Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Raven - Death's Companion ❯ A problem Shared ( Chapter 5 )

Hey.. well this be chapter five. I've been working on a few fics recently and well.. I think I'm doing myself proud with this one.. though I know quite a few of you out there are going. `WRITE CHAPTER 4 OF STRANGE AND BEAUTIFUL YOU STUPID COW!' and Lol.. I'm getting there.. it is coming along.. surprise surprise.. But anyway.. Raven! Yes.. Well Reviews for chapter four! :

Falling - Yes.. 2x5 forever baby! And don't you forget it ^_~

Emerald Eyed Dragon - I thank you.. I thank you *bows*. I don't want you to cry.. but I don't mind you killing me.. but just for the fun of it.. here's chapter five anyway okay?

Crazy - I'm glad you liked that line.. it was one of my favourites too. Kids are extremely annoying.. yes.. but luckily I don't have them.. I only have to babysit my cousin's every so often. And they can be right bitches.. anyway.. fic.. yes.. I'm really glad you liked it.. please continue reading and continue to review! And hopefully I'll see you next chapter ^_^;

Tabiku Tab Iakkin - And thanking you also.. god.. I really never expected such a good response from the people.

Archive - Fanfiction.net and Mediaminer.org and now the WufeiDuoML

Rating - R

Disclaimer - Nope, don't own them.. oh well..

Chapter - 5/?

Warnings - Angst, abuse, violence, perhaps a little coarse language.

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Raven - Death's Companion

Chapter Five - A Problem Shared..

The silence stayed like that for a while as they watched the sky. Wufei occasionally moving his dark gaze to the floor, with Duo's gaze occasionally switching to watch the Chinese boy. He knew he had to keep an eye on him in the most discreet way he could. "Would you stop looking at me like that Maxwell.." Well, so much for that. "Just making sure you're alright." Duo responded quietly. A soft chuckle left Wufei's lips. "I..I've been better." He glanced in Duo's direction and smiled slightly. "Thank you for your concern." He inclined his head before looking back out to the woods that surrounded them.

Should he bring it up? Should he? The semi-comfortable silence was bad enough, did he really want to put them into a forced silence? Duo sighed inwardly. It was so hard just to try and figure out Wufei's moods. The same sentence could get a smile out of him one minute, and a scowl the next. Now true, everyone changes moods quickly, but they usually give some outward sign of it, with Wufei it's just try your luck, Russian Roulette. The braided boy took his chances and moved slightly toward the Chinese youth. "You wanna talk about it?" he spoke quietly into the silence, though it sounded like a tidal wave of sound in comparison to what it was a few moments before.

Wufei tore his gaze away from the woods once again. He was not looking forward to that question, he was expecting it, yes. But in no way was he prepared for it. Would talking about it get his wife back? His family? His honour? No.. all it would bring is more shame upon him and perhaps the loss of the dearest friend he could imagine having. It would bring him the disapproval and misunderstanding from all his friends, his comrades. None of them would look at him again, much less speak to him. They'd see him as a traitor. "I'd prefer not to.." he finally spoke. He pulled his slightly less injured leg up and rested his elbow and head on his knee, trying to keep himself in a position so when he finally did heal he'd have more movement and hopefully end up as less of a hindrance in his friend's eyes.

Duo sighed, a little louder than he meant to and looked the Chinese boy over once again. He was only in the thin material of the now Waist jacket and trousers and the boy had been quite badly beaten, despite Wufei's best efforts to hide this. "Don't suppose lover boy will be too happy with this huh?" Only after the words were said did Duo realise how offending they were. "I mean..! Shit.. I'm sorry.. I didn't mean to. But.. after what they did to you.." Duo tried desperately to shut himself up, stop him from digging himself a deeper grave, but each time he'd find himself trying to explain and justify the last comment, not even realising that Wufei hadn't even moved, hadn't glanced up, hadn't spoke since he had started. "..'Fei..? You mad at me?"

The Asian had been listening to the whole rant. If only Duo knew what was happening to him.. hah.. the only thing Duo would do is shout at him for not breaking the whole thing off and killing the bastard.. he wouldn't understand how much his honour bound him to Khushrenada. He would put it down to old fashioned beliefs.. Wufei knew Duo too well to tell him. "No Duo I'm not mad at you.." Violet eyes blinked confusedly. "Then what was with all the silence?" The other youth couldn't help but chuckle at his friend's use of the language. "Just had to think something over.."

"Like what? A problem shared is a problem halved you know.. Can't remember where I heard that.." Duo abruptly stopped himself from carrying on. "I believe Quatre once said it to you concerning your past.." The boy from the L2 cluster quickly paled before Wufei continued. "and I don't believe you shared your problem then either.." Wufei hated doing this, but he knew if Duo was engrossed in his past then perhaps maybe he could get some respite from the questions about his own recent activities. "Well.. That was nothing he could help.. What's done.. can't be undone…" he fell silent for but a moment "…No matter how much you want it to be" Wufei nodded silently to this truth and turned back to the trees, hoping for the subject to be dropped.

Well this was leading them no where and Duo hated it. He didn't really want to indulge in his past, who did with a past like his? But if it would be a way to get the Chinese boy to finally talk to him, then that's what he'd do. "How about this `Fei.." his voice was unusually quiet, even for the situation they were in. No jokes, no humour, just honesty. "I'll halve my problem.. if you halve yours.." Wufei looked up then, onyx eyes searching over Duo's body for signs of sincerity. "You're serious aren't you?" Duo tried to force himself to speak, but found no voice. He merely nodded and held out his hand. His hand stayed there for a few seconds while Wufei continually studied him, unsure of whether to accept the offer. But if the God of Death was willing to expose himself to him, then he should return the favour. Pale fingers entwined around caramel once more as they shook hands.

Duo coughed slightly, his throat suddenly feeling restricted, his breathing becoming laboured. He really didn't want to do this.. but to help out a friend, especially Wufei he'd do anything. And who knows? Maybe talking about it will help ease the pain. Duo snorted to himself before he looked back up to Wufei. He took a deep, haggard breath and spoke. "Okay.. I'll go first.. since this was my idea." Wufei moved to protest but Duo held up his hand. "No `Fei.. How'd you know I won't back out if you go first?" Wufei knew the answer to this one and didn't hesitate to respond. "Because you never lie, and I have a belief in that.." Duo smiled, but only barely before his solemn expression returned. "Just let me do this `Fei.. I don't want to go break my motto.. if I don't do it now.. I don't think I can.." Wufei looked as if he was about to protest again before he nodded and settled down, after all Duo was doing this for him as well as for himself, he had to respect that.

"Short story long.. I grew up as a thief, no parents, no stable home, no food supply and definitely no clean water." Duo made sure to avoid Wufei's gaze as he told his story, watching instead the delicate movements of the blades of grass in the subtle breeze. "I was with a gang.. because if you weren't with a gang.. you were alone.. and alone people as a rule didn't last long." He looked up to Wufei, the need to be understood emanating from his eyes. "You have to understand `Fei.. they weren't bad kids.. we weren't bad kids.. we just needed to survive.. and if that meant stealing from people.. we would." He looked back down. "Anyway, Solo, he was like our guardian. He looked after us at the expense of his own health.. I'd always manage to give him some of my food though if we were running low.. We were a family.. it was only right that we looked after eachother." He laughed bitterly at the notion. "I'm not exactly sure how old I am.. or how old I was.. or even how much time past.. but I know I spent at least seven years with Solo.. We'd always be the ones to stay behind and fight if another gang wanted whatever we had collected.. Back then I hated them.. but I expected it..

"Now though.. when I look back.. I suppose I can't blame them.. they were just trying to look after their families like we were trying to look after ours, people on the streets were desperate.." He paused there for a while. "That's really when I learnt how to fight.." he looked up to Wufei, a strange smile on his face. "I may not be as coordinated as you are.. or fight to any rules.. But I can win.. I can hold my own.. even if I fight dirty.." he looked away again. "Our colony got hit by a virus.. knowing the capabilities of where I grew up.. it was relatively easy to cure here on earth.. but there.. The vaccine was so expensive.. and Solo got sick.." Tears welled up and Duo determinedly wiped them away. "..Solo got sick.. He was probably sick for a while.. I could never tell.. he was like Heero in that way.. Solo would always ignore his own problems if they got in the way of our wellbeing..

"But after awhile.. he couldn't hide it.. He was so bad `Fei.. it was like he was fading away.. he would still try to help us.. he even told me to leave him there.. but me and the other kids.. we were family we loved him.. we weren't going to let him die.. we didn't care how expensive that vaccine was we were going to get it for him.. so we sent our best thief.." Duo looked up and Wufei's eyes were full of compassion, the Asian boy nodded assuredly, allowing Duo to know that it was okay to continue. "Our best thief.. Me. I ran.. I jumped, I went through any thing in my way, kids, adults, gangs, nothing was going to stop me making Solo better.. I looked everywhere, and just over a day after I left.. I found it. I was so happy.. I was going to save Solo.. he was going to be alright.. we were going to be a family again.. a god honest family.." he wiped at his tears again, this time a little more desperately. "I was so excited it took me less than a day to get back to our hideout.. I burst in, with the vile in my hand, I was ready to save him.. I was sure he was going to be alright.. But..

"But his eyes weren't open.. he wasn't moving.. he.. he wasn't even breathing… I went over to him.. I tried to get him to speak to me, to move, to do something to let me know he was still with me. He wouldn't leave me.. he wouldn't leave us.. we were his family.. we needed him. But no matter what I did he just laid there.. I cried for the first time I can remember then… He was dead.. I had failed.. I told him I'd cure him.. and he was dead.. I curled up next to him and cried myself to sleep for nights. I wouldn't leave him, I refused to.. no matter what the other kids said or did or I could focus on was my best friend.. the person who had given me my name.. the person who had looked after me my whole life.. he was dead.." Duo shifted uncomfortably. "I told the others to leave.. and because I was.. considered second of command.. they obeyed.. and I burnt the place to the ground… I intended to die that night `Fei.. I didn't want to live without him.. and it wasn't like we could afford to bury him..

"I don't know how.. but I survived.." he smiled bitterly and wiped at tears again, laughing quietly to himself. "Just my luck eh?… I took over the gang properly.. we would hit small businesses for food and pick pocket people for money… life wasn't as good as it was with Solo around but we managed.. Then I got stupid.. I figured if Solo didn't deserve to live.. we didn't either.. It was luck we got that far.. so I got everyone to raid the Alliance food stores.." Wufei sat up to that.. he had been paying Duo every bit of attention he could muster and he was astonished by the emotion in Duo's voice, the pain, the suffering, the knowledge. The self loathing, it was in Duo just like it was in Wufei. The Chinese boy leaned forward. "Duo.. you don't have to continue if you don't wish to.." Duo shook his head in reply. " No `Fei.. I said I'd halve my problem.. so I will.."

Duo took another deep breath. "Obviously we were caught… we were a bunch of kids and those bastards knew it and still fired on us.. I hated the Alliance anyway.. but I never thought they'd sink so low as to fire on kids without warning. But we made it out." A smile spread over his face, this time it was smile of happy remembrance. "We were good.. we were the best.. there was no way any Alliance bastard was going to shoot us.. We made it to the hideout and a mob of the local community came in the next day, they understandably had a go at us.. afterall our stunt put them in danger too. They demolished our place and took us to the Maxwell Church.. therefore Duo Maxwell.. We lived there happily, every one of my gang was adopted.. I was so proud of them.. They had what we wanted all along, a family. I kept getting sent back though.. and I went to school.. and.." he blushed a little at the memory "..and I sent a few kids to hospital when they tried to bully me.. Father Maxwell and Sister Helen became my parents.." He reached up affectionately and twirled his braid. "Sister Helen was the one to teach me to braid my hair.. We would have conversations about religion and God.. or the lack of him..

"We were a small family.. it was one of the best moments of my life.. I grew to love that place.. they respected me and my beliefs.. and I grew to respect theirs. One day though.. the wars had started again.. and the Rebels were hiding in the Church.. Father Maxwell.. the fool.." The comment was said affectionately, he knew Father Maxwell was trying to do the right thing.. but sometimes the right thing isn't the best thing to do. "..He tried to convince them to stop fighting.. He preached peace in the middle of a war.. The Rebels hit him to shut him up.. and Sister Helen too.. they called them spies.. just so they'd have a reason to hurt them more. Spies! They came to OUR Church and had the balls to call Father Maxwell and Sister Helen spies! They said they needed a mobile suit to fight back.. and I was just a kid.. a stupid.. stupid kid.. I told them I'd steal one and then they'd have to get out and leave us alone."

"I ran all the way to the base cursing them with all my soul, why did they have to start fighting again? Didn't they realise that the more they fought.. the more pain they'd be suffering? There had to be another way.. there had to be!.." he paused again to regain his composure. "I wasn't really concentrating on anything but getting the suit.. so many soldiers saw me once I got in there.. as I stole the transport.. I drove back.. one of the many skills I picked up on the streets, I drove through it all, so angry at them I wished they would all die.. I hated them for what they were doing. I got back.. but the church wasn't there anymore.. all that was left was a pile of rubble.. I can remember feeling so numb.. so empty.. I had wished them all dead.. and now.. God I didn't mean it `Fei.. I found Sister Helen.. she was so happy to see me.. she was dying… bleeding.. and she smiled… she smiled for me." He resisted the urge to cry.. "She told me how Father Maxwell was preaching peace until the end.. I told her he was a fool but she just smiled at me and her eyes started fading, she reached up, gently touched my face, asked God to bless me.. and then she was gone.. in my arms.. dead." His hand reached up on reflex to his face to hold the hand that was no longer there, staring dead into the trees beyond the pair.

"I couldn't take it.. and I screamed, I cried.. I sat next to her as they began to clear the debris.. I didn't talk to anyone for years in fear that they would die.. that I would do something stupid to kill them too. A name followed me where ever I went.. The Maxwell's Demon.. It was my fault they died `Fei.. I lead the alliance back.. if it wasn't for me going to steal that stupid fucking suit.. they'd still be alive.. I don't deserve to be here.. I was too late to save everyone I loved.. it was my fault that they died.." Duo's voice fell into a whisper, his arms instinctively wrapping around his knees, with his braid clutched in one hand. "I should be dead `Fei.. not them.."

Wufei sat stunned into silence. Duo was the Maxwell's demon? Well it made sense. But his friend had been through so much that he didn't even have a clue about. No outward sign of this hurt, this hatred. He did his best to keep up the jokers façade and only now did Wufei realise how hard that must've been for the boy. "Duo.." he tried to phrase the statement correctly as he moved over, slightly painfully, and wrapped an arm over Duo's shoulder, using the other to slowly tilt his friends head toward him, forcing him to look into his own Onyx gaze. "..None of their deaths were your fault.. They all loved you.. and from what you have described to me.. they passed knowing you loved them also.." Duo's violet eyes were glistening from the tears. "Thank you `Fei.." he smiled softly before pulling the Chinese boy into an embrace. "..I needed to hear that.." he let the Asian go.. sitting back softly and sighing to himself.. "..So.. How about you?"

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End of Chapter 5! And it's finally up! How's that baby?! I know it was slightly on and on and on with Duo's past.. so I'm going to give you a rest.. as in until I finish chapter 6.. before Wufei's story. Hope you didn't get too bored..

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