Thank you for all those lovely reviews! I am trying to write out all the characters the way I see them portrayed in Gundam Wing or in others fiction, being that I have really only seen endless waltz. If you know any really good GW fanfiction (I'm really into the angst stuff) please e-mail me the title and author!
Well, I'm also glad to hear people are mad that I haven't finished. Ok, I'm not one who likes to make people mad, but it is nice to know people are craving more. ^^; I'm kind of a dork.
Anyways...The secret of Duo will be revealed soon, I promise. (though I'm not saying it will be in this chapter and it might not be in the next chapter, but it will be reveled soon.)
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Chapter 3: Soon
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It seemed the little powwow in the kitchen the other night was more to Duo's benefit than he first realized. The next day nobody pressed him about what was the matter. They assumed it was Solo and then backed off. Hell, they didn't even make him do his chores that day.
Ok, that last bit only lasted a day. After that, Wufei began to yell about how each of them had duties and his was to do the dishes and sweep the floors and then do a little vacuuming.
You could always count on good old Wufei to force one into doing his chores. Hell, Duo only did them to shut Wufei up. He could have gone on for hours about there being no honor in a messy house and the injustice of dust-bunnies or something to that effect.
Duo guessed he was just paranoid. Nothing had happened, just the same-old-same-old. And it never felt so good to have nothing happen.
Now, after all those icky chores, he lounged on the couch. Wufei be damned if he called Duo lazy. All the American wanted right now was some good R&R and to begin with, a nap. Then maybe a sandwich followed by some television time.
It seemed what had really worked him into a frenzy was everyone worrying about him. After they stopped hounding him, he eased up. With no fear of his past being reveled, there was no worry about anyone getting hurt on account of him. He came to the conclusion that he was really loosing his mind.
"Mail!" Quatre called out from the kitchen. "Wufei, you have a couple, one looks like a bill...Trowa, Catherine wrote...Heero! Your my new friend! Paycheck! One for me. Yuck, a bill..."
Duo put an arm over his eyes and tried to fall asleep on the couch. Quatre had a daily ritual of announcing what type of mail everyone had. At first this was a little annoying, but soon it was just something they could all count on.
There was no need for him to listen. No one ever wrote him and he didn't get paid for another week.
He cracked open his eye as he felt something land softly on his chest. He turned his gaze up at Quatre smiled down at him. "Duo, one letter." He said softly and lightly smiled.
Duo watched as Quatre exited the room and went back to the kitchen. He glanced down at the cream color envelope resting on his chest. He was slightly shocked to receive a letter. Who could have possibly wrote? Hilde? He picked it up as he place himself in a sitting positions. No return address, funny...
His name was written across it in fancy black cursive handwriting, along with the address. This was most likely a woman's pen. It also appeared to be written with a quill.
Huh, that's something he hadn't seen in a while.
He turned the letter over and opened it. The paper inside was the same color of cream and was handwritten in the same font as the envelope. The letter was short. Duo read over the message and paled. He began to shake and dropped the piece of paper.
He jumped off the couch and dashed up to his room, all the while making a horrible racket.
"Duo?" Quatre watched the American ran off and heard the door to his room slam shut. Quatre noticed the letter Duo just received sitting on the floor.
"What was that about?" Wufei gave a questioning look to Quatre as he entered the room.
The blond shrugged. "I just gave him a letter and then he ran off."
Both walked over to the couch and were soon joined by Trowa and Heero, who looked equally confused.
"Duo?" Trowa asked.
Quatre nodded as he sat on the couch and picked up the letter. His confusion grew as he read it over. "What is it?" Trowa inquired as he sat next to Quatre.
The blond looked up and exchanged glances with everyone. "It says 'Soon'."
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"Not good...Not good..." Duo paced his room franticly. An open bag sat on his bed. Miscellaneous cloths and the other few items he owned were packed inside messily.
Duo grabbed his jacket and slipped it on. The haunting message still fresh in his mind.
'Soon.' They knew where he was. How long had they? Who sent it? Were they friend or enemy? Could it have been sent as a practical joke? God his head hurt.
He debated it over in his head. Leave or stay. If he stayed...if he stayed it was certain they would be hurt. But if he left...they would be out of harms way.
'That is unless the ones you run from don't realize you left.' The small voice in the back of his head laughed. 'It would be ironic if to save the ones you love, you ran again, just to have history repeat itself.'
Duo gulped. No...that's not what he wanted. Not again.
"Duo?" There was a small knock on his door. "Are you alright?"
Duo threw his bag into the closet. "I...I'm just fine!" He opened his door.
It was Trowa . Duo cast his eyes down. "Guess your wondering what's up?"
Trowa sighed and entered his room. "Duo."
"I'm alright!" Duo said cheerfully. "I was just a little freaked about that letter."
"It's probably one of those chain letters."
Duo smiled. "Maybe you're right." Duo lead the other pilot out of his room and back down to the kitchen. 'It could just be a chain letter...' He tried to shake the feeling of dread, but it just wouldn't go... It was not likely it was just a chain letter.
"I think I'm going to go to bed...I think if I sleep I won't be so worked up." Duo smiled at the taller man.
Trowa nodded. "Good night." He watched Duo clumsily go back up the stairs and disappear into his room. Duo was really scared.
Trowa turned and entered the kitchen to find the other pilots sitting around the table. "I want that letter examined. Handwriting has to be on records somewhere. I want to know who sent it."
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Duo sat on the floor in total darkness. Maybe it would be easier to just tell them. If the others knew, maybe they could protect themselves.
Oh God...at this point, he didn't know what to do. He was in this position only once before...and that time ended with results he hadn't wanted. And they knew what he was...
There had to be a way. A way to keep them safe and himself safe as well.
They were open people. They had been to hell and back again together. Maybe this wouldn't change anything between them.
Some how he just couldn't make himself believe himself.
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So...how was that? Better or worse than my last chapters? I hope better. Please review. And thank all of you for all the lovely reviews I have received.
