Author's note: If something confuses you, go ahead and question it in the review. I may get to it later, or I may have overlooked something. This goes a little further, and will leave more questions, but I can't answer all of them yet. However, I will do what I can.
~~~~~_____~~~~~
He moved as if in a dream. Open the door for the nurse; assure her that everything was all right. Yes, he could dress himself. Of course he'd be ready to leave by the end of the hour. No, he didn't feel rushed. She smiled, her eyes a little friendlier now that his weren't glaring at her. With a gentle reassurance, she left him alone in the bathroom, shutting the door for him, but not before she handed him his clothes.
He looked in the mirror, taking everything in. The angelic face and the flawless skin of a young man. Brown hair, lacking any other coloration, hung limply around his shoulders; the long locks covering his chest and cascading down his back in tangles and waves. The features were almost familiar, and yet strikingly not. The gentle roundness of puberty had slimmed and faded into the lean face of a man in the first years of adulthood. The violet eyes, the same eyes that Duet had faced everyday for fifteen years, stared back at this person with the heart shaped face.
"My eyes." The voice was deeper, definitely husky. A smile lighted the features, teeth flashing in the dim lighting. "Hello, Mr. Maxwell." Slight accent from the newness of the vocal cords of this body. She...HE could deal with that, no problem. A laugh, rumbling out of his chest with ease. "My eyes, my voice, my life."
He kept his eyes to the mirror as he let the robe slip to the floor, and then slowly untied the hospital gown. It joined the robe in a puddle, and he took a chance to study this new self.
"I would have fallen in love with me." There was no doubt that the figure before the mirror was beautiful. The body was slender, but he could feel the muscles and strength. This body was not weak, not like Duet's had been. He blushed as he looked down at himself, taking in some of the most obvious differences. "Hello, Mr. Maxwell. Please take this time to come to know yourself well."
He laughed again, reaching out a hand to place a tapered finger against the glass. The nails were short, and he could tell by the unevenness that it was from biting. Nail biter in one life, nail biter in the next. A soft chuckle as he stared himself downs, trying to assimilate everything. He had a new body, and a new meaning to life. He had a mission, he knew, but it didn't seem important as he gazed at himself.
"Narcissistic. Great. I'm going to have to pry myself away from every mirror I see. At least that's something that hasn't changed. I still have an eye for the guys." He smiled to himself, and then froze. His eyes widened. "That's what this is? Great. I can handle that." He took a deep, studying breath and dropped his hand, turning away to sort through the clothes that the nurse had given him.
Black jeans that slid up his hips and hugged him tightly. He squirmed a little bit. Ladies weren't supposed to wear tight clothes, and it felt awkward. Good, but awkward. Something he could definitely get used to. A loose-fitting, long-sleeved dress shirt was next, followed by black socks, and a pair of heavy black boots. He was starting to notice a pattern. In between the layers of clothing, he found a comb and hair-tie.
"You can not expect me to comb out my hair using a comb!" He glared at the offending tool, staring at his reflection in the mirror. There would be no choice. He swung part of his hair over his shoulder, and began to work the comb through, starting at the bottom, and detangling it with his fingers.
~~~~~_____~~~~~
Thirty minutes later, he glared at himself in the mirror, holding half of his mane in one hand. It was still snarled and tangled, and each swipe of the comb made him grimace and bite his lip. It hurt, and he didn't like it. He'd have to remember to buy the kind of shampoo that he used to use.
His glance softened as it fell to his hair, and he sighed deeply. He turned on the water in the sink, and then leaned over it, piling his hair in the porcelain bowl. It might be a little easier to comb when wet, he figured. He dampened the locks, leaning his head closer to the faucet so that he could wet the roots. It wouldn't do to have half of his hair wet, and the other half dry.
The comb again, this time pulled through, heedless of the pain. He compressed his lips, stilling the sounds that begged to escape his lips as he continued to torture his scalp. In five minutes, no more, and he finished. With a mechanical move, he parted the tresses into three strands, and then braided them together, snapped the hair-tie into place, and nodded at himself in the mirror. It would do. He wasn't out to impress the world; he was out to make it better, and to stand up for what he believed in. He owed that to Duet, at least, to himself, for the part that had died.
"One pure thought, and I have a chance, from above no less, to prove to myself that I was right. If this is my reward for purity and humility, then I've already been proven right. If God wants one of his chosen to do this, then it can not be but right [1]."
A knock. "Mr. Maxwell?" He opened the door and smiled at the harassed nurse.
He winced as he recognized that look of fear in her eyes. "I'm sorry, miss." He bowed slightly to her, inclining his head. "I haven't been a very good patient, and I know that I've made your job uncommonly hard. My apologies."
She gaped at him as he moved past. "I-It's okay, Mr. Maxwell. I understand that this has been a trying ordeal. It's not every day that someone gets sideswiped by a semi while sitting at a stop sign!" He nodded as she gushed. That would explain why he was in the hospital. And at least some bizarre twist of fate hadn't left him as the drunk driver that had killed himself.
"Please, use my first name." He smiled, waiting while she blushed and stammered some more. He just wanted to know. He could probably look at his charts and find out, but this way was more fun.
"Okay, D-Duo." She shivered slightly. She was young, she couldn't be more than twenty-two, twenty-three. 'Duo' smiled charmingly, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. He could only hope that he hadn't acted this way in his original life. "I have to go." Her eyes said that she didn't want to, and he stifled his grin behind a gentle smile.
"Have a good day. Tell the doctor that I'll be right out." She smiled again and left. Violet eyes watched the door for a moment before the man brought his hand to his mouth to keep from laughing outright. "Oh goodness. How do some people get through school?" He remembered that look. It was the same one that Relena and Dorothy got each time they happened by some good-looking guy.
He looked around his room, trying to decide what to do with the rest of his time. He looked down at his body, encased as it was in black, and giggled. Realizing that men shouldn't giggle, he tried a chuckle, and then giggled when it came out as half-maniacal. This should be a fun day.
Next, he set about trying to walk, consciously stopping the previously natural sway to his hips. It was a walk that Duet had perfected by age twelve, but he'd be damned if he sashayed around town wearing all black and clodhopper boots. Although it could be fun. By the time the doctor came to lead him to the nurse's station, he was satisfied with the way he moved, and his decision to be manly.
That lasted until the doctor came into the room. "Mr. Maxwell?" He smiled, encouraging the man to continue. Not bad looking, for an older man. He had to be in his thirties, and his hair was graying at the temples, giving him a distinguished look.
"Hello, Doctor." He eyed him warmly, trying to make up for his hostility earlier. "I just need to reclaim my belongings and sign out."
"Good. This way, please." He followed the man, glancing occasionally at the bottom of the white coat and wishing that it wasn't that long. He had to smile, to himself at least, at his thoughts. Until he realized that other parts of his body had noticed. He gritted his teeth as his eyes widened. It had started as a twinge he shoved aside as discomfort, but he was quick to realize that his body was in link with his mind, and he was becoming aroused [2].
"Here's your wallet, Duo." The nurse smiled at him flirtatiously when they approached, and he grinned back. He accepted it gratefully, curling his fingers around hers before she could pull back. He bowed low over her hand, enjoying the widening surprise in her eyes as he kissed the smooth skin on the back. "I have to go. Good day."
She walked away quickly, holding her hand to her chest as she fought down her giggles. Duo looked up, meeting the doctor's amused gaze. They both chuckled together. "That's Marie. She's interning right now, trying to finish up her degree. Sweet kid, but her boyfriend is somewhat stand-offish."
Duo took the hint and nodded. "She seems younger than what she is, doesn't she?" He shrugged, turning to open his wallet. He didn't know if everything was in place, but if the large wad of bills was anything to go by, he had everything. He snapped it shut, keeping his grin to hide his astonishment. "Thank you, doctor. You've been wonderful. I'm sorry I was so much trouble."
"No trouble, Mr. Maxwell. I'm just glad that you don't seem to be suffering any after effects of your ordeal. Here's the number of a psychologist that works with the effects of being in accidents and things. Give him a call if you have any problems."
"Thank you. And please, if we happen to meet again, I hope that you'll call me Duo." They smiled at each other, and Duo watched as the doctor walked away. If the band on his left hand was anything to go by, Duo wasn't going to be seeing the doctor on any personal level, and he could only hope that it wasn't professional.
He opened the wallet again, searching for his driver's license. He found it in the first flap of the picture holder, and a face that was becoming increasingly familiar grinned up at him. Duo Maxwell. Born April first, 1981. April Fool's Day, mum and dad. Guess what surprise we have this year. That would make him, what? Twenty-one years old? Twenty, with an impending birthday. He flipped it over to look at the change of address sticker. He tried to remember where that street was. He'd grown up in this town, after all. He should be able to find his way around.
He shrugged his shoulders, moving onto other information. No restrictions, brown hair, hazel eyes. "I wonder if they have an option for violet." He smiled at the picture for several minutes, and then blinked back to reality as several harried nurses and orderlies ran past with a bed. "Looks like an emergency." He moved out of the way, following exit signs as he put the wallet in his back pocket.
The air outside was warm, and he paused for a moment, letting the wind blow against his face and body, barely moving the heavy braid that hung damply behind him. Violet eyes looked up at the sky, watching the clouds slowly rolling by. He ignored the passersby, choosing instead to concentrate on another day of living.
"Duo Maxwell?" He gritted is teeth. So much for enjoying the day. He turned around, forcing a grin to cover for his agitation. Wow.
He swallowed. "Can I help you?" Or jump you, whichever. The man before him was beautiful. Creamy looking skin, black hair pulled back into a severe ponytail, dark slanted eyes. Black eyes. What's the word? Onyx? Average height, shorter than Duo, but not by much. Older, more mature, but couldn't be past his late twenties. Lean build accentuated by the white dress pants, white blazer, and black undershirt.
"Detective Chang." He flashed a badge, his voice firm and accented, pausing a moment to let Duo read the basic information. Hello, Wufei Chang. "I want to ask you a few questions about the accident."
Duo immediately thought about the night before; watching the boy walk away, stepping into the street, seeing the car at the last second out of the corner of his eye. Pain, darkness, and then that dream-like conversation with Death. "The details area a little fuzzy." He doubted that the man talking to Duo Maxwell really cared about what happened to Duet. "My vehicle was side-swiped by a semi truck, while sitting at a stop sign."
It wasn't an out and out lie, but the fact that he was omitting part of the truth niggled at the back of his mind. He pushed it down. The dark eyes staring at him didn't even bother to blink. "It's possible that your accident was linked to another one last night, and any details that you can remember would be helpful."
He started to walk away, dismissing the brunette without so much as a curt 'good-bye'. Duo thought about it, weighing the odds that more than two accidents had occurred last night. He couldn't guarantee that there was a link, but he could hope. "Wait, Detective. I think I vaguely remember seeing a blue car weaving down the road. I saw it in peripheral, but it was a dark blue, four-door."
"Thank you, Mr. Maxwell." The other nodded at him, before pulling a business card out of his pocket. "The top number goes to the precinct. The bottom is my cell-phone. Call me if you remember anything else." He stepped back. "Good day, Mr. Maxwell."
Duo let him walk away, taking in the information on the card. He looked up quickly. "Wait!" He jogged to catch up grinning offhandedly. "Do you happen to know where I can find my car?"
The detective paused for a moment, before nodding. "It's probably at the impound lot. Do you have someone that can drive you?" Duo shook his head, eyeing the beauty in front of him hopefully. If the man noticed his leering and drooling, he gave no indication. "Hop in. I'll give you a lift."
"Thanks!"
[1] This, unfortunately, will become clearer LATER, not NOW. Sorry.
[2] Okay. Definitely, probably OOC. Although, I can imagine Duo staring at anything with a nice ass. He may seem fickle and hormone-ridden, but only the latter half is true. Keep in mind that he's new to this body, and he's just getting a chance to live again. (Yeah, it's only been a day. So what.) He won't be flickering from one crush to the next, but he is going to be openly AFFECTIONATE with quite a few people. That means, hugs, embraces, and chaste kisses.
Also, side note: I haven't yet decided what pairing I want with him, but I'm definitely going to push for a 3+4 later. However, all decisions made now are subject to change at my whim, so please don't lean too heavily on what I have early on. It's not set in stone until it's uploaded, and I've rewritten entire chapters in the five minutes before I've sent it to FF.net.
Endnote: I happened to tell a lie a little bit in the first chapter, at the endnote where I said that the boy (mugger) wasn't important. He's been running around my head all day, begging to be added back in. He's going to be joining the rest of the G-cast. And, yes, all the gundam boys will be in this, and so will some of the girls.
General warning: chapters will be short, but I should be able to get them out in pairs and groups.
