Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ A new future ❯ Chapter One: Continue ( Chapter 1 )

I got a beta reader, yay!!! Thank you kyandiikonpeitou!

Didn't get many reviews so far, but that may be because I forgot to tell you I won't continue posting without a review. This goes mostly for mediaminer. Don't wanna waste my time. Thanks to those who did review, I appreciate it but I decided I will only react to questions from now on, otherwhise it takes ages to find out where the story starts.

Right here:

Chapter One: Continue

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Duo lay in bed. He was really tired from running away from Wufei in order to survive another day at the orphanage. But as usual Duo just couldn't fall asleep as fast as he wanted. He turned on his back and stared at the ceiling above him. Just one more week until Christmas and only two more days of school until the vacation started. It'd been years since he'd had a decent Christmas meal, come to think of it, he couldn't really remember ever having one. And he wouldn't be Duo if he weren't in for a good meal.

He couldn't help but wonder how it would all turn out, though. He had some boys around him now he might be able to consider `friends', Wufei spent so much time with Heero and him and Quatre now that he started to become distant with his own usual group. Of course, he was still popular, but he seemed more in his place when around the three of them than he was around the white dragon clan, or that's what his friends and him were called ever since they bought those matching black shirts with a huge white dragon on it.

Duo still disliked being around too many people. Though he was quite positive Heero, Wufei and Quatre wouldn't betray him by telling his secret, you could never know for sure. Trowa wouldn't tell, he was too afraid of the four of them now that he didn't have his `partners' to back him up anymore. But Jeice and Darryl had been around a few days after the `incident' before they got transferred. Who knows who they'd talked to or what they'd said?

That aside, Duo still didn't like being among too many people he hardly knew. They all knew he had something to do with Trowa's sudden change in behaviour and with the twins' departure and for the past weeks Duo felt their eyes burning on his back wherever he went. He didn't push them away so hard anymore but that didn't mean he had to like their company all of a sudden, did it?

Suddenly the door to Heero and Duo's room opened and a figure stepped inside. Duo sat up straight immediately, glaring in the figure's direction, while Heero had turned on his bed light and turned it on the intruder who immediately covered his eyes with an arm.

"Heero, it's me." The figure whispered

"Quatre?"

Duo narrowed his eyes on the figure but soon realized it was indeed the young blonde Quatre standing there.

"Q-man! What'ya doin' here in the middle of the night?"

"Oh, I'm really sorry!" The younger boy began apologizing immediately. "I didn't mean to wake you up and scare you or anything, and I shouldn't have come here and. . ."

Duo decided to interrupt his midnight rambling, but he didn't have to anymore seeing that Heero did it for him. "Just tell us why you're here." That boy could do miracles with Quatre around. He always managed to calm him down. Then again, he'd had enough practise with the insecure boy.

"Well, it might sound crazy but I heard something by my window and woke up. When I looked outside there was a boy, o-or a man, I don't know, it was too dark to see you know because of all the lights on the street lit his back but not his front and he was really looking. . ." Heero glared at him to tell him to skip those details. Quatre blinked and turned to Duo. ". . . Anyway, I think he wants you, Duo."

"Huh?" Duo got up from his bed and walked over to the window to glance outside. There was indeed a figure standing outside the gates, hiding in the shadows. When he saw movement at Duo's window he moved into the light of a streetlight, causing Duo to blink in recognition.

"Solo?"

The word was almost too soft for himself to hear but Heero had picked it up anyway. He walked over to the window and glanced outside too, but the figure had already moved back into the shadows.

Duo sat back on his bed and started to get his pants on.

"Y-you're not really going out there, are you?" Quatre asked, not believing what he saw. "But that's against the rules!"

Duo looked up for a second before starting to tie his shoes. "Some things are more important that rules." Then he looked at the other boys. "You'll keep your mouth about this, right?" He looked at Quatre who nodded, still slightly confused. Then he turned to Heero who had a slight smirk on his face.

"Only if you let me come with you."

Duo blinked. "What?" He couldn't believe Heero would do that! But then he saw the playful glint in his roommates eyes. He sighed. The middle of the night was not a good time to be playing jokes on him. "You always enjoy butting in on private conversations."

Although it would be funny to see how Heero would manage to climb down from four floors high. He got Heero's jacket and threw it to his friend.

Heero, who hadn't expected this, looked up at his friend. But now it was Duo's time to smirk. "If I get busted, you can keep me company in my punishment." He said while putting on his own jacket. Then he walked to the window and opened it.

"You two aren't really going to climb out, are you?" Quatre asked worried.

"Yeah, we are." Duo replied, looking down to see how he was going to do this. Good thing the drain pipe was right next to his window. He'd have to get down to the ledge below his window first to reach it, though. But he'd had more difficult missions than that. He just hoped Heero would be all right "Wanna come too, Q-man?"

The blonde pressed his back against the door and hastily shook his head. "I-I'll stay here. I'm not that keen on climbing."

Duo nodded and began climbing out of the window. When he was almost down, a now fully dressed Heero followed him out.

Solo had climbed over the gates and was walking towards Duo and Heero now, making sure he stayed in the shadows.

When they met neither of them knew how to behave.

"About time." Solo finally joked, trying to break the tension. He sent a quick glance towards Heero before turning to Duo. "I've been throwing stones for ages!"

"Solo." Duo said, still not sure whether to be mad at this boy or happy to see him, knowing he was alright. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry, Duo." The elder boy began while focussing his gaze to a point in front of his feet. "I've been thinking about what you said last time I was here and. . . I guess I was just jealous that you got this chance while the rest of us were still down on the streets." Solo looked up straight into Duo's eyes. "You were right, you really do deserve this chance."

Duo seemed shocked. He had never dared deaming Solo would return. The look of betrayal he'd seen in the boy's eyes still managed to send shivers down his spine. Yet now he was here, apologising, saying Duo had been right. "Well, I guess I could've been more thoughtful, though, about what I said. After everything you've done for me."

"Yea, you really helped me out a lot. . ."

That was when Duo realized Solo was hiding something from him. It wasn't like hiding. It was more like dreading to tell. "What's wrong, Solo?" He asked. "What happened?"

Solo closed his eyes and sighed. When he opened them, Duo was surprised to find guilt in them. ". . .I turned them in." The elder boy whispered.

"You. . . What?!" Duo was sure he'd heard that wrong. He cursed himself mentally as he realised how loud he'd expressed his surprise. But that was not the real issue here. He heard it wrong, right?

"Duo, after you were gone Saria tried her best to replace you, but it just wasn't enough. I couldn't take care of them anymore. Not without you. So I-I contacted Marquise, the one in charge that night of your arrest and tonight he came and took them."

Duo wasn't sure how to react so he just stared at the boy in front of him. Finally he was able to open his mouth. "You spoke to him?"

"Duo, I had no choice." Solo's eyes seemed to beg Duo for understanding, but Duo was unsure of what to think. "I couldn't take care of them and Marquise guarantied me that they'd be fine and that they'd be placed in a good home too so that they had a chance too. I know he's a cop but I also know that he's an honorable one compared to the others and I have no choice but to trust that he is true about his word. I'm sorry Duo, I had no choice." He added silently.

Duo nodded, but didn't understand. He gave them in? Willingly? He sold them out to Marquise? It took him a moment before he calmed down and let the boy's other words get trough to him. It was then that he felt a twist in his stomach, knowing Solo was right about doing this. But that didn't change the fact that he sold them out. You don't do that to your friends! "They'll hate you for this, you know that?"

"I know, but it's for the best. If they hate me they won't run off to the streets again. It's no place for a six-year-old to grow up."

Again, Duo nodded, understanding that Solo meant the youngest of their group who had turned six only a few days before Duo got caught.

"And what about you?" He asked. "Why didn't you let them catch you too? You could have the same future as the rest of us."

Solo smiled and shook his head. "I'll turn seventeen soon, remember? I told Marquise I was the one responsible for all the breaking in and stuff to save the others from any harm. But because of my age they'd probably want to judge me as an adult for everything and then I won't stand a chance." He sighed. "I'm leaving tonight to clear my name, build a new future with a job and a place and everything, Duo. But I felt like you had the right to know this. Even after what happened I know you're probably still mad at me but. . . I just couldn't leave without saying goodbye. Not you."

For probably the first time in his entire life Duo couldn't find himself to speak. He didn't know what to say and even if he did it would be no use because no sound would've come out of his mouth.

Solo, thinking the silence meant that Duo didn't care or something, nodded and turned around, ready to walk away. Duo cursed the midnight for he blamed his former state upon that hour and ran up to Solo. He placed his hand on the elder boy's shoulder and forced him to face him.

"Solo. . ." Words couldn't describe what he felt right now but he knew that like all those other times his eyes would say enough. "Thank you." He whispered.

Solo smiled reassuringly. "If you ever need me, I'm going to. . ."

"No! Don't tell me. The less I know the less I can tell, right?" Duo smiled at his friend, knowing he'd understand. "Marquise is sure to drop by now that he still has no-one to blame for anything."

Solo nodded and smiled faintly at Duo who simply smiled back.

`Ah, what the heck'

Duo suddenly started hugging the boy in a comforting way, knowing they would have to part now and they would probably never see each other again. And Solo hugged him back. In a way they knew this was what they both wanted. Hard as it was, they had to follow their own paths from now on. They knew it, they understood it, but that didn't make any of this easier.

`Why do goodbyes always have to be so goddamn difficult?'

They finally broke their hug and Solo said it was time to go. After a last meaningful glance from both friends Solo shot off in the dark to probably never return again, carrying with him memories only he and Duo shared.

Duo turned back and realized he'd completely forgotten about Heero. The boy didn't seem to mind, though, he was leaning against the building, arms crossed, watching Duo's every movement.

While Duo walked back to him he glanced at the building. He saw something move behind one of the windows. He narrowed his eyes on it.

`Shit!'

Trowa had been watching the whole scene! How long had he been standing there? This was not good. That boy could once again ruin everything!

Duo knew he had to make sure the other youth would keep his mouth shut, but he decided it was too late to think about that now. He'd get to him in the morning.

"You get up first." He said as he reached Heero. The boy nodded and started his way up to their window again. Duo stared at him realizing he hadn't paid attention to him at all on his way down. He didn't seem to have trouble climbing up though. Duo's gaze went from the other boy's head down to his feet and back up, resting at his butt.

`Nice. . .'

He mentally kicked himself for that and told himself he was thinking about his way of climbing up instead of a body part his eyes happened to like. He pushed away the funny feeling in his stomach, blaming it on the time of the night and rubbed his eyes before he started his own way up. It was much too late for this now.

Once back into their room, he noticed Quatre had already left. Heero went back to his bed and Duo sighed and did the same. With an empty feeling he fell into a dreamless sleep.

# *~* #

Duo woke up the next day having a rare relieved feeling. He thought he would feel sad for losing his best friend once again, but he didn't. He couldn't describe it quite as happiness, but it wasn't all that negative felling either. Somewhere deep inside of him he felt like everything would be all right. Maybe this was because it had happened to him before. He had `lost' Solo when he got arrested and he had settled it then. Later Solo had come to take him back, but Duo had declined this and lost his friend again. Somehow he had the feeling this loss wouldn't be forever either. He couldn't quite explain it, but he felt like they would soon meet yet again.

For that reason, Duo forced himself not to think about it too much. He really didn't want to get his hopes up. Because if he did and Solo never came back, he'd be feeling more lonely than he could imagine even now. No prison cell could go up against that.

He sighed as he got up. Heero was nowhere to be found so he was probably downstairs already. He was always up early and usually he went to the library before school started to surf on the net for another hour. Works faster early in the morning when most people are still asleep. He could always use his own computer, but the connection with the internet wasn't half as good from there as it was from the library so he preferred that over his own computer. If he needed anything he would just mail it to himself and open in his room.

Duo folded the third blanket Heero had given him and put it down on the feet end of the bed. He used to give it back to Heero each morning, but since the youth returned it each night anyway, they decided it would be much less trouble if he just kept it.

On his way downstairs, Duo came across Trowa, who was also on his way to have breakfast. Strange. Duo could've sworn that boy went early in the morning lately, when it wasn't too crowded.

For a few meters neither of the boys spoke, but eventually the rich boy decided to open his mouth. But there was no hint of anger or dislike in the boy's voice. He was calm and he almost sounded. . . kind?

`Yeah right.'

"You seemed pretty close to him, who was he?" He said, knowing Duo knew exactly what he was talking about. "Was he your boyfriend?"

At this Duo stopped dead in his tracks. He narrowed his eyes as he shot the other youth a deadly look and with a threatening voice he warned him. "No, he was not my `boyfriend' and if you even dare to say one word about him to anyone I swear I'll make you regret you were even born with a mouth to talk with."

For a moment neither moved. Duo kept glaring at Trowa who hadn't even given the slightest hint of a flinch at his words. Then finally the rich boy nodded.

"I understand."

Then, without another thing to acknowledge the braided youth's presence, the other boy walked away in the posture he usually had the past few weeks; head slightly bowed, hands in his pockets. Duo couldn't do anything but stare after him, confused by the slender boy's reaction. Then he narrowed his eyes once again.

`He'd better understand'

Then he followed the youth to breakfast.

~ T.B.C. ~

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