If you want to know what happened to Duo and Solo in the shower, you'll
have to read about it on my website. Sorry, blame FFN. ^_~ leave a review,
and here's the address.
http://www.angelfire.com/gundam/zero10/Pastbecomesyou.txt
* * * *
Solo's eyes fluttered open as he woke up from a very peaceful sleep. 'Where am I again?' Looking down at the body laying on him, all the memories of what he'd just done came flying back. When he looked down at the boy sleeping on top of him, he didn't see the angelic face of his lover. Nor did he see the demon known as Shinigami who plagued Oz. All that Solo could see was the greatest mistake he'd ever made.
'All the pain I've caused him. All the troubles in the past, problems with lovers, hell, everything that's gone wrong for him started with me. Duo, you would have been much better off without me.'
He brought up his hand and began to gently stroke Duo's head. 'Wow, soft hair. I shouldn't have forced him into that. I knew he didn't want to, but nooo, Solo. You just needed a good screw right then and there. Argh, he's gonna be pissed when he wakes up.'
Suddenly Solo stopped petting his Duo. 'Well, I don't want him to wake up then.' Unfortunately, it was too late and Duo began to move around in his sleep. He wriggled back and forth as he tried to get comfortable on Solo's hard body, which wasn't making the best pillow in the world.
Duo realized that he was starting to wake up and had his usual reaction. "No...I don wanna!" He mumbled and tried to grab onto his pillow. After trying to grab onto ribs for a while, his memory started to come back and he realized it wasn't a pillow. His eyes slowly opened, and he stared into the face of Solo.
"Morning Solo."
"Morning kid." Duo blinked up at him and smiled. It had been quite a while since either of them had had someone to wake up to. Solo gently closed his wings around his young lover, hugging him tightly.
"We really need to do more of this friendly bonding stuff." Solo grinned mischievously down at Duo and shrugged his eyebrows suggestively.
"Haha. You'd like that, wouldn't you." Duo paused and smiled back up at Solo. He was so comfortable. He felt like nothing in the world could disturb him. The world was going just fi--. Duo's thoughts stopped altogether. Like someone had hit pause on a remote.
"Solo, how long have we been asleep?"
"Probably a few hours, why?"
Duo just stared blankly ahead.
"What's the matter kid?"
Without saying a word, Duo struggled out of Solo's embrace and flung open the shower door. He jumped out of the shower and ran out of the bathroom. 'What was all that about?' Solo wondered as he walked around the bathroom, putting on any clothes that were still blood free.
Duo sprinted out of the bathroom. After having been asleep for so long, all of him except his hair had dried. He ran down the hallway and swung himself on the banister into the living room. Two more strides and he was at the table, and more importantly, the laptop. 'Oh please, please don't let me have missed it. I finally get Heero to trust me, and let me have an important part of a mission, and I got blow it over Solo.' Duo snarled at the thought of Solo, the new bane of his existence.
He quickly typed in the passwords it took to turn on the small laptop. 'Damn Heero and his passwords.' After the fourth time, Duo was finally into the section of the computer he needed to be. He quickly checked for any messages received in the past twelve hours, but there wasn't anything. 'Phew, guess the mission must have run long, they're fifteen minutes late.' Duo began to prepare the rest of the computer, so he would be ready whenever the message came through.
"You know, you really should put on some clothes before you talk to your buddies."
Duo glanced over towards the stairs. Solo was leaning against the banister in his jeans from the day before, but no shirt. His wings were now back to their normal white. Duo had to admit, they were very soft to wake up covered in.
"They'll just assume I was taking a shower." Duo shot back as he began to braid his hair and returned his gaze to the screen.
Solo walked back down the hallway and stepped into Duo's room. After a few minutes of rummaging in the piles of clothes on the floor, he returned to the living room with a button up black shirt.
"Hey kid, how much do you like this shirt?" Duo looked up and shrugged.
"I don't know, it's just a shirt. If you want it you can have it." Duo was slowly loosing his patience for Solo and hoped he would just leave him alone soon.
Instead, Solo turned the shirt to the back and tore from the bottom of the shirt almost all the way to the top. He did the same to the other side. Then he looked up and tossed it over to Duo. The shirt fluttered down and landed on the tips of Duo's wings.
"Unless your shower has magically wing giving powers, I suggest you cover those things up when you talk to your friends." Solo just crossed his arms and remained lurking where he was as Duo slipped on the shirt. His wings fit nicely through the slits Solo had made, but he still had to hold them close against his back to keep them out of site.
"So shorty, do you have a jacket or something you can wear over that shirt to keep em hidden?"
Duo finished braiding his hair and returned his hand to the mouse of the keyboard. There was no way he was missing his part of the mission. Distractions or no distractions.
"Uh, yeah, in my closet, I have a trench coat I can wear." Duo wasn't really paying attention and didn't notice when Solo once again walked down towards his room.
"Here ya go kid. Oh, and I ain't your butler, I just don't want you to go and be stupid and get yourself found out." Duo once again found himself the aim of a piece of clothing. After taking the trench coat off his head, he slipped it over his tucked up wings. In the reflection, he saw that there was now no trace of his wings, for which he was immensely grateful. 'Yeah, there's an interesting conversation. Heero, I think I'm in love with you. But while you were out on a mission I screwed my old best friend Solo. And, oh yeah, I have these freakish looking devil wings coming out of my back, and Solo's got angel ones. So, wanna go out some time?' Duo just sighed and continued to play a game of minesweeper on the computer. 'He'll never feel the same way about me, why do I even try.'
"Eh hem." At the sound of Solo clearing his throat, Duo turned around and glared at the blond winged one. "So kid, do you think it's me?" Solo stood there grinning like an idiot, spinning around like a child modeling clothes for their parents. Now, added to his jeans from yesterday, he wore Duo's red silk shirt. 'Oh no, please tell me...' Duo's thought was cut off as Solo turned completely around and he saw the white wings showing through the tears in his shirt. Solo also tucked his wings under, but Duo knew he would just wear that old crappy leather coat he always wore.
"You know, the least you could do is ask. I happen to like that shirt." Duo glared, and once again, Solo matched it with a smirk. Duo had a faint feeling that he was in the wrong place, but shrugged it off.
"Sorry, I just assumed..."
"Well maybe you should quit just assuming things Solo. Things change." After Duo's interruption, the last two words were said with an incredibly bitter tone.
"Oh great. Here it comes. Here comes your 'let's pretend it was all Solo's fault and put all the blame and guilt on him. Jeez kid, you can't fake with me. I've known you longer and better than anyone. I know that you wanted what happened as much as I did, and I know you would have gotten it one way or another."
Duo was taken back by Solo's harsh tone. Normally he was so calm and collected. 'Well, looks like I've found something that bothers him.' Duo grinned and opened his mouth to continue the argument when a beep brought his attention back.
"The message." He said calmly as his fingers began typing and moving the mouse around. The message was received, copied, saved, and sent away once again in a few seconds.
"Mission accomplished." Duo said over the computer to Quatre who was in a window on the screen.
"Good job Duo, we've run into a few problems here, we're going to be late for dinner." The Arabian boy smiled at his friend as he tossed a grenade down the hallway.
'Only in my world is that a normal, reassuring thing.' Duo thought, but his attention immediately focused on the figure in the background. There was no mistaking the green tanktop and black spandex. 'I need to take that boy shopping for some real clothes.'
"Over and out Quatre, see ya when you guys get back. Stay safe." Duo waved goodbye and shut down the connection.
"Aww, how sweet. You guys are good friends huh?" Duo ignored Solo and walked past him, heading for the kitchen.
"He's cute, I like blonds."
"Solo, you like anything that's human."
"True." Solo just grinned at Duo's back and followed him into the kitchen to get some food. * * * * *
Solo walked into the kitchen behind Duo, needless to say, enjoying the view. His eyes swept up and down Duo's back, from his feet, up his legs, past the shirt and trench coat he wore, and along his long hair.
"So, what's for lunch kid?"
"Whatever you can make. You know I'm not a good cook." Duo sneered back at Solo, not letting the fact that he was pantless get in the way of bothering his old friend.
"And," Duo began to add," we don't have time to eat right now." The puzzled and let down look on Solo's face was almost enough to make Duo smile. Almost.
"What do we have to do that can't wait another fifteen minutes?" Solo asked. He had by now caught up to Duo, and wrapped his arms around the small boy's waist. He struggled as usual, trying to get away, but Solo could tell it was half-hearted.
"We have to clean up the mess we made in the bathroom." Duo said as he reached out and began to wet a few towels.
"But Duo, that's the good thing about the shower, when you get it on in there, there's no mess to cl-" Solo was cut off as Duo reached behind his own head and slapped a wet towel on the taller boy's face. Taking his chance, he squeezed out of Solo's grip and began to walk towards the bathroom.
"The blood you idiot. Come on, half of that blood is yours, and I ain't gonna clean up your mess." Duo shouted back at his friend. He felt his wrist taken in the strong grip of Solo and could sense what was coming. Solo grabbed his other wrist and spun Duo around to face him. He held Duo so hard that he couldn't even move to try and escape. The two stared each other down, but Solo didn't seem too interested in a staring contest.
"Look Duo, I'm all for cleaning up the bathroom. But for crying out loud man, if you don't put on some pants, I can tell you right now, no works gonna be getting done." Solo's eyes slowly slid down Duo's body.
"Alright, you go start, and I'll go put on some pants." Duo began to writhe under his capture's predatory gaze. His wrists were soon released though and he walked into his room to search for a pair of pants that didn't have any small creatures living in them. After searching for a while, he decided on a loose pair of jeans. 'Comfortable, they look good with this shirt and coat, and they aren't leather.' Duo paused and tried to figure out where that last thought had come from, but it didn't take very long. Images of the beautiful gold haired boy began to repeat themselves in Duo's head. 'He'll just leave me again. Just like he does every time. I don't see why I let him get to me every time. It'll just hurt more each time I let myself fall in love with him.' Duo stared at his reflection in the mirror. He tried to figure out how he could feel love for two different people, in two completely different ways. 'Which one to choose? Every fiber of me says to dump Solo flat on his ass, so why can't I?'
/////////////////////////////////////Duo//////////////////////////////////
I sprint as fast as my legs will carry me. This priest outfit sure is hard to run in. But at least now my hair isn't as bad of a problem, cause of the braid. The braid that Sister Helen did for me. The thought of Sister Helen, waiting for me back at the church made me run even faster.
There's the base. Me and the gang had snuck in there once before. Of course, it will be much easier this time, I must have grown at least two inches since then. The fence rises in front of me as I climb up the hill. Scaling it was as easy as climbing the fire escapes in the alleyway near the church. More thoughts of the church come to me, Sister Helen and Father Maxwell teaching me. Playing with some of the other kids. The day that Solo came back from the dead.
Guns begin to fire and the dirt around me is short into the air as I dodge the bullets. I can't believe this, I'm only a kid, they don't need to start shooting at me. Finally, I spot what I cam for. A carrier with a mobile suit in it. Bingo.
My hand reaches the door handle, even though I have to jump to reach it. A satisfying click comes as the door swings open. Good thing it's not locked. I grin as I swing myself into the driver's seat. Uh-oh. I don't know how to drive. Oh well, first time for everything right? I reach down to the key and begin to turn it. I try it in the other direction and the sound of an engine coming on rumbles up from underneath me.
"Here goes nothing." I yell as I slam my foot on one of the pedals. Nothing happens. "Okay, next try." My foot begins to stomp on the other pedal, but again I don't go anywhere. The soldiers are getting closer and closer to me, and they're guns continue to fire. I notice a lever with letters next to it. Sister Helen taught me how to read and write, and I'm thankful for it now. D for drive. That makes sense. After the lever is switched from P to D, I try the pedal again. Before I can react, the carrier is flying through the base, running over anything in it's path.
"AHHHHH!" I can't help it, I scream as I feel the truck hit a few soldiers. Up ahead I can see the fence I just hopped to get into this base. There it goes, under the wheels of my truck. Soon, I at least have the hang of steering the metallic monster around corners and avoiding other cars. As soon as I'm close enough to the church, I decide to pull over and stop. Running over Maxwell Church definitely would not be a good thing.
Hopping down from the carrier was definitely an easier task than climbing into it. I run ahead, but for some reason there is a cloud of smoke in front of me. I push through and rely on my instincts to tell me where the church is. I'm getting closer, soon I'll step out of this black cloud and the church will be there, all waiting for me to come and save them.
The filmy smoke parts and I step through, smiling, ready to see all my friends and loved ones. Instead, all I see is the rubble of a lost home. My face falls. This can't really be happening, they said they wouldn't destroy the church as long as I got them a mobile suit. And I did. How could they?
I walk forward, my body feels numb. There's blood everywhere. How could there be so much blood from such a small group of people. Bodies lay everywhere. Some were shot by the soldiers, some were collapsed on. I recognize the body of one of the children I would play with, from the waist down his body has been burnt off. I can't feel my body at all. It's like I'm not in it anymore. Like I'm not seeing the carnage of my second family. They look just like my first family.
"D-Duo?" I hear a gentle voice call out to me. A hand pushes through the rubble. The gold cross on it, and the white, frail fingertips tell me it is one of the sisters. Running up to her, I push off a few pieces of stone that have fallen on her stomach. Blood trails down the side of her face, and her hair is strewn about.
"Sister Helen. What happened?" I cling to her hand, it is as though I'm holding her here, in life, with me.
"Oh Duo, they destroyed the church. Father Maxwell. You would have been proud. He preached peace right to the end."
"Peace!" I yell at the dying nun. "What did peace ever do for him? It didn't save his life did it!?!" I can feel my face flush red in anger. I've lost everyone, again.
"Duo." The voice seems quieter than before, and more shaky.
"God be with you my son." A shudder and a gasp, and it is done. I stare down at the only mother I ever knew. Then at the bodies of my brothers, sisters, and fathers. Slowly I turn around, and I begin to walk forward. I don't know where Solo's body is in that massacre, but I know he won't be coming back this time. Sometimes, even ghosts burn. Maxwell. The name seems fitting, along with the gold cross I stole from the corpse of Sister Helen. Duo Maxwell. I like it, a little bit of each of my lives. A few more steps, and I can feel my body vanish into the cloud that still surrounds what used to be my home. Goodbye.
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Duo wiped away at his eyes out of habit. Those tears had long dried. Looking in the mirror, he could still see that little boy in the rubble wearing the priest outfit that was too big for him. 'No point in dwelling on the past now, not when he's in the bathroom right now.
Duo walked out of his room and the few steps it took to reach the bathroom door. As he reached out to grasp the doorknob, the door opened up. Solo stood there, smiling brightly.
"Here you go kid, my half is done." He commented as he passed Duo, dropping the wet towels into his hands. As Duo looked into the bathroom, he saw that the left half had been scrubbed spotless. The right half, however, was still spotted with blood. 'That jerk, I can't believe I though I loved him.' Duo fumed as he set to the task of cleaning the rest of the bathroom before the other pilots returned. Solo, on the other hand, went to the kitchen to finally get himself the lunch he'd been craving.
* * * *
Solo's eyes fluttered open as he woke up from a very peaceful sleep. 'Where am I again?' Looking down at the body laying on him, all the memories of what he'd just done came flying back. When he looked down at the boy sleeping on top of him, he didn't see the angelic face of his lover. Nor did he see the demon known as Shinigami who plagued Oz. All that Solo could see was the greatest mistake he'd ever made.
'All the pain I've caused him. All the troubles in the past, problems with lovers, hell, everything that's gone wrong for him started with me. Duo, you would have been much better off without me.'
He brought up his hand and began to gently stroke Duo's head. 'Wow, soft hair. I shouldn't have forced him into that. I knew he didn't want to, but nooo, Solo. You just needed a good screw right then and there. Argh, he's gonna be pissed when he wakes up.'
Suddenly Solo stopped petting his Duo. 'Well, I don't want him to wake up then.' Unfortunately, it was too late and Duo began to move around in his sleep. He wriggled back and forth as he tried to get comfortable on Solo's hard body, which wasn't making the best pillow in the world.
Duo realized that he was starting to wake up and had his usual reaction. "No...I don wanna!" He mumbled and tried to grab onto his pillow. After trying to grab onto ribs for a while, his memory started to come back and he realized it wasn't a pillow. His eyes slowly opened, and he stared into the face of Solo.
"Morning Solo."
"Morning kid." Duo blinked up at him and smiled. It had been quite a while since either of them had had someone to wake up to. Solo gently closed his wings around his young lover, hugging him tightly.
"We really need to do more of this friendly bonding stuff." Solo grinned mischievously down at Duo and shrugged his eyebrows suggestively.
"Haha. You'd like that, wouldn't you." Duo paused and smiled back up at Solo. He was so comfortable. He felt like nothing in the world could disturb him. The world was going just fi--. Duo's thoughts stopped altogether. Like someone had hit pause on a remote.
"Solo, how long have we been asleep?"
"Probably a few hours, why?"
Duo just stared blankly ahead.
"What's the matter kid?"
Without saying a word, Duo struggled out of Solo's embrace and flung open the shower door. He jumped out of the shower and ran out of the bathroom. 'What was all that about?' Solo wondered as he walked around the bathroom, putting on any clothes that were still blood free.
Duo sprinted out of the bathroom. After having been asleep for so long, all of him except his hair had dried. He ran down the hallway and swung himself on the banister into the living room. Two more strides and he was at the table, and more importantly, the laptop. 'Oh please, please don't let me have missed it. I finally get Heero to trust me, and let me have an important part of a mission, and I got blow it over Solo.' Duo snarled at the thought of Solo, the new bane of his existence.
He quickly typed in the passwords it took to turn on the small laptop. 'Damn Heero and his passwords.' After the fourth time, Duo was finally into the section of the computer he needed to be. He quickly checked for any messages received in the past twelve hours, but there wasn't anything. 'Phew, guess the mission must have run long, they're fifteen minutes late.' Duo began to prepare the rest of the computer, so he would be ready whenever the message came through.
"You know, you really should put on some clothes before you talk to your buddies."
Duo glanced over towards the stairs. Solo was leaning against the banister in his jeans from the day before, but no shirt. His wings were now back to their normal white. Duo had to admit, they were very soft to wake up covered in.
"They'll just assume I was taking a shower." Duo shot back as he began to braid his hair and returned his gaze to the screen.
Solo walked back down the hallway and stepped into Duo's room. After a few minutes of rummaging in the piles of clothes on the floor, he returned to the living room with a button up black shirt.
"Hey kid, how much do you like this shirt?" Duo looked up and shrugged.
"I don't know, it's just a shirt. If you want it you can have it." Duo was slowly loosing his patience for Solo and hoped he would just leave him alone soon.
Instead, Solo turned the shirt to the back and tore from the bottom of the shirt almost all the way to the top. He did the same to the other side. Then he looked up and tossed it over to Duo. The shirt fluttered down and landed on the tips of Duo's wings.
"Unless your shower has magically wing giving powers, I suggest you cover those things up when you talk to your friends." Solo just crossed his arms and remained lurking where he was as Duo slipped on the shirt. His wings fit nicely through the slits Solo had made, but he still had to hold them close against his back to keep them out of site.
"So shorty, do you have a jacket or something you can wear over that shirt to keep em hidden?"
Duo finished braiding his hair and returned his hand to the mouse of the keyboard. There was no way he was missing his part of the mission. Distractions or no distractions.
"Uh, yeah, in my closet, I have a trench coat I can wear." Duo wasn't really paying attention and didn't notice when Solo once again walked down towards his room.
"Here ya go kid. Oh, and I ain't your butler, I just don't want you to go and be stupid and get yourself found out." Duo once again found himself the aim of a piece of clothing. After taking the trench coat off his head, he slipped it over his tucked up wings. In the reflection, he saw that there was now no trace of his wings, for which he was immensely grateful. 'Yeah, there's an interesting conversation. Heero, I think I'm in love with you. But while you were out on a mission I screwed my old best friend Solo. And, oh yeah, I have these freakish looking devil wings coming out of my back, and Solo's got angel ones. So, wanna go out some time?' Duo just sighed and continued to play a game of minesweeper on the computer. 'He'll never feel the same way about me, why do I even try.'
"Eh hem." At the sound of Solo clearing his throat, Duo turned around and glared at the blond winged one. "So kid, do you think it's me?" Solo stood there grinning like an idiot, spinning around like a child modeling clothes for their parents. Now, added to his jeans from yesterday, he wore Duo's red silk shirt. 'Oh no, please tell me...' Duo's thought was cut off as Solo turned completely around and he saw the white wings showing through the tears in his shirt. Solo also tucked his wings under, but Duo knew he would just wear that old crappy leather coat he always wore.
"You know, the least you could do is ask. I happen to like that shirt." Duo glared, and once again, Solo matched it with a smirk. Duo had a faint feeling that he was in the wrong place, but shrugged it off.
"Sorry, I just assumed..."
"Well maybe you should quit just assuming things Solo. Things change." After Duo's interruption, the last two words were said with an incredibly bitter tone.
"Oh great. Here it comes. Here comes your 'let's pretend it was all Solo's fault and put all the blame and guilt on him. Jeez kid, you can't fake with me. I've known you longer and better than anyone. I know that you wanted what happened as much as I did, and I know you would have gotten it one way or another."
Duo was taken back by Solo's harsh tone. Normally he was so calm and collected. 'Well, looks like I've found something that bothers him.' Duo grinned and opened his mouth to continue the argument when a beep brought his attention back.
"The message." He said calmly as his fingers began typing and moving the mouse around. The message was received, copied, saved, and sent away once again in a few seconds.
"Mission accomplished." Duo said over the computer to Quatre who was in a window on the screen.
"Good job Duo, we've run into a few problems here, we're going to be late for dinner." The Arabian boy smiled at his friend as he tossed a grenade down the hallway.
'Only in my world is that a normal, reassuring thing.' Duo thought, but his attention immediately focused on the figure in the background. There was no mistaking the green tanktop and black spandex. 'I need to take that boy shopping for some real clothes.'
"Over and out Quatre, see ya when you guys get back. Stay safe." Duo waved goodbye and shut down the connection.
"Aww, how sweet. You guys are good friends huh?" Duo ignored Solo and walked past him, heading for the kitchen.
"He's cute, I like blonds."
"Solo, you like anything that's human."
"True." Solo just grinned at Duo's back and followed him into the kitchen to get some food. * * * * *
Solo walked into the kitchen behind Duo, needless to say, enjoying the view. His eyes swept up and down Duo's back, from his feet, up his legs, past the shirt and trench coat he wore, and along his long hair.
"So, what's for lunch kid?"
"Whatever you can make. You know I'm not a good cook." Duo sneered back at Solo, not letting the fact that he was pantless get in the way of bothering his old friend.
"And," Duo began to add," we don't have time to eat right now." The puzzled and let down look on Solo's face was almost enough to make Duo smile. Almost.
"What do we have to do that can't wait another fifteen minutes?" Solo asked. He had by now caught up to Duo, and wrapped his arms around the small boy's waist. He struggled as usual, trying to get away, but Solo could tell it was half-hearted.
"We have to clean up the mess we made in the bathroom." Duo said as he reached out and began to wet a few towels.
"But Duo, that's the good thing about the shower, when you get it on in there, there's no mess to cl-" Solo was cut off as Duo reached behind his own head and slapped a wet towel on the taller boy's face. Taking his chance, he squeezed out of Solo's grip and began to walk towards the bathroom.
"The blood you idiot. Come on, half of that blood is yours, and I ain't gonna clean up your mess." Duo shouted back at his friend. He felt his wrist taken in the strong grip of Solo and could sense what was coming. Solo grabbed his other wrist and spun Duo around to face him. He held Duo so hard that he couldn't even move to try and escape. The two stared each other down, but Solo didn't seem too interested in a staring contest.
"Look Duo, I'm all for cleaning up the bathroom. But for crying out loud man, if you don't put on some pants, I can tell you right now, no works gonna be getting done." Solo's eyes slowly slid down Duo's body.
"Alright, you go start, and I'll go put on some pants." Duo began to writhe under his capture's predatory gaze. His wrists were soon released though and he walked into his room to search for a pair of pants that didn't have any small creatures living in them. After searching for a while, he decided on a loose pair of jeans. 'Comfortable, they look good with this shirt and coat, and they aren't leather.' Duo paused and tried to figure out where that last thought had come from, but it didn't take very long. Images of the beautiful gold haired boy began to repeat themselves in Duo's head. 'He'll just leave me again. Just like he does every time. I don't see why I let him get to me every time. It'll just hurt more each time I let myself fall in love with him.' Duo stared at his reflection in the mirror. He tried to figure out how he could feel love for two different people, in two completely different ways. 'Which one to choose? Every fiber of me says to dump Solo flat on his ass, so why can't I?'
/////////////////////////////////////Duo//////////////////////////////////
I sprint as fast as my legs will carry me. This priest outfit sure is hard to run in. But at least now my hair isn't as bad of a problem, cause of the braid. The braid that Sister Helen did for me. The thought of Sister Helen, waiting for me back at the church made me run even faster.
There's the base. Me and the gang had snuck in there once before. Of course, it will be much easier this time, I must have grown at least two inches since then. The fence rises in front of me as I climb up the hill. Scaling it was as easy as climbing the fire escapes in the alleyway near the church. More thoughts of the church come to me, Sister Helen and Father Maxwell teaching me. Playing with some of the other kids. The day that Solo came back from the dead.
Guns begin to fire and the dirt around me is short into the air as I dodge the bullets. I can't believe this, I'm only a kid, they don't need to start shooting at me. Finally, I spot what I cam for. A carrier with a mobile suit in it. Bingo.
My hand reaches the door handle, even though I have to jump to reach it. A satisfying click comes as the door swings open. Good thing it's not locked. I grin as I swing myself into the driver's seat. Uh-oh. I don't know how to drive. Oh well, first time for everything right? I reach down to the key and begin to turn it. I try it in the other direction and the sound of an engine coming on rumbles up from underneath me.
"Here goes nothing." I yell as I slam my foot on one of the pedals. Nothing happens. "Okay, next try." My foot begins to stomp on the other pedal, but again I don't go anywhere. The soldiers are getting closer and closer to me, and they're guns continue to fire. I notice a lever with letters next to it. Sister Helen taught me how to read and write, and I'm thankful for it now. D for drive. That makes sense. After the lever is switched from P to D, I try the pedal again. Before I can react, the carrier is flying through the base, running over anything in it's path.
"AHHHHH!" I can't help it, I scream as I feel the truck hit a few soldiers. Up ahead I can see the fence I just hopped to get into this base. There it goes, under the wheels of my truck. Soon, I at least have the hang of steering the metallic monster around corners and avoiding other cars. As soon as I'm close enough to the church, I decide to pull over and stop. Running over Maxwell Church definitely would not be a good thing.
Hopping down from the carrier was definitely an easier task than climbing into it. I run ahead, but for some reason there is a cloud of smoke in front of me. I push through and rely on my instincts to tell me where the church is. I'm getting closer, soon I'll step out of this black cloud and the church will be there, all waiting for me to come and save them.
The filmy smoke parts and I step through, smiling, ready to see all my friends and loved ones. Instead, all I see is the rubble of a lost home. My face falls. This can't really be happening, they said they wouldn't destroy the church as long as I got them a mobile suit. And I did. How could they?
I walk forward, my body feels numb. There's blood everywhere. How could there be so much blood from such a small group of people. Bodies lay everywhere. Some were shot by the soldiers, some were collapsed on. I recognize the body of one of the children I would play with, from the waist down his body has been burnt off. I can't feel my body at all. It's like I'm not in it anymore. Like I'm not seeing the carnage of my second family. They look just like my first family.
"D-Duo?" I hear a gentle voice call out to me. A hand pushes through the rubble. The gold cross on it, and the white, frail fingertips tell me it is one of the sisters. Running up to her, I push off a few pieces of stone that have fallen on her stomach. Blood trails down the side of her face, and her hair is strewn about.
"Sister Helen. What happened?" I cling to her hand, it is as though I'm holding her here, in life, with me.
"Oh Duo, they destroyed the church. Father Maxwell. You would have been proud. He preached peace right to the end."
"Peace!" I yell at the dying nun. "What did peace ever do for him? It didn't save his life did it!?!" I can feel my face flush red in anger. I've lost everyone, again.
"Duo." The voice seems quieter than before, and more shaky.
"God be with you my son." A shudder and a gasp, and it is done. I stare down at the only mother I ever knew. Then at the bodies of my brothers, sisters, and fathers. Slowly I turn around, and I begin to walk forward. I don't know where Solo's body is in that massacre, but I know he won't be coming back this time. Sometimes, even ghosts burn. Maxwell. The name seems fitting, along with the gold cross I stole from the corpse of Sister Helen. Duo Maxwell. I like it, a little bit of each of my lives. A few more steps, and I can feel my body vanish into the cloud that still surrounds what used to be my home. Goodbye.
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Duo wiped away at his eyes out of habit. Those tears had long dried. Looking in the mirror, he could still see that little boy in the rubble wearing the priest outfit that was too big for him. 'No point in dwelling on the past now, not when he's in the bathroom right now.
Duo walked out of his room and the few steps it took to reach the bathroom door. As he reached out to grasp the doorknob, the door opened up. Solo stood there, smiling brightly.
"Here you go kid, my half is done." He commented as he passed Duo, dropping the wet towels into his hands. As Duo looked into the bathroom, he saw that the left half had been scrubbed spotless. The right half, however, was still spotted with blood. 'That jerk, I can't believe I though I loved him.' Duo fumed as he set to the task of cleaning the rest of the bathroom before the other pilots returned. Solo, on the other hand, went to the kitchen to finally get himself the lunch he'd been craving.