Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Change of Heart ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

Change of Heart Chapter 2

 

Zechs threw his long jacket onto his bed and stretched tiredly. It had been a long, but fruitful day. His dinner with Duo had gone well. He found it was much easier talking to him than anyone else he knew. Since Zechs was uncomfortable talking to others, this said a lot. There was just something about the American that was very soothing. On the surface, they had very little in common. Zechs was from a rich family and Duo was from the streets. But, they had both lost everyone they had loved and were consumed with revenge during the war. Because of this, Zechs found that he could talk to Duo about his past without feeling ashamed or paranoid about another knowing so much about him. By the end of dinner, when Zechs had walked Duo home to his one bedroom apartment, Zechs had been thinking of it as a date, though he would never admit so to Duo. He really didn't know how the younger boy felt about him, but was glad that he obviously liked him enough to have dinner with him. In truth, he felt sorry for him, being in love with someone who had no idea of his feelings and was currently dating someone like his sister. He could see that Duo was lonely and wished he could do something for him. By the end of the night, Zechs had felt quite happy, a nice change from the day to day monotony. Zechs pulled back the white covers of his large bed. At the end of the Mariemeia Rebellion on Christmas Eve, Zechs had remerged and had been given a chance by his sister to become one of the royal family again, to live in the palace with her and help her rebuild Sanque. Zechs quickly refused, he was a soldier, a killer. He could not become royalty again, it would be hypocrisy. Beyond that, he had no desire for the tiresome work of a diplomat. His house was small, but cozy, his job did not make him wealthy, but it made him happy. His friends were not celebrities or among the elite, but they were loyal and fun. He was happier in his small house with his war buddies than in that giant palace with his stuck-up sister and her fake companions. That, and the girl irritated him like no other person on earth. Relena was his sister, and he would do anything for her to keep her safe, but that didn't mean that he had to like spending time with her. Relena just didn't understand how the world worked, she thought that everything was supposed to work out, to be perfect. She didn't understand that you got what you got and that you should be happy with that. Zechs wasn't entirely sure if she and Heero were actually dating or she thought that they were and Heero thought that they were just `hanging out'. Heero had matured since the war, but he was still socially inept in many respects, especially considering women. Even if they were dating, Zechs didn't think that the relationship would last, they were just too different. That, and Zechs was pretty sure that Heero held a torch for Duo. He really did hope so. He admired Heero, and perhaps even loved him, though he couldn't be sure. He thought that the Japanese pilot was sexy, that coupled with the respect he held for him could very easily be love. He supposed that made him a freak, being in love with two men at the same time, but there were worst things in the world to be. He heard the door suddenly slammed open and he swore out loud. There was only one person who had the key to his house, his sister. Obviously, her date with Heero had not gone well and she had once again chosen him to whine to about it. Zechs was really getting sick of her barging in like this. He sighed and went to greet her.

Relena glared at her brother as he seated her in the kitchen. His white shirt was completely unbuttoned, showing his tanned skin. As she raved at him about Heero, he seemed completely uninterested, grabbing a beer from the fridge and sitting down with her at the table, sipping at the bottle lazily.

“He just sat there, not listening to a word I said! The only time he said anything was about that stupid friend of his, Duo! I mean, who cares about his goddamn best friend, anyway! That little whore!” Zechs resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her. There was no point in rebuking her comments, that would only make her more pissed off. This was the same song and dance as always; it was Duo's fault that Heero didn't love her, Duo's fault that he didn't want to have sex with her, Duo's fault that Heero was so distant, it was always Duo's fault, one way or another. Zechs worried sometimes about her grip on reality. If Heero really was disinterested in Relena, it was her and his own damn faults', blaming Duo was just an excuse.

“I can't believe your still living in this rat hole! Living like a barbarian with those other savages!” And here was another argument they always had, “you are a Peacecraft and I am appalled that you forget that so easily! I mean, don't you ever think of my feelings, how embarrassing you've made it for me?!” She raved. “You're my brother, the least you can do is act like it!” Zechs mentally groaned at that remark. She always said that right before she asked him to do something for her. She was always complaining about how he lived and behaved, yet she was always asking him for favors. It was getting quite old, really.

“Just say what you want and leave, Relena. It's late and I'm tired.” She stared at him, shocked that he would interrupt her.

“How can you say that, Milliardo?” Zechs glared at her.

“It's Zechs now, as I've told you before,” she ignored him, “and you're always asking me to do things. What is it this time?” The strange gleam in her eye scared him. Sure, he had seen it before, right before she would go off the deep end. Some days Zechs considered committing her, he just wasn't so sure about her sanity.

“Well, I do need you to do something, but if it's so hard for you, I can always ask someone more loyal,” she sneered, trying to bait him, but it never worked.

“Just say it, Relena.”

“I need you to deal with Duo.” Zechs just stared at her, scared to ask what she meant by that.

“Oh, don't give me that look,” she snapped, “I don't mean kill him or anything! Things haven't got quite that bad, yet!” Zechs felt his stomach drop. Had she really just implied that she would consider killing someone just to get Heero? “I need him out of the way for two weeks so I can get some alone time with Heero. And,” that gleam intensified, “show him not mess with me, not to mention show Heero just what his friend is really like.”

“Just what are you asking of me, Relena?” She sighed in exasperation.

“I know you're gay, Milliardo! Surely even you can figure it out!” He paled.

“Relena, you're talking about rape; not to mention kidnapping!” She snorted.

“Hardly! Only women can be raped, don't be stupid! Besides, I'm sure that little faggot would love every second of it,” Zechs glared, “and no one will care if a street rat disappears for a little while. I'm sure you'll think of something! Will you do it or not?” Zechs' first impulse was to knock her out, tie her to the chair she was sitting on, and call the nearest mental institution, but his selfishness got the best of him. Relena was asking him, Zechs, to kidnap Duo Maxwell, take him out to the middle of nowhere, and screw his brains out for two weeks. Could he really refuse such an offer? Sure, it would be rape, but he would get to have sex with the gorgeous boy. Even beyond that, if he didn't, Relena would just get someone else who would, who might actually hurt Duo. That, and he got to have sex with the hottest boy he had ever met. Who knew, maybe Duo wouldn't mind… and it wasn't like she was asking him to hurt Duo or anything.

“I assume you'll want me to tape it?”

“Of course,” she said as though she were talking to a small child instead of her older brother, “Heero will have to see what a slut Duo is,” Zechs nearly growled at that.

“Fine,” he said, “but I refuse to hurt him and after two weeks, I will be returning him home, no matter what happens between you and Heero.” She sighed.

“Fine. I'll tell Une that I need Duo for two weeks, so no one will go sniffing around for him.” She raised her pale, neatly manicured hand towards him. He shook it reluctantly.

“Whatever, just get out of my house,” he snapped. She smiled unpleasantly and left, her pink heels clicking obnoxiously on his linoleum floor.

 

*****

 

Duo felt better than he had in months, which was saying a lot. He was tired, but happy. His dinner with Zechs had gone great. It had been such a long time since he had connected to someone like that outside of the other Gundam pilots. He only hoped that Heero's date had gone as well, yes, date; that's what he wanted to call tonight. He hoped that he and Zechs could have more of them. He really liked the white-haired man, he supposed he was sick in that way, liking Heero and Zechs at the same time, in the same way, but he just couldn't help himself. It was another weird thought that he hoped Heero and Relena's date had gone well while, in reality, he hated the blonde princess with a passion. Still, if he could only admit his feelings to Zechs and Zechs felt the same way… maybe he would be alright with them dating. He had to realize that he and Heero would never be together and that being with Zechs would be the best thing for everyone. Still, he felt depressed at that admission. Was he really so selfish to want both of them all to himself? Yeah, he was. Duo went immediately to the shower, rinsing off a days worth of sweat and soreness. By the time he got out and put on a pair of boxers and a black AC/DC t-shirt that he wore as pajamas, he didn't feel quite as tired. Then the phone rang and he almost smacked his foot against the table in the hallway that the phone was on.

“Who the hell?” He muttered, looking at the caller ID. It was Heero.

“Yeah,” he asked into the phone.

“Did you just wake up or something?” Heero asked in an amused tone over the line.

“I just got out of the shower-,” suddenly Duo burst out into laughter as something small and black rubbed against his bare leg.

“Shiva, no!” He gasped in between giggles as the cat tickled his skin with her fur. “Bad kitty!” She entwined in his legs and looked up at him, her eerie green eyes staring at him in the dark hallway with a look of `gee, I missed you, too.'

“You ok?” Heero asked, a grin in his voice.

“Yeah, Shiva's just being needy.”

“I told you, you should get a dog.” Duo snorted.

“We can't all have Shikoku's the size of small ponies!” Heero laughed.

“Leave Nii (2) alone.”

“That thing could eat my kitten!”

“He's sweet. Relena wants me to get rid of him,” Heero's voice was filled with sadness. Heero loved that dog like a child. During the end of the war, Heero had been diagnosed with PTSD and had gone through a terrible breakdown. Duo had been diagnosed with Biploar 1 disorder and PTSD, so he couldn't be with Heero as much as he had liked, so he had got him a silver Shikoku puppy. Nii had gotten Heero through a lot of bad times, so Duo didn't feel guilty about not being there for him as much as he wanted to. He felt happy that he had been able to give his best friend some happiness in his life.

“That bitch!” Duo hissed, “you're not going to listen to her, are you?” Duo asked, worried. If Heero did give up Nii, Duo would give the dog a good home, but it went beyond that. Duo knew that it was stupid, but he felt that if Heero gave Nii away for Relena, it would be like Heero was severing their friendship. Even on his medication, Duo had periods of strange moods and thoughts like this.

“Of course not!” Heero said, strongly, “I would never give up Nii,” the stress in Duo's neck melted away, “you know I worry about you, Duo. I worry a lot. You're all alone in that apartment. Shiva's all you have.” Duo smiled at his friend's concern. Duo knew what he meant, even though he loved the tiny, black American short-hair, bright green-eyed kitten just as much as Heero loved Nii.

“I know you do, but it's ok, really. Shiva's good company.” Heero sighed over the line.

“Still, you should let Quatre set you up with someone…” Duo growled.

“Heero, we've been over this before, I'll date when I'm ready. Now, how did your date go?” Heero sighed again.

“Boring. All she does is talk about the most mundane things. I'm getting really irritated with her.” Duo smiled despite himself. “In any case, I'll let you sleep. I'll see you Saturday to walk Nii, right?”

“Yeah,” Duo said happily.

“Good night, Duo.”

“'Night, Heero.” Duo hung up, feeling warm inside about the call. Despite his meds, Duo still felt feelings more intensely than he liked. Was that why he fell in love so easily? He shrugged. Shiva, his beloved ball of fluff, mewed up at him. He grinned down at her. He picked her up gently with one hand.

“Ready to go to bed, honey?” She chirped happily at the attention he gave her. He settled her down on the bed and brought up the covers around them both. He quickly felt into a deep sleep, not even noticing the open window or the shadow hiding in his slightly open closet.

 

 

End Chapter 2

 

Notes about this chapter: As you probably know by now, I'm a psych major and I love animals. I wanted to give Heero and Duo animals from their own countries, so a Shikoku, a adorable Japanese dog with wolfish features, and an American short-haired cat. Shiva is, of course, the god of destruction and death and Nii means `two', a sign of Heero's love for Duo. ^^ I love kittens! Also, I think all of the Gundam Pilots have PTSD. I'm pretty sure that Duo had dissociative identity disorder with how his personality keeps changing and how he calls himself Shinigami, and he probably is bipolar with how his mood is so intense all the time. I figured Bipolar 1 is as good a guess as any. I decided not to give him DID in this fic because that's opening up a whole different can of worms. The next chapter will have lemon, I promise.