Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Reputations ❯ part 1 ( Chapter 1 )

DISCLAIMER: I think it is too obvious for me to bother and say it, but still: don't own them.

WARNING: AU, shounen-ai, 2+/x1.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey! My first AU fic! No Gundams, no OZ, no pilots except two of them...

I thought this up on the way back from to school... it sort of have to do with some people in my school, but I took the liberty to change events a little... and put my fav couple in the story. Hope you like!

Naomi

REPUTATIONS

PART ONE

* * *

Duo looked out of the car's window, gaze unsure. He looked up at the large building in front of him, a big yard surrounding it, and dozens of young boys and girls walking through the gates towards it. He swallowed hard, and looked away.

"Do I have to go?"

"Now, Duo, don't start with this again." His mother reproached him with an annoyed tone. "We've been through this. You have to complete the school year."

"But I've already been through tenth grade!"

"Duo!" The woman called in annoyance. "Don't you make me repeat myself."

"Yes ma'am." He muttered, looking down at his uniforms in displeasure.

"Now, I'll come and pick you after school, so don't wander off or anything, understood?"

"Yeah, got it." He muttered once more, stepping out of the car. He shot a quick look to the small girl in the back seat and smiled slightly. "Bye Tracy." He said half-heartily.

The eight-year-old girl just sent him a half-hearted wave of goodbye.

Duo rolled his eyes, slamming the door shut. "Spoiled brat..." He muttered in annoyance. He stuck his tongue out at the car's direction as it drove away. He could see his mother reaching up to the rearview mirror and fixing her hair. He snorted. "Humph! Fucking bitch..."

Sighing once more, Duo loaded his backpack over his shoulder and made his way towards the school. He was not happy about being in this hell-hole of a town. Living in the big city all his life, Duo found it quite hard to move in to this small town along with his step mom and sister. He had to, because his stepmother, Joanna, divorced his stepfather, and now they just had to move away. It wasn't enough that he was adopted, his 'parents' also had to divorce.

Life were just one big fucking tragedy! He only managed to live in that family for eight out of the seventeen years of his life, and already was it breaking apart. He was better off in the orphanage. At least there, he didn't feel guilty for breaking up a family.

Yeah, he knew it was his fault. The differences between his step dad, Nathan, and Joanna, were all because of him. He was a troublemaker from the start. It was always hard for them to deal with him. He did it on purpose at first, wanting to test them and see that he was truly accepted, but he got past that after one year or so. All the other stuff he did... he really didn't mean it. Joanna always said that he was a smart boy. That he had great potential. She didn't understand how he could waste it on stupid gangs and pity thefts.

But she could never understand. If he wasn't part of the gang, wasn't one of the guys, he was nobody. He was nothing. He spent all of his early childhood in the streets, stealing for a living, and now that he had a family... they couldn't just expect him to change who he was!

But they sure tried. Joanna had decided to take matters into her own hand. Not only did she force him to move to this little middle-of-fucking-nowhere town (when all he really wanted was to stay with Nathan, who would at least leave him alone), she also forced him to change schools (in the condition to redo tenth grade because of his bad grades) and most of all- she made him sever all contacts with Solo, his best friend and, well, gang leader. 'The head troublemaker' as she often called him.

Duo sighed, walking up to the principal's office, where he was expected. The last thing he needed was someone ruling over his life like that! Fucking shit, life just wasn't any fucking fair! Why must fate be so cruel to him?!

Lost in his brooding, Duo didn't notice he was about to bump into someone until he actually did. Muttering a few curses as his bag fell, Duo looked up at the person he just bumped into. It was a boy, his age apparently, and looking a little, um... odd. It wasn't that he was butt ugly or something; on the contrary, he was quite a looker, but there was just something about him that was odd. For once, he was wearing the winter uniforms while it was clearly summer. His hair looked so damn dirty and messy, and Duo could have sworn that he smelled... He wrinkled his nose and got up, glaring at the quiet teen.

"S-sorry." The teen mumbled quietly, and Duo could detect a light accent in his voice. Now he was sure that the boy was Japanese. And he kept looking down to the floor, refusing to meet his eyes. His hands were fidgeting as if he was nervous.

Duo frowned. "Nah, ain't yer fault. I didn't notice where 'a was goin'."

At those words, the teen's head snapped up, and he looked at Duo, wide blue eyes filled with shock.

Again Duo frowned at the utter surprise shown on the other's features. Somewhere in his head, a little voice whispered that the other boy had beautiful deep blue eyes... He hurried to squash that voice into a dark little corner. For some reason, he found himself sending a kind little smile to the other boy.

"Hey, don't worry. Like I said, my fault 'n all."

The boy frowned and then nodded his head, still looking confused. He then continued to walk past Duo and down the corridor.

Duo turned quickly, one hand going up in the other boy's direction. "Hey!" He called towards him. "I'm Du-" His voice died in his throat as he saw the boy walk around the corner and disappear into another corridor. "--uo." He finished, hand falling back down. He frowned again and then rolled his eyes. "Hn! We're not very social now are we..?" He muttered as he continued his walk down to the principal's office.

* * *

He finished his meeting with the principal rather quickly. He could tell she didn't like him from the start. He knew she saw him like all the other teachers in his old school saw him- a trouble maker, a thief, a menace to society. After reading his school records, he was sure she already warned the school's staff about the new troublemaker. So he did some mess in his old school, but nothing too bad. He gave her his word that he has improved and that he will do his best... all that shit to keep her quiet. She just smiled politely (coldly more like it) and informed him that if he will slip or fall even once, either in grades or behavior, she'll kick him out of the school.

What a bitch! No wonder Joanna liked her... They probably made a treaty together; agreeing that they'll bring him 'under control'. Fucking bitches!

After the meeting, he was shown to his class. Walking in the middle of the lesson, he created quite a disturbance, giving the students an excuse to start making noise again as they stared and talked about him. After the teacher managed to quiet them down, she turned to him, smiling and asked him to introduce himself.

He looked up a the class, grinning as he managed to catch a part of a conversation when two girls whispered that he had gorgeous hair...

He cleared his throat and put his best devil-may-care smile on his face. "He runs... he hides... but he never ever lies - Duo Maxwell!" He called, still grinning. He caught a few smiling faces, and then a couple of pupils laughed. Then the whole class applauded and started chanting this loud and annoying tune that sounded a lot like a talk show of some sort. He took his bows and then stood up again, smiling.

His smile soon faded as he spotted one figure, sitting in the back of the class, not clapping nor singing. He recognized it as the boy from before, in the hallway. He frowned as he saw that the boy was rubbing his arm, wincing as he brushed past his wrist. He wanted to know if the boy was all right, but the teacher cut his string of thought by addressing him.

"That was nice, Duo. Why won't you go and take a seat?"

"You can sit over here!" A voice called from the back of the class, in the corner by the window.

Duo looked up and saw it was some guy, who he immediately registered as the class's joker. He nodded his head at the guy, took his backpack and went to sit by him.

"Hi." He greeted, sitting down. He glanced back over his shoulder, seeing that boy from before look at him in shock. Just as their gazes locked, the boy flinched and quickly turned away. Duo shrugged and turned back to face 'the joker'.

"Heya man! Wussup? I'm Jack." They shook hands and Duo sat down. "You gave quite a show there!" Jack said with a grin, eyes sparkling with mischief. "I thought it were cool."

"Thanks." Duo let out, glancing back at the blue-eyed boy sitting a few seats away from them. For some reason, he found that he was very curious about that boy. There was just something about him... something very sad... very lonely... much like himself.

"Say, you wanna come with me in recess? I'll introduce you to the guys!"

"That'll be cool..." Duo managed to answer, forcing himself to look away from the mysterious boy. But he was fascinated by the way he held his pen while he wrote, taking deep interest in his long, pale and slender fingers. It took a while for it to register, but after some moments, he could see that his fingers were bruised, right where the joints were. He frowned again, wondering what the hell could have caused it.

"Hey, don't mind him." Jack suddenly whispered, leaning towards Duo. "He's just weird, that all. Don't even bother to figure it out..."

Again Duo turned to his new friend, confused. "What do you mean? Who is he?"

"Ah... I think his name is Heero or something. I dunno, freaking Japanese. He hardly ever speaks, so I always forget his name..."

"What's his story?"

Jack shrugged, running a hand through his short red hair. "Who fucking cares? He's always been this freak. I mean, look at him! Ch! What a nerd! And I swear I can smell his stench all the way over here..."

He didn't know why, but he felt offended from that remark. But why would he feel hurt? It wasn't directed at him... Why should he care?

"I'm tellin' ya, students have complained before 'bout the dude, but the school don't get it. They just keep him here cuz he's such a fucking samrtass, having straight A's 'n all... Plus, his uncle is this big important dude or something." He shrugged, looking back to the board. "I dunno, I don't get that science shit. Too damn boring..."

"Yeah..." Duo managed to respond, looking down at the pen he was holding and at his empty notebook. He tried to fight the urge to look up at the boy again, maybe just briefly, just catch a glimpse of those eyes again. He immediately rebuked himself for having such a thought.

He managed to restrain himself, not wanting to make a bad impression on his new friend. He could tell that Jack and 'the guys' he was referring to were his type. They were both of the same kind, from the same world. That boy, that fascinating boy, was not of their kind. He was of lower class, and thus should be ignored. He just hoped that he would be able to ignore him, or at least leave him alone, for he knew that his kind was not fond of the lower kind. Kids like Heero were often abused by his kind. It never bothered him before, well, maybe a little, but still- he had a reputation to think of. However, for some odd reason, it did bother him now. Bothered him a LOT. He felt that this boy had been through enough already. He didn't want to cause any more grief... he knew it too well to want to cause it to others.

* * *

After merely three weeks in his new school, Duo had managed to turn into one of the most popular guys in his class and others. He was now best friend to Jack, the head of the basketball team, the charmer of all girls and a walking God to his followers- the other boys in class. Duo was now sort of his 'right hand', hanging with him and his gang all day long, in and out of school. He had also become quite popular with the girls, but found little interest in them. Sure, some were hot and some were pretty, but he never felt overly attracted to them. But, in order to keep up his reputation, he went out with some, mainly those Jack had recommended on (meaning he wanted Duo to date them). It was usually one date or so, and they would hardly do more than kissing. Of course, he let Jack and the guys get the impression that he had reached more than second base with some, but that was only to keep up his rep. He didn't really lie, not ever, but he did twist the truth quite a lot. Sometimes he wondered if it was even worse.

Also during those three weeks, Duo had managed to learn more about his little interest- Heero. He had managed to learn that he was also an orphan and lived with his uncle, who was some big important scientist or something. He had tried to speak with the boy a few times, without Jack knowing (or his rep will be ruined), but Heero was shy and very reluctant to speak with him. His reluctance bordered on fear, more than shyness, and Duo couldn't really blame him. After weeks of watching him, Duo knew that Heero refrained from human contact. It wasn't like people came near him often, because of his status as a total freak and an obnoxious stinking little snob, but still, whenever someone did come near; Heero would walk away without a word. Hell, even teachers seemed to merely endure him and nothing more. And from some reason, that made Duo mad. Mad and sad at the same time. He felt sorry for the boy... but there was nothing he could do. He wouldn't want the guys to think he was soft or anything, and he didn't need to be seen around with 'the freak', not when he just got into that school!

The only times he did get to be near Heero, much to his dismay, was when Jack or one of the guys would decide it was time to pick on him. They would tease him all the time, and sometimes, it would get physical. They did everything imaginable to humiliate the poor guy. If he was in the mood, or knew that he absolutely has to, Duo would join in the fun. But most of the time he would stand aside, turning his back at what was happening, under the excuse that he was 'standing guard' in case a teacher comes by. In reality, he didn't want to see the look on Heero's face as they bullied him around, beating him up or teasing him in the boy's room. He couldn't stand to look at those pained and tearful blue eyes as they looked up at him in a silent plea for help. He would look away; turn his back at Heero, trying to shut out the sounds of abuse coming from behind.

Sometimes, after it was over and the guys would be gone, he would leave last, casting a sorrowful look down at the broken body on the rest room's floor. Heero would usually look away then, struggling to stand up on his own two feet, trying to regain what little pride he had left. Duo would get the message and leave the boy alone, always wondering how someone who looked so fragile, could withstand this kind of treatment nearly every day. He would never fight, never resist or talk back when they picked on him. He would just endure it silently and then limp back to class as if nothing happened. He never told on them either, and Duo knew that the teachers suspected what was going on, and did nothing. It made him sick to the core. In his old school, he and the guys would be long gone, expelled or even kicked out of the school.

Duo and the guys burst into the showers after PE lesson. They just finished playing basketball and being a hot summer day, they were all soaked with sweat. It was the last period for the day, and so most of the guys didn't bother to shower and just changed and took off, heading home or whatever. But Duo wouldn't pass on his shower. Not when he was sweaty and stinky, and his hair felt soaked and heavy. He always took good care of his hair, and so when Jack offered they go 'hang out somewhere', Duo reclined the invitation.

"Yeah, okay, I'll catch ya later then." Jack said as he and the guys were about to leave, standing by the door to the locker-room. "I heard Stephan is having this party tonight. Catch ya there?"

"Yeah, sure." Duo replied absent-mindedly, looking up at Heero, who had just entered the locker room, wearing a pair of sweat pants and a white, long sleeved, sweatshirt. He was soaked with sweat, and Duo wondered for the second time that day why he wore long sleeves in PE, in the middle of august nonetheless!

"Fucking freak..." Jack snarled, shaking his head. "Bet he just wanted to torture us with the stench of his fucking sweat!" He chuckled, wrinkling his nose and waving a hand in front of it. "Woohee... IT REEKS!" He shouted at Heero's direction. "Good thing you decided to take a shower, boy!"

Sadly enough, it was true, Duo thought, bowing his head in shame. Heero NEVER took a shower after PE. He guessed that he was shy around other boys, or maybe afraid of them, but still, it was no reason to be going around smelling like that. What, he didn't shower at home?

"Hey! You sure you remember how to turn on the water?!" Jack called at him, laughing.

The other boy ignored him and continued walking.

"Leave him alone..." Duo mumbled quietly under his breath.

"Hm?"

"Oh? Uh, nothing. I better go catch a shower now." He said, still looking up at where Heero had disappeared.

"Yeah, kay." Jack said and patted Duo's back. "Catch ya t'night!" He called and walked away.

"Yeah... sure... tonight..." Duo managed to reply, suddenly feeling very weird about the fact of being in the showers, alone, with... with Heero.

* * *

He took his time in the shower, enjoying the silence as he washed himself. He undid his hair, washing the long chestnut strings with care, humming quietly to himself as he did. He guessed that he must have been there for at least half an hour, and that his company was long gone. The locker room was dead quiet and semi dark, for one fluorescent light was broken and another was flickering softly. The only sounds around were slowly dripping water from the other showers and the humming of the fluorescent lights.

Knowing that he had privacy, Duo stepped out of the shower with only his towel around his waist. Usually, he would dress inside his stall, but now he felt like coming out. He squeezed all the water out of his hair as he walked down on the white tile floor, heading towards the benches, where he left his stuff. When he looked up, he was surprised to see that he was wrong, that he was not alone.

Sitting on one of the benches, his naked back facing him, was Heero. He was folding something that Duo recognized as Heero's school uniforms. They were soaking wet, and Duo wondered if Heero had just washed them, here in the shower room. He focused on the sight of Heero's slender fingers as they traced the folds he made on the wet fabric, and felt a shiver crawl down his spine. There was just something about those long and pale digits that made Duo wonder what they felt like under his own skin...

Duo swallowed, shifting his gaze up to Heero's naked torso. He could see bruises on his back, and also... he could also see traced of welts. He winced, swallowing hard, trying to remember if Jack and the guys had ever used anything like a whip on Heero, but he was sure they didn't.

He shook his head sharply, and pulled himself together, looking up again. He saw Heero had put the wet cloths aside and was now bending down, trying to put his shoe on. Duo could tell that the boy's movements were slow and careful, almost painful. He winced as he heard Heero let out a small moan, and then gasp in pain. His sneaker fell down to the floor with a clatter that echoed throughout the silent hall.

He took a careful step forward, approaching Heero quietly from behind. He saw the boy bend down to pick up his shoe, again choking out a small cry of pain. He watched as once again he tried to bend down properly and put his shoe on, but it seemed as though it was too painful for him to do it, and he threw the shoe away in frustration.

"Here, let me help you." Duo let out softly, rushing over to where the shoe had landed and picking it up.

Heero gasped, looking wide-eyed at Duo.

The braided boy walked carefully over to the other boy, handing him the shoe. He smiled kindly at him, drowning as he looked down into his cobalt blue eyes. He kicked himself mentally as he saw the fear and uncertainty in those bea--- those eyes.

"It's no joke." He said quietly, nudging the shoe towards Heero. "Jack isn't here. I'm alone."

Heero looked away for a second, swallowing.

"I just want to help." Duo tried again, kneeling down in front of Heero.

"I don't need your help." Heero spoke for the first time for the day. He turned back to glare down at Duo and snatched his shoe out of the other boy's grasp. He bent down, again trying to put on the warned out sneaker.

Duo rolled his eyes. "You already tried three times already, I saw you! Just let me help!"

Heero snorted, turning his eyes up and glaring at Duo. "Yeah, I know you like to watch. But I didn't know you like to help too." He muttered, looking back down. He grounded his teeth as he had to bend even further down, causing the welts on his back to reawaken with pain.

Duo bit down his lower lip, completely lost as to what to do. He kept kneeling down by Heero, watching as he tried to bring his foot up so he won't have to bend down to much, and then he struggled to put the shoe on. Somewhere in the back of his head, a small voice registered that Heero smelled nice. He actually smelled nice. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, smiling slightly as he recognized the smell of vanilla shampoo and ivory soap... It was sweet and teasing his senses. He opened his eyes, discovering that Heero had managed to put one shoe on, and was now preparing to put on the next.

Something snapped in his head and he decided that he didn't want to see Heero's face contract in pain as he struggled with the other shoe. And so, without asking for permission, he just grabbed the shoe out of the boy's hold and continued with putting it on.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Heero called, but even though he yelled, his voice was still quiet and restrained, as if he was afraid to raise his voice.

"Helping you." Duo spat back, tying up the shoelaces.

Heero opened his mouth to respond, but he couldn't think of anything to say, so he just snapped it back up again. He looked down in shock at Duo, watching his hands as they worked quickly to tie a knot in his shoe. He then shifted his gaze up, watching Duo's long chestnut hair in fascination. The hair was out of the usual braid, and it was the first time he had seen Duo with his hair down. He smiled to himself, thinking Duo was quite beautiful like that.

What was he thinking!? Heero hurried to shake his head, trying to get rid of those sinful thoughts. Duo was one of Them! He couldn't think good things of him! He was one of Them!

But then again, he was helping him... talking to him... no one ever did...

"Here, all done!" Duo called, straightening up. "Wasn't so bad now was it?!"

Heero sent him half a smile. "Tha-thank you."

Duo was surprised to see that Heero's features had softened. And he was actually smiling! Well, sort of. But Heero never smiled! And now he did... he was smiling at him... He was so beautiful when he smiled, the way it made his eyes shine... NO! What the fuck was he thinking!?

Getting up, Duo cleared his throat and stood up.

Heero watched him in growing confusion, wondering what he was still doing there.

"We kinda got off on the wrong foot, don't you think?" Duo said softly, and then reached down a hand to Heero, smiling at him. "Hi. I'm Duo Maxwell."

Heero just gaped at him, and then at his hand.

"I wanted to tell you my name when we first bumped in the hallway, but you ran off."

Heero looked away uncomfortably. "No one ever wants to speak with me in the hallway." He said, and then turned to face Duo. He smiled slightly, reaching for his hand. "Heero Yuy."

They shook hands, and Duo smiled, happy to be able to touch his hand. The skin was so soft under his own callous skin. And his hand... it was so warm to the touch... No! No! NO! He shouldn't think such things! It just wasn't right...

"Duo," Heero finally said after a long period of silence. "Please don't tell anyone."

Duo arched an eyebrow in question. "Tell what?"

Heero looked away, bowing his head in shame.

Duo looked down at the hand he was holding, tracing it all the way up to Heero's delicate shoulder. His eyes widened and he gasped as he saw the purple and blue marks on Heero's arm, and he could swear that he recognized signs of cigarette size burns on his golden skin. He looked back down at the gentle palm holding his, and his heart clenched painfully as he saw welts around the slim wrist, like it was held tightly by ropes or somehting. He gasped and drew his hand away, flinching back.

"Please don't say anything..."

"Is this--- Did... did Jack and the---"

Heero looked up at him, blue eyes tearful. He shook his head, just slightly, taking a quick breath as if to keep himself from crying. "Don't tell anyone." He whispered, his lips trembling. "...please..."

Duo swallowed, hard, but managed to nod his head. "I promise I won't."

Half smiling, Heero nodded his head slightly in thanks and slowly, carefully, got up. Duo watched him as he put on his still wet uniforms. He looked around him, and saw that there were no other cloths around but his own. He didn't know why Heero had to wear his wet uniforms, but he won't have any of it. He bent down and snatched his shirt up from a nearby bag.

"Here, have this instead."

Heero whirled around, gaping at him. He looked down at the offered shirt, then up at Duo, and then again. "I... I can't." He whispered, shaking his head.

Duo sighed, nudging the shirt towards him. "'Course ya can! I'm offering it to you. I insist you have it."

Heero swallowed hard, looking down at the shirt with a kind of gleam in his eyes, that made Duo wonder if he was about to cry, was deeply afraid or just doubtful. It was so hard to tell, for Heero's eyes were always filled with so many emotions, it was like trying to see into a hurricane.

"Please, Heero, you can't walk around with wet cloths."

Again Heero swallowed, looking very uncomfortable. "Th-they'll dry up... I can't take this from you." With that said, Heero bent down and picked up his bag. He then turned to Duo. "Thank you for your help." He whispered shyly, looking down at the floor. And just with that, with no goodbyes, he turned and walked out of the locker room.

Duo couldn't even think of replying. All he could think of was: what was happening to this poor boy? Who was causing him all this pain? And most of all, what can he do to help?

Part 2

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