Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Childhood Reborn ❯ Duo Opens Up ( Chapter 19 )

While the rest of the group recovered from their latest hose attack, Wufei continued his mission on seeing he got his ultimate revenge. While he had to admit holding a heavy three year old and still getting soaked in the process was not the best means of retaliation it was enough seeing Duo cower in defeat.

 

“WUFEI, PLEASE, ENOUGH I'M DROWNING HERE!!!”

 

Oh this was good. Wufei was definitely happy. He put Bastian down and gently took the hose from the boy (using the fact that the dog looked like he wanted to play to easily distract the child) and sauntered over. Meanwhile Duo was huffing and puffing, out of breath from running all over the backyard.

 

“Drowning would be a fit punishment!”

 

Duo was shocked.

 

“HEY I SAID I WAS SORRY!”

Wufei pointed the hose.

 

“But the question is did you learn your lesson?”

 

“Yeah, I learned that you apparently have a phobia for sprinklers!”

 

Duo chuckled, but Wufei's eyebrow twitched. It appeared a Duo Maxwell joke was not the best measure in taming a Chinese warrior.

 

“THAT DOES IT!”

 

“EEEPPP!!”

“OKAY ENOUGH!!!” Jacinda yelled as she approached the two before Wufei pulled the trigger. “It's alright Wufei; I think Duo got the message.”

 

“If he can still crack jokes then he didn't!” The boy yelled.

 

Jacinda laughed while Duo took that as opportunity to scramble behind Jacinda.

 

“I know, but anymore of that and my backyard is going to turn into a pond. Besides, Duo didn't mean any REAL harm. We all got soaked in the process anyway, including the dog.”

 

Wufei grumbled in Chinese while Duo sighed in relief.

 

“Alright you half-wit.” Wufei said putting the hose. “I guess you got what you deserved just be thankful Jacinda came to your aid. Pull that stunt again and you won't be so lucky.”

 

Wufei walked past Jacinda and glared at Duo.

 

“Idiot.” He said.

 

“Sadist!” Duo yelled in defense as Wufei walked away.

 

Jacinda rolled her eyes and surveyed the scene. Everything looked like a bucket of water just dumped down on her entire backyard. However, she noticed that her garden had also gotten a bath in the process which relieved her of another daily chore, watering her garden.

 

However, the Gundam Pilots, Bastian and herself were practically soaked to the bone and slightly covered in mud and grass from the antics. Selwyn meanwhile was pretty dry and was sitting beside Trowa while Bastian was petting him. The scenes made her want to run inside and get her camera.

 

“WHOA WHO UNLEASHED A MONSOON OVER HERE!?”

 

It was Siero doing his one of many stop bys.

 

“Oh…just washing Selwyn.” Jacinda answered.

 

“Selwyn?”

 

“Our doggie!” Bastian said. Trowa had told him that they had named the dog. “Mama and I gonna keep him. He's going to sleep in my room!”

 

“Ahhh I see little man.” Siero said as he approached the dog. Trowa gave him a look, but Jacinda knew that Siero could be trusted so she just nodded.

 

“Well, he's pretty thin for I'd say a one year old.” Siero said. “Looks to me like he's a mix between a shepherd and a lab, maybe even a few more.

 

Everyone looked at Siero in amazement. They had assumed Selwyn would be an unidentifiable mutt.

 

“I grew up with dogs.” He said. “Nevertheless, this guy is going to need a lot of training!”

 

“Trowa's already doing that Siero!” Quatre said happily. “He knows his commands!”

 

Siero looked over at Trowa.

 

“You're kidding!”

 

Trowa said nothing, but Quatre was beaming.

 

“Show him Trowa, show us all!”

 

Trowa shrugged and did as was told, showing how Selwyn could sit, stay, speak and roll over.

 

“Holy smokes kid, you know your stuff!” Siero said. “He looks like he's got the basic stuff down.”

 

“I'm still teaching him.” Trowa answered.

 

“Well you'd better teach him not to chew on any of our stuff Barton!” Wufei said indignantly. “Or Jacinda's especially for that matter.”

 

“Like Selly here would want to chew on any of your precious things `Fei.”

 

Jacinda made a mental note to do a clean sweep of her house for anything the dog could get into, as well as make a special grapefruit mixture to spray on her furniture.

 

It was also then that Selwyn noticed Duo's braid and made a leap for it. He took the end and began to pull.

 

“HEY!” Duo yelled. “OUCH, LE'GO!” But the more he pulled the more Selwyn pulled back.

 

“Trowa do something! GAAH THAT'S MY SCALP YOU MUTT!!”

 

“No Barton please let the dog continue!” Wufei urged. Duo just fought with Selwyn as Trowa and Quatre tried to pry the braid from the dog's tight jaw. Jacinda and Siero found them trying to keep Bastian from running over fearing his assistance would only make it worse on Duo or even accidently get his fingers stuck in the dog's powerful jaw.

 

“You all are idiots.” Heero muttered. He then walked over to his lunchbox and grabbed a piece of a sandwich he had quickly made before leaving the house that day.

 

“Hey dog!” He said. Selwyn ears and his nose picked up the signals and immediately unlatched his teeth from Duo's hair. He jumped to Heero and the pilot fed him the treat.

 

“I guess we need to add Duo's hair to the training curriculum.” Trowa said.

 

“NO KIDDING!” Duo yelled. “Nearly took my head off with him!”

 

Wufei rolled his eyes.

 

“Oh just trim the damn braided mess if you don't want the dog to play with it.”

 

Duo gasped.

 

“No way man!” He said. “This hair ranks high up there with Deathsycthe! You know that `Fei Fei!!”

 

“IT'S WUFEI!!”

The rest of the pilots just ignored the rant and started watching the dog that Bastian was cuddling with. Trowa was showing him the correct ways to pet the dog while Quatre, Heero and Siero looked on. Jacinda however had caught wind of Duo and Wufei's conversation and walked over. Wufei had just about given up with Duo and walked away determined to get himself cleaned up just as Jacinda approached.

 

“Hehehe…is your hair alright?” She asked giving his braid a tug.

 

“Yeah…its okay…it's been through a lot worse.” Duo said as he checked for any signs of damage. “It's almost foolproof.”

 

Jacinda smiled as the two took a seat on the grass.

 

“I couldn't help overhearing.” She said. “Why does your hair mean so much to you like your Gundam?”

 

“Hey can't be Duo Maxwell without it!” He answered.

 

Jacinda laughed.

 

“You, Mr. Maxwell, if it looks you are concerned about don't have to worry about it. Those big lavender eyes and that cheeky grin of yours is enough no matter how bad a hair day you may have.”

 

Duo grinned blushing lightly. He scratched the back of his head.

 

“Aw thanks!” He said. “But it's not really for looks. Granted its one of my many signature trademarks, but its more of a sentimental value. To remember where I came from.”

 

Jacinda noticed that his grin sank lightly.

 

“Duo?” She asked. “You okay, baby?”

 

Duo sighed.

 

“Yeah I'm okay.” He said. “Thinking about it sometimes gets me a little down in the dumps. But I know being sad about it won't change things.”

 

Jacinda nodded.

 

“You're right.” She said. “But it doesn't hurt to talk about it. I can tell you guys have been through enough in your lives and sometimes just talking about it can take weight off your shoulders.”

 

Duo looked at Jacinda and laughed a little.

 

“That's what she used to say!” He said. “She always said I had the weight of the world on my shoulders!”

 

“She?”

 

“Yeah, Sister Helen.”

 

“Sister Helen?” Jacinda repeated. “You have a sister Duo?”

 

“Sort of, I had a few actually and some brothers.” He said. “But not in the way you are thinking. I grew up in an orphanage run by some nuns and a priest. The other kids there are thought of as my brothers and sisters.”

 

Jacinda's heart immediately broke for the boy but then she understood the connection now from when Duo had his fever induced dream the first night at her house. He had cried out for a sister and father. She decided to press on.

 

“They treated you well I hope.” She said.

 

“Oh yeah! I mean it wasn't ritzy, but I was treated real good!” He exclaimed. “I was a real troublemaker in the beginning, but they didn't hit me or hurt me, just made me do extra chores and prayers. Sister Helen would try to get me to cut my hair, but in the end she just braided it because I fought her so much on it. I was a street kid before then, but they helped me how to improve my reading and writing, even math! They were going to send me to a real school….” Duo trailed off, his face hardened.

 

Jacinda who had been listening intently gently put her arm around Duo when she sensed his tension.

 

“Duo?”

 

“Damn, if it wasn't for OZ and those dumb rebels…maybe things wouldn't have turned out this way!” He said harshly, his fist clenching.

 

“What happened Duo?” Jacinda asked.

 

“When the war went into full swing, this rebel group attacked the orphanage and wanted to use it. They demanded that it was handed over. But Father said no. They had us all huddled up and sent me on some stupid errand for them. I wouldn't have gone but they threatened to kill everyone if I didn't. When I got back the place was in flames!”

 

Jacinda's heart fell to her knees.

 

“Oh dear lord they didn't!”

 

“No, it was OZ.” Duo said. “They tried to flush them out but when that didn't work they just blew up the place and everyone in it…my entire family pretty much.”

 

Jacinda stared at the boy. She couldn't believe how much he had revealed to her and with all that he still had the courage to find beauty in life.

 

“How did you survive?” She asked rubbing his shoulder.

 

“When I got back the place was already smoked.” He said. “OZ was investigating so I ran and hid. A day or two later I went back to see if anyone had made it, but they didn't. A few Ozzies were around but I was able to keep my distance from them. I then had no choice but to run. I snuck onto a sweeper ship and got caught by the captain. He decided not to throw me overboard into space, but rather take me in. He taught me everything about Gundams. He's a great guy Howard! Like a father I guess!”

 

Jacinda sighed.

 

“Well I bet that Howard is very proud to have a son like you!” She said. “I am very sure Sister Helen and the priest was so happy to have you in their lives. Blood is just a liquid compared to love and care, that's what a true parent does. I am sure they are always watching over you.”

 

“Yeah if you believe in that stuff.” Duo said. “Father Maxwell used to say the same thing too. That no matter what happened in my life I could always turn to them for support. I guess that's why I took on his last name. So he would always be with me.”

 

Jacinda suddenly felt a panic in her chest.

 

“Duo?” She asked. “I'm sorry…what was the name of the priest who raised you?”

 

Duo raised his eyebrow.

 

“I just told ya Jacinda!” He said. “Father Maxwell. In fact, he was the one who had started the orphanage in the first place!”

 

Jacinda felt her body begin to shake.

 

“Father Maxwell's Orphanage?” She said trying to keep her voice steady.

 

“Yup!” Duo said his glowing grin back. But Jacinda wasn't grinning.

 

“Oh God.” She whispered.

 

“Hey you okay?” Duo asked worriedly. “You got pale all of a sudden.

 

Jacinda turned back to the boy.

 

“Umm…yes…I'm fine angel.” She said shakily. “I...uh...I have to go inside for a moment to uh…check on something. You mind watching Bastian and Selwyn for a bit with the guys?”

 

Duo stared at her worriedly, but nodded.

 

“Thanks.” She mumbled and immediately ran inside. The screen door crashing behind her alerting everyone to the sound. Everyone looked over at Duo.

 

“HEY DON'T LOOK AT ME!” He yelled. “I WAS BEHAVING JUST FINE!!”

 

“That'll be the day.” Wufei answered.