Just a Shadow
Disclaimer:- I don't own Gundam Wing or any of its characters!
Chapter 3: Things don't always go as planned
Normal – Present day
Bold Italics – Past/Flashbacks
The pilots thought back to the time they had first found Heero. It had been a complete accident really; none of them had ever expected to see him again.
Duo smiled brightly as he squeezed Quatre for all he was worth. Quatre returned his hug just as fiercely. The braided pilot then turned his affections towards Trowa, who seemed rather uncomfortable at the contact the boy was giving him.
"Happy birthday guys!" Duo cheered
"You know Duo, Wufei and I already have real birthdays!"
"I know that Quat!" Duo beamed "But me, Trowa and He-Heero don't!"
Quatre smiled sadly at his friend. The falter in his voice at the mention of the wing pilot hadn't gone unnoticed, but for now it could go unmentioned.
"So!" Quatre smiled "Where have you booked us in this year?"
"Wellll!" Duo grinned "Since this year is our fifth birthday…"
Wufei snorted at that comment and mock-glared at his braided friend.
"Maxwell!" he growled lightly "Can't you just call it an anniversary? I'm 20 years old! Not a five year old!"
Duo merely grinned and shook his head, braid flying wildly behind him.
"No can do buddy-o-mine!" he chuckled "Besides-"
Before Duo had the chance to make fun of the Chinese pilot, he was tugged gently on his braid. He quickly spun around and stared at Trowa unbelievingly for a second or two.
"W-why did you do that?" he asked shocked "Only Heero used to do that when I was talking too much or about to say the wrong thing"
"Exactly" Trowa replied quietly "He told me to keep you out of trouble"
"He told you to do that?" Do questioned
Trowa nodded his head and Duo grinned.
"Well!" he smiled "Looks like the perfect soldier did care after all!"
"I wish I knew where he was though" Quatre sighed "He just disappeared out of the hospital"
"You know that unless Yuy wants to be found, he will not be found!" Wufei growled "So let's forget about him for now and enjoy our … birthday"
Duo jumped and punched his fist in the air yelling "YES!" at his triumph over getting Wufei to call the gathering a birthday.
"C'mon guys!" he cheered "You're gonna love this place! It's got the best of everything!"
"I still remember the look on your face Duo!" Quatre laughed "It was priceless!"
Duo huffed, while Trowa his laughter behind his large bang and Wufei turned red before joining Quatre in fits of laughter.
"Well it wasn't my fault for once!" Duo defended "It was the damn computers!"
"At least one good thing came out of it" Trowa said as a small smile crept up on his face.
The other pilots shared the smile as they looked at Heero. The young man was muttering incoherent words and fiddling with Duo's braid. He suddenly yanked it hard, earning a yelp and scowl from Duo.
"Do you guys ever feel guilty?" Duo asked suddenly, earning confused looks from te other pilots "I mean, if we hadn't have come into Heero's life, he wouldn't of … and then he wouldn't be…"
Duo couldn't finish his sentence as he lowered his head.
"We can't change the past Maxwell" Wufei frowned "But I wouldn't if I could – I mean at least we found him!"
"I guess your right" Duo admitted
All of the men had a solemn face except Quatre who began to giggle.
"What's so funny Quat?"
"I still remember the look on your face!"
The other boys tried to hide their smiled, but Duo saw them and ended up grinning himself…
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE'RE NOT THERE!" Duo screamed "LOOK AT THE DAMN THING AGAIN! I GOT MY TICKETS RIGHT HERE LADY!"
The poor secretary stumbled for words as Duo raged on.
"I-I-I'm s-sorry sir" she stuttered "B-but you're n-n-not on the system"
Duo leapt over the counter and searched the monitor for his reservations, but as he scrolled down the page, his face adopted a horrified – no! a petrified – no! Not even that! It was more of a disgusted look with a mixture of hate and embarrassment.
He slumped dejectedly and turned to his friends.
"I'm sorry guys" he whined "I really did make the reservations!"
"That's okay Duo" Quatre comforted "We'll just get a ride back to the airport and find a different place in the morning!" he then turned towards the secretary who was breathing into her inhaler "Could you call us a cab?"
This time it was Duo's turn to grin.
"You practically had steam coming out of your ears Q-ball!" the braided man teased "I thought you were gonna flip at any second!"
"I must admit winner" Wufei chuckled "It was an unusual sight!"
"Well I was mad!" Quatre pouted "I had just bought that new suit and you could just tell it was going to rain!"
"Whatever you say Q-man!"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN TERE IS NO TRANSPOTATION?" Quatre yelled !HOW THE HECK ARE WE SUPPOSED TO GET BACK!"
The poor secretary was by now in hysterics, after several hours of arguing and shouting, the boys were 'politely' escorted of the premises.
They began their trek to the airport. It had taken them 7 hours by bus to get here, so it was a pretty long way to go!
"Trust you to pick a 'nice and secluded' place to have our reunion Maxwell!" Wufei growled angrily as he stomped along the road.
"Hey!" Duo protested "It's not my fault the damn hotel overbooked!"
"Please stop fighting guys" Quatre begged "We've got a long way to go, so don't start fighting now okay?"
No further arguments started and Trowa remained silent as usual.
By nightfall, the boys had been walking for hours and were starting to tire.
"Look at us guys" Duo smirked "The might Gundam pilots – beaten by a strip of road!"
"No road shall beat me" Wufei mumbled, though his pace was considerably slower than when they began their journey.
Suddenly, Trowa stopped walking ad the other pilots watched as he blinked and then wiped his nose. Next duo did the same and then Wufei.
"DAMN IT!" Duo yelled as downpour of rain started and the boys began running to find cover. Before long, they found shelter in an old unused shack.
Duo rang his braid out again and Wufei scowled as water rebounded from the floor to his face as it poured from the squeezed braid. Before long, they all fell asleep to the sound of the harsh rain.
The next morning, the pilots awoke with aching backs and set out on their way once more. Around two hours into their journey, Duo spotted a house in distance and started cheering and running ahead.
"Come on guys!" he yelled excitedly "I can see a car! Maybe the owner will give us a ride the rest of the way!"
The pilots picked up their speed until they were on the door step of the house. Duo looked them up and down and grinned.
"Okay guys!" he laughed "Our appearance is already pretty pathetic, but if we want a ride, we gotta look REALLY pathetic. If we all out at him and give him the kicked puppy look, we should pull it off! Let's see those loos guys!"
Duo looked at Quatre's pleading eyes and grinned "PERFECT!" he grinned
He then turned to Trowa, who had a sad, depressed look and grinned wider "PERFECT!"
Finally, he turned to Wufei who was scowling hard.
"Don't look pissed Fei!" Duo scolded "Look pathetic!"
"Must I?"
"You must!" Duo smirked
Wufei licked his finger and rubbed it against his eyes, giving the impression of tears and then sniffled sadly looking up at Duo with 'watery' eyes.
"OH MY FUCKIN GOD!" Duo screamed "IS THAT YOU FEI!"
All of a sudden, the boys turned their heads towards the door as they heard the doorknob turning.
"Right guys" Duo prepped "This is it! Look pathetic!"
All of the boys adopted their saddest and most pathetic stares.
"I can still remember the look on his face!" Duo smiled
"I can still remember what Wufei said" Trowa smirked
Wufei huffed and smirked as well.
"Well what did you expect!" he defended "I pulled that stupid face and looked like I was crying in front of … him"
The doorknob slowly opened and Quatre let a little whimper escape before the occupant came out. Chocolate bangs and Prussian blue peeked out from behind the semi open door. Before looking up to see who was greeting him, the man started to speak in a deep monotonous voice.
"I told you already, I don't want any cookies or-"
Everybody sucked in a deep breath and stared at one another for what seemed like forever until Quatre uttered a single word.
"…Heero" he breathed
"Aw fuck!" Wufei cursed, quickly wiping his eyes and trying to look presentable "Why the hell did it have to be you of all people!"
Over the last five years, Wufei had 'lightened up' around people and would now even participate in practical jokes. One thing that never changed though, was that he would NEVER look weak in front of his rivals e.g. Zechs, Heero etc.
Nobody seemed able to speak as they stared at each other. Quatre took a step closer and reached out a hand to touch the wing pilot. Surprisingly he didn't flinch away and turned to the golden haired man.
"…is that you Heero?"
Well, that's chapter 3. In the next lot of chapters there will be OOCness.
You have been warned!
Until Next Time
Clarobell