Title: Rivals 16
Author: Canisa
Pairing: various for now (13+6, 6+1, 5+2, meiran+5, 3+4/4+3, R+1), but leading to 1+2/2+1, my favorite paring! ^__^
Warning : shounen-ai, AU (no gundam!!!) a bit angst.
Note: Gundam Wing is not mine. I am writing this for my own enjoyment. No profit is being made.
Quick Summary
Heero's family held a grunge against Duo's because Duo's grandfather had indirectly caused his grandfather's death.
Heero started to open up to Duo little by little until Relena Peacecraft finally showed her presence, declaring to Duo that she was engaged to Heero.
Treize Krushenada, a surgeon, saved a man, who later declared that his name is Zechs…..
Chapter 16 --- Water----
"HELP!!!!!!" The little girl grabbed onto the rail so tightly that it turned her knuckles white. "Onii-chan!!!! Papa!!!! Mama!!!!!"
With her knees still on the deck, she spared a glance at cabinet door. No one had rushed through the door. No one had heard her.
The little girl tried to bind her body to the railings, dare not to let go of the support, dare not to take off and rush into the cabin. Giving up on calling for help, she looked down at the sea wilding, eyes searching. The sky darkened even more, making it harder for the little girl to look for the Japanese boy. "Heero?" She called out timidly at first, her voice buried under the howling of the gusty wind.
The yacht rocked like a pendulum, subject to the mercy of the waves beneath and the wind blowing across.
The little girl panicked, feeling nauseated at the same time. She still did not see anything that resembled the Japanese boy. "Heero?!!!!" She slowly leaned her little body outside of the yacht while still holding onto the railings like her lifeline. "Heero!!!!" She bit down her lips as her eyes widened with increasing panic. "HEERO!!!!"
She moved along the railing carefully and slowly. Each rocking of the ship made her tremble with fear. The seawater splashed onto her new white dress. The coldness invaded her senses. She shivered.
Suddenly, she was confused.
She had thought she absolutely hated him. Hated him for robbing her brother. Hated him for his good looks that stole her brother's heart. Hated him for taking away her brother's attention from her. Hated him for leaving her all alone in the hands of her materialistic parents.
She had always seen Heero as a rivalry that she wanted to crush like a little bug underneath her thumb.
But instead, under the darkening sky, she screamed and screamed until her angelic voice had turned into a hideously hoarse sound, calling his name from the depth of her soul that she never knew she had it in her.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
"She saved you." Duo watched Heero incredulously, tumbling the words out with disbelief. "And that's why you propose to her?!"
"No."
"ARGGHH! You are fucking driving me nuts!" Duo threw his hands in the air. "Will you ever get to the point? Answer my question straight." Duo dashed toward Heero, his face merely inches before the Japanese youth. "Then why the fuck are you engaged to her?"
"It's a consent between our parents."
"It's arranged?" Duo gasped. "At this day and age? And you agreed?"
"Yes."
Duo sighed, backing and sinking on his bed. "I suppose she is pretty and all. And she is your savior too!" Duo said with a slightly mocking tone as he averted his eyes, not looking at Heero. "You love her?"
"No."
"Right." Duo looked up the ceiling. The tone hinted his disbelief in Heero's word. The unspoken words of 'then why the hell did you agree to marry her' buried in the back of his throat.
Silence filled the room, making the air thick with uncomfortableness. Duo fidgeted. His one hand came up to his hair and twirled it around his fingers.
Just as Duo was fighting hard what to say next, the alarm clock suddenly went off again. The sharp, shrieking sound made Duo jump and immediately slam the snooze button almost in reflex.
On the receiving end of Duo's attack, the poor alarm clock did not take the force well. It rocked like a ship trapped in the raging sea before it eventually tumbled down the nightstand, crashing down on the floor.
"Shit." Duo cursed under his breath as he hopped down the bed quickly and bent to pick up the clock. He toyed the clock in his hand a bit before he started to speak quietly. "Look. This whole situation is too complicated for my taste……" The longhaired youth brushed the face of the clock softly, not looking up. "Heero…. I would be lying if I said I don't have any affection for you." Duo paused, biting down his lip. "But I just can't …."
"I am breaking off the arrangement."
"Do you understand? I can't…." Duo suddenly lifted his head up when Heero's soft words sank in. He stared at the Japanese youth, his eyes huge. "What did you say?"
The cobalt blue eyes stared back at him boldly.
Duo trembled. "What did you say?"
Heero smiled, knowing that for once he had said the right thing. He approached Duo, closing the distance between them as he raised his arm. His finger traced down Duo's jaw line. "I am breaking off the marriage." He repeated, eyes never taken off Duo's.
Duo only blinked, words forgotten.
The corner of his mouth curved up as Heero slowly closed the distance even more.
Duo held his breathe. He could feel the hot air coming from Heero. The Japanese's hair tangled with his. The cobalt blue eyes looked even more gorgeous as he……
"Duo, honey! You are gonna be late to school if you don't hur….." Duo's mother stopped dead at the doorway. "Oh……." She did not waste any pause as she wisely turned away but the smile was still seen by the two boys.
Surprised, Duo tumbled back in embarrassment, a shade of crimson colored his cheek. "Yah, mom, be right there…….." He mumbled and scrambled toward the closet, trying hard to hide his embarrassment by turning away from Heero and fishing out a clean T-shirt and a pair of jeans. "Where is that damn shirt….."
"Here."
Duo turned around, his hands automatically came up to catch the flying T- shirt. In the mean time, the longhaired youth locked his eyes on the Japanese. He swore that he could still the remaining warmth in those blue eyes. Suddenly Duo felt hot on his cheek, remembering the feeling of Heero's lingering touch on his skin.
"Good Luck."
"Eh?" Like just woken up from a dream, Duo was clouded in confusion.
"The State competition. Baka"
Duo stoned for a brief second before he slapped himself on the forehead. "SHIT!!!"
Heero only sighed. He expected as much.
"Shit, shit , shit , shit, SHIT!!!!" Duo jumped over the bed to get to other side of the room. He then kneeled and dug out his duffle bag. "Odin is gonna kill me." He grabbed his Walkman nearby and stuffed it into the bag roughly. "HE is going to be so fucking mad!!!" He looked for his goggle.
"You forgot the practice training yesterday." Heero made a statement.
"Mom!!! Did you see my goggle?!!" Duo stopped searching underneath his bed and turned around, his mouth perched up slightly at Heero. "And whose fault do you think it is that I forgot about the practice?!!"
"Duo!" The mother yelled from the downstairs. "You are going to be late!! Quatre is waiting for you outside!"
"Coming!! Coming!!!" Duo shouted and glared at Heero in a benign way at the same time.
Heero ignored it.
"DUO!!!" The mother was persistent.
"Shit, I guess I will just borrow one from someone." Duo zipped up his duffle bag and flung it on the bed. He then stripped off his pajama, changing into his T-shirt and pulling his jeans up his legs.
"It's right here."
Duo looked up, seeing his goggle dangling on Heero's finger. Duo finished zipping up his jeans. Grabbing his duffle bag in one hand, he dashes toward Heero. "Oh, thanks man!" He took the goggle. Not knowing exactly what to say, he paused before he made his mind and started to rush out of the door.
But Heero took a hold of him by the wrist.
"What?" Hiding his nervousness, Duo spun around. "Did I forget something?"
"No, I forgot this." Heero stepped up and closed the remaining distance, sealing their lips together for a fraction of second before he released him.
Duo blushed, ferociously.
"Good luck."
"Un….." Duo only managed to blur out a single syllable.
"Duo!!!!" The patience in the mother's calling was already gone.
Duo gazed at Heero briefly before he turned and practically flew down the stairs. But as he reached the bottom, he threw back a glance at Heero. "You are not going to class?" The voice was hopeful.
Heero shook his head. "In a week." He paused, realizing what Duo might want to hear. "But I will be at the competition."
"You are gonna dive?!" Duo widened his eyes.
"No." Heero held his gaze. "Just to see you swim."
Duo heard the words loud and clear. And he simply could not believe it. He could feel his heart wanted to leap out of his chest with joy. He blushed ferociously again but smiled brilliantly this time. "I am gonna break the record for you, baby." He swung the duffle bag behind his back. "And you know it."
Heero smiled. "I know it."
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
The little girl did not know how or when she finally spotted him. She watched in terror as the Japanese boy's arm was miraculously caught between the loosen ropes dangling down the yacht.
"Heero!!!!" She called out.
But the Japanese boy never lifted his head up. His small body floated between the waves.
The little girl was scared by his unresponsiveness. The fact that it was so dark that she could not see his face made her even worried.
"HEERO!!!" She screamed at him. "You can't die yet!!! YOU just can't die yet!!!" The little girl turned around, shouting at the cabin. "Onii- chan!!! Onii-chan!!!!"
A huge wave came, loosening the Japanese boy from the rope even more.
The little girl made her mind quickly. She slowly and carefully followed the railing toward the lifeboat. When she got there, she searched for a rope and a life jacket. She remembered exactly how to put on the lifejacket and how to pull this little red tag so that jacket would expand and pack with air. After that, while sitting down the deck, she wrapped a thick rope around her tiny waist as tight as she could. She then tied the other end of the rope on the railings.
"Heero!!!" She called out. "You can't die yet!!!" She slowly stood up, the rope tightly bonded around her waist. "Because…. Because…… " She struggled to figure out her mind but couldn't.
She knew she hated him. There was no way she had feelings for him. Right?
Another wave pounded on the yacht furiously.
Keeping herself balanced, the little girl gave up trying to figure herself up and locked her eyesight on the Japanese boy. She took in a deep breath. The wind blew across her face, letting her blonde hair danced wildly in the air.
"Heero!" She called out one last time. "You just can't die yet!"
She jumped.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
He jumped.
His arms extended as he submerged in the water happily. It's been so long since Duo Maxwell enjoyed the coolness of the water. He had never thought he missed the smell of the chlorine this much. It had been a long four days since he swam. The incident with Heero had really thrown him off track on the practicing. In the mist of confusion and frustration, he had forgotten about the damn state competition and the Sunday practice.
Hence he had been avoiding Odin for a while now. He even sat all the way in the back of the bus just so that he did not have to face his wrath. God knows how many laps would he make him to swim! But now that they arrived the competition ground and Duo was relaxed. Unlike other swimmers, Duo was never tensed. To him, swimming was fun. He never treated it like a real competition. He simply loved the feeling of the water running through his body. Though as athletic as he was, he never loved basketball or baseball more than swimming. Perhaps it was the idea of the sweating body that made him vote swimming as his favorite sport.
Whatever it was, Duo did not care because he was in the water now.
He kicked vigorously in the water as his arm reached forward. Wrapped in that familiar touch of coolness, the longhaired boy felt safe and content.
"DUO MAXWELL!!"
Even with his head submerged in the water, Duo could still hear and distinguish whom the voice belonged to.
"Where. The. Hell. Were. You. YESTERDAY?"
Normally, Duo would cringe at that voice, but he didn't. Instead, he lifted his head from the water and stared straight at the coach. His eyes still shimmered with happiness from this morning's incident. "Yo, coach Odin." He called out cheerfully, not bothered by the ugly look on his coach's face.
"Do you know what the hell is it today?"
Duo briefly wondered since when did the coach started talking in a voice that was an octave higher. But wisely, Duo chose not to point that out. "Yeah, the state competition, Coach."
The Coach narrowed his eyes. "Heero is gone, Wufei is gone." His voice getting higher and louder. "You are my only chance of at least winning something today!!!"
"Heh?" Duo stared at the coach incredulously. "Wufie is gone? Why?" Duo scratched his head. "Then who the hell is going to dive?"
Odin looked at Duo slyly.
"Oh no." Duo backed away in the water. "Oh no you won't."
Odin smirked.
"I cannot dive!!!" Duo widened his violet eyes. "Don't make me go UP there!"
"DUO! There you are!"
Duo turned his attention away from Odin, just in time to see his friend, Quatre, walked toward him. Duo waved, a goofy smile hung on his face. "Yo!"
Odin folded his arms. "You are going up there."
"Heehhhh?" Duo shook his head wildly. "Not going. Definitely not going to go up there and dive."
"Hi, Coach Odin." Quatre greeted politely. "What's the fuss?"
Duo turned toward his friend, pleading for help. "Q!! Help me here! He is making me dive!!"
Quatre laughed at the puppy dog eyes. "Coach, please do give Duo a break. He really cannot dive."
Odin raised his eyebrow. "And why is that?"
"Because….." Quatre was going to continue his sentence but a cold splash of water suddenly attacked him. "Duo!!! I am trying to help!" The blonde boy looked down at his now wetted shirt with slight displeasure.
"Don't you go there, Q." Duo made a gesture of splashing water again. "Don't you even go there."
Odin was going to say something but was distracted as the announcement of a meeting for the coaches was made. "You better warm up and get ready, Duo." The coach hurriedly dropped the words out before he left.
Duo only exhaled, happy that the coach had finally dropped the subject .
"It's nothing to be ashamed of, Duo." Quatre smiled.
"Don't even." Duo glared.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
"Can I ever swim again?"
"You can accomplish anything if you put your mind to it."
Zechs laughed. "You sound like a third grade teacher, Doctor." He watched the way the sun settling down in the far west. "Can I even walk?" He whispered.
"From a strictly medical point of view, I'd say no." The doctor settled himself down on the bench next to his patient's wheel chair. "But then again, we doctors make mistakes."
"And how often is that, Doctor?"
"Often enough for you to have a chance to walk and swim again."
Zechs turned his attention to his doctor. "You always talk to your patients like that?"
"No. I don't' talk to them." Treize paused. "I usually meet my patients when they are already under anesthesia. Most of the time, I don't even see their faces."
"So why are you talking to me like this?"
"Because you are the first one that proved that my judgment was wrong."
"How so?"
"I did not think you could survive when you came in."
"I see." Zechs held his gaze at the doctor before he averted his eyes and looked up to the sky. "Same sentiment here." He whispered.
The doctor watched his patient with curiosity, wondering why he seeks out death so eagerly. The doctor decided to switch to a lighter subject. "So you love swimming?"
"No."
The doctor was now amused. He did not expect to hear that answer. "Then why ask me if you could swim again?"
"Because swimming is a necessity." Zechs said calmly.
"Swimming is a necessity." The doctor repeated as his curiosity deepened. "Care to share your thoughts with me on that one?"
Zechs looked away, his eyes watching the already darkened sky. The memory of that horrible night came back to him like a flood.
The doctor waited patiently but in his heart, he already knew the answer. His patient was not ready yet.
"What is your name, doctor?" Zechs finally broke the silence as he turned back his attention at his doctor again. His own clear blue eyes met the doctor's pale blue ones squarely.
"Treize Krushenada."
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
TBC
Author: Canisa
Pairing: various for now (13+6, 6+1, 5+2, meiran+5, 3+4/4+3, R+1), but leading to 1+2/2+1, my favorite paring! ^__^
Warning : shounen-ai, AU (no gundam!!!) a bit angst.
Note: Gundam Wing is not mine. I am writing this for my own enjoyment. No profit is being made.
Quick Summary
Heero's family held a grunge against Duo's because Duo's grandfather had indirectly caused his grandfather's death.
Heero started to open up to Duo little by little until Relena Peacecraft finally showed her presence, declaring to Duo that she was engaged to Heero.
Treize Krushenada, a surgeon, saved a man, who later declared that his name is Zechs…..
Chapter 16 --- Water----
"HELP!!!!!!" The little girl grabbed onto the rail so tightly that it turned her knuckles white. "Onii-chan!!!! Papa!!!! Mama!!!!!"
With her knees still on the deck, she spared a glance at cabinet door. No one had rushed through the door. No one had heard her.
The little girl tried to bind her body to the railings, dare not to let go of the support, dare not to take off and rush into the cabin. Giving up on calling for help, she looked down at the sea wilding, eyes searching. The sky darkened even more, making it harder for the little girl to look for the Japanese boy. "Heero?" She called out timidly at first, her voice buried under the howling of the gusty wind.
The yacht rocked like a pendulum, subject to the mercy of the waves beneath and the wind blowing across.
The little girl panicked, feeling nauseated at the same time. She still did not see anything that resembled the Japanese boy. "Heero?!!!!" She slowly leaned her little body outside of the yacht while still holding onto the railings like her lifeline. "Heero!!!!" She bit down her lips as her eyes widened with increasing panic. "HEERO!!!!"
She moved along the railing carefully and slowly. Each rocking of the ship made her tremble with fear. The seawater splashed onto her new white dress. The coldness invaded her senses. She shivered.
Suddenly, she was confused.
She had thought she absolutely hated him. Hated him for robbing her brother. Hated him for his good looks that stole her brother's heart. Hated him for taking away her brother's attention from her. Hated him for leaving her all alone in the hands of her materialistic parents.
She had always seen Heero as a rivalry that she wanted to crush like a little bug underneath her thumb.
But instead, under the darkening sky, she screamed and screamed until her angelic voice had turned into a hideously hoarse sound, calling his name from the depth of her soul that she never knew she had it in her.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
"She saved you." Duo watched Heero incredulously, tumbling the words out with disbelief. "And that's why you propose to her?!"
"No."
"ARGGHH! You are fucking driving me nuts!" Duo threw his hands in the air. "Will you ever get to the point? Answer my question straight." Duo dashed toward Heero, his face merely inches before the Japanese youth. "Then why the fuck are you engaged to her?"
"It's a consent between our parents."
"It's arranged?" Duo gasped. "At this day and age? And you agreed?"
"Yes."
Duo sighed, backing and sinking on his bed. "I suppose she is pretty and all. And she is your savior too!" Duo said with a slightly mocking tone as he averted his eyes, not looking at Heero. "You love her?"
"No."
"Right." Duo looked up the ceiling. The tone hinted his disbelief in Heero's word. The unspoken words of 'then why the hell did you agree to marry her' buried in the back of his throat.
Silence filled the room, making the air thick with uncomfortableness. Duo fidgeted. His one hand came up to his hair and twirled it around his fingers.
Just as Duo was fighting hard what to say next, the alarm clock suddenly went off again. The sharp, shrieking sound made Duo jump and immediately slam the snooze button almost in reflex.
On the receiving end of Duo's attack, the poor alarm clock did not take the force well. It rocked like a ship trapped in the raging sea before it eventually tumbled down the nightstand, crashing down on the floor.
"Shit." Duo cursed under his breath as he hopped down the bed quickly and bent to pick up the clock. He toyed the clock in his hand a bit before he started to speak quietly. "Look. This whole situation is too complicated for my taste……" The longhaired youth brushed the face of the clock softly, not looking up. "Heero…. I would be lying if I said I don't have any affection for you." Duo paused, biting down his lip. "But I just can't …."
"I am breaking off the arrangement."
"Do you understand? I can't…." Duo suddenly lifted his head up when Heero's soft words sank in. He stared at the Japanese youth, his eyes huge. "What did you say?"
The cobalt blue eyes stared back at him boldly.
Duo trembled. "What did you say?"
Heero smiled, knowing that for once he had said the right thing. He approached Duo, closing the distance between them as he raised his arm. His finger traced down Duo's jaw line. "I am breaking off the marriage." He repeated, eyes never taken off Duo's.
Duo only blinked, words forgotten.
The corner of his mouth curved up as Heero slowly closed the distance even more.
Duo held his breathe. He could feel the hot air coming from Heero. The Japanese's hair tangled with his. The cobalt blue eyes looked even more gorgeous as he……
"Duo, honey! You are gonna be late to school if you don't hur….." Duo's mother stopped dead at the doorway. "Oh……." She did not waste any pause as she wisely turned away but the smile was still seen by the two boys.
Surprised, Duo tumbled back in embarrassment, a shade of crimson colored his cheek. "Yah, mom, be right there…….." He mumbled and scrambled toward the closet, trying hard to hide his embarrassment by turning away from Heero and fishing out a clean T-shirt and a pair of jeans. "Where is that damn shirt….."
"Here."
Duo turned around, his hands automatically came up to catch the flying T- shirt. In the mean time, the longhaired youth locked his eyes on the Japanese. He swore that he could still the remaining warmth in those blue eyes. Suddenly Duo felt hot on his cheek, remembering the feeling of Heero's lingering touch on his skin.
"Good Luck."
"Eh?" Like just woken up from a dream, Duo was clouded in confusion.
"The State competition. Baka"
Duo stoned for a brief second before he slapped himself on the forehead. "SHIT!!!"
Heero only sighed. He expected as much.
"Shit, shit , shit , shit, SHIT!!!!" Duo jumped over the bed to get to other side of the room. He then kneeled and dug out his duffle bag. "Odin is gonna kill me." He grabbed his Walkman nearby and stuffed it into the bag roughly. "HE is going to be so fucking mad!!!" He looked for his goggle.
"You forgot the practice training yesterday." Heero made a statement.
"Mom!!! Did you see my goggle?!!" Duo stopped searching underneath his bed and turned around, his mouth perched up slightly at Heero. "And whose fault do you think it is that I forgot about the practice?!!"
"Duo!" The mother yelled from the downstairs. "You are going to be late!! Quatre is waiting for you outside!"
"Coming!! Coming!!!" Duo shouted and glared at Heero in a benign way at the same time.
Heero ignored it.
"DUO!!!" The mother was persistent.
"Shit, I guess I will just borrow one from someone." Duo zipped up his duffle bag and flung it on the bed. He then stripped off his pajama, changing into his T-shirt and pulling his jeans up his legs.
"It's right here."
Duo looked up, seeing his goggle dangling on Heero's finger. Duo finished zipping up his jeans. Grabbing his duffle bag in one hand, he dashes toward Heero. "Oh, thanks man!" He took the goggle. Not knowing exactly what to say, he paused before he made his mind and started to rush out of the door.
But Heero took a hold of him by the wrist.
"What?" Hiding his nervousness, Duo spun around. "Did I forget something?"
"No, I forgot this." Heero stepped up and closed the remaining distance, sealing their lips together for a fraction of second before he released him.
Duo blushed, ferociously.
"Good luck."
"Un….." Duo only managed to blur out a single syllable.
"Duo!!!!" The patience in the mother's calling was already gone.
Duo gazed at Heero briefly before he turned and practically flew down the stairs. But as he reached the bottom, he threw back a glance at Heero. "You are not going to class?" The voice was hopeful.
Heero shook his head. "In a week." He paused, realizing what Duo might want to hear. "But I will be at the competition."
"You are gonna dive?!" Duo widened his eyes.
"No." Heero held his gaze. "Just to see you swim."
Duo heard the words loud and clear. And he simply could not believe it. He could feel his heart wanted to leap out of his chest with joy. He blushed ferociously again but smiled brilliantly this time. "I am gonna break the record for you, baby." He swung the duffle bag behind his back. "And you know it."
Heero smiled. "I know it."
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
The little girl did not know how or when she finally spotted him. She watched in terror as the Japanese boy's arm was miraculously caught between the loosen ropes dangling down the yacht.
"Heero!!!!" She called out.
But the Japanese boy never lifted his head up. His small body floated between the waves.
The little girl was scared by his unresponsiveness. The fact that it was so dark that she could not see his face made her even worried.
"HEERO!!!" She screamed at him. "You can't die yet!!! YOU just can't die yet!!!" The little girl turned around, shouting at the cabin. "Onii- chan!!! Onii-chan!!!!"
A huge wave came, loosening the Japanese boy from the rope even more.
The little girl made her mind quickly. She slowly and carefully followed the railing toward the lifeboat. When she got there, she searched for a rope and a life jacket. She remembered exactly how to put on the lifejacket and how to pull this little red tag so that jacket would expand and pack with air. After that, while sitting down the deck, she wrapped a thick rope around her tiny waist as tight as she could. She then tied the other end of the rope on the railings.
"Heero!!!" She called out. "You can't die yet!!!" She slowly stood up, the rope tightly bonded around her waist. "Because…. Because…… " She struggled to figure out her mind but couldn't.
She knew she hated him. There was no way she had feelings for him. Right?
Another wave pounded on the yacht furiously.
Keeping herself balanced, the little girl gave up trying to figure herself up and locked her eyesight on the Japanese boy. She took in a deep breath. The wind blew across her face, letting her blonde hair danced wildly in the air.
"Heero!" She called out one last time. "You just can't die yet!"
She jumped.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
He jumped.
His arms extended as he submerged in the water happily. It's been so long since Duo Maxwell enjoyed the coolness of the water. He had never thought he missed the smell of the chlorine this much. It had been a long four days since he swam. The incident with Heero had really thrown him off track on the practicing. In the mist of confusion and frustration, he had forgotten about the damn state competition and the Sunday practice.
Hence he had been avoiding Odin for a while now. He even sat all the way in the back of the bus just so that he did not have to face his wrath. God knows how many laps would he make him to swim! But now that they arrived the competition ground and Duo was relaxed. Unlike other swimmers, Duo was never tensed. To him, swimming was fun. He never treated it like a real competition. He simply loved the feeling of the water running through his body. Though as athletic as he was, he never loved basketball or baseball more than swimming. Perhaps it was the idea of the sweating body that made him vote swimming as his favorite sport.
Whatever it was, Duo did not care because he was in the water now.
He kicked vigorously in the water as his arm reached forward. Wrapped in that familiar touch of coolness, the longhaired boy felt safe and content.
"DUO MAXWELL!!"
Even with his head submerged in the water, Duo could still hear and distinguish whom the voice belonged to.
"Where. The. Hell. Were. You. YESTERDAY?"
Normally, Duo would cringe at that voice, but he didn't. Instead, he lifted his head from the water and stared straight at the coach. His eyes still shimmered with happiness from this morning's incident. "Yo, coach Odin." He called out cheerfully, not bothered by the ugly look on his coach's face.
"Do you know what the hell is it today?"
Duo briefly wondered since when did the coach started talking in a voice that was an octave higher. But wisely, Duo chose not to point that out. "Yeah, the state competition, Coach."
The Coach narrowed his eyes. "Heero is gone, Wufei is gone." His voice getting higher and louder. "You are my only chance of at least winning something today!!!"
"Heh?" Duo stared at the coach incredulously. "Wufie is gone? Why?" Duo scratched his head. "Then who the hell is going to dive?"
Odin looked at Duo slyly.
"Oh no." Duo backed away in the water. "Oh no you won't."
Odin smirked.
"I cannot dive!!!" Duo widened his violet eyes. "Don't make me go UP there!"
"DUO! There you are!"
Duo turned his attention away from Odin, just in time to see his friend, Quatre, walked toward him. Duo waved, a goofy smile hung on his face. "Yo!"
Odin folded his arms. "You are going up there."
"Heehhhh?" Duo shook his head wildly. "Not going. Definitely not going to go up there and dive."
"Hi, Coach Odin." Quatre greeted politely. "What's the fuss?"
Duo turned toward his friend, pleading for help. "Q!! Help me here! He is making me dive!!"
Quatre laughed at the puppy dog eyes. "Coach, please do give Duo a break. He really cannot dive."
Odin raised his eyebrow. "And why is that?"
"Because….." Quatre was going to continue his sentence but a cold splash of water suddenly attacked him. "Duo!!! I am trying to help!" The blonde boy looked down at his now wetted shirt with slight displeasure.
"Don't you go there, Q." Duo made a gesture of splashing water again. "Don't you even go there."
Odin was going to say something but was distracted as the announcement of a meeting for the coaches was made. "You better warm up and get ready, Duo." The coach hurriedly dropped the words out before he left.
Duo only exhaled, happy that the coach had finally dropped the subject .
"It's nothing to be ashamed of, Duo." Quatre smiled.
"Don't even." Duo glared.
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"Can I ever swim again?"
"You can accomplish anything if you put your mind to it."
Zechs laughed. "You sound like a third grade teacher, Doctor." He watched the way the sun settling down in the far west. "Can I even walk?" He whispered.
"From a strictly medical point of view, I'd say no." The doctor settled himself down on the bench next to his patient's wheel chair. "But then again, we doctors make mistakes."
"And how often is that, Doctor?"
"Often enough for you to have a chance to walk and swim again."
Zechs turned his attention to his doctor. "You always talk to your patients like that?"
"No. I don't' talk to them." Treize paused. "I usually meet my patients when they are already under anesthesia. Most of the time, I don't even see their faces."
"So why are you talking to me like this?"
"Because you are the first one that proved that my judgment was wrong."
"How so?"
"I did not think you could survive when you came in."
"I see." Zechs held his gaze at the doctor before he averted his eyes and looked up to the sky. "Same sentiment here." He whispered.
The doctor watched his patient with curiosity, wondering why he seeks out death so eagerly. The doctor decided to switch to a lighter subject. "So you love swimming?"
"No."
The doctor was now amused. He did not expect to hear that answer. "Then why ask me if you could swim again?"
"Because swimming is a necessity." Zechs said calmly.
"Swimming is a necessity." The doctor repeated as his curiosity deepened. "Care to share your thoughts with me on that one?"
Zechs looked away, his eyes watching the already darkened sky. The memory of that horrible night came back to him like a flood.
The doctor waited patiently but in his heart, he already knew the answer. His patient was not ready yet.
"What is your name, doctor?" Zechs finally broke the silence as he turned back his attention at his doctor again. His own clear blue eyes met the doctor's pale blue ones squarely.
"Treize Krushenada."
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TBC