Holding Things Sacred

"—with the cross then?"

An innocent question about a loaded subject. One that even I'll admit I was interested in hearing the answer to. But as I reviewed the wary look that had come into the back of my partner's eyes; I was just as sure I wasn't going to hear it, as the unsuspecting classmate was close to getting decked for even being as presumptuous to ask.

Of course the boy that had asked didn't know my partner as well as I did and kept rambling, "I mean, it must mean a great deal to you 'cause you never take it off, and I don't want to pry or anything, but it seems like you must have a great faith in God…" the child didn't seem to notice how uncomfortable this line of questioning was to Duo.

I of course knew the basic background of my partner: orphan, from L2, taken in by the Maxwell church before the massacre that happened there, sweeper, stealth and demolitions expert, etc. Dr. J would never send in an operative without data on as many variables as possible. I was beginning to realize, even with my less that stellar people skills, that there was more to back-stories than J could put into a file.

In the midst of my musings Duo had managed to dance completely away from and around the question, as well as stop the flow of chatter. His obvious skills at deflection, nervous behavior, like the braid twirling he was practicing now, and his old priest habit, were little but crucial statistics personnel files didn't cover.

Even though this mission along with so many of our others required him to be out of his customary garb, the simple chain and his braid were things I'd never seen him without. They were also part of our own form of "don't ask, don't tell". Also apart of that unspoken code was, "if it's volunteered at bloody midnights, keep that trust".

Thinking about the code was just another game that I was sure I wasn't playing with a full deck, but I was trained well enough to recognize an operative under pressure and when assist on a retreat was needed. So I followed him. Trailed him from the picnic tables where we had been gathered before "the question" and through the door of the school with it's faux brick trying to pass as venerable. Duo pounded up the stairs to the dorm room in front of me and reached the door when I was still at the end of the hall. He went in, slammed the door, and then opened it back up quietly for me.

Suffice to say that we did not discuss things that afternoon…or evening…or night…

Later we did.

It was another mission, same scene, except the uniforms weren't as stuffy. Something had set him off, I can't even remember what at this point, but I ended up asking him, "A physical gift was given, but it is the message behind the gift that matters, no? Why then not pass the message and extend the gift to others?"

"Because some things are sacred, and I am too much of a sinner to pass that message on."

The conversation ended abruptly at that. There was nothing I could say. For if he was a sinner then I was damned as well. And there was very little, if anything, I could hold sacred anymore.

Author's note: yes totally not were this challenge fic was going or even was at the beginning of brainstorming... . in fact it wasn't brainstormed until after it was initially written. Mega thanks fly out to kye-luv for her help. Ahem. Things ::grin:: she thinks I should note to help folks along. 1. read it aloud and if it still doesnt make sense, remember we all know how crazy heero is 2. "don't ask don't tell, doesn't refer to them sleeping with each other, tho if you want to view it that way have fun --. it was meant to refer to keeping your own life private. 3. in regards to the phrase bloody midnight: bloody refers to when theyre hurt, emotionally or physically, and midnight ::grin:: its the witching hour "people say things in the night that are too true, too harsh, for the light of day"