Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Gundam Wing Suicides ❯ Duo's Note ( Chapter 2 )

Hilde and Quatre smiled across the tray they carried, containing Duo's surprised birthday cake for his surprise birthday party. Heero stood behind them, looking awkward with the brightly packaged gifts in his hands. "Come on Heero, try to show some enthusiasm." Releena encouraged.

As a response all he got was a disconcerted, "Hn."

Hilde rolled her eyes at the him and thought about Duo. This party, small as it was, would hopefully only help Duo's new found good mood. For so long after the peace had been established, Duo had seemed depressed. But a couple days ago it was as if he had just woken up from a bad dream. He had told everyone how important they were to him, given people gifts that had been his valued objects, and just been generally kind and generous. She so looked forward to giving something back to him.

Hilde was so excited she didn't bother knocking. "Duo?" She called out his name, wondering which of the small rooms of his apartment he was in. The others joined in calling, but none received any answer. She and Quatre laid the cake down on his table, and Hilde saw the piece of paper on the table.

"Look, he left a note. Maybe he knew we were coming afterall. I hope he didn't try to ditch us on his own birthday." Hilde picked up the note and began reading. After the first few sentences understanding reached her, but she was in enough shock to finish reading. When she looked up at her concerned friends, tears were spilling unnoticed down her cheeks. "Oh God." She mumbled before collapsing on the ground.

Heero picked up the fallen note and began reading:

Hey, I know this will be a surprise for you all. I was the loud, happy, joking one. But I was also the God of Death, and being Death, how can I not wonder at the experience I cause others but never have myself? Death isn't just a curiosity I wish to fulfill, however. But it seems it's the only thing left I have. My life has been so intense, so full. Now it feels empty and wasted. Before I had a purpose. I guess I just don't remember how to live without one. I'm sorry Hilda, I'm sure you could have taught me how. But I can't wait that long. I need to taste the death I gave so freely to others. I'm not the God of Death anymore, I'm nothing. I'd rather be dead than nothing, this way my memory will actually mean something. The other gundam pilots, I know you'll understand. Hilda, I don't know if you can. I hope you'll forgive me for leaving.

The God of Death finally rests,

Duo Maxwell

Quatre looked like he was going to be sick, and sat down. Releena looked faint, and turned away to look out the open window. She let the wind comfort her for a moment. Then she looked down, and screamed, backing away from the window. Heero walked over to her, putting his arms around her in an attempt to comfort her. He already knew what she had seen; Duo's body. He hadn't thought Duo would go out that way, he didn't seem like a jumper.

Heero tried to shake such logical thoughts from his mind, tried to be emotional and sad. It just didn't seem real. Another death, after so many they had caused. It didn't seem possible anymore, for a gundam pilot to die. He had begun to feel his friends were immortal.

Heero led her away from the window, and took a hand away from Releena to place on the hysterically sobbing Hilde.

"I should have known." She wailed. "I should have seen it, I loved him and knew him and I should have seen it. I could have stopped it, oh God, why did this have to happen?"

Heero guided her out of the room and motioned the crying Quatre to follow them. "Right now we have to tell Trowa and Wufei. Everything will be alright Hilde."

She wasn't sure if she believed him, but nodded her head. She could at least be brave for Duo. She wondered briefly if she was brave enough to follow Duo to the grave, but put that thought away for later and followed Heero from her dead love's apartment.