Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Float On ❯ One ( Chapter 1 )

Float On

Summary: Duo is a poor kid from a rough neighborhood, and he's also extremely smart. He has won a scholarship at the prestigious Rockerfeller Academy, but no matter how far away from his old neighborhood he gets the past still won't leave him alone. AU, shonen ai, minor OCs. Please R&R.

Warnings: Rated R for bad and explicit language. It's going to be pretty bad and angsty at parts, but that's good ne?

Pairings: 4x2, and more to be announced.

Disclaimer: Blah, blah, I don't own Gundam Wing. I also don't own the title of this story. It's from a pretty cool Modest Mouse song.

Chapter One


Duo stood in the corner with his eyes darting back and forth between the four other boys that stood between him and freedom. If he could push himself past the one on the left he could probably make a run for it. But he wouldn't.

"Looks like we caught the little faggot," Mitch said and smirked. He was a big guy, a lot bigger than Duo, and he had greasy blonde hair the fell into his eyes.

"I'm not a faggot," Duo spat. "I'm not the one getting my ass fucked by Curly, Larry and Mo every night!"

All four boys stepped closer. "You insulting us, faggot?" Randy asked.

Duo shook his head and smiled. "I'm just speakin' the truth."

As the boys closed in Duo knew what was coming and swung his fist. It came into contact with one of the attackers faces, but he didn't know which one. He felt a jab in the stomach and the wind got knocked out of him, but he tried to stay on his feet.

"How do you like that, homo?" Mitch asked as he punched Duo in the face.

"I'm not fuckin' gay!" Duo yelled and started swinging in every direction he could.

Randy knocked him off his feet with a kick in the knee, and Duo scrambled to get back up.

Then the bell that ended lunch rang. "I guess you're just lucky today," one of them said as they gathered their bags and headed for class.

Duo sat up slowly and rubbed his head. When he was sure there wasn't any serious damage he got up and headed for his class too.

"Duo Maxwell you're late," Ms. Noin informed him as he walked in.

"Yeah, no shit," he said and headed for his seat.

"That's detention for talking to a teacher that way," the older woman said and took in Duo's tattered appearance. "Rough lunch?"

When all she could get from the teenager was a shrug she sighed. "Go to the dean, Master Maxwell," she said and wrote up a slip.

Wordlessly, Duo took the pass and headed to the office. When he arrived the secretary ushered him in and he took a careful seat across from the man at the desk. Mr. Kushrenada was tall, but not what one would call intimidating. However, he did carry a certain presence that demanded respect.

He sat there for a moment before speaking. It was a trick to make the student nervous. It didn't seem to have an effect on Duo. "What happened?" he asked finally.

"I fell," Duo said and licked his split lip.

"This is the third time in a month that you've 'fallen,' Duo." The man said and rolled a fountain pen in his fingers. "I'm beginning to think you're clumsy."

"What can you do?" the boy said and shrugged.

"Who is responsible?"

"No one. I fell."

Mr. Kushrenada slowly rubbed the bridge of his nose and looked back at the young man in front of him. The bruises from his 'fall' were beginning to show more clearly now. He had a nice fat lip, a black eye and who knew what beneath his clothes. Behind the battered face were defiant blue eyes framed by long chestnut bangs. He was the perfect picture of the calm before the storm.

"How long have you been here at The Rockerfeller academy, Duo?" the dean asked calmly.

"A month," Duo replied.

"And in that month you have 'fallen' three different times. This isn't the way to start a term, don't you think?" the older man asked, not unkindly.

"How the hell would I know that?" Duo spat.

"You do know how to wear someone's patience thin," Mr. Kushrenada remarked and smiled.

Duo just leaned back and folded his arms across his chest and tried not to wince.

"Duo, I'm going to get serious with you. This is very important. You have been given a second chance, a chance most people never get. You have the opportunity to prove yourself to the entire world. You can show them that anyone can make it, no matter the background. Do you understand how important that is?"

"Yeah, I know," he said quietly.

The dean leaned forward in his chair. "I'm going to ask you to shape up. You're teachers all say you are doing very well, which was exactly what we expected. Your behavior, however, needs improvement. You can't keep 'falling down,' Duo."

"Yeah, well, it ain't like I do it on purpose," Duo said and forced a smile.

Mr. Kushrenada winced inwardly at the improper grammar. "Clever," he said and smiled back a the boy. "You probably don't 'fall'' on purpose, but how about you stop getting pushed?"

"I'll try," Duo said calmly.

The dean shook his head. "No, you will. If not this school will find another child who wants this opportunity, and you'll go back."

Duo clenched his fists and bit hard into his split lip. "I will," he said slowly as he tasted the salty blood.

"Good," the older man said. "I'm going to change your room then. You'll move to the Oz dorms."

"But I thought part of the deal was I got my own room!" Duo protested.

Mr. Kushrenada shook his head. "It doesn't seem to working too well. Plus, he is a model student. I'm sure you can learn something from him."

"Who is it?"

The dean smiled. "Quatre Raberba Winner."

* * *

Duo walked out of the dean's office slowly. He would have been mad, but he hurt too much. He decided to make a quick trip to the nurse before he packed up his belongings and moved to the Oz dorms.

"Hey Nurse Sally," he said when he walked in. "Still single?"

"Yes, she's single but a little too old for you, Maxwell," a familiar voice said. The English was too perfect to belong to a native speaker and laced with a slight accent.

Duo grimaced. "What the hell are you doin' here Wu Fei?"

The Chinese young man smiled smugly. "I volunteer here in order to get experience for medical school."

Duo gave the other boy a wicked grin. "I didn't know you wanted to be a nurse."

Wu Fei glared at Duo, but didn't reply. "You're lip is bleeding," he said blandly. "Sally is not in at the moment, so I'll have to clean you up."

Duo started at him for a minute and shook his head. "No."

Wu Fei sighed. "What do you mean 'no?'"

"I mean I can clean my own fuckin' self up!" Duo shouted and stormed away leaving a bewildered Wu Fei in his wake.

When he got outside he took a deep breath and hurried to his room. If he got there and packed quickly he could have it done before the dinner bell rang, and he wouldn't have to think about the past and everything else he was trying to forget.

* * *

Author's Notes: So, what do you think? Quatre will be in the next chapter along with some others. Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you thought!