Fallen

by thejasonresno

A/N: Welcome to chapter two :).

The storm had begun to roll through town and was quickly making work of anything dry. Duo shook his head sending droplets streaming off of his hat.

Outside of 'his' apartment building a young Duo Maxwell stood numb to the world. A lot of things had happened to him in his life. He had lost many loved ones to war and had fought and killed many people. But nothing had him in in the heart like the previous events had.

Coming home to surprise the one girl he'd ever loved...he had found her with another man. Literally: just some guy. To himself the braided pilot almost wished he had known the guy. At least being betrayed by a friend would evoke some emotion in his soul. But there wasn't any.

He shook his head again and began walking back to his car. His eyes glazed over as he relived that horrid moment over and over again in his head. Hilde's bare sweaty body held up against another mans. The look of shame and pleasure that washed over her features.

'Well,' he sighed to himself, 'I hope it was worth it.'

Finally inside of his car, the one that hadn't even completely cooled down, Duo sat dripping. He slowly brought his dead eyes up and stared out the windshield. The storm overhead had given no sign of stopping and was even beginning to worsen. He'd have to sleep at the shop and then take it from there.

In moments of utter distress we often lose sight of how big our problems our, and Duo did. His only worry was the nights sleep, refusing to think of how his life would soon change.

He withdrew his keys from his pocket and put them into the ignition and shifted to drive. Pulling out of his parking space haphazardly, and narrowly missing the car next to him, he drove out and down the road back towards work.

He knew himself he was in no condition to drive, and in fact he was reminded several times by the people behind and ahead of him, but he continued on. He had to. Though sleeping in the office chair didn't exactly sound inviting. A far cry from in the comforting arms of Hilde in the bed their bodies would warm every night.

He choked back a sob as the vision of her with the man flooded his memories. In the back of his head he wondered if all of their good times would be washed from his mind by this event. He didn't doubt it.

But he was broke from his pondering by a beeping from the cellphone in his pocket. The American reached a slender hand down into his pants and withdrew the phone.

TO LOVE TO LIVE TO LOSE.

The young man fought with himself momentarily...wondering if he was ready to talk to anyone. But eventually comfort defeated self pity and he answered the phone.

"Hey Yuy."

Even to himself his voice sounded strained and distant.

Ever the perfect soldier this detail was picked up immediately. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing..." Somehow saying the words out loud made them real, he wasn't ready for that.

"Right," deciding not to push it Heero plunged on. "Tomorrow night. Seven o clock in Little Italy. You and Hilde, Relena and myself. Dinner?"

The American almost smiled. Any other day the thought of an invitation from Heero, of all people, would have had him bouncing on his feet ready to leave at that moment. But today wasn't any other day. The sudden realization hit him like a fist and his vision turned black around the corners.

"You know I don't think I can make it." Duo's voice cracked and he could feel his throat tighten.

On the other end Heero was sitting on the couch with little Relena curled up into his arms. She was half asleep and in her pajamas. The perfect soldiers chest tightened, he loved her.

"Get over here Maxwell,"

Duo began to protest.

"That's an order."

And the click of Heero's phone hanging up resounded in his ear.

Duo closed his phone and sat it on the seat next to him. Maybe it was for the best. Remove the ability to decide from his hands and things would surely go better. The braided pilot wasn't exactly in the most clear headed moods.

He pulled into an alley and turned around heading towards the place that the Yuy's now called home. It was a short drive to their small but comfortable house. And Duo was glad. The storm had continued to pick up and at times was pushing his car towards the middle of the road.

But maybe that wouldn't be a bad thing. Maybe a semi could swerve just a tiny bit and clip him enough to send him careening.

Instantly the usually jovial pilot was ashamed. She was just a girl. And he had plenty of things in his life to keep going for. Still, the temptation was there.

TO LOVE TO LIVE TO LOSE.

Duo arrived shortly thereafter and pulled in behind Heero's jeep. He threw the shifter into park, turned the car off, and jogged lightly up the driveway to their door. As he expected, it was locked and barred several times.

"Lemme in!" Duo shouted over the rain and wind as he pounded on the door.

The American jogged in place to keep warm until he was rewarded by the slow unlocking and opening of the door. He all but fell into their home.

And it was a home. Heero and Relena had gotten married less than a year after the war ended and taken up residence just down town from Duo and Hilde. The two couples were amazingly close and spent most of their time, that was free, with eachother. Heero worked from home as a preventer's agent and did problem solving and occasionally went out on small missions. Relena, beautiful Relena, was just content to be out of politics. Her pride was in her ability to curl up next to her chocolate haired husband at night.

Duo didn't blame her. What he would give for that feeling of contentment was beyond him.

Inside the doorway Duo saw Heero get up from the couch, ease Relena down—she was asleep—and walked towards his braided friend. They exchanged a quiet handshake.

"Leave your shoes here, then to my office."

Heero looked Duo's face over, "You've changed."

It was a statement but the Prussian eyes pierced Duo's soul. He expected answers. In his office, of course. That was where guy talk and any serious business went down.

Duo watched Heero turn on his heels and walk towards the office upstairs. Duo had to smile. Married life agreed with the man. In place of gym shorts and tanktops the ex soldier now found himself wearing baggy sweatpants and an old "ARMY" t-shirt. He hadn't let his body go, completely the opposite in fact. With his sudden plethora of free time he had built a small gym in the basement that the two men would often retreat to in favor of time away from their women.

Duo followed.

"So what happened?" Heero sat in his leather office chair and reclined slightly, letting his elegant wrist prop his chin up.

They sat in the office of Heero and as you would expect, it was sparsely decorated. But it was efficient. Mostly white walls from end to end (except for spots where Relena had infiltrated and hung pictures of the couple, Heero didn't mind those.) and a computer and small bookshelf took up the rest of the room.

Duo leaned back on a slightly smaller chair and put his hands behind his head. His legs were crossed at his ankles and his face was decidedly blank. Duo cast his eyes at the floor.

Heero sighed. "Nobody can help you if you won't let them." There was command in his monotone voice.

"I know that. But." Duo grunted and decided he'd be straightforward. "Hilde cheat on me."

Duo had to admire Heero. As he traced his friends face only a semi second of shock registered before disappearing behind his serious expression. "When?"

Heero was treating this like a mission.

"Tonight. And probably many more times." Duo sighed, crestfallen. Had Hilde always been cheating on him? She insisted that it meant nothing but...can you trust a word a cheater says? The though crushed his very spirit.

"With who?" Yuy refused to give Duo the time to wallow in his own depression.
"I don't even know him Heero."

Silence.

"I could kill him for you."

Duo choked out a bitter laugh.

Silence and Duo's mouth silently went to an 'O' as he realized it wasn't a joke. Heero quickly changed the subject.

"I think you should stay here, Duo." His voice softened, "I'll talk to Relena. I'm sure she'll be a big help."

A weight lifted off of Duo's chest, albeit not a very big one, and he awarded his married friend a small smile. "Thanks, I...I appreciate it."

"You can have the couch or guest bedroom. Whatever you want. Make yourself at home just not..too at home." This last statement was added almost lightly, "I intend to get to the bottom of this."

Duo nodded, not allowing himself to voice that there was nothing to 'get to'. Hilde used him. And a wave of despair rolled over him again.

TO LOVE TO LIVE TO LOSE

That's it for now folks! I cut this chapter a little shorter because there are a lot of things I want to add to this part of the story. And instead of making one long chapter I'll make two shorter ones!