Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Both Sides ❯ Both Sides ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: I don't own the G boys, they belong to Bandai, Sotsu and associates; I just borrow them from time to time and return them a whole lot happier. Written for pleasure not profit. The song this fic is inspired by is "Both Sides of the Story" by Phil Collins and all rights remain his.

 

Pairings: None

 

Rating: R

 

Warnings: Violence, angst

 

Spoilers: Maybe a little for Duo's episode Zero but nothing much.

 

Summary: Wufei is always picking on Duo. One night he gets shown that there is more to the braided pilot that Wufei had ever thought.

 

Written for the Vault's 2007 Songfic competition.

 

 

 

"Both Sides"

 

May. 2007 ShenLong

 

"Maxwell!"

 

The shout thundered through the safe house causing Quatre to wince with the volume. Heero simply paused for a second in his typing whilst Trowa raised an eyebrow and then continued to read his book.

 

Moments later the body attached to that voice entered the lounge room. "Has anyone seen Maxwell?!" Wufei growled.

 

"Why?" Quatre asked seeing as no-one else was volunteering.

 

"This is why!" Wufei snapped and shoved an empty food container under Quatre's nose.

 

"It's an empty food container," Quatre stated looking a little puzzled.

 

"Exactly!"

 

"Umm, and that should upset you because?"

 

"That thief Maxwell has pinched the rice I was saving for my supper."

 

"Oh." Quatre still looked a little lost. "I'm sure he wouldn't have taken it if he'd known it was yours, Wufei."

 

"Bullshit! He does this deliberately."

 

"Does what deliberately?"

 

Wufei spun on his heel at the sound of another voice. Quatre looked up and swallowed, Trowa glanced briefly from under his bang whilst Heero continued to type, never missing a beat.

 

"You!" Wufei snarled.

 

"Whoa, 'Fei. Calm down there, buddy." Duo sauntered into the room clearly unaware of the drama unfolding.

 

"How do you explain this?!" Wufei thrust the empty food container in Duo's face.

 

"Errr... It's an empty container?" Duo replied and scratched the back of his neck.

 

"It's empty now, but it did have my supper in it until some low life thief came along and pinched it."

 

"Oh." Duo lowered his eyes as it dawned on him what Wufei was going on about. "I'm sorry, 'Fei. I didn't know it was yours."

 

"I'm fed up of your excuses, Maxwell."

 

Duo held his hands up in the air in defense. "I swear, I didn't know. If I had then I wouldn't have taken it."

 

"That's a pile of crap, Maxwell. You're always thieving things, taking what's not yours."

 

Duo paled a little.

 

"How many times have I told you not to touch my things? Yet, you still help yourself."

 

"I would ask but you're hardly ever to be found," Duo snapped back. "I put things back when I'm finished."

 

"Not always. Many times I've had to go looking for tools you've borrowed. How many other things have you pilfered that we don't know about?"

 

"Wufei, I think that's a little unfair," Quatre began. Duo was his friend and he wasn't about to sit back and see his friend abused like this.

 

"Shut up, Winner. You wouldn't have a clue."

 

"Why..." Quatre spluttered.

 

"You come from a rich family, you wouldn't understand about honor, about having to fight for everything you believe in," Wufei ranted. "You wouldn't have a clue what it's like to watch everything you love, everything you've ever known, shatter around you, so don't go saying that I'm being unfair. I'm sick and tired of Maxwell taking my things, sick of his practical jokes, sick of his incompetence and sick of his unwashed smell."

 

The silence in the room was thick.

 

"Wufei, I think you should apologize," Quatre began softly.

 

Duo stood frozen to the spot, his skin pale, eyes wide and sad.

 

"Why should I? It's all true. He wouldn't know what it's like to go through what I've been through," Wufei snapped.

 

Lowering his head lest someone see the tears welling in his eyes, Duo turned and headed for the exit, his heart was breaking in two.

 

"That's it, Maxwell. Run and hide," Wufei sneered as the braided pilot passed him.

 

"Chang!"

 

Wufei turned.

 

"That is enough." Heero's words were quiet but brooked no argument.

 

"If you knew anything at all about Duo, you wouldn't be saying these things."

 

"Really?" Wufei snipped and gave Heero a glare. "He's always so cheerful, happy and carrying on like an idiot. We're fighting a war for Nataku's sake! That's no reason to celebrate!" Wufei turned on his heel and left three stunned pilots behind him.

 

*

 

Duo charged up the stairs and into his room. Shutting the door behind him he threw himself onto the bed and buried his face in his pillow, the tears falling freely. How could Wufei be so cruel? Duo knew that a lot of what Wufei said was true, he did thieve things, he did play practical jokes from time to time, he probably didn't bathe as often as the others either and what was wrong with trying to be cheerful?

 

He understood a lot more than what Wufei gave him credit for. He didn't doubt that Wufei had had a hard time; but that didn't mean Duo hadn't.

 

Curling himself into a tight ball, Duo let his tears flow.

 

An invisible, silent shadow watched from the corner of the room, it felt for the boy who lay broken hearted on the bed. Silently it drifted across, pausing at the bed side and gazing down at the one it had become attached to.

 

The sobs slowed and eventually stopped, Duo drifting into an exhausted sleep. He didn't hear the gentle knock of Quatre's knuckles on the door, nor hear the door as it opened and a blonde head poked in.

 

When Duo didn't respond to his soft knocking or quiet calling of his name, Quatre moved silently into the room and paused at the side of the bed. He gazed at his friend and gently pushed a stray lock of hair away from Duo's face. "I'm sorry, Duo. Please forgive Wufei, he didn't mean what he said. He doesn't understand that you have suffered just as much as he has, if not more. I know you don't like to talk about your past and I respect that; but maybe... maybe if you were to let him know a little about you, he wouldn't be so condescending." Quatre gave a sigh and then bent to press a kiss to Duo's forehead. "I'm your friend, Duo. I care about you." Quatre stood for another minute or two and then quietly left the sleeping boy.

 

The shadow figure remained in the corner where it had retreated to, silently guarding the teen on the bed as thoughts traveled through its mind. Evening came, the sun set and darkness prevailed. The pilots all made their way to their respective bedrooms and settled down for the night. Once everyone was asleep, the figure made its move.

 

Gliding silently through the wall, the dark shadow entered Wufei's room.

 

*

 

Wufei shivered and burrowed deeper into his blanket. The room seemed to take on an icy chill. The cold didn't go away no matter how much Wufei snuggled into the mattress. He began to shiver more. Unable to sleep with the cold, Wufei's eyes opened and he scanned the room in an effort to see what was causing him to feel so cold. The window was closed, also the door so there was no where for a draft to be coming in. Eyes scanned again and then came to an abrupt halt at the foot of his bed. His heart rate quickened and he blinked, not sure if his eyes were playing tricks on him or not.

 

He could swear there was a shadowy figure standing at the foot of his bed. He raised a hand and rubbed his eyes. The figure was still there. "Who are you?" Wufei asked as his hand automatically reached for the small knife he kept under his pillow.

 

The shadow didn't answer.

 

"I asked you a question." Wufei's voice became a little louder as his fingers tightened their grip on the hilt of the knife, giving him the courage he needed.

 

The shadow seemed to shimmer for a moment and then took on a more solid form.

 

Wufei's eyes widened. The figure was tall but it was difficult to see what the build was like as it wore a black cape that billowed around it, completely hiding the body from view. A hood obscured the face, keeping the head invisible. A shudder passed through Wufei.

 

"You should know me, Wufei."

 

The voice rang clear through the room, a mix of melodious wailing was how Wufei could best describe it. The sound of many voices all mixed into one. "I don't think so," Wufei replied. He was sure he would have remembered someone like this.

 

The figure stepped closer and an arm extended out, the thick, black material still enclosing it. The arm reached up towards the hood and paused.

 

Wufei's eyes were locked on that arm and the hood, he couldn't have dragged them away if he'd tried. He gasped and bit back a cry as a bony hand slid from the end of the sleeve and pulled the hood back just far enough to reveal a thin, skeletal head completely devoid of hair - and skin for that matter. A red fire glowed where the eyes should have been sending an instant chill down Wufei's spine.

 

"Some people call me the Soul Taker, others the Grim Reaper. My little counterpart in there," the figure inclined his head towards Duo's room, "calls me Shinigami."

 

"B…b…but that's impossible!"

 

A low chuckle came from the figure. "No, it is not impossible. I have a long association with my small friend in there. You see, he needs me just as much as I need him. I need the souls, he needs to be protected."

 

"Maxwell doesn't need anything like you. He's nothing but a low life thief. He can take care of himself," Wufei snapped. His courage was returning a little as he eyed the figure off.

 

"Have you ever stopped to wonder why he's the way he is?"

 

"Well, no."

 

"Have you ever bothered to try and see the person behind the mask he wears?"

 

"No, but I hardly think..."

 

"He uses me to hide his pain, he joins with me to allow him to do what he has to do, but that's not who he is. You think you've had it tough." Shinigami paused for a moment, those fiery eyes boring into Wufei.

 

"Though we might hate to admit it, there are always two sides to every story..."

 

The room began to swirl, fading in and out of Wufei's vision, blurring into one kaleidoscope of color and then vanishing from around him. He awoke to find himself sitting in a gutter just outside a dark alleyway in a quiet part of a town.

 

"Where?"

 

"L2."

 

"Why?"

 

"You need to understand."

 

"Understand?"

 

"Watch." Shinigami stood and moved to the end of the alleyway. Having nothing better to do, Wufei followed.

 

The streets were gray and dingy, rubbish piled here and there, the stink getting up Wufei's nose and making him want to gag. Slight movement caught his eye and he turned to see a man huddled in the corner, clenched in his hand a brown paper bag hiding the bottle of liquid escape.

 

A silent figure approached, the glint of a knife blade flashed as the weapon was quickly hidden from view. A booted foot nudged the sleeping tramp, the man instinctively curling in on himself and hugging his bottle closer to his chest. The figure gave a disgusted snicker and then moved on, leaving the tramp to his drunken haze.

 

Wufei snorted in disgust. "Alcoholic deadbeat," he murmured.

 

"He has an education, he could have been a top accountant," Shinigami stated softly. "All he needed was a job and the chance to prove himself."

 

"Then why didn't he get one?"

 

"This is L2. There's always two sides to the story," Shinigami replied cryptically. "Come."

 

The world swirled again, colors melding before settling once more. When Wufei blinked and opened his eyes again he was standing outside a ramshackle house, pale light spilling out into the dirty street. Screams and yelling broke the silence of the night, Wufei's eyes gazing in shock as the scene played out before him.

 

A man and a woman were fighting, arguing. In the corner of the room, Wufei spotted two small figures hiding in the shadows. A boy and a girl, no more than three or four years old at best. A sharp breath was indrawn as he recognized Duo.

 

It was a much younger version of the braided pilot, but there was no doubting it was him. The chestnut hair, even though it was only shoulder length and the unmistakable violet eyes confirmed it. "Maxwell?" Wufei whispered.

 

"Yes. It is my little Duo," Shinigami replied.

 

The argument between the man and the woman increased in both volume and intensity. The man was accusing the woman of being unfaithful, whilst she said she didn't love him any more. The argument turned violent, a scuffle, blows exchanged and then there was a sharp cry before silence settled. The woman lay still on the floor, the man took one look, paled and bolted from the house.

 

A young Duo crawled out from his hiding spot and approached the still form. "Mama?"

 

There was no response.

 

The younger form of the girl sidled up beside her brother and tentatively reached out to touch the rapidly cooling body on the floor.

 

The young boy turned to his sister as the wails of sirens in the distance could be heard, growing louder as they drew nearer.

 

"Mama?" the young girl questioned.

 

"Mama's gone," Duo replied as the tears coursed down his cheeks. He took his sister's hands in his own and shrugged slightly. "Looks like it's just us from now on."

 

"But... How could this happen?" Wufei asked Shinigami. His heart bled for the two youngsters.

 

"We always need to hear both sides of the story," Shinigami replied again.

 

"Why? Why do you keep saying that?"

 

"You need to open your eyes, Wufei. You only see what you want to see. For every scene you witness in your current existence, there is another side to that story."

 

The world swirled again, colors mixing and blending.

 

Wufei felt nauseous.

 

Gun shots rang out, Wufei automatically ducked and went for a weapon that wasn't there. A low chuckle reminded him of his skeletal guide and he scowled to himself. His eyes soon turned to the street, watching as the hail of bullets continued. People screamed and ran for their lives, hiding out wherever they could. On one side Wufei recognized the insignia of the Alliance. The other was a rag tag group thrown together, calling themselves the rebellion.

 

Neighbor turned against neighbor, former squabbles took on a whole new dimension as man rose against man and the killing spread.

 

A small child sat in a back alley, another youngster lying with his head in the younger one's lap. Wufei recognized a slightly older Maxwell. Curiosity won out and he sidled closer.

 

"I'm sorry, Solo. I'm so sorry. I tried to get enough of the vaccine, really I did," the younger Duo whispered as the tears flowed down his cheeks. His hands gently caressed the still form of the boy in his lap as the tears continued to fall.

 

"What, who?" Wufei began to question and then lowered his voice.

 

"It's okay, they cannot see or hear you," Shinigami replied. "That was Solo, Duo's closest friend and leader of their gang."

 

"Was? But - what happened?"

 

"The plague, Wufei. At least that's what the L2 government called it."

 

Wufei's eyes narrowed sensing there was more to this.

 

"Poverty is rife amongst L2 citizens. The homeless, the orphans, they far outnumber the availability of jobs and homes. Crime is gaining ground, there's not enough food to go around. A plague is an easy way to dispose of the trash."

 

"You mean they deliberately released a virus to wipe out the weak and vulnerable?"

 

"Whilst that cannot be proven, it all seemed too convenient."

 

"Those bastards. There is no justice or honor in that." Wufei turned away, unable to watch the heart breaking scene any longer. His gaze fell to the street where small coffins were lined up, united in defeat.

 

A soft sob escaped his throat as the world spun again on its axis.

 

When his vision cleared, Wufei was once more in a section of L2. This one was slightly cleaner though. Shinigami motioned for him to follow and with no other choice, Wufei did. A man walked ahead of them, his pace brisk; ahead on the street corner stood a young man. A man with a chestnut braid falling down his back.

 

The man stopped, a lustful smile on his face as his eyes raked over the young body. He pressed the youth against the wall and while Wufei couldn't hear the exchange of words, it was obvious from the way the man was groping and leaning into the youth that he wasn't asking for directions.

 

Maxwell would have been around twelve, Wufei estimated, far too young to deal with this sort of harassment. Wufei felt his hackles rise and a growl escape his throat. What sort of animal would prey on innocent children?

 

"Many of the street rats were forced into prostitution to survive," Shinigami said.

 

"That is so wrong," Wufei growled.

 

"Both sides of the story, Wufei. Sell yourself and eat from the credits earned, or remain pure and starve."

 

The younger Maxwell managed to escape the clutches of the pervert as Wufei had dubbed the man, and disappeared. Wufei heaved a sigh of relief. The man didn't seem too put out that his chance at a quick bit of self satisfaction had gotten away and continued on down the road, turning a corner and disappearing from view.

 

Shinigami pulled Wufei along, pausing when they reached the corner a second after the man.

 

Wufei watched in horror as the man was grabbed by the shoulder and shoved against a wall, a gun pointed in his face. The youth holding the gun smirked.

 

Wufei would recognize that smirk anywhere.

 

"Not so cocky now, are ya, asshole?"

 

The man looked as if he was about to pee his pants.

 

"Ya know, no-one shows me any respect. They just see a street rat and think they can have whatever they want from me. That's why I carry this gun, without it I don't get any respect."

 

"Both sides, Wufei."

 

The world spun, faces, figures, places all melting into one before slowing and settling again. Wufei was pleased to see he was back in his own room in the safe house. He breathed a sigh of relief.

 

"It was just after that, that Duo ended up on board a sweeper ship. It was during this time that I became a part of him and he a part of me. Two sides, Wufei."

 

"Two sides," Wufei muttered to himself. His mind whirled with thoughts, all scrambling over each other to try and be first into Wufei's conscious thought. He looked up at the now transparent figure of Shinigami.

 

"Do you understand?"

 

"Yes," Wufei replied softly. He felt humbled that he'd been shown a side to the braided pilot he'd never known, the cruel words he'd spoken earlier to his fellow pilot cutting deep into his heart. He'd always been short tempered, quick to jump in without always checking his facts first. He hadn't realized how much his actions, his hotheadedness could hurt those around him. He'd never taken the time to learn anything about his fellow pilot, he'd just assumed; and he couldn't have been more wrong.

 

He knew now though.

 

And he needed to apologize.

 

Though he might hate to admit it, there are always two sides to every story...

 

~ Owari ~

 

Authors Notes: This fic was inspired by the song "Both Sides of the Story" by Phil Collins.

 

'Both Sides of the Story'

 

Phil Collins

 

'Though we might hate to admit it, there are always two sides to every story...'

 

 

Find yourself in the gutter in a lonely part of town.

Where death waits in the darkness with a weapon to cut some stranger down.

Sleeping with an empty bottle, he's a sad and an empty hearted man.

All he needs is a job, and a little respect, so he can get out while he can.

 

 

We always need to hear both sides of the story.

 

 

A neighborhood peace is shattered it's the middle of the night.

Young faces hide in the shadows, while they watch their mother and father fight.

He says she's been unfaithful, she says her love for him has gone.

And the brother shrugs to his sister and says, "looks like it's just us from now on."

 

 

We always need to hear both sides of the story.

 

 

And the lights are all on, the world is watching now.

People looking for truth, we must not fail them now

Be sure, before we close our eyes.

Don't walk away from here,

'til you hear both sides.

 

 

Here we are all gathered in what seems to be the center of the storm.

Neighbors once friendly now stand each side of the line that has been drawn.

They've been fighting here for years, but now there's killing on the streets,

while small coffins are lined up sadly, now united in defeat.

 

 

We always need to hear both sides of the story.

 

 

And the lights are all on, the world is watching now.

People looking for truth, we must not fail them now.

Be sure, before we close our eyes.

Don't walk away from here,

'til you see both sides.

 

 

White man turns the corner, finds himself within a different world.

Ghetto kid grabs his shoulder, throws him up against the wall.

He says "Would you respect me if I didn't have this gun?

'Cos without it, I don't get it, and that's why I carry one."

 

 

We always need to hear both sides of the story.