No Ordinary Love - Reddalice
Author's Note: I thought of this at work...
Rating: R Adult themes, Yaoi, Angst, as well as other unsavory undertones. Tasty.
Type: Series
Music: Walking Dead - DJ Z-Trip feat. Chester Bennington, No Ordinary Love Cover - Deftones
Review: Yes, please! I am such a review whore. Don't know what to say? I like to hear what you do and don't like, even if it's trivial. I adore comments on what you would love to happen, or what you think the story needs to be the best it can be.
Chapter 00 - Prologue
In the same confusion that had moved it into the now, the moment departed and was committed to history, one of the most painful memories Duo had ever experienced. The conversation had been so brief, efficiently sweet and acutely painful.
"Where are you going?"
"That's none of your concern, Duo."
"Yeah... sure, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to ask about it, ya know? I'm just curious, not harm in that, right?"
"Just because you ask, doesn't mean I'll answer."
"I know, but I want you too, I really wanna know!"
His beautiful satirical smile... an expression seemingly carved out of ice and worn by the flesh.
"Do you? Do you really want to know, Duo?"
That hazy question had poured from his lips like honey to trap bees.
"Yeah."
Then it was sweaty palms pulling at fabric, clothes being tugged down legs and slid over their heads falling onto the floor. Two bodies feasting on one another as they stumbled back into the hall, knocking over a lamp, and falling against a wall. Four hands hungrily roaming, tongues licking, and eyes taking in everything with a hunger that could never be satiated. It was rough, slow, and long in coming. An act that stripped them of the facades they had put to one another of fear and for protection, which left them spent and bruised next to a shattered bulb on a rumpled rug.
"You're leaving... because you want to have sex with me? Because you want to fuck me but don't want to love me? I think that's stupid. We can still be friends... we can have sex and be friends... you don't have to leave."
It was the only rationale Duo could manage to form behind his half closed eyes.
"No, Duo. I'm leaving so I can love you-... and fuck you. Because I want both... and I can't have both until I have completed this last mission."
That would be the end of memory for exhaustion reigned Duo in without difficulty. When he woke several hours later, in bed and alone, his skin was cool and dry, and all that was left of what had transpired was a throbbing ache in his thighs and claw marks crusted on his back. His lover had left, and Duo found no note.
It would be months before any sign of him appeared, and several weeks after that before Duo found him. Along with his disappearance two things occurred that were not to go unnoticed.
Wufei moved to Earth to study philosophy in Beijing, leaving behind one of his only friends in pursuit of fulfillment through knowledge... something Chinese seem to have a knack for. While that was devastating to the already distressed Duo it wasn't until Quatre withdrew from their friendship and turned a dead cold shoulder to him that he really felt the ground coming out from under him.
Duo had gone into war alone, lost, and angry, and with something to prove, but he left the battle with scars and a dependence on four special men he had met somewhere in the mess of blood. Though each were as different as Old Maid and Chess they were united by common ground and bonded shortly after peace flooded the nations leaving them unsteady and for the first time... without cause.
Preventers claimed them, a new... quieter battle needing to be fought, and the cheap simulation of their former glory fueled their daily lives and met their basic human needs. It rebound the five Gundam pilots, some more than others, and some in different ways.
Now Duo was lost, and angry again, and Quatre wasn't speaking to him. Duo even went to the Winner's main estate on L-3 to try and reconcile whatever-it-was that had gone amiss. Nothing prevailed, upon arrival he was turned away, unwelcome, and escorted to the street, the gate locked behind him. Two hours Duo stood outside on the sidewalk, rain pelting his skin until his veins froze, starring up at the third floor of the mansion, glaring into a dark heavy curtained office window, and into the eyes of someone he no longer recognized. It would be Quatre's folly to call Duo like adversary.
Exasperated, Duo ruffled his bangs and stretched his arms over his head; his muscles panged him from disuse, and dark circles heavily shadowing his eyes. This was it, seven months and Duo had finally found him. Finally...located him at a hospital in New Orleans, USA.
Apprehensive about going alone, Duo asked Hilde to come with him, and together they went forward into the expansive facility and met a nurse outside room 409.
"I've been really anxious to meet you." The round woman beamed, her eyes were like bright sapphires against her pockmarked cheeks, but every bit of the Nurse was friendly and hospitable.
Hilde wasted no time in getting into small talk, "I can't say that it hasn't been rocky, but we're definitely thrilled. We came from L2, Duo here was the one who located him via computer... but I'm still not convinced we're talking about the same guy. I mean... he's been missing for seven months and who knows how many days."
"We won't know until you confirm it of course, but talking to Mr. Maxwell over the phone has me more than convinced."
Duo finally nodded, "Yeah."
The Nurse leaned back on her heals and gave Duo a long look-over, "You sounded a lot older on the phone, Mr. Maxwell. How old are you? Twenty?"
"Give or take." Duo replied coarsely, itching his palms, and shifting his wait from one foot to the other.
"You don't look anything-a-like... save for maybe you both are brunette, but genes can be funny. Where were your parents from?"
Duo made a face, "I don't really like to talk about them, they abandoned me and my brother before I can remember." Duo nearly missed Hilde's incredulous whisper, he had neglected to inform her how he had gotten around the US's strict medical laws on patient information. Of course to even be there, he would have to be kin, and what simpler than brothers?
"That's awful." The Nurse hissed disapprovingly, "We see a lot of that, even now- Anyways, why don't we step in and take a look, hopefully that'll be enough. Then we can fill out paperwork... and I have a lot of that by the way, and after that... we'll see what the doctor has to say." Putting her hand on the doorknob, the Nurse opened the door slowly, and gave way into a darkened room.
The florescent hall light cast a ghastly glow on the room, illuminating the outline of a bed, drawn curtains, nightstand, and three wooden chairs with worn floral seat cushions.
"It's so dark." Hilde mumbled taking in the view.
The Nurse shrugged, "He likes it dark during the afternoon, he sleeps most of the day away."
Duo stepped toward the bed, his feet covering slow inch by inch. It became clear that someone was lying in the bed, the covers pulled tight around a body, giving away the traces of the long lithe form underneath. Duo inhaled slowly, and turned on the light against the wall.
Exhaling harshly, a grin brightened Duo's long saddened face. "Oh my god... you..." He whispered, somewhere in the distance Hilde gasped and the Nurse smiled. "Where have you been? I've been looking for you for so long."
"Don't wake him too quickly, he's prone to lashing out." The Nurse warned carefully, "but once he wakes up, he's pleasant enough."
"What?" Hilde queried hugging her midriff, "Lash out?"
Duo looked in time to see the Nurse flinch with sympathy, "I wanted to wait to be sure this was your brother, but you see... He's been with us a while, and his condition has been unwavering since his arrival, of course he is steady... but laws prevent us from providing any ground breaking treatment after he has been stabilized until he has been official identified by family or next of kin and medical records can be provided. That includes all invasive surgeries or therapies, and most non-invasive treatments, as well near all medications available. Dr. Pajite's approximate verdict is brain damage, but there will be a more thorough diagnosis if you give the doctor consent and sign release forms removing him of all liability for the patient."
"Say what?" Hilde snorted. "He can make his own choices."
"Due to the believed extent of the damage to the cerebral cortex. Mr. Maxwell, as sole family member, has power of attorney over his brother."
Duo's heart was falling fast.
"That's ridiculous!" Hilde growled.
"I'm sorry it's been the law of the land since 2020 when mal-practice suits hit an all-time high and you couldn't find a good neurologist in the country. It's a part of a law that safeguards specialists so there are specialists to provide much needed care. Its has it's draw backs."
Blood roared in Duo's ears...Brain damage? Was he lost to Duo forever?
With a timid stance, Duo touched the sleeping mans warm face, and felt him stir under his fingers. "What happened to you on that mission, hmn?" He whispered. Under his gaze, Duo watched the thick brown eyelashes part around the darkest of emerald eyes he had ever seen. "Trowa..."
TBC...>