Chapter 12- This Is What's Happening
He starred at her. She was an almost lifeless mass that could never be his own. She was what he needed, and more importantly, she needed him. But, could it ever be? Perhaps, once this damned war was over things could work out.
Gilly was lying on Duo's bed. She had fainted back on Scott's ship, and was in a very weak state. Duo examined his own wounds briefly, but they didn't seem to matter much, until Gilly awoke that is. He could see her eyelashes begin to flutter.
"Hey there." He soothed as he stroked her cheek.
"Duo?" She asked.
"It's me. How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine." Gilly said as she pushed herself up.
"How are your wounds?"
"Okay. How are yours?" Gilly scowled at him.
"Wounds? What wounds?" Duo asked sarcastically.
Gilly grabbed Duo's right arm and squeezed it. He recoiled in pain, and Gilly sighed pitifully.
"Duo..." She began as she looked at his arm.
"Gilly..." Duo was looking away when Gilly said his name, but now he looked down at her.
The two starred once more at each other. This was familiar to them both. They moved once again to each other's lips, but as they did, Gilly felt her body give way to the rest of the paralysis that remained in her body. She slipped off the bed as their noses touched.
She hit the floor and grabbed for Duo's arm. When Duo heard her hit, he lowered his eyes and let out the hurtful sigh. Was it ever meant to be? Or was it just some stupid thing caused by the all damned war?
* * * * *
Duo lay on his bed. If he moved, Gilly would attack him. His right arm hurt, and Gilly knew that better than he did. Their moment had come and gone once again. Now, there was little hope of them ever having another chance to admit their feelings.
Gilly walked in with a bowl of warm water, bandages, and antiseptic. She smiled as if to say, It's all right.
"Take off your shirt." She ordered.
Duo slipped out of his black clad shirt.
"And your tank-shirt." Gilly added.
Duo took off his grey tank-shirt. After he did, he whirled it around in the air and threw it behind him. Gilly gave a laugh that was barely audible, and sat on the bed next to Duo. She dipped a washcloth in the warm water, and applied it to Duo's side, which was worse than his arm. Duo hissed with the sting of the antiseptic Gilly had mixed into the water.
"I'll do a better job with your wounds, than you did with my leg." Gilly said plainly.
"You guilt me." Duo complained.
"What are friends for?"
"With friends like you, who needs enemies?"
"I need you, what more could you possibly want?"
Your heart. Duo told himself, but he couldn't tell Gilly, the moment wasn't there, at least not the moment they both searched for, anyway. The constant interruptions that prevented them from confession were becoming tiresome, but perhaps it wasn't meant to be.
"Who was that guy, anyway?" Duo asked.
"An asshole from a life that no longer exists." Gilly poked at Duo's side, and he cringed.
"Asshole?"
Gilly pointed to her cheeks, left eyebrow, and left arm; "Asshole. He was just a guy I went out with because I didn't know how to say, 'no'. He meant nothing, and we broke up because he's a psycho. He left with one of my friends to another colony, and I thought I'd never see him again. Or, so I had hoped."
"Oh." Was all Duo said.
"This little event is to be known as the 'P-man incident'." Gilly spoke very professionally.
"'P-man'? Why 'P-man'?"
"He reminded me of a freaky phantom, and he's a pea-brain."
"Alright..." Duo gave her a skeptical look.
"How's that feel?" Gilly said as she finished bandaging Duo's arm.
"Great." Duo replied, "How're you doing?"
"I'm, "Gilly paused and fell back on the bed, "doing just fine."
Duo leaned back, and stroked Gilly's cheek, where the cut was. Gilly remembered that when she had been unconscious with the "P-man", he'd stroked her cheeks and hair. She shuddered and sat up abruptly.
"What?" Duo asked her curiously, "What'd I do wrong?" He cringed as he wondered.
"Nothing. It's nothing really."
"Spit it out."
Gilly gave him a hurt look; "It's nothing. There's nothing to spit."
"You're a bad liar." Duo smiled as he lay back down.
"So what?" Gilly stood up and walked out of the room.
Gilly walked out into the living area, and sat down on the couch. She couldn't think. So much had happened. Her terrible dreams still continued. She had figured they'd go away with her retrieval of Knightsaber, but they hadn't. She wasn't fighting at her full power yet, and those damned dreams were what was holding her back.
Duo leaned over the couch and his head was right in Gilly's face. Gilly gave him one of her odd smiles and sighed.
"Tell me." Duo pressed.
Gilly grabbed Duo's head, and pulled him over the couch. He fell on his back with his head in a cushion. Gilly laughed. It was the first time she'd laughed whole-heartedly in quite a while. Duo heard her, picked up one of the pillows, and beaned Gilly in the side of the head with it.
"Oh!" Gilly yelled, "So that's how you want to play it, eh?" She grabbed the other pillow.
Gilly and Duo began to hit each other with the pillows. Their blows were gentle and good-natured, so it was fun. When the two had had enough, they sat down on the couch, laughing hysterically.
"Tell me." Duo repeated.
"It's not you. I just remember the P-man stroking my hair when I was unconscious, and I realized how much I hate him. And, how much I prefer your touch over his." Gilly smiled at Duo with her heart, and gave a sigh of relief.
* * * * *
Gilly awoke to the sound of sizzling. She looked around for Duo, but he wasn't there. She concluded that she'd fallen asleep on the couch after their pillow fight, and Duo had put her in her own bed. She had a vague memory of another disturbing dream. Duo walked in the room with the broadest of smiles on his face. Gilly began to get up, but Duo waved his finger at her, and she stopped.
"Don't you dare move." He threatened, than he announced, "I'm making you breakfast-in-bed."
"You're so sweet." Gilly grinned.
"You don't have to tell me that, I already know it."
Gilly watched Duo return to his fun. He left the door open just a crack, so Gilly jumped up and made a mad dash for the bathroom.
Gilly washed her face, and brushed her hair. After she had finished, she quickly ran back to her bed. She situated herself up with the pillows, and calmed her breathing.
Duo showed up a couple of minutes later with a tray in his hands. Duo immediately knew what Gilly had done. Not only was Gilly's hair neat, but she had a sheepish, "don't look at me" expression on her face. He shook his head and brought the tray over to her.
He set the tray on Gilly's lap, than sat on the edge of the bed to watch her. Gilly smiled with delight at the tasty treat in front of her. She didn't know Duo could cook. But, she supposed when you're a Gundam pilot you have to know how to do everything. Gilly's genuine smile was delightful, but Duo didn't return it, and it seemed something was troubling him. Gilly was aware of the concern in his blue eyes, and she felt her heart tear.
"What is it?" She asked before taking a bite of one of the pancakes.
"Right before the P-man kidnapped you, you were having another one of those horrible dreams. And last night, after you fell asleep, you had another."
"Yeah..." Gilly felt drained as she swallowed, "I seem to have something troubling me, but I don't know what."
"If you have another, I'm afraid it could be fatal. I'm afraid you might..."
"...Might...?"
"...Die." The word stuck out like no other.
Gill had never thought of what her own death would be like; it just seemed to be a meaningless word.
"Duo?" Gilly inquired.
"Yes?"
"How do we stand, " She paused, "on our relationship?"
"Relationship?"
"Yeah. What would you consider us? Boyfriend and girlfriend?"
"Well, you are a girl, and my friend..."
"That's not what I mean." Gilly criticized.
"I know. I'm not sure. We're both Gundam pilots, so maybe we should..."
Just, the word cut Gilly in half, even though unsaid.
"...Stay that."
In this universe, human emotions amount to little more than dust. But, in this world, they make everything. Emotions are a tricky thing, they run very deep, but the kind of emotions Gilly and Duo shared was difficult. Where, in this world of war, was there room for love? If not in the hearts of the younger generations, than where else could love find a way?
"Partners?" Gilly extended her hand towards Duo.
"Partners." Duo confirmed, and shook her hand.
"Cool." Gilly smiled as she went back to eating her breakfast.
* * * * *
Amanda was bored. She lay on her back, staring at her mobile suit. This was her first trip into outer space. She looked at D'hara, her own mobile suit. Made from other OZ suits, but still original. Somehow she'd managed to run into a Gundam pilot. He may have thought she was weak, but by putting up a good fight, she'd earned his trust, but not his respect.
She felt impulsive today. She usually wasn't like this, but for some reason, today seemed different. She began to walk away from D'hara sadly, and passed Wufei, who was working on Shenlong. He watched her go out of the corner of his eye.
"Too weak." He muttered just loud enough for Amanda to hear.
Amanda whirled around and glared; "How can you call me weak?" She demanded.
"You're a woman, for one, and second, your tears are obvious. Only weaklings cry."
"Damnit Wufei! If I'm a weakling, than you're a coward!"
"What did you say?" Wufei snarled.
"You heard me! A coward!"
"Show your reasoning!"
"You run from Trieze. You call me weak when you, yourself are..." Amanda stopped.
"I never said I wasn't!" He damned her a couple of times under his breath.
Wufei had already beaten this, but this girl had to bring it up once more. Amanda could see it in his eyes. She could see the thoroughly beaten look he gave her. Wufei wasn't weak; none of the Gundam pilots were weak. But, she herself wanted to know for sure about Wufei's own strength.
Amanda sauntered up to Wufei. He was slightly shorter than her, but equally decked out with muscles. The two instinctively knew the other's intentions. Wufei and Amanda shared a simple kiss. It didn't last long, and they went back to what they were doing. Neither would run away, and they didn't have to. Amanda knew this to be true, and she smiled to herself.
He starred at her. She was an almost lifeless mass that could never be his own. She was what he needed, and more importantly, she needed him. But, could it ever be? Perhaps, once this damned war was over things could work out.
Gilly was lying on Duo's bed. She had fainted back on Scott's ship, and was in a very weak state. Duo examined his own wounds briefly, but they didn't seem to matter much, until Gilly awoke that is. He could see her eyelashes begin to flutter.
"Hey there." He soothed as he stroked her cheek.
"Duo?" She asked.
"It's me. How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine." Gilly said as she pushed herself up.
"How are your wounds?"
"Okay. How are yours?" Gilly scowled at him.
"Wounds? What wounds?" Duo asked sarcastically.
Gilly grabbed Duo's right arm and squeezed it. He recoiled in pain, and Gilly sighed pitifully.
"Duo..." She began as she looked at his arm.
"Gilly..." Duo was looking away when Gilly said his name, but now he looked down at her.
The two starred once more at each other. This was familiar to them both. They moved once again to each other's lips, but as they did, Gilly felt her body give way to the rest of the paralysis that remained in her body. She slipped off the bed as their noses touched.
She hit the floor and grabbed for Duo's arm. When Duo heard her hit, he lowered his eyes and let out the hurtful sigh. Was it ever meant to be? Or was it just some stupid thing caused by the all damned war?
* * * * *
Duo lay on his bed. If he moved, Gilly would attack him. His right arm hurt, and Gilly knew that better than he did. Their moment had come and gone once again. Now, there was little hope of them ever having another chance to admit their feelings.
Gilly walked in with a bowl of warm water, bandages, and antiseptic. She smiled as if to say, It's all right.
"Take off your shirt." She ordered.
Duo slipped out of his black clad shirt.
"And your tank-shirt." Gilly added.
Duo took off his grey tank-shirt. After he did, he whirled it around in the air and threw it behind him. Gilly gave a laugh that was barely audible, and sat on the bed next to Duo. She dipped a washcloth in the warm water, and applied it to Duo's side, which was worse than his arm. Duo hissed with the sting of the antiseptic Gilly had mixed into the water.
"I'll do a better job with your wounds, than you did with my leg." Gilly said plainly.
"You guilt me." Duo complained.
"What are friends for?"
"With friends like you, who needs enemies?"
"I need you, what more could you possibly want?"
Your heart. Duo told himself, but he couldn't tell Gilly, the moment wasn't there, at least not the moment they both searched for, anyway. The constant interruptions that prevented them from confession were becoming tiresome, but perhaps it wasn't meant to be.
"Who was that guy, anyway?" Duo asked.
"An asshole from a life that no longer exists." Gilly poked at Duo's side, and he cringed.
"Asshole?"
Gilly pointed to her cheeks, left eyebrow, and left arm; "Asshole. He was just a guy I went out with because I didn't know how to say, 'no'. He meant nothing, and we broke up because he's a psycho. He left with one of my friends to another colony, and I thought I'd never see him again. Or, so I had hoped."
"Oh." Was all Duo said.
"This little event is to be known as the 'P-man incident'." Gilly spoke very professionally.
"'P-man'? Why 'P-man'?"
"He reminded me of a freaky phantom, and he's a pea-brain."
"Alright..." Duo gave her a skeptical look.
"How's that feel?" Gilly said as she finished bandaging Duo's arm.
"Great." Duo replied, "How're you doing?"
"I'm, "Gilly paused and fell back on the bed, "doing just fine."
Duo leaned back, and stroked Gilly's cheek, where the cut was. Gilly remembered that when she had been unconscious with the "P-man", he'd stroked her cheeks and hair. She shuddered and sat up abruptly.
"What?" Duo asked her curiously, "What'd I do wrong?" He cringed as he wondered.
"Nothing. It's nothing really."
"Spit it out."
Gilly gave him a hurt look; "It's nothing. There's nothing to spit."
"You're a bad liar." Duo smiled as he lay back down.
"So what?" Gilly stood up and walked out of the room.
Gilly walked out into the living area, and sat down on the couch. She couldn't think. So much had happened. Her terrible dreams still continued. She had figured they'd go away with her retrieval of Knightsaber, but they hadn't. She wasn't fighting at her full power yet, and those damned dreams were what was holding her back.
Duo leaned over the couch and his head was right in Gilly's face. Gilly gave him one of her odd smiles and sighed.
"Tell me." Duo pressed.
Gilly grabbed Duo's head, and pulled him over the couch. He fell on his back with his head in a cushion. Gilly laughed. It was the first time she'd laughed whole-heartedly in quite a while. Duo heard her, picked up one of the pillows, and beaned Gilly in the side of the head with it.
"Oh!" Gilly yelled, "So that's how you want to play it, eh?" She grabbed the other pillow.
Gilly and Duo began to hit each other with the pillows. Their blows were gentle and good-natured, so it was fun. When the two had had enough, they sat down on the couch, laughing hysterically.
"Tell me." Duo repeated.
"It's not you. I just remember the P-man stroking my hair when I was unconscious, and I realized how much I hate him. And, how much I prefer your touch over his." Gilly smiled at Duo with her heart, and gave a sigh of relief.
* * * * *
Gilly awoke to the sound of sizzling. She looked around for Duo, but he wasn't there. She concluded that she'd fallen asleep on the couch after their pillow fight, and Duo had put her in her own bed. She had a vague memory of another disturbing dream. Duo walked in the room with the broadest of smiles on his face. Gilly began to get up, but Duo waved his finger at her, and she stopped.
"Don't you dare move." He threatened, than he announced, "I'm making you breakfast-in-bed."
"You're so sweet." Gilly grinned.
"You don't have to tell me that, I already know it."
Gilly watched Duo return to his fun. He left the door open just a crack, so Gilly jumped up and made a mad dash for the bathroom.
Gilly washed her face, and brushed her hair. After she had finished, she quickly ran back to her bed. She situated herself up with the pillows, and calmed her breathing.
Duo showed up a couple of minutes later with a tray in his hands. Duo immediately knew what Gilly had done. Not only was Gilly's hair neat, but she had a sheepish, "don't look at me" expression on her face. He shook his head and brought the tray over to her.
He set the tray on Gilly's lap, than sat on the edge of the bed to watch her. Gilly smiled with delight at the tasty treat in front of her. She didn't know Duo could cook. But, she supposed when you're a Gundam pilot you have to know how to do everything. Gilly's genuine smile was delightful, but Duo didn't return it, and it seemed something was troubling him. Gilly was aware of the concern in his blue eyes, and she felt her heart tear.
"What is it?" She asked before taking a bite of one of the pancakes.
"Right before the P-man kidnapped you, you were having another one of those horrible dreams. And last night, after you fell asleep, you had another."
"Yeah..." Gilly felt drained as she swallowed, "I seem to have something troubling me, but I don't know what."
"If you have another, I'm afraid it could be fatal. I'm afraid you might..."
"...Might...?"
"...Die." The word stuck out like no other.
Gill had never thought of what her own death would be like; it just seemed to be a meaningless word.
"Duo?" Gilly inquired.
"Yes?"
"How do we stand, " She paused, "on our relationship?"
"Relationship?"
"Yeah. What would you consider us? Boyfriend and girlfriend?"
"Well, you are a girl, and my friend..."
"That's not what I mean." Gilly criticized.
"I know. I'm not sure. We're both Gundam pilots, so maybe we should..."
Just, the word cut Gilly in half, even though unsaid.
"...Stay that."
In this universe, human emotions amount to little more than dust. But, in this world, they make everything. Emotions are a tricky thing, they run very deep, but the kind of emotions Gilly and Duo shared was difficult. Where, in this world of war, was there room for love? If not in the hearts of the younger generations, than where else could love find a way?
"Partners?" Gilly extended her hand towards Duo.
"Partners." Duo confirmed, and shook her hand.
"Cool." Gilly smiled as she went back to eating her breakfast.
* * * * *
Amanda was bored. She lay on her back, staring at her mobile suit. This was her first trip into outer space. She looked at D'hara, her own mobile suit. Made from other OZ suits, but still original. Somehow she'd managed to run into a Gundam pilot. He may have thought she was weak, but by putting up a good fight, she'd earned his trust, but not his respect.
She felt impulsive today. She usually wasn't like this, but for some reason, today seemed different. She began to walk away from D'hara sadly, and passed Wufei, who was working on Shenlong. He watched her go out of the corner of his eye.
"Too weak." He muttered just loud enough for Amanda to hear.
Amanda whirled around and glared; "How can you call me weak?" She demanded.
"You're a woman, for one, and second, your tears are obvious. Only weaklings cry."
"Damnit Wufei! If I'm a weakling, than you're a coward!"
"What did you say?" Wufei snarled.
"You heard me! A coward!"
"Show your reasoning!"
"You run from Trieze. You call me weak when you, yourself are..." Amanda stopped.
"I never said I wasn't!" He damned her a couple of times under his breath.
Wufei had already beaten this, but this girl had to bring it up once more. Amanda could see it in his eyes. She could see the thoroughly beaten look he gave her. Wufei wasn't weak; none of the Gundam pilots were weak. But, she herself wanted to know for sure about Wufei's own strength.
Amanda sauntered up to Wufei. He was slightly shorter than her, but equally decked out with muscles. The two instinctively knew the other's intentions. Wufei and Amanda shared a simple kiss. It didn't last long, and they went back to what they were doing. Neither would run away, and they didn't have to. Amanda knew this to be true, and she smiled to herself.