Gravity Zero

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Part Zero-One: Friend - Chapter 1

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Heero Yuy gazed out his bedroom window, and a cool breeze came pushing through his unruly bangs. Unusually chilly weather for the summer, he noted. It had already been nearing the end of June, and he'd barely experienced a week's worth of heat thus far. Such irony, he'd finally bothered to buy and install an air conditioner just for a summer that felt more like mid-autumn.

He heard a hard knock, followed by three consecutive soft ones and another hard one at the door. He struggled into a pair of old jeans and a stray sweat shirt while he headed for the door. He knew who it was immediately by the unique knock.

"What do you want?" he asked in a drained tone as he stared down his lovely young neighbor, Relena Peacecraft.

"Good afternoon, Heero?" said Relena, chosing to brush off his tone. He wasn't exactly full of sunshine and hellos as of late.

Heero stepped onto the cracked concret of his walkway and took a look at the small red toolbox she held in her hands. He had the urge to bury his face in his palm, but refrained.

"Oh, you remember what you promised right?"

He nodded once in response.

"Shall we get to work, then?" She cocked her head to the side as she smiled. She had a bandana tied in her hair, and she wore a stained, off-white t-shirt, which was most likely pillaged from her older brother's closet.

"You really are serious about this." He said it like he'd been expecting it, but still couldn't believe it. Since he'd met and gotten to know Relena, he never underestimated her ambition. Just your typical, bratty, rich girl, he would think; she always had to get her way. She seldom wanted something unless it benefitted for herself as well as others, though. Sometimes it was nice, other times it was annoying. At least her heart was always in the right place.

"Well, it's obvious that you can't do it," Relena stated, refering to Heero's right arm that hung limp and fractured in a sling. Oh yeah, he forgot about that. "I hope no one was watching when you set that thing."

He snorted. "Who'd be here to watch?"

"Haha, good point." She headed straight for the garage, as they continued on with their "friendly" banter.

---

Thick clouds that rolled by began to grey across the sky. It was nearing late afternoon- looked as if it were about to rain, too, and Relena hadn't gotten much done. She assumed Heero would've been more help, since this was his own car that she was attempting to repair. He was unable to show her how to attach whatcha-ma-thingies to what-ya-ma-call-its, since one of his arms was of no use. He'd always just tweaked Zero on his own. He knew what the pieces were, where they went, why they went, how they went, but explaining it all to Relena was like trying to teach a rock how to tap dance. The week's worth of oil puddled underneath the car made his face blanche a bit. That wouldn't be cheap to replace.

It was only the first day, though, and she'd eventually get it right, he hoped.

Relena scrubbed the grease off her gloved hands with an old rag and sighed, feeling disappointed by the outcome. The basic gist of a car was not a foreign concept to Heero; explaining it, however, was a whole different story. With his righty currently on hiatus, he certainly couldn't show her much yet. It was difficult, keeping a broken bone he set himself into place with no cast present, so she didn't allow him to take risks. That was best, if he wanted it to heal quickly and avoid any doctors.

"Do you think you've had enough for one day?" said Heero, as Relena continued to hover stubbornly over the engine with a contemplative look in her eyes. She hadn't a single clue which parts were which, even if she did often watch her fiance Wufei Chang fix cars. She wished she'd brought his manual from the repair shop, but she didn't want him suspecting anything. This was her surprise to him, as well as his wedding present to her. "Prove you can do a man's job, and I'll let you have a man's job" was his promise, in spite of his family's wishes, and she never ceased to think about it. Granted, she wasn't a fan of auto-repair; she just didn't want to pass up the perfect opportunity to do the perfect "man's job" and prove herself capable.

"Yes, I think that'll do for today." She wiped the sweat from her furrowed brows while she struggled to close the heavily dented hood. The hinges on that would need some fixing, too, or perhaps the whole damn thing was to be replaced. It resembled the craters of Mercury, as seen in science documentaries. Science, politics, and now cars were the center of her life; not quite doting housewife material. She'd make Wufei see that, if it was the last thing she did.

After gathering wayward tools into her box, she turned to bid Heero good-bye, until her right thigh slipped across a sharp point on the hood.

She sucked her bared teeth and Heero jolted from his seat immediatly. Without saying a word, he lead her into the house and toward the bathroom to treat the angry looking wound.

It barely bled as she limped along, but judging by the look on her face, it must've still hurt like crazy. At least it wasn't severe. That hood definitely had to go, though.

"I knew I should've worn jeans," she said, the pain in her voice being much too obviously masked. Short shorts and machinery didn't mix, and now she knew. Overdoing the feminist tomboy thing would be her undoing.

Once they reached the bathroom, Heero reached for the medical supplies in the cabinet above the wash basin. From it, he pulled out a box of gauze pads, some rubbing alcohol, and an ace bandage for her. He almost forgot that his righty was out of commission in the process and cringed as a dull pain shot up his shoulder.

"It's all right, Heero, I can do the rest myself."

She took a seat on the toilet as she quickly applied a swab full of alcohol, and it stung like hell on rye. Fighting the urge to cry out, Relena took a deep breath and continued rubbing. Heero handed her more gauze and the bandage once the worst of it was over, and she smiled in attempt to mask her pained state.

After she was all bandaged up, the pair headed into Heero's terse bedroom. Save for a few stray socks, the young boy really knew how to keep his room neat and organized, which Relena respected in him.

"Need one for the road?" He tossed her a pair of hip huggers, so no one would see the bandage on her leg.

She giggled and accepted the blue jeans with a thankful nod. 'Leave it to Heero to be a hero of all sorts,' she thought. Heero turned away as she discarded her former shorts and waited in silence as she changed.

"You can turn around now."

They didn't fit her figure quite right, but it was all Heero had to offer. Relena just hoped that neither "man of the house" was home from work early. At least the pants would keep her warm as she dashed through the rain.

---

Life was relatively quiet in the city Heero had come to live in. He showed up at roughly around thirteen years of age. Everything was so quaint, as opposed to what one would normally see of cities on television. Most clocks still had Roman numerials, mini shops and buildings over two hundred years old that stood proudly in every which direction, though businesses came and went in a breeze. There was only one public library left open, while there'd been three when he first settled here, and it was the smallest one. It was also the library that had more computers than books these days.

He appeared to be such a humble and quiet boy in the eyes of most. Only a little less than normal, but what else was new? With above average intelligence, an inquisitive way of thinking, and a face with a striking mixture of mysterious beauty and firm strength, it was hard for one not to occasionally be intrigued by him.

He never felt he was free to express himself anywhere; there was just no incentive to let the world know who he was. He'd isolated himself in the confines of his new home, expecting to always be alone, until the one called Relena insisted on making friends with him. He'd tried everything, even threatened to kill her with a pocket knife just to make her go away, but all she did was hand him a note. He tore it up and told her to get lost, as he aimed the knife toward her head. Just as he lunged forward, she stuffed the next gift she hid behind her back right into his chest, causing him to pause. He even dropped the knife.

His eyes brimmed with tears, and he slammed the door in her face. Something about that girl made him feel weak inside, and now she'd seen it. Tears weren't allowed to fall anymore; he came to this city to escape from them. What Relena made him feel wasn't that of sorrow, fear, or even hatred, though... which was different. He didn't trust the feeling; he also didn't want her to become trapped in his miserable world, so he pushed her as hard as he could. And what did she do? She gave him a teddy bear.

He wept quietly to himself.

No one had ever given him a present; he had to earn everything. Unconditionally, the girl handed him a brand new teddy bear, and things changed between them. All she wanted was to be his friend. Why him and not, hell, ANYBODY else was beyond him. She was the mayor's daughter. She was lovely, distinguished, classy, kind, conservative, and rich. At least, that was the mask she wore, just so her father wouldn't have to worry about her.

The more Heero got to know this abstruse little girl, the more he... liked her. Being both rich and taciturn wasn't a normal thing, as far as he was concerned, but that's exactly how she was at school. There were girls who positively worshipped the side she showed, and chalked her graceful silence up to her being the most dignified girl in school. However, Relena's lack of trust and connection with these squealy little butt-kissers was her reason for keeping so quiet. Traditionalism was the style of the richer folk in the state, and Relena just didn't have those same beliefs.

She was the only real friend he allowed himself to have. She was just as lonely and secluded from the world as he was. His parents, though they weren't even his real ones, treated him like utter garbage throughout his childhood. The majority of the time he spent raking droppings out of stables, and got beaten if he showed any signs of slowing down. His physical strength enhanced from his work on the farm, though it hardly showed, according to the other workers. The "parental figures" took him in to "toughen him up" as it were, yet no matter how hard he worked, he never looked like anything more than a scrawny little boy with a pretty face.

He worked damn hard, toughening up, and gaining all kinds of strength, just because he was told to. His phsycal prowess soon became second only to the angry bull named Ted next door, and to avoid being called any kind of wussy, he made sure his facial features were cold and stoic, no matter what the situation was. All of the rage, as well as affection seeking emotions that bubbled deep within him froze. He worked, he stayed quiet, and he ignored his toothless, drunken "parents." That was his life, until the night a rifle was aimed between his eyes.

That night, he took off perminantly, after the "father" accused him of burning the bear skin carpet. It was one rank carpet, too, but Heero didn't touch it. Heero fled for his life once he heard the gun click and headed up north where he wouldn't be found.

He was a fast learner; an inquisitive, intuitive, and extremely intelligent for a boy his age. He felt no remorse in outsmarting people, some of them really deserved it. He took the stealthy route behind the brush, so police wouldn't catch him walking on the highway (he didn't chance hitchhiking.) Once he reached the states farther north, he felt safe enough to cram himself into the darkest corners of busses and subways, and sometimes he traveled through the sewers, to go completely unnoticed. Through all this sneaking around, he ran into a man named Doctor J. in the slums of NYC. The old man sold weird drugs and did experiments that were more or less against the law. He was the perfect ally. To ensure he stayed under the radar, J. eventually advised him to head farther North, and gave Heero the directions to where he could claim a good racer on his way there, and a short list of people he could trust.

With the list, he was able to find a place to live in a matter of days.

Granted he put his computer skills to good work, he landed himself a job and a home from the man on the top of the list. Being a fellow runaway himself, a landlord and chief file hacker named Odin Lowe gave Heero a small place to stay, provided his skills were as top notch as he claimed.

Once those skills were descreetly approved, Lowe offered this young prodigy not only a home, butthe alias "Heero Yuy" as well. It was a name he randomly picked out of an efficient 'Fake Names' list on his table. Schools most likely wouldn't buy a name like Snot-Nosed Little Faggot, or Black Alpha, as J. used to call him. The boy had to go to school, so he would seem like a less suspicious character. He made sure to land the talented young hacker a spot in the most corrupt, head-shoved-in-ass school there was, just because they were least likely to do any deep digging into his records.

This arrangement worked out surprisingly well for the young teen. Before he knew it, he was preparing for his senior year in highschool, and had not once been questioned, or even suspected. Lowe even attended Parent-Teacher meetings on occasion, claiming to be "Heero Yuy sr." if ever Heero felt the teachers had any doubts.

---

Heero sat upright once his alarm went off and he set aside his old teddybear. It was an hour until midnight, and he had to get ready for work.

After Relena srambled on home in the stormy weather, Heero went straight to bed, wanting to get in more Z's so he wouldn't be feeling groggy.

On arrival, Lowe greated him with a fair smile and handed him the day's assignments. All too simple, Heero thought, as he tap-tap-tapped away at his laptop. A good job, with good pay, and the closest thing to a real father Heero had since... hell, ever. Life was good, and Lowe didn't even mind that his most prized employee was still just a young orphan boy. He never doubted the boy's skills after they were first put into action; his prime concerns were money and making sure his underground business wasn't discovered.

Heero's eight-hour shift drew to an end before he even knew it, and it was already morning. The sun was pouring through the windows and reflected off the puddles. Another hacker named Alex came to take his place. They exchanged curt hellos before Heero linched his denim jacket and headed for the door. From what he knew, Alex had a sick spose to support, so he joined this organization as last resort to make money, or so Lowe told him during one of his coffee breaks. Interesting fact, though Heero didn't think Alex was to be trusted. The man never looked worried about anything; he was just a hard working young gentleman who did a self-sufficient job with a grin on his face. He also liked to talk, a lot, which was a field Heero lacked severely in.

Alex certainly wasn't the first congenial person Heero distrusted; damned if he'd be the last.

---

"I say we get a professional to finish the job," Heero finally confessed out of frustration, as Relena's myriad of tried and failed attempts to get the ignition going were beginning to graze his patience.

"All my efforts would go to waste then," she said, turning the key for the umpteenth time that hour.

Heero checked his calendar. One week and three days she has been at this. Her biggest philosophy was Edison's infamous, "I know a million ways not to make a lightbulb." Because of that saying, she now knew a billion ways not to fix a car. He admired her for all the effort she put into this project, but it was time she looked at a more logical side of things, rather than continue to be a blind optimist.

He didn't like the idea of a complete stranger working on his car, though. That was Doctor J.'s treasure; a car that mad man created with his own two hands, and would recklessly test ride in, until he wound up losing his arm in an accident. He bragged that it was the best dammed car to own if Heero wanted to be a racer. The thought was intriguing at the time, and he had always been quite fond of it, until...

"Heero."

"What?" he asked with a quiet grunt. Having been pulled out of his thoughts so suddenly made him sound irritable, but he was grateful. Now just wasn't the time to start taking a jog down that street of memories.

"I have an idea."

TBC

A/N: So, what do you guys think? I would like some honest feedback, since this story is going to be a huge project of mine for the months to come. It'll be under permanent revision as long as there be Internet under this roof -hahaha-! I hope I wasn't being too direct with Heero and Relena's characterization; I'm still such a small-time fanfic dweeb in a big-time fandom, after all. I'll get this writing thing down one of these days, don't worry. For the record, you haven't even BEGUN to see why Heero and Relena are the way they are in this. It IS an A/U, so I'm welcolm to add little quirks to their characters, seeing as this is fiction and all. Also, I must warn you, I love to communicate with my audience, so sorry if these A/N thingies at the end get a bit long at times.

Random Fact of the Day: Yuki Eiri's birthday is exactly one month from now. For those of you who can't bake, you have exactly one month to learn how so you can eat cake on his special day. Now GO!