Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Float On ❯ Two ( Chapter 2 )

Float On

Author's notes: Well, this story is kinda an experiment for me. I just wanted to write a 4x2 story with a Duo that is kinda mean and screwed up. I'm really trying to not make him OOC, and if that happens let me know! I'm really just trying to channel the young Duo from the manga, but I'm not sure if I'm doing a reasonable job. Please let me know! Also, I want to thank those wonderful souls that left feedback: Tica, Romie, Crysania Fay, MeLaiya, and Sivy . You guys rock, and I hope you like this chapter! Thank you.

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, 4x2, more pairings to be announced. 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 Two


The Oz dormitory was settled between a small courtyard and the academy's large library. Duo shifted the duffel bag on his shoulder and began to trudge up the stairs. It had taken him less time than he thought it would to pack up his things. It wasn't as if Duo had ever really owned very many material items in the first place, but after being excepted at Rockerfeller and an allowance of five hundred dollars a month, a teenage boy can sure buy a few things.

When he arrived at the proper room, number 265, he was surprised to find the door open.

"Hello?" he called and stuck his head in the cozy room.

A blonde boy was sitting at one of the desks and turned when he heard Duo. "Hi," he said and stood up. "You must be Duo Maxwell. I'm Quatre Winner." The boy smiled pleasantly and held out his hand.

"Right," Duo said, glanced at Quatre's hand and then back around the room. "Which one is mine?" It was a nice sized room and comfortably fit two twin beds, two desks, a large chest of drawers, with room left over for a small couch in the corner. There was a large window by the couch, but since the sun had gone down the curtains were drawn shut.

Quatre slowly lowered his hand and pointed. "That one and that desk is yours. I didn't know I was going to get a roommate until today. If you don't mind me asking, what happened to you?" He asked, concern evident in his voice.

Duo slung his bag down on his bed and slowly took a seat. Then he looked at the boy in front of him. He was about the small size as Duo, with pale blonde hair and dark eyes. He was wearing a pair of khakis and a white button up shirt. It was one of the school uniforms that was offered, but it made him look ethereal, like an angel. He was also strikingly beautiful, but these thoughts were quickly filed into the Do Not Disturb box of Duo's mind.

"I do mind, and I fell," Duo said as he unzipped his bag and began unpacking.

"Sorry," Quatre said, and his cheeks went slightly pink. "There is only one chest of drawers, but you can have the top three and I'll take the bottom three. Also, I pushed all of my clothes to one side of the closet so you can have the other, and there are plenty of hangers in case you needed any. . . "

"You know," Duo said as he began to put his things away, "you can shut up anytime."

Quatre nodded and smiled slightly. "I'm sorry. I do tend to ramble a bit. Let me know if you need anything," he said and sat back at his desk.

Duo just glanced at the other boy and nodded. When he was done unpacking he went into the bathroom and started up a shower. As he was peeling off his clothes there was a meager knock at the door.

"What?" Duo yelled.

The door slowly opened and Quatre stepped in. "I just wanted to use the restroom before you got in the shower," he said and unzipped his pants.

"What the hell are you pissin' in front of me for?" Duo screeched and felt his cheeks go hot. He was already half undressed, his shirt was crumpled on the floor and his pants were unzipped and ready to be taken off.

Quatre gave Duo a small smile as he began to relieve himself. "We're both boys, right? It's just like a public bathroom," he said as he finished up, gave it a couple of shakes and zipped his pants back up. Duo stared at Quatre and he smiled into the mirror as he began to wash his hands, his eyes focused on Duo's. "You know, that looks like a pretty hard fall you took. Do you need something for those bruises? Maybe you should go to the nurse."

Duo stared at the blonde for a moment not knowing what to say. "Wait a minute," he said as Quatre dried off his hands, "you really think I just fell?"

Quatre looked at him and nodded innocently as he stepped out of the bathroom. "What else would I think. That is what you told me, after all."

Duo said nothing, but nodded as he shut the door behind the other boy. After he removed his pants he checked himself out in the mirror. He looked bad, to put it mildly. He had a number of bruises on his chest and back and a few cuts on his arms. Not to mention the job they did on his face. "I've had worse," he told his reflection and tried to smile. His reflection didn't seem to want to smile back.

He felt better once he got under the warm water and gave himself a through, yet gentle scrub. He even washed his hair, which was an ordeal in itself considering the braid went all the way down to his waist before it tapered off. After he was finished he slowly dried himself off and stepped out of the room with a towel around his waist.

Quatre was lying in his bed with a pair of pajama bottoms, no shirt and a book in his hands. He smiled when he noticed Duo coming out of the bathroom, especially since he was only in a towel.

"What?" Duo asked, annoyed at the other boy's interest in him. Needless to say, he hadn't made many friends at Rockerfeller.

"I was just wondering if you'd done your English Lit. homework yet," Quatre asked.

Duo shrugged. "I was planning on it. Are you in my class?" he asked and pulled on a pair of sweatpants underneath his towel.

Quatre nodded slowly, silently annoyed that Duo had kept the towel on but still smiled pleasantly. "Yeah, I'm not surprised that you didn't notice me though. Most people don't."

Duo found that hard to believe, but kept it to himself. "What do we have to do again?" he asked instead.

"Just read the first part of Crime and Punishment and write a page about Raskolikov's motives."

Duo couldn't help it and laughed. "That's it? Man, I can't believe this place it considered difficult."

"Have you read the book already?" Quatre asked and sat up in bed.

"Yeah," Duo said as he tossed the towel on the floor. "I read it when I was in sixth grade."

Quatre nodded his approval. "I've read it too. But it's always nice to revisit a classic. Who is your favorite character?"

"Rodya," Duo answered simply as he climbed into his bed.

"Even though he's a murderer?" Quartre asked and got up.

"Yep," Duo said, shutting his eyes, "even though he's a murderer."

Quatre stood in the doorway of the bathroom for a moment. "Even though he's insane through most of the book?"

Duo peeped one eye open slowly and gave him a wicked smile. "That's the best part, ain't it?"

Quatre smiled slightly and walked into the bathroom shaking his head. Duo was something else, and he would take some getting used to. But Quatre always liked to make new friends.

When he walked back into the room Quatre smiled. Duo had fallen fast asleep in the time it had taken him to brush his teeth. He was pretty banged up. "You must have fallen down a flight of stairs or something," Quatre whispered to the peaceful boy. Then he climbed into bed and continued his reading.

* * *

The next morning Quatre woke up first and smiled at his sleeping roommate. He let Duo sleep in while he took a shower and got ready for school. Then he gently prodded the other boy with his finger. "Hey, it's time to get up, Duo."

Faster than Quatre imagined someone who had just been asleep could move Duo grabbed his hand and sat up. "What the fuck are you doin' touchin' me?" he demanded and glared.

Quatre's eyes were wide. "I was waking you up," he said as he fought to free his hand from Duo's grip.

"Yeah," Duo said and pushed Quatre's hand away, "well you don't need to touch me to do that, okay?"

"I'm sorry," Quatre whispered and rubbed his aching hand. "I didn't mean to upset you or anything."

Duo shrugged and pushed his quilt off and got up. "Yeah, well just don't touch me. Got it?"

Quatre nodded and smiled. "I understand, Duo."

Duo looked at him for a second and then walked into the bathroom and shut the door. He was a lot sorer than he had been the day before, and he briefly thought about ditching class and staying in his room. "No," whispered as he started up a warm shower, "I might be a lot of things, but I'm sure as hell not a coward."

When he was done with his quick shower, he brushed and braided his hair, then left the bathroom to hurry as fast as his wounded body would let him get dressed. As he was buttoning up his pants he noticed a tall boy in the doorway, leaning against the frame and staring at the floor. He was fully dressed for school in the uniform favored by Duo, gray slacks, white shirt, maroon tie, and a gray jacket depending on the weather. The boy was taller and thinner than Duo, and had long light brown bangs that obscured one eye.

"Who the hell is that?" Duo asked his roommate who was loading his backpack with books.

"Oh," Quatre said and looked up. "Hi Trowa, I didn't hear you come in."

The tall boy looked up and simply nodded.

"Duo, this is Trowa Barton." Quatre said motioning toward the door since neither boy moved. "Trowa, this is Duo Maxwell. He's my new roommate."

"Hey," Duo said as he began buttoning up his shirt.

Trowa looked at him with one brilliant green eye and gave him a small nod. "You're in my physics class," he said softly.

"Oh," Duo said and felt his cheeks go slightly warm, which annoyed him. "I don't really pay attention to students in class."

Trowa gave him another small nod and looked away.

Duo quickly pulled his pretied tie over his head and fixed it in the mirror before throwing his books into his bag. Quatre was waiting in the doorway with Trowa. He was wearing the same school uniform he had the day before except this time he had a navy blue tie on.

"Ready?" he asked Duo.

"Yeah," Duo said and eyed him strangely.

"Great, I'm hungry," Quatre said and started walking out of the room. "How about you, Trowa?"

"Yeah, I'm hungry," he said and fell into step with Quatre.

Duo shut the door and walked at a distance behind the two other boys. He wasn't sure what to make of his new, overly nice roommate.

"Hey, Duo," Quatre called and looked back over his shoulder, "come on. We are starving!"

Duo nodded and walked a little closer. "Why does it matter how fast I walk?" he asked when he got close enough for them to hear him without shouting.

Quatre frowned slightly. "Well, aren't you going to eat with us?"

"I guess," Duo said somewhat hesitantly.

"Good," Quatre said and smiled at Duo while stepping aside so he could walk next to them. "You're going to like him," he said to Trowa. "He's already read Crime and Punishment, too."

Trowa turned to Duo and gave him a small smile and an approving nod. Duo just nodded back, and the three boys walked to the cafeteria.


* * *

More author's notes: So, what did you think? Do you like Quatre and Trowa? Please let me know. It helps me a lot. Thanks!!!