Part two: Heero comes calling
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(Earth):
Thump, Thump!
The sun shined through the window of Duo Maxwell's home, who laid sprawled in the bed he and Hilde Scheiker shared in the medium sized house for two near the scrap yard that happened to be fenced off from all the other houses for a reason unknown. Thump, thump! Duo grumbled at the noise that came from the living room, he rolled over onto his side tucking his head underneath his pillow as the 'thumping' became more intense by each passing minute. Thump, thump!
The 16-year-old did his best to ignore it begging for the sand man to punch him out with his sleeping sand that resembled tinker-bell's pixie dust. He rolled onto his back, his head still hidden by his coffee-stained pillow his leg fell from under the cover and it hung over the edge of the bed indicating his desperate need for sleep. Hilde had him running all cross the city making deliveries to their faithful customers and new comers from earth looking for spare parts to fix a majority of things.
Afterward Hilde was kind enough to make Duo his newly acquired favorites beside steak: spaghetti and French-fires, with kale on the side. He mouth was water with each bite he took, while he chatted with the German girl recently released from the hospital after the stunt the pulled in space. This however this did not help Maxwell go to sleep, nor did it distract him from the thumping noise that continued on.
He shifted his eyeballs underneath his lid's getting an unexpected sting curtesy of the light coming through his window before he heard tapping on the window wakened him completely ... sorta. Duo's hand searched the bed for Hilde but discovered she was nowhere on the bed nor inside the bedroom. Groaning the braided pilot lifted himself up on his elbows searching for the alarm clock or the beeping noise on his watch wherever that was.
Tap, tap! Tap-tap-tap, tap!
Duo shifted his gaze toward the window using his hand as a visor so he good id the person as Hilde. But to his surprise it wasn't Hilde; it the person he hadn't seen since he, Qature, and Trowa fought the serpent troops head on (with no casualties) and Wing Zero exploded in midair before his eyes. His coalbolt eyes widened in sheer joy, Duo leapt out of the bed forgetting all about his clothes rushing toward the front door.
Hilde who happened to be inside the kitchen making she and Duo's breakfast had heard all the tapping and thumping, but figured it was a door-to-door sales man trying to sucker her into buy one of their cheap products.
Of course she was taken aback when she noticed Duo rushing out of the bedroom barefoot, with his bat-boxers and sleeveless shirt still on him. "Hmm I wonder who could be at the door?" She mumbled to herself walking away from the hashbrowns to peek around the corner. The German girl watched the braided boy open the door slowly as if expecting the grim-reaper to standing before him. Hilde held her breath awaiting Duo to call the person by his or her name.
"Hey Heero! How ya been buddie?" Duo's usual chipper voice surprised the Gundam pilot and Hilde. Heero? She thought before she smelt the hashbrowns burning on the stove. Oh no! Hilde removed herself from her spying secession and rushed to her burning breakfast' aid.
Heero said nothing, he just nodded in indication that he was responding to his question. Duo shrugged stepping behind the door, he didn't need Heero making fun of him in a cruel verbal way. "Heh.... do you need anything? Spare parts perhaps?" He asked in a business tone.
"Lie (no)." Was the reply.
Duo almost fell over, Heero hadn't changed one bit, still the one or more word's a-day guy he knew so well. "Do you mind If I come in?" Heero asked suddenly, reaching over to the right to pick something up. Duo shrugged shaking his head, the braided pilot opened the door a bit more letting the Japanese pilot step inside with a gym bag and suitcase in hand. Duo was figuring out what was going on very quickly too quickly for the silent warrior's taste.
Despite this, the American decided that he should let Heero tell his story instead of trying to guess it. The 16-year-old shut the front door before heading toward the bathroom, Heero's eyes scanned the living room with slight interest; it was nice to know the deathscythe pilot had taste in furniture, the dinner table however was in the kitchen which Heero found to be distasteful before catching slight of Hilde, the girl that had given them the data on Libra.
Hilde felt a pair of eyes on her and turned around to meet the steely gaze of Heero Yuy someone she had briefly saw when Duo had taken her to the nearest colony with a hospital, she smiled politely before returning to cooking the waffles. Heero blinked and headed over to the couch, he flopped down onto it with a groan he placed his hand on his forehead with a scowl. Why did I even come here? He thought before he heard Hilde calling his name.
"Oi Heero, that's your name?" Hilde asked poking her head out of the kitchen with a smile. Heero removed his hand from forehead with shifting his gaze toward Hilde with an inquiring look about him, Hilde simply winked waving the spatula at him indicating she asking him if he wanted to eat. Heero groaned, not at all in the mood to eat but nodded to her unobvious question. Hilde nodded returning inside the kitchen. "Whacha want for breakfast?"
"Anything's fine," Heero replied simply wanting to go to sleep. Duo stepped out of the bathroom in a hurry with a towel wrapped around his waist, he moved quicker than usual and jumped inside the bedroom before Heero had a chance to glance at him.
The u-nbraided haired boy jumped into his red zip-up shirt pulling on his black pants hopping into his shoes. With a sigh he flopped on the bed and began to mess around with stands of his hair unable to examine the situation he happened to be in.
Usually when Heero came around it meant trouble and it usually followed him whenever he came within two feet of him. Duo sighed gathering his hair up in the towel and began to dry it out as best he could before he braided it tying the end up with a small band. Rising from the bed Duo headed out of the bedroom with his usual smile Heero watched him with his steely gaze until Duo couldn't take it anymore. He placed himself in front of Heero with his arms folded across chest arching his eyebrow. "Okay Heero, whadya want?" He asked with a sigh. "Has Relena been kidnapped? Has someone tried to star a war---" Duo was cut off in mid sentence.
"I need a place to stay." Heero stated simply. Duo fell over taken by sheer suprise, Hilde came walking in with her Kiss the cook apron on and her hands placed firmly on her hips. Heero couldn't see how he lived with this girl, she asked too many questions for her own good.
It was gonna get her killed one day. Duo regained his composure clearing his throat, Heero looked at him expectantly. Duo returned with a look of his own, the two stayed like that for a good while, on the other hand Hilde was wondering who could keep up the staring. Duo or Heero? It didn't matter, their ego's were grinding her nerves. She stepped between the two man, placing a hand on Duo's shoulder giving Heero a smile. "How long do you hafta stay?" She asked, just as Duo protested.
Heero's expression remained unchanged. "Not long," He replied. Hilde paused for a moment contemplating the chain-of events that would happen with another mouth to feed and a clash of ego's to keep under control. Finally she nodded silencing all arguments Duo had against his staying. Heero smirked a triumphant smirk before raising from the couch to get his gym bag and suitcase he walked passed the braided pilot.
Duo glanced Heero's way before heading into the kitchen grumbling something about life being unfair, Heero scanned the area now holding his bag and suitcase, his eyes settled on the couch knowing from the construction of the house, there was an only a bathroom, one room, kitchen, and the living room which he stood on.
With a sigh, Heero figured he might as well make himself comfortable on the couch if he was gonna be here for a good while until he found a place of his own and probably a job. Tossing his bag onto the couch Heero glided over to the cushioned chair flopping down onto it and opening his suitcase that revealed his laptop. The screen came to life and Heero began to write his fingers away creating another hacker program.
Duo sat at the table chewing on an apple glancing at Hilde from time to time giving the girl an on-off feeling that she was being stared at again, Hilde lifted the hashbrowns off the pan placing them onto the large saucer encircling the scrambled eggs that resided in the middle of the saucer, she glanced at Duo from the corner of her eye catching him steal a glance at her before he chomped down on the apple again, Hilde sighed returning her attention to the last hasbrown.
She scooped the square shaped object onto the plate noticing Duo's hand inching its' way over to a scrap of scrambled eggs, with lightening reflexes Hilde brought the heated spatula down onto Duo's hand, the gundam-pilot cried out moving his hand from under the almighty weapon of discipline and manners, his left hand clutched his aching right hand Duo gave Hilde his puppy eyes which didn't work by the way.
"Na-uh Duo," Hilde said mockingly waving the spatula at him. Duo grumbled something under his breath before leaving the kitchen, Hilde sighed irritably placing the spatula on the side picking up the saucer up from the counter making her way over to table she placed it down in the center with a proud smile. Hilde glanced into the living room watching Duo attempt to have a conversation with Heero who seemed to be ignoring him while typing.
"....Heero, are you even listening to me?" The 02 pilot asked aching his eyebrow.
"Hn."
"Hey, I saw Relena yesterday. She says hi."
Heero looked up briefly from his laptop's screen and replied, "Hn?"
Duo had actually gotten Heero's attention. This made the American smile, he nodded. "Hai, she was doing her usual thing, promoting peace ... only this time... uhhh..." Duo trailed off looking up thoughtfully. Heero's eyes narrowed in suspicion before returning to his laptop.
Duo growled running his hands through his hair in pure anger, Hilde noticed a smile had crept to the callus pilot's face before he looked back up at Duo with an arched eyebrow.
"I doubt you've seen Relena, Duo," Heero replied, tapping on the enter key. Duo rolled his eyes walking over to the couch and flopped beside Heero, he leaned back taking a peek at the jibberish on the screen the braided pilot could only make out one word; Corel-photo house.
He cocked an eyebrow at the antisocial teenager before sighing in defeat. Duo leaned back placing his hands behind his head. "Yeah, okay I didn't see Relena yesterday, or the anyday for that matter. Not since we defeated the white fang anyway," Duo said coolly, staring up at the ceiling. Heero scoffed to no-one in particular before closing the laptop and rising from his chair, Duo shifted his gaze from the ceiling toward his friend who jabbed his thumb toward the kitchen.
All three residents of the house however, were caught off guard by a loud grumbling noise that resembled the roar of a lion that seemed to be coming from Heero. Hilde and Duo's eyes rested on the lower half of Heero, the silent teenager was deathly still with his laptop in hand up against him... Heero's cheeks turned a lovely shade of rosey-pink.
"Was that your stomach, Heero? Or did you just break the wind?" Hilde asked careful not to anger the former gundam pilot.
"stomach," Was Heero's quiet reply. Hilde gasped obviously amused, while Duo's stomach muscles contracted from his silent snickering that he hid clamping his hand over his mouth, he rose from his place on the couch making his way over to his friend and wrapped his arm around the Japanese boy's shoulders with a coy smile. Heero shifted his eyes only his body remained still.
"Hey its' nothing to be ashamed of Heero," Duo explained leading the boy into the Kitchen. "Let's just get something in your stomach, it'll lighten your mood ... snicker." Heero made a low growl telling the American gundam pilot to back off, Duo removed his arm from around the teen's shoulders raising his hands in defense chuckling nervously.
Hilde shook her just as she pulled out another chair from the closet for Heero, the German female hoped, she could survive with two boys who had nightmares very single night, along with their testosterone fueled bodies.
~*~
(Colony L3):
Catherine Bloom walked the out of the trailer she and Trowa called home holding her arms close to her body as the cold air whipped around her unprotected legs and arms, she wore only a tank top and hot-pants.
She scanned the circus area searching for Trowa, he wasn't at he usual spot next to the lion that was currently sleeping away his worries and resting his tried boy, it was eerily quiet throughout the entire colony, and Catherine wasn't up to spending her time alone with nothing but the silence to keep her company.
Rushing across the grassy area the knife-throwing performer searched the entire camp but found no Trowa. With a sigh Catherine turned to head back to the trailer when two hands place themselves over her eyes causing her body instinctively to stiffen with fear before she heard a light laugh that resembled a scoff from behind.
"Surprise, Cathy," Came an unusually chipper voice. Catherine breathed a sigh of relief placing her hands around the assailant's wrists' with a smile and she slowly brought his hand's down pulling him close to her, his arms wrapped themselves around her arms and he rested his chin on her shoulder.
"Where were you Trowa, you had me worried!" She laughed halfheartedly turning around to meet his childish gaze. Trowa shrugged placing his forehead against her with a sigh, Catherine could see the wandering warrior in the center of his green eyes. "Sorry sis, I didn't mean to. I just took a walk is all," He replied sheepishly while Catherine gave him her maternal frown which meant he was in trouble.
Trowa sighed shoving his hands into his pockets prepared for his punishment, Catherine smiled not in the mood to make him cook dinner so instead she ordered him into his bedroom until she called him for supper. Trowa grumbled in mock-anger walking passed the chocolate brown haired girl who followed close behind satisfied she knew he was safe before her mind drifted off to another place and time.
*Growl/grumble*
"Catherine, I'm hungry!" Trowa groaned.
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At the bottom on the ocean, surrounded by Corel reef and other sea life, A Mobile suit laid on its' back staring dazedly up at the surface of the water as it felt the water seeping through his joint's praying it wouldn't cause him to rust. It was not the way he wanted to go out, rusted and lifeless on the bottom of the ocean. Inside the pilot sat in the cockpit unscathed, with his head bowed downward and his hands still wrapped around the mobile suit's controls, his eyes remained closed he listened to the silence of the ocean before the sound of the mobile suit activating itself awakened him from his sleeping state.
His Prussian blue eyes opened in surprise as the navigational system activated and the eerie mustard light brightened the entire cockpit. The mobile suit's head shifted sluggishly as its' eyes came to life, and it was fully aware of its' surroundings.
The pilot lifted his head now fueled with the determination to complete his mission, his fingers tightened their grip on the control's handles. "Zero, can you move?" He asked quietly. The mobile suit replied by placing his hands firmly against the sandy ocean bottom. Will this be my final fight, Heero?
Heero's eyes narrowed as he felt Zero rise from his lying position flexing his arms before pulling them back placing them on his sides raising his head upward to greet the ocean's surface once again. "Yeah, this'll be your final fight," Heero replied before shoving his arm in a quick forward motion.
The wing's upon Zero's back raised upward spreading out as the engine came to life, air bubbles surrounded the Gundam as his feet lifted from the ground fighting his way back to the top. Heero jerked his other arm forward activating the booster on Wing Zero's back, the Gundam took off at neck breaking speed causing Heero to fall back into his chair. He struggled to breathe while hoping his chest would not shatter under the pressure he was feeling.
Wing Zero broke free of the Ocean's binding on his armored body and took flight upward still with its' eye set on the Residential house that Dekim Barton and his little pawn, Mariemaia Kushrenada resided.
Heero stared at the never-ending sky before him, when the image of the little girl and the dog appeared before him. His heart ceased beating, his arms became stiff and his mind was completely blank void of thought. She bent forward with the yellow dandelion in her hand, and the dog sat faithfully beside her. Heero's eyes widened with fear as the horrid memory of mission gone wrong began to replay in his mind.
"I've been lost ever since the day I was born,"
"Oh, that's so sad. Well I'm not lost, I'm just talking Merry out for a walk,"
"Here, I'll give you this flower," The girl smiled, her eyes were shadowed by her hat.
Heero watched the Leo mobile suit land on the apartment building exploding soon after setting the building afire. The girl rose from her bed, waking her dog who began to bark furiously. Her flowing honey colored hair fell out of its' bun and down her shoulders just as she saw the inferno approaching her. She screamed a minute too late for help, the fire engulfed her bedroom and the rest of the apartment.
Heero's breathing became shuddering gasps as the girl neared him, he was unable to move his mouth from its' parted position. The child wrapped her arms around his neck resting her face against his. Heero stiffened with fear as he watched blood seep from underneath the girl's hair. "My death wasn't your fault. It wasn't....... Heero...,"
Unable to keep his fear bottled up inside, the Japanese teenager screamed in horror unable to forgive himself for what he had done.
Outside Wing Zero's buster rifle fired at the Residential house's shield in the exact same place, melting away the metal destroying the rest of the shelter's shields. The Gundam was unable to withstand the rifle's power and exploded under the extreme pressure taking Heero with it.
~*~
In the dead of the night, Heero's scream awakened the one of residents of the small house.
(Author's note: Ta'da! I'm finished the second chapter! Man it was hard work I tell ya. I just saw the Special Edition of Endless Waltz (uncut), and the uncut version of the OAV, I totally loved both endings, they were satisfying and fulfilling. Mama-Sama: Thanks for being my 1st reviewer! I've read many of your stories.... They're great! I love "Little Miss magic" Its too cute. Sklyer reads or acts just like a feisty little girl and a restless Teenager. ^ ^; I hope you like this chapter.... And if there are any misspelled words, names, grammar errors' lemmie know!
Sakura123~