Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Footprints in the Snow ❯ The Story ( One-Shot )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Footprints in the Snow

Duo stared at the rosebush. The snow had almost covered it, but one
perfect red bloom was still in view, looking like blood on the
whiteness. He missed her so much. It wasn't that she hadn't left him
alone before, but she always popped back into his life when he least
expected it. It seemed unreal, somehow, that she wasn't going to show
up again. It was like a part of himself, his conscience and soul, were
gone. Now Heero was gone, too. In a way, that was a relief. No more
insanely jealous, violently possessive and most certainly abusive
boyfriend to deal with. Of course, the Asylum for the Criminally
Insane couldn't hole Heero forever, but at least for a while, Duo was
alone.

"Duo, what are you doing here?"

"Hey, Quatre, just thinking.'

"You know, this place is really a very morbid place to do your
thinking."

"Probably. So what's for dinner?"

"I have no idea. It's your night to cook, or did you forget again?"

"How's pizza sound?"

"Let's do Chinese instead."

"Okay."

Quatre stared at the American for a moment and then walked off.

`He hasn't been the same since that night. I thought maybe I could
bring the old Duo back, but whatever Heero did to him killed something
inside. Trowa understands why I left him for Duo, but sometimes I
don't understand it myself. I guess Wufei was right. I see something
broken, someone hurting, and I try to fix it. But I don't think Duo is
repairable. I can't leave him, it would destroy him. But as much as I
love Duo, I really miss Trowa. If Duo weren't so fragile I'd suggest a
threesome, but it took me three months just to get him comfortable
with me again. He's just not ready.'

`You know, if she was here right now she'd find a way to make me feel
better. She could always make me forget the bad thins in life, at
least for a little while. I wonder how she'd react if I told her of my
plan. Knowing her, she'd hit me, hard! I don't want to hurt Quatre;
he's been great. He's probably the only reason I haven't tried since
the first time.'

Duo rubbed the scars on his wrists absent-mindedly as he stared off
into space.

`I don't want to hurt him, but if Heero gets out... Well, I don't want
to think about what Heero'll do to me. But this way all he'll find is
a corpse.'

"Ring, ring."

Duo pulled out his cell phone. His face drained off all colour as he
listened to the person on the other end. He looked twenty ears older.

"Thanks. Bye."

He put up the phone, and ran his hands through his now shoulder-length
hair. The white streaks in his hair showed up vividly.

`I wonder if Heero will recognize me without the braid. Quatre was
horrified when I chopped it off. Come to think of it, he probably
still has it somewhere. I should go home now. Quatre, at least
deserves a goodbye.'

The house was dark and still. Duo walked in and turned on the lights.

`I wonder if...'

"Oh, god!"

There was a trail of blood on the floor. Duo followed it, all the
while muttering "Please, God, don't let it be him."

He followed the blood trail upstairs to the master suite. The door was
closed but he could hear Heero's voice.

"Where is he? Tell me, damn you! He's mine."

Duo was shaking. He was so frightened he could barely breathe.

`Gun. Need gun. In kitchen. Kill, him or me.'

Quatre didn't know how much longer he could hold out. It felt like
every bone in his arm was broken, and he could see bone sticking
through the skin. But at least eh pain in his arm distracted him from
what Heero was doing with him.

`If Duo doesn't come soon, I'm dead. He'll kill me.'

The bedroom door burst open.

"Duo! There you are. Mean Quatre wouldn't tell me where you were. Duo,
why do you have a gun? Drop the gun, slave!"

Duo almost obeyed, but something stopped him. Maybe it was seeing
Quatre, the kindest of them all, covered in his own blood, or maybe it
was the knowledge of what Heero would do to him once he put the gun
down. As Heero walked towards him, Duo pulled the trigger. Once, then
again, and again, and again, until the cartridge was empty, and still
he kept pulling the trigger.

"Duo, help me."

Quatre couldn't manage anything more than a whisper but Duo heard him.

"I'm free, aren't I? Quatre, he can't hurt me again, can he? Quatre...
answer me."

Quatre neither moved nor spoke. Duo walked over to him and felt for a
pulse. There was none. Quatre was dead, just like Heero.

"Everyone is dead, except me. Everybody always leaves me alone just
when I need them most. I can't deal anymore, I just can't!"

Duo put a hand to his face and found tears streaming down his cheeks.

"I can't... I can't. I'm sorry, I just can't."

He put the gun to his head and pulled the trigger.

"You know that gun's out of bullets."

"You're dead!"

"Well, since I'm standing here talking to you, obviously I'm not."

"But how..."

"Guardian angels can fly, silly. I would have been back sooner, but it
took a long time for me to heal. Now, come on, let's get you out of
here."

Duo walked towards the balcony. The snow had picked up, and now
visibility was almost nil. He opened the doors and stepped onto the
balcony. There was a swirl of snow, and then nothing except for
footprints in the snow.