When A Weed Becomes A Rose
Chapter Two:
Duo stepped off the shuttle and into the terminal when he was assulted by a warm, happy bundle of woman. He smiled and hugged Hilde for a moment. Hilde Schbeiker had been one of Duo's closest friends for as long as he could remember. The two had meet on L2 long before Duo had become a Gundam Pilot. While as a pilot, he had once again run into her as she tried to become an OZ pilot. Duo had convinced her to go her own way then. Now that the wars were over, he'd occasionally come back to L2 to help out at the salvage company she owned and operated.
Hilde's wide blue eyes shimmered with mirth and happiness while her blue-black hair was still as short as ever. He long bags fell into her face while the rest seemed to be cut in a more tom-boyish style. Then again, as Duo hugged her, she had always seemed more like one of the guys than a girl. She stepped back and gave him a wide smile.
"I honestly thought you wouldn't make it, Duo," she said as she turned to walk over to the baggage collection area. Duo followed at a slowler pace and raised a hand to place behind his head, rubbing the back of his neck.
"What would make you think that, Hil?" he asked, coming to a stop behind her as they watched for his bags. Hilde glanced at him. He was still dressed in his all black outfits, but this one was a lot more decent than what he usually wore. He wore what seemed like perfectly tailored black jeans that were tastefully ripped at the knees and a tight black shirt that had white lettering in a saying she had never seen before. 'I'm multi-talented. I can TALK and ANNOY you at the same time!' It was funny, and fit Duo perfectly.
"Well, the last time I asked you to come up for a visit you almost agreed but then decided against it." Duo winced at that one. Heero had asked Duo if he would be able to stay behind and help him. Apparently, Heero had wanted to go to a party Quatre had been throwing and he didn't want to go without at least one more friend with him. Duo had been unable to refuse him. "What's wrong Duo? Did Heero and you have a fight?" she asked when he didn't reply.
"No," he anwered. Hilde was one of the few people who knew how he felt about Heero. While even the whole world was easier on homosexual relationships, there were still those who looked down on it. Quatre had even been able to marry Trowa just two months back. It had been a grand occasion and Duo had been the happiest about the couples good fortune.
Hilde's blue eyes looked away from the bags then and gazed directly at Duo. His violet eyes were bright, but not as blinding as they usually were. His smile was still there, but there was something missing. Add to that the fact that Duo was usually hurting when he came to visit and Hilde realized this wasn't a simple visit. She sighed and pulcked the twin midnight black bags that suddenly came by before starting to move off.
"Come on, Duo. Let's go back to my place and you can tell me what happened this time. I suppose this one's a hell of a lot worse, with two suitcases this time," she said as she walked. Duo watched her as they walked. She was dressed in simple black slacks, a white shirt, and a pale yellow trench coat. That was the Hilde he was used to seeing. Even working as a big shot salvage owner, she hadn't changed her taste in clothes. Then again, if he was honest, he hadn't changed his either. Only the price of his clothes had changed.
"Know me so well, huh, Hilde?" he asked with a small, mirthless laugh. He really wasn't so surprised. She was right. He never came here unless something had happened that he couldn't handle alone. This was how his life had become. Hilde never argued it either. She always welcomed him with a large smile and an ear. Her heart was so large he was amazed her husband didn't kill him sometimes for coming over and stealing her from him so much.
"Of course! We've been friends for a long time, Duo. That's something only women friends can do. Learning the male mind is what makes our lives so much fun." Duo laughed at her words while he got into the truck he had driven over to the terminal to pick him up in. She tossed his bags into the back and smiled at him with a wink.
"Oh, so that's how the female mind works. I was wondering about that." Hilde snorted, in a very un-lady-like fashion. She then lightly smacked his arm as she got behind the wheel of the car.
"Duo Maxwell! I happen to know that you understand the female mind far better than any man has a right to. So don't give me that kind of comment. I won't stand for it." I couldn't help but smirk at her, gaining one of her own in return.
"All right. I know what you're getting at. So I'll just come right out with why I'm here. Heero's getting married," Duo said, not bothering to beat around the preverbial bush this time around. Hilde's face lit up with joy, until she realized Duo wasn't sharing in that joy. Her expression became serious and looked at him with calm blue eyes.
"Who did he choose?" she asked in a soft tone. Duo looked out the window and watched as he took in the area where the old Maxwell Church had been. All that stood there now was a memorial, in honor of the lives that had been lost there. Duo had felt so much pride and sadness on that day, two years ago.
FlashBack
Duo stood in the simulated rain of L2 as the workers cleared away the rubble from the area Duo had once called home. He stared at it all as his past was cleared away as if it had never been. Yet, that was how the present was. Terrible reminders were always cleaned away once things were better. It was so that the happiness of the current moment was whiped away in once glance.
Tears fell down his cheeks in honor of those he had known who had died here. They mixed with the rain and made it impossible to be seen. His pure black Preventer uniform seemed darker as it became soaked and his chestnut locks were dark as they became plastered to his back and face. Yet Duo really didn't care. He was only here to honor his second family. Once they were done, he'd pull back on his smile and go back to work. Living his life as if things were all right. Of which, they would be, eventually.
"Duo," Quatre's soft voice said as he neared the silent young man who stood in the rain. He was under an unbrella that Trowa was holding for them. His smile was sad, as he looked at his friend.
"I'm all right, Q-bean," he whispered softly. "I'm always gonna be all right." Quatre frowned and leaned in close to Trowa while Wufei stood off to the side, silent and watching the scene from under his own black umbrella. Yet Duo's eyes widened as suddenly the rain ceased to fall on him and he looked up to see Heero, standing there in his tan Preventer uniform and holding an unbrella over both of them.
"Baka," Heero had said softly. "What good will you do anyone if you get sick?" he asked. Duo had smiled and then turned back to the scene in front of him.
"You're right, Hee-chan. What was I thinking?" he asked in a slightly calm voice. Heero shurgged.
"Who else but you knows what you think?" he asked in return. Duo laughed at that before leaning back just a little, taking warmth from being against Heero. The stoic boy didn't say anything, but he didn't push Duo away either. For that, he was grateful. Heero then held out a small plaque before Duo's eyes. Duo's violet gaze turned on it and as he read it, tears gathered in his eyes once more.
"'To those who gave their lives in the name of peace. They are forever remembered here with this plaque. Their memory will live on, even while they, themselves, will not. Forever let their struggle be remember, in the hope that it will not happen again. In commoration of the Maxwell Church Incident of AC 192.'" Duo sniffled as he read it out loud and looked back at Heero once more. "Is this for real?" he asked.
"It was commisioned by Lady Une when she heard what they were going to do here," Quatre said as they walked up behind him. Even Wufei came over to the small group.
"She figured it was something that meant a lot to you, so she had this created in honor of all you've gone through, as well as what they went through. This place was where some of the first real casualties had occured," Wufei stated in a quiet voice. Duo smiled at all his friends and nodded.
"It was something that shouldn't be forgotten." Two men came up with a pedestal and a figure of a bible with a rose over it. Once the clean up was over, they moved both items over to the very middle of where the church had been and placed the pedestal there. They then settled to figure on top of it and stepped back, one of them looking at Duo.
"Preventer Maxwell. If you would do the honors?" he asked, motioning for Duo to place the plaque where it was obviously supposed to go on the pedestal. Duo took the plaque and moved up to it, Heero beside him. Together, they placed the plaque in place and at the same time, took a step back. After a moment of silence, he looked back at Heero once more, his violet eyes locking with Prussian blue ones.
"Thank you, Heero. I. . .I'm glad the others and you could be here with me." Heero nodded and gave Duo a small smile.
"It's. . .what friends are for," he replied, almost uncertain. Duo laughed and then wrapped an arm around Heero's waist as they all began to walk away from the area.
"Yeah, Hee-chan. That's exactly what they're for," Duo said with a grin, before looking at the others, all of whom were miling softly. "Come on, dinner, Wuffle's treat!" Duo called out. Quatre, Trowa, and Heero all smirked softly at that while Wufei's face turned red.
"Maxwell!" he shouted. Duo slipped out from under Heero's umbrella and began to run off toward the diner they all enjoyed while on L2. Wufei, angered, dropped his own umbrella and began to chase after him. For that moment, all was as it should be.
End FlashBack
"Relena," Duo answered as he brought himself back to the present and Hilde's response. Hilde hit the bakes so fast Duo had to catch himself before he went through the winshield. "What the hell, Hilde? Ya tryin' to kill me or what?" he asked, grumbling.
"You couldn't be so lucky as to die in such an unflashy way," she growled back. She turned to look at him, having made certain she wasn't blocking traffic before doing so. "If he's marrying Relena, I take it it's for love or you'd still be there, trying to show him the error of his ways," she said, growling at him slightly.
"No, he's doing it out of convenience. He likes Relena. He isn't in love with her, but he's happy with what he's chosen. He moved in with her just two days ago." Hilde smacked her steering wheel so hard, the horn went off. Duo jumped, as did Hilde.
"Duo, you can't stay here," she said suddenly, ardently. Duo blinked and looked at his friend, confusion in those violet orbs.
"Huh? What's with this Hil? I just got here and you're telling me I can't stay here?" Hilde turned her truck back on and began to take him back to the space terminal.
"Yep, that's exactly what I'm saying. If you are going to allow someone you love marry for something less than love, even if he is happy, then you are not the Duo Maxwell I know and I don't want to see you here until you get better." Duo sat there as they drove back to the station and thought over what she had said. As he thought over those very words in his head, he suddenly smiled. Damn, he knew he loved Hilde for a reason.
Getting out of the truck togther, they each grabed a bag and headed inside. Duo gave Hilde one hell of a huge hug and kissed her cheek. "Damn if ya aren't right, Hil. I wouldn't settle for anything else and Heero shouldn't either." Hilde smirked then and kissed his cheek before pushing him toward the waiting shuttle.
"That's the Duo I know and love," she said with a bright grin. "Go get him and don't get back to me unless he's either marrying for love or marrying you. . .either one I'll accept. I won't accept anything else. And hopefully, I get both." Duo laughed and nodded before heading toward the waiting shuttle. He flashed his badge as a Preventer which allowed him on almost instantly.
"Bye Hilde! I'll keep ya updated!" he called out to her as he waved. She blew him a kiss and laughed before waving in return.
"You had better, Maxwell! Otherwise, I'll come and haunt ya!" she yelled back as he disappeared into the craft. She sighed and smiled softly. Now that Duo was back on track, she could focus on her own life, at least until he needed her once again. He was her brother, in so many ways. Too bad he couldn't act more serious at times. It would really save her some trouble. Whistling softly, she turned on her heel and began walking back to her truck. She had a husband to cheer up, seeing as he was looking foreword to having Duo's help at the salvage yard. Luckily, she knew just the thing that would put that smile back on his lips.