Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Morituri te Salutant ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2

Duo awoke later that day, the incessant ringing of the vid-phone having disturbed his semi-catatonic state. Mumbling colorful and rather artistic obscenities he rose, albeit awkwardly and made his way to the phone. Slumping down into the chair before it he pushed the 'recieve' button muttering what he hoped was 'moshi-moshi' and not 'go to hell'.

"Hn. Your Japanese has improved."
"Heero!" He choked out, now fully awake. What do you know I really did say 'moshi-moshi' after all Duo mused.
"Hn."
"I see your as talkative as ever, eh buddy." He joked atempting to keep the other from seeing just how much the simple call meant to him. "Not that I dont apreciate the one-sided conversation or anything, but why did ya call Heero? I mean I havn't exactly heard from ya in a while and all. I was beginning to wonder if you'd been abducted or something. But-"
"Duo."
" -of course I figgured that if any aliens tried ta take you, I'd of heard about the poor green men hospitalized at the expense of one mere human."
Duo snickered.
"Duo!"
"Yea Hee-buddy?"
"Shut up."

Silence followed after that, both became unwilling to allow their tempers to get the better of them for fear of never speaking to one another again. An eternity seemed to pass in the minuets that the two spent gazeing at each other. Neither realizing just how much the call meant to the other.

The Japanese boy looked more stressed since the last time he had seen him, up close that was. To the casual observer, or anybody except the sleect few who kne him, Heero appeared fine. The epitome of err well blankness.

But Duo was no casual observer. He was very well versed in the body language of the ex-pilot 01 and there were just a few tell-tale signs that something was amiss. The asian youth's eyes seemed duller as if the life was slowly beeing sapped out of them and there where faint lines around the youth's mouth signaling that there hadn't been much laughter if any at all, during the time of Duo's abscence.
'And who's fault is that?'
Duo internally winced at the slef-recrimation.


Finally unable to stand the silent penitrating gaze fixed upon him Duo spoke up, unconcisouly holding his breath while waiting for the other's reply. "So why did you call Heero?" Another long paused ensued before Heero responded. "Relena and I request your presence at our engagement dinner tomorrow evening at 1900 hours; it will be held in the Ballroom of the Peacecraft Mansion."

Violet eyes rounded and took the shape of voerly large saucer plates the moment the Japanese pilot's words left his mouth. 'Engagemnet dinner?' what the fuck is going on here? As his mind reeled Duo somehow managed to nod his understanding and acception of the invitation. With a final 'hn' Heero disconnected, leaving behind a stunned Duo Maxell who was currently doing a perfect imitation of a goldfish. In less then twenty minuets Duo's already screwed-up life had just turned upside down.

Without thinking his fingers flew over the number pad, dialing the number that had been ingrained upon his memory the day Heero moved out.

Of the pilots, Trowa had been the closest to the Japanese boy. Trowa was Heero's confident since he could remember. Often Duo had jokingly teased the two stoic youths on their conversational skills, though truth be told he was amazed and jealous all at the same time.

With out a single word being spoken the two could convey whole conversations to each other. Here he was the boy head over heals in love with Heero and he could barely understand the spandex-clad boy. Yet Trowa who had made it abundantly clear his heart lay with the pale blonde arab, was in perfect snyc with the boy. It had infuriated him to no end. But through talks with Trowa (yes believe it or not tha latin teen actually talked!) he had garnered a better understanding and insight on Heero. Sadly that had occured after the prussian eyed boy's departure.

So if anybody knew what was going on in the mind of one Heero Yuy, Trowa would be that person. Maybe he should just let sleeping dogs lay but for once Duo Maxwell was not running and hiding,t his time he would act if he didn't he'd loose his bestfriend and his heart forever. Eh, who knew maybe he had just had a really scary nightmare and Heero was just living with Relena still, and was not her intended. Yeah, that was it. Bad dream.

The phone rang on for several minutes and just when Duo was about to give up, believing that the two boys who occupied the residence he was currently dialing were either still at the Preventers or otherwise, ahem, engaged someone picked up.
"Yes"
Came the soft almost inaudible voice of pilot 03.
'He's improved.'
Duo thought with a chuckle. 'There was a time when Trowa wouldn't even speak on the phone instead he'd just look at you waiting for you to crack under his evil indifferent eye, or at least till Quat came and rescued the caller that is.'
Smiling Duo greeted his friend happily.
"Ohayo Tro-man".
Green eyes narrowed somewhat as Trowa got a look at who was calling.
"Duo. I'll get Quatre."
The banged boy said in way of greeting, already rising to fetch his lover.
"NO!!"
"...?"
Trowa stared back at him for a moment. Caught in the process of rising from the chair. Green eyes studying him, taking in every ounce of detail in the braided boy's visage before sitting back down in the chair. Casually he crossed one leg over the other and looked Duo straight in the eye. Eyes and facial expression softening, just slightly.
"You know."
It wasn't a question, just a statement of fact. In two words Trowa had answered his unspoken question and destroyed his world. How the hell could Quatre put up with such brutal responses?
"I..Heero called. He told me a few minutes ago."
"I supose he felt he owed you that."
"What do you mean?"
Duo asked warily. The tone of voice and the words the emerald eyed youth had spoken sent an eerie chill of foreboding down his spine.
"Goodbye Duo, he said goodbye."

Emerald eyes never waivered once in their hold of violet ones as he spoke. Goodbye was that really what Heero had said when he gave that anouncemnet? Somehow Duo couldn't believe it.
"How, I mean I didn't think Heero was really that serious with Ms. Pepto Bismal."
"She returned his affections."
Once again Trowa locked eyes with Duo as he spoke as if silently beggin the braided youth to understand some hidden message.
"What are you saying Tro? Are you saying Heero really does love her?"

As he stared at the former clown Duo was shocked to see grief and something else flash briefly in his silent friend's eyes before they returned to their normal blank expression. What did Trowa have to feel sadness for? There was sadness yes, but there had been something else, another emotion Duo could not identify. He had a sinking feeling it was tied in with whatever the other boy wasn't telling him. But what he had no idea.

"Listen Tro I -"
"Duo, I can give you the same advice that was given to me once."
Lowering his gaze so that his eyes and the emotions that refused to remain hidden could not be seen Trowa continued on.
"I didn't understand it. Didn't follow it. Maybe you will. 'The only way to live a good life is to act on your emotions.' Duo, act on your emotions."

Without glancing back up at the stunned boy Trowa Barton disconnected the call leaving Duo to stare blankly at the vid phone's screen for several minutes.

'Well thats the most I've ever heard him tell me before.'

But something in the pilot's voice warned him not to make to much light of the situation. There was something important in that message, that advice.

"Act on your emotions."

Trowa's words held a message, and maybe with a lil 'luck from Shinigami and a bit of his own magnetic charisma tomorrow evening he'd have his Hee-chan back.

Shaking his head in humor at the source of his inspiratin Duo stood and glanced briefly at his watch. It was 5pm meaning he had aproximately twenty-six hours to prepare for tomorrow evening. Twenty-six hours tell his life either hauled itself back up by the boot straps or promptly fell down the gutter. Sister Helen had once told him long ago to follow his heart, and his heart was screaming for it's other half. There was only one way to get it back, and he was going to do that. Duo Maxwell was going to act on his emotions and God have mercy on any pink-loving banshees who got in his way.

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