heero frowned, and touched Duo's chin, directing his gaze back to his face. "Don't lie to me." Duo stared deeply into Heero's eyes, "I...I was worried about you. You were shot, and it was all my fault..."
"Why do you think that?"
Duo pulled away from Heero, and crossed hi arms at his waist. "Relena said so. But she's right. If I hadn't been caught, you wouldn't have put yourself in danger to go there. And if at the hospital, if I just had gone with Mamoru, you wouldn't have been hurt."
Heero didn't reply to the slip of the tongue, but stored the name in his memory. "I could have ignored you."
Duo blinked at him several times, then slowly he replied, "Yea you could have. Wait you would have. Why didn't you?"
Heero inwardly sighed but answered, "You're needed if a war breaks out." Duo scowled, "Well that's a crock of bull if I ever heard any." Heero smirked and ignored his statement, "Why'd you ask for help."
Duo inhaled deeply, "I was afraid. Actually that's a lie, I was terrified of what would happen. And when I saw you, I couldn't control that fear. I was weak."
Heero shook his head, looked up into space, his eyes deprived of emotion, for once flickered with something inside. "Iie. You're a brave person Duo. And you were right, you're not me, and I have to understand that."
Duo looked at Heero, as if he had grown another head, "What, is up with you man? Don't tell me you're getting soft on me."
Heero scowled, and looked at Duo. "Omae o Korosu Duo no baka." Heero grinned, "That's my Hee man." Heero reached behind him, and pulled out his gun. Duo gasped, "Oh shit he's not kidding. Exit stage left!!!" Duo then turned, and raced back to the academy entrance.
Heero sighed outwardly, and turned to look at the sky. "Gomen nasasi Nanashi, (its No Name, for those who don't know)." He closed his eyes briefly, before he turned, and followed the trail of dust Duo left behind him.
Duo sat up in the bed, with a long sigh. He hadn't gotten much sleep that night, barely a few hours at least.
He climbed out of the bed, and moved to the bathroom door, and opened the door, but shutting it behind him. He walked to the shower, and turned the tap on. Water spluttered from the showerhead, and Duo adjusted the temp to hot.
He then shed off his clothes, and climbed into the shower. He closed the curtain, and faced the water that had been beating down upon his back as he did so. He tilted his head back, and ran his hands over his face, and down his throat.
He shut his eyes, and let the water drip onto the front of his body, and clean him of foulness. Slowly his façade disappeared. In the gleam of water, his dark hair turned silvery blonde, and seemed to grow longer. As the water washed over his face, it looked as if his dark skin had once been white, but covered with dirt. Pale skin, lightly tanned shone through the darkness, as if pealed away.
Dark eyes had closed, but when he opened them, they turned to azure stones. Pouty cheery colored lips pursed together, as Usagi turned around in the shower.
Usagi felt the water grow cold, and she sighed. She just stood there, unsure what to do. She looked down at her hands, and saw how slender they looked. It had been so long, since she had seen this body. She felt the tears surface her eyes. "I'm such a failure."
Her own voice was a stranger to herself. "I don't want to be Duo anymore. I don't want to lie anymore. Can't I ever be just myself?" She crumpled to the bathroom floor, and let the tears fall. "I want to be me...just me."
Through her tears, she never heard, the door to the bathroom open. She let out an anguished sob, and her body trembled.
The curtain was pulled aside, "Usagi?" Cold water blasted from the showerhead, and slammed against Usagi's back. She looked up, to see Noin in front of her.
Noin shut off the shower; "lets get you out of there." Noin then turned, and grabbed a towel. She looked at Usagi, before swooping down, and covering the shivering blonde. Noin helped her to her feet, and led her back to the bedroom. "You could have caught a cold."
Usagi looked up at Noin, the tears still falling from her eyes. Noin asked, "Usagi, what's wrong?" Usagi's body shook, "I just want to be me... no one else."
Noin pulled Usagi against her, and held her close. "It will be okay, everything will turn out all right. Just you wait." A few minutes passed, and Usagi's sobs subsided.
"How is he?"
Noin, then suddenly remembered something, and pulled back from Usagi, "Oh god, Usagi he...he's disappeared, gone. He's not in his bed anymore. Miss Relena is scared stiff, that he ran away. No one can find him anywhere."
Usagi's eyes widen in fear, "Oh kami, he's hurt! I have to find him."
She wrapped the towel around her body tightly, and she ran towards the door. Noin shouted after her, "Usagi, but you're not Duo!!!"
Usagi barreled down the stairs to the entry hall. Many students stopped to stare as she ran past them.
Soaking wet, and only dressed in a towel, Usagi threw open the front door, and leaped down the steps outside.
Her long hair, whipped the air behind her. "Heero!" She looked left then right, and then took off to the right heading for the garden out back.
She saw him, standing in the clearing of the garden. His shoulder bandaged, but was only dressed in his black spandex shorts. Both his arms hung at his side, as he stared out into space, as if searching for something. His hands were clenched tightly into fists.
Usagi could only stare at him. She felt the bitter touch of wind, and sighed, he would never accept her. She shut her eyes, and whispered, "Change me back to Duo, the one everyone knows."
Instantly Duo replaced her.
Duo was dressed in boxers, ones he had slept in, and an over shirt, that clung to him. His chest was wrapped tightly, because of his wounds that were slowly healing on their own. His hair, braided once more, fell to his butt.
Duo inhaled deeply, and called out, "Heero!" Heero turned, when his name was called. He saw Duo, and raised an eyebrow in questioning, wondering how he found him, so quickly.
Duo clenched his fists, "Dammit. God dammit Heero." He ran towards the taller boy, and threw his arms out, and pulled Heero into a hug, before he could pull away.
Heero looked down at Duo, slightly frowned, "Duo."
Duo looked up, angry tears now covering the ones of sadness, "you scared the hell out of me. You need to get out of here, and in the cold with no shirt on!"
Heero didn't move, but just stared at Duo, as if studying his face closely. Duo's frown never faltered, that was until Heero swiftly wiped a tear that trailed down Duo's cheek.
Duo pulled back slightly, and looked Heero over, "Are you okay buddy? I mean you just walked out of your room, and you have Relena pulling her hair out." Heero raised an eyebrow in mild interest. Duo rolled his eyes, and hugged Heero again, relishing that he was alright, and not hurt worst.
Heero let Duo go, when he pulled back, and crossed his arms over his chest. He watched Duo, and studied his figure out here in the light.
He could still see Duo's body slightly under the loose fitting shirt, and knew Duo had a figure. "What's your secret?" Duo blanched, "What? I don't know what you're talking about. I don't keep secrets. Hell I can't even keep one for mare than a day."
Heero frowned, and narrowed his eyes. "Hai you do."
Duo crossed his arms over his chest, "I come out here, worried as hell that you're dieing, and I get the third degree. What kind of relationship do we have here?"
Heero's eyes widen briefly, but then his shock vanished just as quickly as it had showed up on his face. Duo continued, "Yea sure I want to be your friend, but I don't want the interrogation as well." "Why was that man after you, twice?" Duo turned away from Heero, "There is nothing to say. I guess I wasted my heart on you, you don't even care that you nearly made my heart, stop now do you?"
Heero let his hands fall to his side, and he clenched his fists. "Answer the question Duo!"
Duo felt the air rippled around him, when Heero spoke. Duo turned back around, and sighed. "I wont tell you Heero. That is my life, not yours. I don't see you giving away all your damn SECRETS. I don't see you confessing all your damn FEARS, or your damn ENEMIES you've made. So I don't have to tell you, mine."
Tears fell from his eyes, and he turned away from Heero, to hide his weakness.
Heero reached out, touched Duo's shoulder, and turned him around. Duo frowned through his tears, but then tried to smile, "Just forget I said anything, okay." He wiped at his eyes, and rid the trace of tears, but he cold hide the red rims around his eyes.
Heero shook his head, and spoke calmly, "Iie, you're right." Duo looked up, and saw the pained looked in Heero's eyes.
Duo softly smiled, and pulled Heero into another hug, "Nah we're both right, Hee chan." Heero looked at Duo from the corner of his eyes, and asked calmly, even though it caused Duo to pale, "Why'd you visit me last night?"
Duo pulled back, and stared into his face. "I...I don't know what you're talking about."
Duo swallowed hard, and looked away from Heero.
Heero frowned, and touched Duo's chin, directing his gaze back to his face. "Don't lie to me." Duo stared deeply into Heero's eyes, "I...I was worried about you. You were shot, and it was all my fault..."
"Why do you think that?"
Duo pulled away from Heero, and crossed hi arms at his waist. "Relena said so. But she's right. If I hadn't been caught, you wouldn't have put yourself in danger to go there. And if at the hospital, if I just had gone with Mamoru, you wouldn't have been hurt."
Heero didn't reply to the slip of the tongue, but stored the name in his memory. "I could have ignored you."
Duo blinked at him several times, then slowly he replied, "Yea you could have. Wait you would have. Why didn't you?"
Heero inwardly sighed but answered, "You're needed if a war breaks out." Duo scowled, "Well that's a crock of bull if I ever heard any." Heero smirked and ignored his statement, "Why'd you ask for help."
Duo inhaled deeply, "I was afraid. Actually that's a lie, I was terrified of what would happen. And when I saw you, I couldn't control that fear. I was weak."
Heero shook his head, looked up into space, his eyes deprived of emotion, for once flickered with something inside. "Iie. You're a brave person Duo. And you were right, you're not me, and I have to understand that."
Duo looked at Heero, as if he had grown another head, "What, is up with you man? Don't tell me you're getting soft on me."
Heero scowled, and looked at Duo. "Omae o Korosu Duo no baka." Heero grinned, "That's my Hee man." Heero reached behind him, and pulled out his gun. Duo gasped, "Oh shit he's not kidding. Exit stage left!!!" Duo then turned, and raced back to the academy entrance.
Heero sighed outwardly, and turned to look at the sky. "Gomen nasasi Nanashi, (its No Name, for those who don't know)." He closed his eyes briefly, before he turned, and followed the trail of dust Duo left behind him.