Author's Note: We are drawing nearer to the chapter that explains Wufei's problem with Duo. However, it is not this chapter that answers that question. Just hold on a little longer, my readers. I've checked and I can confidently say that the chapter that holds this elusive answer is only two chapters away! Until then, enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing

Warning: slight language, a little bigotry

A Tale of Two Changs

For the rest of the school day, it was pretty uneventful. No, it was only until after school that the day had its next out-of-the-ordinary event happen.

To tell the truth, Duo had been expecting it to happen all day. He was only mildly surprised when it had finally taken place, due more to the time of day it was happening more than the actual event. He had managed to sneak out of Quatre's overprotective watch but had unfortunately not avoided his constant blond shadow when the two were confronted by none other than Chang Wufei.

He had been waiting for them out of sight near the school gates, ambushing them both the moment they had walked past the entrance.

"I would have expected barbarism from this piece of trash but from one of your status," Wufei had started, catching both of their attentions, "how is it possible that you truly are a Winner?"

"Maybe it's because my dad is one," Solo retorted, growing defensive.

"What you have done to my friend was inexcusable and dishonorable," Wufei ranted.

"Oh? If what I did was 'dishonorable' then what your little boyfriend did to Duo was worse!" Solo growled.

"What did you say?" Wufei hissed.

"Huh?" Solo asked puzzled.

"I am not a weak faggot," Wufei snarled. "If that piece of trash had any honor in him, he would have killed himself instead of flaunting it about and laying on his back like a woman!"

Solo only raised an eyebrow. "Where do you get off?" he inquired. "What makes you oh so high and mighty? What makes Heero any better? Duo was trying to get away and only fought in self-defense and I gave Heero his chance at fighting me. He deserved worse if you ask me and you aren't in the position to be handing out moral judgments, you little prick."

Solo's voice had risen steadily and Duo could only stare at his companion in wide-eyed wonder as the blond stood up to Wufei. No one had ever done that for him before…

"And why are you defending this fag anyway?" Wufei demanded, gesturing towards him.

"Maybe because he's my friend and that's what friends do for one another," Solo snapped. "But answer me this. Why do you hate Duo so much? What'd he ever do to you?"

"I won't even dignify that with a response," Wufei growled, a sore spot obviously hit though what it could be, Solo had no clue. "He knows what he did. He deserves everything that's been done to him and worse."

Duo had no idea what Wufei was talking about but the venom in his words was toxic enough to actually hit a nerve or two. What did he mean he knew what he had done? It didn't make any sense to the braided one.

The same thoughts seemed to be running through Solo's head as well as his next question was, "What the hell are you talking about? No one deserves to be treated like he has been!"

"That only shows what you know!" Wufei retorted. "That little shit doesn't even have the balls to admit what he did to me to you. Is he really your friend?"

That was the final straw. Duo had taken so much of Wufei's verbal abuse but now the proverbial camel's back had broken. He was sick and tired of this old charade and now his first real friend in a long, long time (Quatre not counted since he was a best friend) was taking the brunt of a verbal assault aimed at him and here he was not doing anything about it.

Pushing Solo aside with a surprising amount of strength, Duo got right up close to a surprised Wufei and shouted in his face, "Why don't you go fuck yourself and get an enema or something to get rid of that damn tree that's shoved up your ass Chang! I don't know what the hell I did that made you hate me and I don't know what you are even talking about! I've tried to be nice to you but all you've done is given me more and more shit that I don't need to deal with! I'm sick and tired of it all and if you have a problem with me, why don't we just settle this right here and now and get it all over with!"

Wufei looked shocked but then his haughty self made its reappearance. "As if you couldn't get any lower," he sneered. "I don't have to explain myself to you and I refuse to lower myself to your level."

"And what level is that?" Duo snarled vehemently. "From my point of view, you're the one whose level is low! If there is anybody who is dishonorable around here, it's you!"

"How dare you accuse me of that!" Wufei shouted. "Why I ought to—"

"Be leaving before you get your ass kicked," Solo interrupted. "We both have better things to do than to listen to your annoying voice so get the hell away from us."

Snorting, Wufei replied, "I might as well since I wouldn't want to get my hands dirty from touching the both of you disgusting fags."

Upon turning around, it was now that the three teens became aware of the crowd of spectators who had witness the argument. All of them were students and all of them were observing Wufei with looks of displeasure. Without a word, the crowd slowly began to disperse, none of them giving any of them a look. To Duo and Solo, that meant little, but to Wufei it was devastating.

Shooting one last glare at the two long haired teens, Wufei stomped off after the departing crowd in an attempt to fix whatever damage that may have been done to his reputation.

There was only silence that existed between the two teens before Solo broke it with a question. "Want to go back to the house?"

Duo shook his head. "I have something I need to do first."

"And what's that?" Solo asked.

"I need to talk with Master Deng and get some advice from him," Duo answered.

"Why not just talk with my uncle?"

"Because Deng is wiser. I can always depend on him because he hasn't given me any bullshit yet even though I might not understand it at the time. I just need to get my head leveled, okay?"

"Fine," Solo resigned, "but I'm coming with you, just in case."

"Just in case what?"

Smirking as he snaked his arm around Duo's shoulders, he replied cryptically, "Just in case."

--

Since he wasn't in the mood to stop and smell the roses, metaphorically speaking, Duo arrived at Deng's in no time. However, he would have to wait until after the next class was over before he could talk with the martial arts instructor. Since Deng hadn't a need for an extra assistant, Duo instead opted to help clean the place up while he waited. Solo then made the mistake of asking if the braided one needed any help…

Shoving a mop into his hands, Duo ordered him to go clean the locker room. Grumbling, in was obvious Solo wasn't a happy camper. Yet, he still obeyed the smaller teen and disappeared into the locker room.

Meanwhile, Duo stuck to the main room, wiping down the areas of the place that weren't either covered in mats or in use at the moment.

Time definitely seemed to fly past him because the next thing he knew, the current class was over and Deng was standing right behind him with his usual small smile on his face as he watched the braided teen.

"What is troubling you, lad?" Deng asked, his small smile remaining on his face.

"Well, a lots happened to me over the past few days and I need someone with a cool head to help me understand it all," Duo began to explain before looking around and asking, "Do you think we could go talk somewhere a bit more private?"

"Follow me," Deng answered, leading the braided one towards his office. Settling down in one of the chairs, Duo smiled appreciatively at the elder man who stated, "I take it that the recent events have been the primary reason why you have been absent since last Tuesday."

"You would be correct," Duo answered.

"So, tell me, what's on your mind," Deng queried, his hand gesturing for him to continue.

"I guess it started last Wednesday," Duo began. "I learned that my father is up to his old tricks again. I needed to move out to a new place in order to live on the money he is forced to pay. Anyway, the next day, I get cornered by Wufei's friend, Heero. I tried not to fight and get away but the asshole took advantage of that and beat me up."

"I think I need to have a talk with my nephew," Deng murmured to himself but remained silent so that Duo could continue.

"Well, while I was lying there, I was thinking that perhaps I should just give up, you know? It didn't seem like anything I could do would change how people would treat me. A guy even came in, saw me, but did nothing to help."

"I hope you reported this boy."

"Didn't recognize him. I couldn't get him then and I probably wouldn't ever."

"So then what happened?"

At this, Duo let out a small smile of his own, something that Deng took note of immediately. "Solo," Duo simply stated, the smile growing slightly.

"You mean that young man who came in with you?" Deng asked.

"The same," Duo confirmed. "He, Quatre, and Trowa took me to the nurse's office."

"Tell me, what is so special about this Solo?"

"I don't really know. He's been looking out for me since the first day we met. Except for Quatre, no one has ever done that before. And when I was laying there, he just picked me up and he held me."

Deng's smile widened. "How did that make you feel?"

"Wanted," Duo whispered. "I felt like there was actually somebody that really cared…let me rephrase that: somebody my age that cared, cared what would happen to me, how I felt, things like that."

"Did he do anything to make you think like that?"

"When I was at the nurse's, he held me, Quatre too, but he let me…cry on him. I think I messed up his shirt but he didn't seem to care about that. Then later on, for some reason, he showed up at my apartment and packed all my clothes and took me back to Quatre's."

"I don't imagine you took that standing."

"Damn right. He had to carry me to his car and I think he enjoyed that. Anyway, he took me out shopping with him yesterday and he bought all this stuff, half of which I have no idea how to operate, and said that I didn't need to pay him back."

"That was nice of him."

"Yeah, it is, but I'm still trying to figure out exactly why he did that."

"Could it be he just wanted to buy you something?"

"Could be, but I can't help but think there was some ulterior motive. Most people I know only give me stuff because they want something from me."

"True but maybe it could just be that he wanted to buy you something? It sounds to me as if you are trying to sabotage whatever relationship that is developing between you and this Solo out of your own insecurities and suspicions. Sometimes you just need to sit back and let things happen."

"But—"

"No buts. Now take a look at what has been given to you. You have been given the one thing that you have yearned for for so long and you are trying to tamper with it so that you can find something that can confirm your fears. Things are not as complicated as people can make them out to be. Just loosen up and don't look too deep into things, okay?"

"Alright…"

"Now, is there anything else?"

"Well, there was something that happened after school but it involved Wufei, your nephew."

"Explain."

"Well, for some reason the guy doesn't like me and he said I knew what I did to make him mad at me but I don't know what he's talking about! All I've ever been is nice to him and he's been nothing but a, pardon the expression, pain in the ass."

"So what did you do?"

"I kinda yelled up in his face."

"Did you really?"

"Yeah…"

"Good."

"Wha?" Duo stared at the man in confusion.

"Just because we share the same blood doesn't mean we are the same," Deng chuckled. "Most of my family is very prideful. While having some pride is not a bad thing, having too much is. It makes one intolerant and rigid, creates a 'because I am right you are wrong' mentality, and often it ends up alienating those they seek companionship with. My nephew is not the only one who needs a wake up call but there are just some people who refuse to change. The ability to be flexible and easily able to adapt to changes is needed if someone is to survive in this new world.

"Now, you did say it was one of my nephew's friends who attacked you, correct. I'll have a little talk with Wufei about keeping his friends in line. By the way, where is your attacker now?"

Duo had the decency to flush red in slight embarrassment. "You want the truth?"

"That would be nice."

"Well, Solo kinda took matters into his own hands and put Heero into the hospital."

"While I am not…overly pleased with such actions, still, I guess I could let this one slide. However, I want you to reign in your friend Solo. It wouldn't be fair if I asked only Wufei to do so and not you as well."

"Well, I'll try but Solo isn't the kind of guy who likes to do what others tell him to do."

"Just try, that's all I can ask. Onto another subject, where will you be living from now on? If you need a place to stay, my doors are always open."

"While I appreciate the offer, I have something worked out with Quatre's father, Mr. Winner. The guy's going to let me board there until I go to college, something I wholeheartedly intend to do."

"That's very smart. A college education will open up many doors for you."

"It will do that but I need to be going before Quatre throws a fit wondering where I am and calls a rescue party to go look for me. Thanks for your time Master Deng."

"Anytime Duo. Remember, my doors always open."

"See you later." With a smile on his face, Duo got up and left the office.

Deng watched the braided teen as he met up with his blond friend and leave before his facial features hardened. He was going to have to go to his brother's house and have a little chat with his nephew. As much as he disliked having to deal with any member of his family, this was something that needed to be dealt with.

He couldn't let the Chang family honor be tainted by even his own family. That was something that he was going to have to hammer back into their heads again.

Well, he always liked a challenge. He would relax himself first before going to the lion's den and dealing with this matter.