Title: The Best and the Worst
Author: Karina
Rating: PG
Pairing: Duo + Wu Fei
Notes: Challenge 183. Baby Series 4 #4. Takes place Indoctrinated by the Past.
Spoilers: None
Warnings:
Many thanks to ShenLong Deb for her work betaing this fic.
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or the Characters from the series but the baby is mine.
Title: The Best and the Worst
Useless sentimentality. They would find none of it here. It was all well and good to walk down memory lane, but that was for private moments, personal moments. He was not one to dwell on the past at the best of times, and this was certainly not the best of times.
There was nothing mushy, soft or sweet about this day, and there was too much to do to be nostalgic about bygone days. To be honest there were few memories he could get pleasantly sentimental about. Most of his memories were of his childhood and far from endearing.
"That thunder cloud hovering over your head is about to break out into lightning strikes, Fei. What's up?"
Duo stretched slowly, languidly, and he took the opportunity to admire the long lean figure. Now that view he might consider getting sentimental about in a year or three. Duo had grown taller and slender. He was shorter, though he carried more bulk than the chestnut haired friend who had not once left him to dwell on his fate this day.
He was grateful for the company and the never ending optimism that Duo always seemed to exude.
"Nothing, really. It has gone much easier than I expected, though I have yet to face the Elder. There have been no recriminations. No one appears to have… issues… with me."
"All good. Better than good, really. If they have problems and want them dealt with then they have to come out and talk about them eventually, so don't sweat it. Sitting on the fence prevaricating gets a body nowhere. On L2 it could get you killed… or worse. Pointing the finger and saying it was 'his fault'; well that's all well and good, but what point in it is there? On L2 that was when things were really bad, 'cause that was when you realised you broke the cardinal rule."
Dark eyes noted the deepening blue of his companion's eyes, the growing air of serious contemplation. It was unlike Duo to show his serious side in a public place. He too often played the Jester. Too many people did not give him a second thought and that was their mistake, their downfall. He had been guilty of it, after all, so he would know.
"And what cardinal rule is that, Duo?"
"You learned not to rely on anyone; you could only be sure of yourself, and then not really. If you were hungry enough, if you were desperate enough, you might sell yourself out for a crust of bread or a warm place to sleep. I don't have a lot of good memories to get sentimental over, Wu Fei, there were few people I ever learned to trust to any degree, but Solo…" Duo's eyes looked far into the distant past. "Solo's got to be the best of the memories I don't want to forget. The best… and the worst of them."
End
Karina Robertson 2012