Chibi-muse Duo- (flying in crazy circles above LL and FireImp's heads,
singing the theme song from Ranma 1/2)
Chibi-muse Heero- (still trying to make a bonfire in the backyard with hairspray and a lighter)
Chibi-muse Trowa- (on a desperate search for a fire extinguisher in case Heero actually does set the backyard on fire)
Chibi-muse Quatre- (making ramen for dinner while wearing a little apron that says 'Kiss the chibi')
Chibi-muse Wufei- (sharpening his swords and making little practice dummies that look like Duo)
FireImp and LL- (holding up signs) Whatever keeps them happy and occupied.
LL- (on a sign) We need to find them some better hobbies.
FireImp- (sign) No kidding.
Llama- (makes pancakes and blueberry muffins while watching a 'how to do gymnastics' video)
The Gundam boys were innocently sitting at the bar when their eyes took a short flight across the room. Re and Ri had changed into their party clothes (tight stuff) and Ri had managed to get make-up on Re. They weren't wearing much make-up, just enough to accent their key features. Wufei looked at Re, and his gaze was instantly drawn to her eyes. What had Ri done to make them appear so much deeper? Duo was thinking the same thing about Ri's. eyes. Tonight Ri wore a tight, short black skirt and a burgundy tank top accented with gold earrings and a pendant that was brass wire wrapped around a hunk of amber. Re wore her usual jeans and a white sweater she had gotten at a Ren fair with a fluorite crystal dangling from her one pierced ear. Ri slide into a chair next to Duo and Re flying glomped Quatre.
"Kawaii, come dance with me, pretty please?" The innocent blond looked at her with that deer-caught-in-headlights look on his face. He looked at Rashid, who shrugged, and Quatre gulped and slowly nodded his head. She dragged him from his chair, and walked arm-in-arm with him right past Wufei toward the dance floor. He looked up at them as they passed, trying to suppress the urge to go ask her to dance with him. She seemed to be ignoring him, which bothered him. Usually she was doing her damnedest to get him to go out and have fun. Had Maxwell told her? If he had, he would regret it. He went over to Duo and pulled him away from the table.
"Have you told Re about Nataku?" he said to Duo after they had reached an empty corner.
"I told Ri, but not Re. And I didn't even really tell her that much. Why?"
"The onna is ignoring me."
"What did you do?"
"Nothing!"
"If Re is ignoring you, than you must have done something."
"I don't know! I woke up this morning, and I had been dreaming about Nataku, so of course I imagined that she was Nataku.."
"You didn't call her Nataku, did you?"
"Yeah, why?"
"You idiot."
"What!?"
"Isn't it obvious? Look, she obviously has a crush on you. I don't need her sisters to tell me that. It's written all over her face. You know how Ri was all worried all day? And how Re slept in so late? I think you're why. She probably thinks you have a girlfriend or something and you're just letting her flirt with you to boost your ego. You never call a woman by another woman's name, especially if that girl has a crush on you. It causes some major issues. Trust me."
"Why?"
"Just trust me. I've known more women than you have."
"So what should I do?"
"Go dance with her and tell her what's going on. Once she knows what you've been through, I'm sure she won't be upset." Duo looked out to the table and began to watch Ri as she flirted very openly and very heavily with Quatre, who blushed and did his best to flirt back. The Maganacs were giving him hints under their breath in Arabic so Ri wouldn't understand. "Women are amazing creatures. You never know what secrets they have hidden within them." (LL-FORESHADOWING! Bum-bum-bum.)
Quatre was a classy dancer, not a happy, I-have-no-idea-what-I'm- doing dancer like Re and Ri; he spun her on the dance floor in a high-paced waltz. Re was having trouble not tripping over her own feet, and not stepping on poor Quatre. She'd never learned how to waltz, much less do anything more than move her feet and shake her hips. She finally pleaded exhaustion and allowed Ri to try her hand at waltzing. She ordered a lager, and drank deeply from the bottle. Wufei sat down next to her, snagged her beer and stole a swallow from it. She only looked vaguely surprised at him. "Help yourself, Wufei." At the depth of his gaze on the bottle, she asked him, "What's the matter? Bad day?"
He shook his head, and offered no explanation. He was thinking of his dream last night, so powerful and realistic that he'd awakened with Nataku's name on his lips. They'd been in that meadow again, with him sitting next to her, and Nataku leaning heavily against him, slowly dying. She'd looked up at him, smiled and murmured, "You know, Wufei, I love you, but.I have a feeling that we're.not doomed exactly, but just not meant to be. Do you understand?"
He remembered feeling bewildered. "Nataku.what're you saying?"
Nataku suddenly gained the strength to support herself and look him in the eyes. "There is another life for you. Maybe not with me, but with someone else." Her eyes flickered unexpectedly, and he reached for her, but she fell away from his grasp, and she dissolved into the bed of flowers. That was when he'd awakened, giving explanation for saying her name. He said gently, "I have something to tell you, Re."
Re turned to face him, concern written all over her face. She knew what he was going to tell her, but it was his to tell, and she wasn't going to interrupt. "I think we should go.some where private."
Re obliged, not wanting to scare him off or usurp the sincerity of the situation. They found a small empty storage room. He closed the door behind him, and Re sat on a box. He stood before her, not looking at her, but talking softly. "I had a wife, Nataku, a few years ago, when I was fourteen." At her shocked expression, he explained, "That was our way, and it still is. Nataku wanted nothing to do with me. She was a fighter, I was a scholar; complete opposites. When the Alliance attacked, she didn't hesitate to jump into a mobile suit and protect her family and home." His eyes were deep, gazing far into the distance, as if the past lay there and he was drawing the story from it. "She took the fight into outer space, to spare the flowers in my meadow. She knew I loved that meadow, and she risked her life. just for that. She wasn't strong enough to pilot the suit in space, so I activated the Shenlong Gundam and went after her. She fought bravely and ended the battle, but her mobile suit failed, and she was fatally injured. Her only request of me was that I take her back to our colony, to the meadow." His voice was softer, almost unintelligible, but Re was too rapt not to hear it. "I carried her there, and sat with her, and we talked. And for the first time, there was some affection between us." The way his voice strained against tears almost made her cry, but she withheld them. "And she died there, in my arms, the strongest warrior even then."
He hadn't heard her get up or come over to him, but suddenly she was there, touching his face tenderly, soothing him, begging him with her eyes to let her comfort him. And he did. He dissolved into his tears and she held him, whispering to him and stroking his hair. Re almost succumbed to her own tears, but she knew that that wouldn't help Wufei at all. She couldn't quite hug him close enough to her, but if she held him any tighter or closer, he would probably suffocate. She kissed his temple and whispered, "Wufei.I'm sorry, God, I'm so sorry.but I'm here, and I love you.please don't cry, baby."
He stopped, and took a deep breath. He took her hand that was cradling his head and kissed her palm. He held it to his cheek and murmured roughly, "Thank you. For listening and understanding." He paused before he finished. "And for loving me."
She hadn't realized that she'd revealed that little piece of trivia. She felt mortified for only a second before she found that he didn't appear to mind, and that it seemed to help. She'd been so moved by his story that she'd just poured out everything in her heart for him to examine. He pressed his head against her shoulder and sighed. "You know, I love you too."
They sat together for a moment, then decided to go back out before anyone got the wrong idea. Re went to sit next to Trowa, and futilely tried to start a conversation. She ended up falling asleep on his shoulder, while Trowa just sat quietly sipping his tea after draping his jacket over her shoulders. He didn't think Wufei would be happy if he let her catch a cold.
Ri decided to let Quatre off the hook and went over to Re, who had fallen asleep again, this time leaning on Trowa. Ri took Trowa's place, gave him his jacket back and also fell into a light slumber. The two sat side by side, the resemblance was remarkable. Hours later, it was closing time. Howard always let the people who lived over the bar stay late, and at the time the Gundams were the only ones there. Ri and Re were still asleep at the table. The guys had gone to the other side of the room so they wouldn't disturb the girls. Duo had filled the guys in on the fact that Ri was possibly an old friend of his, but he didn't go into much detail. He didn't like talking about his past. The only one who knew the whole deal was Wufei, and that was only because Duo had had a nightmare while he was sharing a room with Wufei and had been talking in his sleep. Naturally, Wufei had wanted to know what Duo had been talking about and had threatened to cut off his braid while he slept if he didn't explain. After that Wufei had explained about Nataku, just in case he began talking in his sleep and to keep things fair. Plus, he knew if he started talking about a woman, the braided baka would get the wrong idea, as usual. The others knew little to nothing about the pasts of either of the two boys.
Suddenly, a loud crash came from the other table. Ri and Re had fallen out of the chair and both seemed to be having the same nasty nightmare. They were yelling for someone to stop, about how much they hurt, how they wanted to get away. Duo and Wufei were the first ones by their side. They tried to shake the girls awake. The girls hit them rolled away, and only then did they seem to get a hold on where they were. Ri looked very shaken and Re was on the verge of tears. Noin had been on her way inside when she heard their yelling and had rushed to her sisters. When they caught sight of Noin they ran into her arms and both fell apart. Ri was sobbing loudly and Re was clinging to them, trying not to cry to loudly. The boys were very confused, worried, and they all wanted to see if they could help. When they approached, Noin shook her head, signaling for them to stay away. She began murmuring to her sisters, trying to comfort them and stop their tears. Eventually they stood and went to the bathroom to wash their faces. They looked terrible. Their make-up was all smudged and their eyes were all red. As soon as the door of the bathroom was closed, Noin pulled the guys to the corner farthest away from the bathroom and began talking to them in a low whisper.
"I know all of you are worried, but please leave them alone. You couldn't possibly understand what they've been through and I don't want any of you to make things worse for them. It happened many, many years ago but they still get nightmares from it. Whatever you do, avoid the subject if you can."
"Miss Noin, but how can we not make things worse if we don't know what to avoid?" said Quatre.
"The weakling has a point. How can we avoid a bad subject if we don't know what the subject is?"
Noin sighed, extremely reluctant to reveal the secret of her and her sisters. She pulled them into a tight group and began to explain. "When we were young, all three of us, we were abused by our father." She paused while to let it sink in. "He didn't abuse us sexually, though he did try a few times but our mother stopped him. He was abusing her too, but she would stand up to him whenever he tried something like that. I was older, and I was able to get out before they did. I ran away when I was eight. Mom and Dad didn't bother to try to find me. Mom figured I was better off out of that house and Dad was happier that there was one less mouth to feed and one less person to fuck things up. I figured I would join the military and come back for them when I could support them. They were only four then. They used to hate each other, especially after I left."
"But how could that be? They're practically joined at the hip," said Duo, who was the first to recover from the shock.
"Dad would pit them against each other. Ri would get beaten for not being like Re, and vice versa. He wanted them to be identical. He would yell at Ri because her eyes were brown and ugly, not pretty and green like Re's. He would yell at Re because her skin wasn't the pretty olive color Ri's was. And those are just some of the appearance issues he picked on. They still think that the other is more beautiful than they are. Neither Ri or Re could satisfy him and they were both harshly punished for it. They didn't stop hating each other until the night Dad pulled a knife on them."
"What happened?" asked Wufei.
"He was eating a steak, which Re had cooked. It wasn't tender enough for him, so he turned on Re with the knife. He was about to stab her with it when Ri tackled him. She hated Re, but not enough that she wanted her dead. Dad slashed Ri's leg and threw her against the counter next to the table. Before he could do anything worse to her, Re hit him with a metal baseball bat and knocked him out cold. He didn't cut Ri very deeply. She has a scar, but it's very faint. It's just that the cut started on her hip and ran all the way down to her ankle. On top of that, she cut her forehead on the counter. You know that scar over her right eyebrow? That's how she got it."
"That scar's huge! You can still see where the stitches were!" said Quatre.
"I know. Ri was bleeding very heavily from her head, and her leg was bleeding a lot, too. Re somehow managed to get Ri to a hospital before she bled to death, and as soon as Ri could walk they ran away from there and never looked back. This was when they were about five or six. Since the moment they saved each other, they've been best friends. They lived under a bridge for a while, but they got separated during a rainstorm and Ri ended up in the river the bridge went over. Somehow, Re ended up at the base I was training at. Neither one of us knew where Ri was. Eventually, we did find her. This was when they were about seven or eight. If you want to tell them you know the story, go ahead, but don't say more than that. The most painful wounds aren't visible from the surface and take the longest to heal. These wounds have yet to heal, and they are still tender."
"Did you happen to find her at a church?" asked one of the pilots.
"What?" said Noin.
"Did you find her in a church?" repeated Duo.
"Yes, as a matter of fact we did."
"So that's why she donates most of her salary to churches," said Trowa.
"Was it the Maxwell Church?" continued Duo, getting more excited by the minute.
"Yes, it was," she said, beginning to get suspicious of something, "She was horrified after the Maxwell Church Tragedy, especially after she heard that they was only one survivor. She cheered up considerably when she heard that the survivor was a young boy. Why do you ask Duo?"
"Ever wonder why I donate my bonuses to churches?" At that he turned and returned to the table and waited for Ri to come back out, now confirmed in his knowledge.
I'll be damned. So he's the one she's been looking for, Noin thought as she grinned and went to join Duo.
"Hey guys, don't say anything about me asking about the church. She made me a promise, and I want to see if she kept it."
Meanwhile, Re and Ri were doing their best to get each other cleaned up. Ri was still shaking and Re was happily wiping her face.
"How can you be happy right now?"
"I'm getting this damn make-up off. That's enough to cheer me up."
"Whatever frosts your cupcake."
"Cupcake? Can I have a cupcake?" Re's voice was hopeful.
Ri rolled her eyes, opened her purse and started to reapply her make-up. She always did a lot of work around her eyes. She accented them with colors that gave them more depth or a sultrier look, something that she had always been told she had lacked. Next to her, Re was trying to apply blush that made her less pale looking, something she had been severely criticized for. Neither one said a word until they were done, when they hugged.
"I still owe you," said Re, rubbing her face on her sister's shoulder.
"We're even," replied Ri, remembering that day so far in the past. They smiled at each other, glad that the horrors of the past were gone and behind them, though the ghosts still lingered. They hadn't seen their father or mother since the day they went to the hospital. They hoped never to see him again, though they missed their mother with all of their hearts. Arms around each other's shoulders, they went back out to join the guys.
"So, are you going to see if Duo's the one now?"
"Yep. If you want to help, just follow my lead."
Together they arrived at the table, and were immediately pulled into the small arms of their favorite kawaii blond.
"Noin has told us about your nightmares. I can't say I know how you feel, because I don't, but if it helps at all I want you to know that I'm sorry for what you were put through and if you ever feel like talking, I'm willing to listen. If you don't want to talk about it, then you don't have to say a thing," said Quatre, hugging them tightly. The two girls were surprised by his gesture. Usually they were the ones hugging him, and then he didn't seem to always like it. After a moment, they hugged him back and thanked him for his kindness. When they were released, they saw the other pilots looking at them. Heero and Trowa didn't seem too affected by what Noin had told them, but when they came closer, the boys asked them if they were okay and if they wanted to be left alone. For them, this was a major show of compassion. The girls didn't want to be alone then, they never did after those dreams, but they were thirsty and water sounded good. They eagerly went to get them their drinks. As Wufei looked at them, his eyes glowed with a new respect for them and their ability to survive. These were not weak onnas. These were strong warriors with the ability to rise above challenges and grief. And as they went to sit, he stood up, pulled the chairs out for them, and bowed in a respectful manner. They sat and he pushed their chairs in. They were about to say something but he cut them off.
"Don't get used to this treatment, onnas. Tonight you relived a horrible episode, and we are just trying to help you cope." He kneeled beside Re's chair, looked her straight in the eyes and said in a voice so low only she could hear him, "If you ever have one of these dreams again, come to me. I'm no therapist, but I will comfort you as best I can. As I have no girlfriend, you needn't worry about a vengeful onna coming for your hide." He brushed some stray hairs out of her eyes and let his hand rest on her shoulder. "Sometimes after a bad dream, you can't stand being alone. If you ever need just to be with someone."
"I know where to go," she finished for him. She gave him a hug, pulling him close to her. "Thank you for caring, Wufei. Ri told me about Nataku. If you ever need to talk or just be with someone, come to me. I like to keep things even." Wufei just let her hold him, sensing that she needed it. He was a bit upset she knew about Nataku, but she seemed to be okay with it.
"That was the past. Though I still miss her, and the thought that I wasn't that great a husband to her while she was alive stings, I know she watches over me and I can feel her presence."
"It was her way to uphold justice. The fact that she died protecting justice is what she wanted. She is still alive. She is justice. " Wufei looked at Re. What she had just said were Nataku's last words before getting into the suit she would fight her last battle in. Could this be the sign he had asked for? Did Nataku approve of this girl to be his? He just stared at her until she caught him staring, then he looked down at his tea.
Ri watched this little mini-drama unfold, and then turned to Duo. "So, why do you wear your hair in a braid, Duo? Not that it looks bad or anything, I'm just curious."
"Yeah, I guess you don't see guys with three foot braids everyday, huh?" They both laughed. Duo prayed she remembered him. "Well, I used to wear my hair down when I was really little until I went to this one place. There was this lady there who used to be real important to me. She died about ten years ago, but she braided for me so it wouldn't get all tangled and stuff. I've just kept it like this because I like it and it's my reminder of her kindness to me."
"What was her name?"
"Her name was Sister Helen."
"You called her sister? Was she a nun or something?"
"Yeah. I donate my bonuses to churches because of what her and the priest at that church did for me."
"Was there ever anyone else who was really important to you?"
Duo looked at her. She seemed to honestly know nothing about him. Have I really changed that much? Does she just not remember me? Or is she playing dumb until she certain of who I am? He sighed, pretending to be thinking the question over. Well, guess I'll just answer her honestly. "There were two other people who were really important to me. One of them is who I got my first name from, the other is who I got my will to get through the war from."
"Who were they?"
"Well, the guy who I got my name from died of a virus a long time ago. Before I had met Sister Helen. I didn't have anywhere to go, so he took me in. He taught me how to survive. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for some of the things he had taught me. His name was Solo, and when he died he said he would always be with me. Since I didn't really have a name at the time, I decided I would be Duo, since it would always be the two of us."
"And the other?"
Duo gulped. Now was the moment of truth. Re had been following the conversation and was now paying close attention. "She never really told me her name. All of us, Solo before he died, Sister Helen, and the father, called her Angel. She looked more like a fairy, but Solo always said she was the angel that was sent to heaven because she was too mischievous to stay up there and she hadn't gone to hell because Satan was afraid she would take over." He laughed. "A little hellish angel. Always hyper and smiling." Then he became quiet and sad. "I don't know where she is now, though. I didn't have a family, but she had two sisters who came one day and took her away. She promised me she would find me one day and that she would never forget me. A few days later the church was attacked and I was the only one who had survived."
Re decided this had gone on long enough. "Good thing we got you out of there when we did then, huh sis?"
Ri smiled. She had heard enough. "Yeah. If you and Noin hadn't gotten me out of there, I would be a real angel. Though heaven probably wouldn't accept me, and you can be certain I would take over hell." She jumped into Duo's lap. "I'm so glad I've finally found you. I was so afraid I wouldn't be able to keep my promise." She hugged him and pulled him close. Duo realized what she was saying and stood, tossing her in the air and catching her as she came down.
"ANGEL!!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. He spun her in circles. Re laughed and clapped her hands. "Finally!"
The rest of the Gundam boys sat in complete oblivion, unsure of exactly what was causing all the joy and happiness and whatnot, so they held up little signs that read, 'YAY!' on them. And all was good with the Gundam pilots.
LL- (still using signs) We all have strep. We so sorry for lack of better dialogue.
FireImp- (sign) At least it's quiet around here.
(Chibi-muses continue with their various tasks)
Llama- (gives chibi-muses pancakes)
LL- (sign) Oh, crud. Now they have sugar.
(Llama gives LL some pancakes)
FireImp- (sign) Oh, crap, now she has sugar. PLEASE SOMEBODY SAVE ME FROM THESE MANIACS!!!!
(LL and Duo start dancing in circles and playing with Wufei's hair)
Chibi-muse Wufei- (very good imitation of the Heero Yuy Death Glare ©)
FireImp- (sign) Just read and review, pretty please?
Llama- (holds out a plate of pancakes)
Chibi-muse Heero- (still trying to make a bonfire in the backyard with hairspray and a lighter)
Chibi-muse Trowa- (on a desperate search for a fire extinguisher in case Heero actually does set the backyard on fire)
Chibi-muse Quatre- (making ramen for dinner while wearing a little apron that says 'Kiss the chibi')
Chibi-muse Wufei- (sharpening his swords and making little practice dummies that look like Duo)
FireImp and LL- (holding up signs) Whatever keeps them happy and occupied.
LL- (on a sign) We need to find them some better hobbies.
FireImp- (sign) No kidding.
Llama- (makes pancakes and blueberry muffins while watching a 'how to do gymnastics' video)
The Gundam boys were innocently sitting at the bar when their eyes took a short flight across the room. Re and Ri had changed into their party clothes (tight stuff) and Ri had managed to get make-up on Re. They weren't wearing much make-up, just enough to accent their key features. Wufei looked at Re, and his gaze was instantly drawn to her eyes. What had Ri done to make them appear so much deeper? Duo was thinking the same thing about Ri's. eyes. Tonight Ri wore a tight, short black skirt and a burgundy tank top accented with gold earrings and a pendant that was brass wire wrapped around a hunk of amber. Re wore her usual jeans and a white sweater she had gotten at a Ren fair with a fluorite crystal dangling from her one pierced ear. Ri slide into a chair next to Duo and Re flying glomped Quatre.
"Kawaii, come dance with me, pretty please?" The innocent blond looked at her with that deer-caught-in-headlights look on his face. He looked at Rashid, who shrugged, and Quatre gulped and slowly nodded his head. She dragged him from his chair, and walked arm-in-arm with him right past Wufei toward the dance floor. He looked up at them as they passed, trying to suppress the urge to go ask her to dance with him. She seemed to be ignoring him, which bothered him. Usually she was doing her damnedest to get him to go out and have fun. Had Maxwell told her? If he had, he would regret it. He went over to Duo and pulled him away from the table.
"Have you told Re about Nataku?" he said to Duo after they had reached an empty corner.
"I told Ri, but not Re. And I didn't even really tell her that much. Why?"
"The onna is ignoring me."
"What did you do?"
"Nothing!"
"If Re is ignoring you, than you must have done something."
"I don't know! I woke up this morning, and I had been dreaming about Nataku, so of course I imagined that she was Nataku.."
"You didn't call her Nataku, did you?"
"Yeah, why?"
"You idiot."
"What!?"
"Isn't it obvious? Look, she obviously has a crush on you. I don't need her sisters to tell me that. It's written all over her face. You know how Ri was all worried all day? And how Re slept in so late? I think you're why. She probably thinks you have a girlfriend or something and you're just letting her flirt with you to boost your ego. You never call a woman by another woman's name, especially if that girl has a crush on you. It causes some major issues. Trust me."
"Why?"
"Just trust me. I've known more women than you have."
"So what should I do?"
"Go dance with her and tell her what's going on. Once she knows what you've been through, I'm sure she won't be upset." Duo looked out to the table and began to watch Ri as she flirted very openly and very heavily with Quatre, who blushed and did his best to flirt back. The Maganacs were giving him hints under their breath in Arabic so Ri wouldn't understand. "Women are amazing creatures. You never know what secrets they have hidden within them." (LL-FORESHADOWING! Bum-bum-bum.)
Quatre was a classy dancer, not a happy, I-have-no-idea-what-I'm- doing dancer like Re and Ri; he spun her on the dance floor in a high-paced waltz. Re was having trouble not tripping over her own feet, and not stepping on poor Quatre. She'd never learned how to waltz, much less do anything more than move her feet and shake her hips. She finally pleaded exhaustion and allowed Ri to try her hand at waltzing. She ordered a lager, and drank deeply from the bottle. Wufei sat down next to her, snagged her beer and stole a swallow from it. She only looked vaguely surprised at him. "Help yourself, Wufei." At the depth of his gaze on the bottle, she asked him, "What's the matter? Bad day?"
He shook his head, and offered no explanation. He was thinking of his dream last night, so powerful and realistic that he'd awakened with Nataku's name on his lips. They'd been in that meadow again, with him sitting next to her, and Nataku leaning heavily against him, slowly dying. She'd looked up at him, smiled and murmured, "You know, Wufei, I love you, but.I have a feeling that we're.not doomed exactly, but just not meant to be. Do you understand?"
He remembered feeling bewildered. "Nataku.what're you saying?"
Nataku suddenly gained the strength to support herself and look him in the eyes. "There is another life for you. Maybe not with me, but with someone else." Her eyes flickered unexpectedly, and he reached for her, but she fell away from his grasp, and she dissolved into the bed of flowers. That was when he'd awakened, giving explanation for saying her name. He said gently, "I have something to tell you, Re."
Re turned to face him, concern written all over her face. She knew what he was going to tell her, but it was his to tell, and she wasn't going to interrupt. "I think we should go.some where private."
Re obliged, not wanting to scare him off or usurp the sincerity of the situation. They found a small empty storage room. He closed the door behind him, and Re sat on a box. He stood before her, not looking at her, but talking softly. "I had a wife, Nataku, a few years ago, when I was fourteen." At her shocked expression, he explained, "That was our way, and it still is. Nataku wanted nothing to do with me. She was a fighter, I was a scholar; complete opposites. When the Alliance attacked, she didn't hesitate to jump into a mobile suit and protect her family and home." His eyes were deep, gazing far into the distance, as if the past lay there and he was drawing the story from it. "She took the fight into outer space, to spare the flowers in my meadow. She knew I loved that meadow, and she risked her life. just for that. She wasn't strong enough to pilot the suit in space, so I activated the Shenlong Gundam and went after her. She fought bravely and ended the battle, but her mobile suit failed, and she was fatally injured. Her only request of me was that I take her back to our colony, to the meadow." His voice was softer, almost unintelligible, but Re was too rapt not to hear it. "I carried her there, and sat with her, and we talked. And for the first time, there was some affection between us." The way his voice strained against tears almost made her cry, but she withheld them. "And she died there, in my arms, the strongest warrior even then."
He hadn't heard her get up or come over to him, but suddenly she was there, touching his face tenderly, soothing him, begging him with her eyes to let her comfort him. And he did. He dissolved into his tears and she held him, whispering to him and stroking his hair. Re almost succumbed to her own tears, but she knew that that wouldn't help Wufei at all. She couldn't quite hug him close enough to her, but if she held him any tighter or closer, he would probably suffocate. She kissed his temple and whispered, "Wufei.I'm sorry, God, I'm so sorry.but I'm here, and I love you.please don't cry, baby."
He stopped, and took a deep breath. He took her hand that was cradling his head and kissed her palm. He held it to his cheek and murmured roughly, "Thank you. For listening and understanding." He paused before he finished. "And for loving me."
She hadn't realized that she'd revealed that little piece of trivia. She felt mortified for only a second before she found that he didn't appear to mind, and that it seemed to help. She'd been so moved by his story that she'd just poured out everything in her heart for him to examine. He pressed his head against her shoulder and sighed. "You know, I love you too."
They sat together for a moment, then decided to go back out before anyone got the wrong idea. Re went to sit next to Trowa, and futilely tried to start a conversation. She ended up falling asleep on his shoulder, while Trowa just sat quietly sipping his tea after draping his jacket over her shoulders. He didn't think Wufei would be happy if he let her catch a cold.
Ri decided to let Quatre off the hook and went over to Re, who had fallen asleep again, this time leaning on Trowa. Ri took Trowa's place, gave him his jacket back and also fell into a light slumber. The two sat side by side, the resemblance was remarkable. Hours later, it was closing time. Howard always let the people who lived over the bar stay late, and at the time the Gundams were the only ones there. Ri and Re were still asleep at the table. The guys had gone to the other side of the room so they wouldn't disturb the girls. Duo had filled the guys in on the fact that Ri was possibly an old friend of his, but he didn't go into much detail. He didn't like talking about his past. The only one who knew the whole deal was Wufei, and that was only because Duo had had a nightmare while he was sharing a room with Wufei and had been talking in his sleep. Naturally, Wufei had wanted to know what Duo had been talking about and had threatened to cut off his braid while he slept if he didn't explain. After that Wufei had explained about Nataku, just in case he began talking in his sleep and to keep things fair. Plus, he knew if he started talking about a woman, the braided baka would get the wrong idea, as usual. The others knew little to nothing about the pasts of either of the two boys.
Suddenly, a loud crash came from the other table. Ri and Re had fallen out of the chair and both seemed to be having the same nasty nightmare. They were yelling for someone to stop, about how much they hurt, how they wanted to get away. Duo and Wufei were the first ones by their side. They tried to shake the girls awake. The girls hit them rolled away, and only then did they seem to get a hold on where they were. Ri looked very shaken and Re was on the verge of tears. Noin had been on her way inside when she heard their yelling and had rushed to her sisters. When they caught sight of Noin they ran into her arms and both fell apart. Ri was sobbing loudly and Re was clinging to them, trying not to cry to loudly. The boys were very confused, worried, and they all wanted to see if they could help. When they approached, Noin shook her head, signaling for them to stay away. She began murmuring to her sisters, trying to comfort them and stop their tears. Eventually they stood and went to the bathroom to wash their faces. They looked terrible. Their make-up was all smudged and their eyes were all red. As soon as the door of the bathroom was closed, Noin pulled the guys to the corner farthest away from the bathroom and began talking to them in a low whisper.
"I know all of you are worried, but please leave them alone. You couldn't possibly understand what they've been through and I don't want any of you to make things worse for them. It happened many, many years ago but they still get nightmares from it. Whatever you do, avoid the subject if you can."
"Miss Noin, but how can we not make things worse if we don't know what to avoid?" said Quatre.
"The weakling has a point. How can we avoid a bad subject if we don't know what the subject is?"
Noin sighed, extremely reluctant to reveal the secret of her and her sisters. She pulled them into a tight group and began to explain. "When we were young, all three of us, we were abused by our father." She paused while to let it sink in. "He didn't abuse us sexually, though he did try a few times but our mother stopped him. He was abusing her too, but she would stand up to him whenever he tried something like that. I was older, and I was able to get out before they did. I ran away when I was eight. Mom and Dad didn't bother to try to find me. Mom figured I was better off out of that house and Dad was happier that there was one less mouth to feed and one less person to fuck things up. I figured I would join the military and come back for them when I could support them. They were only four then. They used to hate each other, especially after I left."
"But how could that be? They're practically joined at the hip," said Duo, who was the first to recover from the shock.
"Dad would pit them against each other. Ri would get beaten for not being like Re, and vice versa. He wanted them to be identical. He would yell at Ri because her eyes were brown and ugly, not pretty and green like Re's. He would yell at Re because her skin wasn't the pretty olive color Ri's was. And those are just some of the appearance issues he picked on. They still think that the other is more beautiful than they are. Neither Ri or Re could satisfy him and they were both harshly punished for it. They didn't stop hating each other until the night Dad pulled a knife on them."
"What happened?" asked Wufei.
"He was eating a steak, which Re had cooked. It wasn't tender enough for him, so he turned on Re with the knife. He was about to stab her with it when Ri tackled him. She hated Re, but not enough that she wanted her dead. Dad slashed Ri's leg and threw her against the counter next to the table. Before he could do anything worse to her, Re hit him with a metal baseball bat and knocked him out cold. He didn't cut Ri very deeply. She has a scar, but it's very faint. It's just that the cut started on her hip and ran all the way down to her ankle. On top of that, she cut her forehead on the counter. You know that scar over her right eyebrow? That's how she got it."
"That scar's huge! You can still see where the stitches were!" said Quatre.
"I know. Ri was bleeding very heavily from her head, and her leg was bleeding a lot, too. Re somehow managed to get Ri to a hospital before she bled to death, and as soon as Ri could walk they ran away from there and never looked back. This was when they were about five or six. Since the moment they saved each other, they've been best friends. They lived under a bridge for a while, but they got separated during a rainstorm and Ri ended up in the river the bridge went over. Somehow, Re ended up at the base I was training at. Neither one of us knew where Ri was. Eventually, we did find her. This was when they were about seven or eight. If you want to tell them you know the story, go ahead, but don't say more than that. The most painful wounds aren't visible from the surface and take the longest to heal. These wounds have yet to heal, and they are still tender."
"Did you happen to find her at a church?" asked one of the pilots.
"What?" said Noin.
"Did you find her in a church?" repeated Duo.
"Yes, as a matter of fact we did."
"So that's why she donates most of her salary to churches," said Trowa.
"Was it the Maxwell Church?" continued Duo, getting more excited by the minute.
"Yes, it was," she said, beginning to get suspicious of something, "She was horrified after the Maxwell Church Tragedy, especially after she heard that they was only one survivor. She cheered up considerably when she heard that the survivor was a young boy. Why do you ask Duo?"
"Ever wonder why I donate my bonuses to churches?" At that he turned and returned to the table and waited for Ri to come back out, now confirmed in his knowledge.
I'll be damned. So he's the one she's been looking for, Noin thought as she grinned and went to join Duo.
"Hey guys, don't say anything about me asking about the church. She made me a promise, and I want to see if she kept it."
Meanwhile, Re and Ri were doing their best to get each other cleaned up. Ri was still shaking and Re was happily wiping her face.
"How can you be happy right now?"
"I'm getting this damn make-up off. That's enough to cheer me up."
"Whatever frosts your cupcake."
"Cupcake? Can I have a cupcake?" Re's voice was hopeful.
Ri rolled her eyes, opened her purse and started to reapply her make-up. She always did a lot of work around her eyes. She accented them with colors that gave them more depth or a sultrier look, something that she had always been told she had lacked. Next to her, Re was trying to apply blush that made her less pale looking, something she had been severely criticized for. Neither one said a word until they were done, when they hugged.
"I still owe you," said Re, rubbing her face on her sister's shoulder.
"We're even," replied Ri, remembering that day so far in the past. They smiled at each other, glad that the horrors of the past were gone and behind them, though the ghosts still lingered. They hadn't seen their father or mother since the day they went to the hospital. They hoped never to see him again, though they missed their mother with all of their hearts. Arms around each other's shoulders, they went back out to join the guys.
"So, are you going to see if Duo's the one now?"
"Yep. If you want to help, just follow my lead."
Together they arrived at the table, and were immediately pulled into the small arms of their favorite kawaii blond.
"Noin has told us about your nightmares. I can't say I know how you feel, because I don't, but if it helps at all I want you to know that I'm sorry for what you were put through and if you ever feel like talking, I'm willing to listen. If you don't want to talk about it, then you don't have to say a thing," said Quatre, hugging them tightly. The two girls were surprised by his gesture. Usually they were the ones hugging him, and then he didn't seem to always like it. After a moment, they hugged him back and thanked him for his kindness. When they were released, they saw the other pilots looking at them. Heero and Trowa didn't seem too affected by what Noin had told them, but when they came closer, the boys asked them if they were okay and if they wanted to be left alone. For them, this was a major show of compassion. The girls didn't want to be alone then, they never did after those dreams, but they were thirsty and water sounded good. They eagerly went to get them their drinks. As Wufei looked at them, his eyes glowed with a new respect for them and their ability to survive. These were not weak onnas. These were strong warriors with the ability to rise above challenges and grief. And as they went to sit, he stood up, pulled the chairs out for them, and bowed in a respectful manner. They sat and he pushed their chairs in. They were about to say something but he cut them off.
"Don't get used to this treatment, onnas. Tonight you relived a horrible episode, and we are just trying to help you cope." He kneeled beside Re's chair, looked her straight in the eyes and said in a voice so low only she could hear him, "If you ever have one of these dreams again, come to me. I'm no therapist, but I will comfort you as best I can. As I have no girlfriend, you needn't worry about a vengeful onna coming for your hide." He brushed some stray hairs out of her eyes and let his hand rest on her shoulder. "Sometimes after a bad dream, you can't stand being alone. If you ever need just to be with someone."
"I know where to go," she finished for him. She gave him a hug, pulling him close to her. "Thank you for caring, Wufei. Ri told me about Nataku. If you ever need to talk or just be with someone, come to me. I like to keep things even." Wufei just let her hold him, sensing that she needed it. He was a bit upset she knew about Nataku, but she seemed to be okay with it.
"That was the past. Though I still miss her, and the thought that I wasn't that great a husband to her while she was alive stings, I know she watches over me and I can feel her presence."
"It was her way to uphold justice. The fact that she died protecting justice is what she wanted. She is still alive. She is justice. " Wufei looked at Re. What she had just said were Nataku's last words before getting into the suit she would fight her last battle in. Could this be the sign he had asked for? Did Nataku approve of this girl to be his? He just stared at her until she caught him staring, then he looked down at his tea.
Ri watched this little mini-drama unfold, and then turned to Duo. "So, why do you wear your hair in a braid, Duo? Not that it looks bad or anything, I'm just curious."
"Yeah, I guess you don't see guys with three foot braids everyday, huh?" They both laughed. Duo prayed she remembered him. "Well, I used to wear my hair down when I was really little until I went to this one place. There was this lady there who used to be real important to me. She died about ten years ago, but she braided for me so it wouldn't get all tangled and stuff. I've just kept it like this because I like it and it's my reminder of her kindness to me."
"What was her name?"
"Her name was Sister Helen."
"You called her sister? Was she a nun or something?"
"Yeah. I donate my bonuses to churches because of what her and the priest at that church did for me."
"Was there ever anyone else who was really important to you?"
Duo looked at her. She seemed to honestly know nothing about him. Have I really changed that much? Does she just not remember me? Or is she playing dumb until she certain of who I am? He sighed, pretending to be thinking the question over. Well, guess I'll just answer her honestly. "There were two other people who were really important to me. One of them is who I got my first name from, the other is who I got my will to get through the war from."
"Who were they?"
"Well, the guy who I got my name from died of a virus a long time ago. Before I had met Sister Helen. I didn't have anywhere to go, so he took me in. He taught me how to survive. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for some of the things he had taught me. His name was Solo, and when he died he said he would always be with me. Since I didn't really have a name at the time, I decided I would be Duo, since it would always be the two of us."
"And the other?"
Duo gulped. Now was the moment of truth. Re had been following the conversation and was now paying close attention. "She never really told me her name. All of us, Solo before he died, Sister Helen, and the father, called her Angel. She looked more like a fairy, but Solo always said she was the angel that was sent to heaven because she was too mischievous to stay up there and she hadn't gone to hell because Satan was afraid she would take over." He laughed. "A little hellish angel. Always hyper and smiling." Then he became quiet and sad. "I don't know where she is now, though. I didn't have a family, but she had two sisters who came one day and took her away. She promised me she would find me one day and that she would never forget me. A few days later the church was attacked and I was the only one who had survived."
Re decided this had gone on long enough. "Good thing we got you out of there when we did then, huh sis?"
Ri smiled. She had heard enough. "Yeah. If you and Noin hadn't gotten me out of there, I would be a real angel. Though heaven probably wouldn't accept me, and you can be certain I would take over hell." She jumped into Duo's lap. "I'm so glad I've finally found you. I was so afraid I wouldn't be able to keep my promise." She hugged him and pulled him close. Duo realized what she was saying and stood, tossing her in the air and catching her as she came down.
"ANGEL!!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. He spun her in circles. Re laughed and clapped her hands. "Finally!"
The rest of the Gundam boys sat in complete oblivion, unsure of exactly what was causing all the joy and happiness and whatnot, so they held up little signs that read, 'YAY!' on them. And all was good with the Gundam pilots.
LL- (still using signs) We all have strep. We so sorry for lack of better dialogue.
FireImp- (sign) At least it's quiet around here.
(Chibi-muses continue with their various tasks)
Llama- (gives chibi-muses pancakes)
LL- (sign) Oh, crud. Now they have sugar.
(Llama gives LL some pancakes)
FireImp- (sign) Oh, crap, now she has sugar. PLEASE SOMEBODY SAVE ME FROM THESE MANIACS!!!!
(LL and Duo start dancing in circles and playing with Wufei's hair)
Chibi-muse Wufei- (very good imitation of the Heero Yuy Death Glare ©)
FireImp- (sign) Just read and review, pretty please?
Llama- (holds out a plate of pancakes)