Heh, I went on a little writing spree, so you all have TWO, yes
TWO!, new chapter to read. ^^;;
Warning: Major angst ahead. Poor guys, and I haven't even gotten nearly as deep in angst as I want with this yet either.^^
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***
Wufei stood outside the south end entrance, he had fixed the security systems to unfreeze ten minutes after he left and already five of those moments had gone by and no Duo. But just as he was about to go in and see what the braided boy was doing, the door opened and he came out, rubbing his shoulder gingerly.
"Hurry up, we've only a few minutes before everything turns back on. Where's the detonator?" Wufei demanded.
"Don't worry, I've got it right here," Duo held up the slender hand-detonator to prove it. "Let's go so we can blow this place and get this over with."
The two tore off into the woods and didn't stop until they were a good half-mile into it, there Duo slowed and popped the cover of the detonator open, pressing the button.
The explosion rented the air violently and lit up the night sky with flames, smoking curling up to the heavens in thick tendrils of gray ribbon.
"Mission accomplished!" Duo grinned, but the grin turned into a slight grimace.
"What's wrong?"
"It's nothing, just my shoulder. Hit it when the bastard jumped me, that's all," he said nonchalantly.
The two started off again but before long though, Duo began to lag. He felt oddly lightheaded and as if someone were draining the strength right out of him with every running step he took. Finally, he just had to stop, his lungs burned and it hurt to breathe, he felt like he was on fire.
"Wufei- Hold up a sec will you?" Duo wheezed, his legs turning to jelly as he halted unsteadily and plopped onto the ground.
"Are you -that- out of shape, Maxwell." Wufei trailed off as he saw that there was something seriously wrong. He knelt down beside Duo and at closer inspection, the braided pilot looked absolutely horrible. He was way too pale; an ice cold sweat had broken out on his forehead even though his face felt like it could melt a diamond in an instant. "Come on, I'll help you up, we've got to get you back to the cabin," Wufei said almost worriedly, slinging Duo's uninjured arm around his shoulders, but as he hauled him to his feet, his violet eyes went glassy. Definitely not a good sign.
"Duo? Duo, you've got to stay with me here." No response, he didn't even stir at being called by his first name. Their current position just wasn't going to work for the remaining mile or more left to the cabin so after a brief consideration of their situation, Wufei scooped him up like a sleeping child with one arm wrapped around his back and the other under the crooks of his knees. Duo was surprising light for his size and build, though it was a bit awkward to go any faster than a brisk walking pace with him curled up almost in a ball, but Wufei tried going as fast as he could because Duo wasn't getting any better. If anything, his condition was deteriorating.
***
Duo blinked as Wufei dissolved into darkness and he found himself sitting cross-legged on the concrete floor of a partly demolished building, holding a medicine bottle in his hand. He instantly recognized where he was though, as soon as the whole scene fell into place.
'Not these dreams again.I thought I got rid of them.' He looked at the blonde haired boy lying on the ground in front of him and swallowed hard, knowing what was coming. It always happened. Always the same night after night, torturing his sleep. Taunting him about if only he had done something sooner.
The boy opened his clouded blue eyes and smiled faintly at Duo, using last shreds of energy to speak. [1]
"You came back.I didn't think you would make it."
***
"Solo."
Wufei paused, looking down. Duo's brow was furrowed intently, he didn't appear to have awakened, but he was apparently talking to somebody.
"I got the vaccine, Solo, you're gonna be okay now- you're gonna get better, you hafta 'cause I can't watch all the orphans by myself," Duo continued murmuring, his expression looking more pained. "Buddies 'till the end, we promised. We're the Unstoppable Duo, remember? You can't leave me alone." He sounded like a little five-year-old who just found out there was no such thing as Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny, nothing like the loud, comical Shinigami Wufei was used to hearing. He shifted uncomfortably as he walked, trying not to think of whatever tormenting memories Duo was obviously going though in his fever.
Luckily, the cabin came into view at just the same time and as Wufei carefully laid him down onto the couch, Duo began to shiver. Pulling off his sweaty tank top as he went, Wufei grabbed some of the quilts from in the bedroom and neatly tucked the braided pilot in. For a moment, it looked as if the fever had subsided a bit and he had fallen asleep, but he just turned over and paled further, if it was possible. Wufei pulled the worn coffee table closer to the couch and sat down, reaching out and feeling Duo's flaming face with something like concern in his gaze.
***
The dream of Solo's death faded and Duo found himself hiding behind the front pew in a run down church. Outside, gunshots rang wildly through the air and huge tanks made the earth tremble, the sounds of war were returning to an already too war- ravaged colony. A group of six people in camouflage were hounding a priest and a nun at the altar as more people dragged in wounded or dead soldiers in through the double doors at the back and what few other nuns there were in the church tended to them.
"All we have to do is capture the base!" One of the six officers said loudly. "All we need is a mobile suit and we'll be unstoppable!"
"It's the only to gain freedom," another replied and an undertone of agreement ran through the small group.
The priest found courage to object. " 'We, the people of the colonies, didn't come to live in space so we could fight.' No matter what, we mustn't fight. Heero Yuy said that once-" he began to assert but the man that had spoken up first knocked him to the worn carpeted floor with the butt of his rifle. Duo felt the rage building inside. It always did.
"Fool! This is war!" he spat at the unconscious priest. The nun jumped in front of him before he could do further harm, only to get slapped away. She fell to her knees, holding her face and looking at the officers in shock.
"Please, stop this! This is a place of worship and peace-" The nun pleaded, but it didn't effect them. He raised his hand to strike her again, but Duo's fury broke and he jumped out from his hiding place in the pews.
***
"Don't hurt Father Maxwell or Sister Helen anymore.All's you want is a mobile suit, right? I'll just go steal one for you! But you can't destroy the church- You have to promise not to." he turned again, away from the cool touch. "All they're doin' is making more orphans like me.I'll steal the suit and they'll end the war for good."
Wufei tucked his legs underneath him, watching Duo even though he didn't want to, but he couldn't help but sit and listen. It was the AC 188 Maxwell Church Tragedy.
***
It was happening again. He always came too late. The stolen truck with the mobile suit sat a few yards behind him, but Duo didn't care about that. He was walking in a daze into the ruins of the church. Bodies were strewn everywhere; blood soaked and stained the ground. Not wanting to turn the corner, but he knew he had to, Duo came and dropped down beside the battered nun, Sister Helen. Her deathlike face lit up briefly as he grabbed her hand and shamefully started to cry, rocking back and forth slowly.
It was always his fault. He came too late, every single time. Never being able to save anyone. Not Solo who was his first best friend. Not the church where he found a home when he thought he never would. Not Father Maxwell with his stupid Heero Yuy inspired preaching about peace to soldiers who knew nothing except the battlefield. Not Sister Helen and how she showed him that people really could love an orphan like him. His mistakes of never thinking things through. Bringing isolation onto himself. It was always his fault. [2]
***
"It's all my fault, Sister.it's 'cause I stole the suit, isn't it?" Tears trickled from the corners of his eyes. "I- I'll go get you a doctor- Sister Helen? C'mon, wake up.please.I'm sorry for leaving, I'm sorry for taking that dumb mobile suit.wake up for me, please."
It was too much for Wufei. His arrogant mask had left. How could a person be so cheerful and full of life with pasts like they've had? Hell, how could a person be -sane-? Okay, so there were times when the five pilots couldn't quite be considered sane. But -most- of the time they had a pretty firm grip on reality.
Wufei stooped down beside the couch and would have nearly wiped away the tears as gently as he could with his war callused fingers, but static came from the radio on the table. He jerked his hands back abruptly.
"02? 05? What are the stats?" It was Heero. Wufei got up and cleared his throat before turning on the receiver headset and responding.
"Mission accomplished."
***
[1]I don't know if Solo was really blonde haired or blue eyed, I just wrote my description of him as I saw him.
[2]Yes, I purposely over use 'always'. Since Duo's come to expect to lose all the time, reliving the same memories over again and knowing that he can't stop it, he just knows that he can't stop it. That it 'always' happens.
Warning: Major angst ahead. Poor guys, and I haven't even gotten nearly as deep in angst as I want with this yet either.^^
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***
Wufei stood outside the south end entrance, he had fixed the security systems to unfreeze ten minutes after he left and already five of those moments had gone by and no Duo. But just as he was about to go in and see what the braided boy was doing, the door opened and he came out, rubbing his shoulder gingerly.
"Hurry up, we've only a few minutes before everything turns back on. Where's the detonator?" Wufei demanded.
"Don't worry, I've got it right here," Duo held up the slender hand-detonator to prove it. "Let's go so we can blow this place and get this over with."
The two tore off into the woods and didn't stop until they were a good half-mile into it, there Duo slowed and popped the cover of the detonator open, pressing the button.
The explosion rented the air violently and lit up the night sky with flames, smoking curling up to the heavens in thick tendrils of gray ribbon.
"Mission accomplished!" Duo grinned, but the grin turned into a slight grimace.
"What's wrong?"
"It's nothing, just my shoulder. Hit it when the bastard jumped me, that's all," he said nonchalantly.
The two started off again but before long though, Duo began to lag. He felt oddly lightheaded and as if someone were draining the strength right out of him with every running step he took. Finally, he just had to stop, his lungs burned and it hurt to breathe, he felt like he was on fire.
"Wufei- Hold up a sec will you?" Duo wheezed, his legs turning to jelly as he halted unsteadily and plopped onto the ground.
"Are you -that- out of shape, Maxwell." Wufei trailed off as he saw that there was something seriously wrong. He knelt down beside Duo and at closer inspection, the braided pilot looked absolutely horrible. He was way too pale; an ice cold sweat had broken out on his forehead even though his face felt like it could melt a diamond in an instant. "Come on, I'll help you up, we've got to get you back to the cabin," Wufei said almost worriedly, slinging Duo's uninjured arm around his shoulders, but as he hauled him to his feet, his violet eyes went glassy. Definitely not a good sign.
"Duo? Duo, you've got to stay with me here." No response, he didn't even stir at being called by his first name. Their current position just wasn't going to work for the remaining mile or more left to the cabin so after a brief consideration of their situation, Wufei scooped him up like a sleeping child with one arm wrapped around his back and the other under the crooks of his knees. Duo was surprising light for his size and build, though it was a bit awkward to go any faster than a brisk walking pace with him curled up almost in a ball, but Wufei tried going as fast as he could because Duo wasn't getting any better. If anything, his condition was deteriorating.
***
Duo blinked as Wufei dissolved into darkness and he found himself sitting cross-legged on the concrete floor of a partly demolished building, holding a medicine bottle in his hand. He instantly recognized where he was though, as soon as the whole scene fell into place.
'Not these dreams again.I thought I got rid of them.' He looked at the blonde haired boy lying on the ground in front of him and swallowed hard, knowing what was coming. It always happened. Always the same night after night, torturing his sleep. Taunting him about if only he had done something sooner.
The boy opened his clouded blue eyes and smiled faintly at Duo, using last shreds of energy to speak. [1]
"You came back.I didn't think you would make it."
***
"Solo."
Wufei paused, looking down. Duo's brow was furrowed intently, he didn't appear to have awakened, but he was apparently talking to somebody.
"I got the vaccine, Solo, you're gonna be okay now- you're gonna get better, you hafta 'cause I can't watch all the orphans by myself," Duo continued murmuring, his expression looking more pained. "Buddies 'till the end, we promised. We're the Unstoppable Duo, remember? You can't leave me alone." He sounded like a little five-year-old who just found out there was no such thing as Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny, nothing like the loud, comical Shinigami Wufei was used to hearing. He shifted uncomfortably as he walked, trying not to think of whatever tormenting memories Duo was obviously going though in his fever.
Luckily, the cabin came into view at just the same time and as Wufei carefully laid him down onto the couch, Duo began to shiver. Pulling off his sweaty tank top as he went, Wufei grabbed some of the quilts from in the bedroom and neatly tucked the braided pilot in. For a moment, it looked as if the fever had subsided a bit and he had fallen asleep, but he just turned over and paled further, if it was possible. Wufei pulled the worn coffee table closer to the couch and sat down, reaching out and feeling Duo's flaming face with something like concern in his gaze.
***
The dream of Solo's death faded and Duo found himself hiding behind the front pew in a run down church. Outside, gunshots rang wildly through the air and huge tanks made the earth tremble, the sounds of war were returning to an already too war- ravaged colony. A group of six people in camouflage were hounding a priest and a nun at the altar as more people dragged in wounded or dead soldiers in through the double doors at the back and what few other nuns there were in the church tended to them.
"All we have to do is capture the base!" One of the six officers said loudly. "All we need is a mobile suit and we'll be unstoppable!"
"It's the only to gain freedom," another replied and an undertone of agreement ran through the small group.
The priest found courage to object. " 'We, the people of the colonies, didn't come to live in space so we could fight.' No matter what, we mustn't fight. Heero Yuy said that once-" he began to assert but the man that had spoken up first knocked him to the worn carpeted floor with the butt of his rifle. Duo felt the rage building inside. It always did.
"Fool! This is war!" he spat at the unconscious priest. The nun jumped in front of him before he could do further harm, only to get slapped away. She fell to her knees, holding her face and looking at the officers in shock.
"Please, stop this! This is a place of worship and peace-" The nun pleaded, but it didn't effect them. He raised his hand to strike her again, but Duo's fury broke and he jumped out from his hiding place in the pews.
***
"Don't hurt Father Maxwell or Sister Helen anymore.All's you want is a mobile suit, right? I'll just go steal one for you! But you can't destroy the church- You have to promise not to." he turned again, away from the cool touch. "All they're doin' is making more orphans like me.I'll steal the suit and they'll end the war for good."
Wufei tucked his legs underneath him, watching Duo even though he didn't want to, but he couldn't help but sit and listen. It was the AC 188 Maxwell Church Tragedy.
***
It was happening again. He always came too late. The stolen truck with the mobile suit sat a few yards behind him, but Duo didn't care about that. He was walking in a daze into the ruins of the church. Bodies were strewn everywhere; blood soaked and stained the ground. Not wanting to turn the corner, but he knew he had to, Duo came and dropped down beside the battered nun, Sister Helen. Her deathlike face lit up briefly as he grabbed her hand and shamefully started to cry, rocking back and forth slowly.
It was always his fault. He came too late, every single time. Never being able to save anyone. Not Solo who was his first best friend. Not the church where he found a home when he thought he never would. Not Father Maxwell with his stupid Heero Yuy inspired preaching about peace to soldiers who knew nothing except the battlefield. Not Sister Helen and how she showed him that people really could love an orphan like him. His mistakes of never thinking things through. Bringing isolation onto himself. It was always his fault. [2]
***
"It's all my fault, Sister.it's 'cause I stole the suit, isn't it?" Tears trickled from the corners of his eyes. "I- I'll go get you a doctor- Sister Helen? C'mon, wake up.please.I'm sorry for leaving, I'm sorry for taking that dumb mobile suit.wake up for me, please."
It was too much for Wufei. His arrogant mask had left. How could a person be so cheerful and full of life with pasts like they've had? Hell, how could a person be -sane-? Okay, so there were times when the five pilots couldn't quite be considered sane. But -most- of the time they had a pretty firm grip on reality.
Wufei stooped down beside the couch and would have nearly wiped away the tears as gently as he could with his war callused fingers, but static came from the radio on the table. He jerked his hands back abruptly.
"02? 05? What are the stats?" It was Heero. Wufei got up and cleared his throat before turning on the receiver headset and responding.
"Mission accomplished."
***
[1]I don't know if Solo was really blonde haired or blue eyed, I just wrote my description of him as I saw him.
[2]Yes, I purposely over use 'always'. Since Duo's come to expect to lose all the time, reliving the same memories over again and knowing that he can't stop it, he just knows that he can't stop it. That it 'always' happens.