Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Right By You ❯ Chapter 2

Right By You

by sailor c. ryoko

Pairings: developing 1x2.

Warnings: AU. angst. citrus. blasphemy. OOC. nice Relena. nasty Zechs. Duo POV.

Standard disclaimers apply.

Summary: Side by side with none other than his best friend, Heero Yuy, Duo Maxwell thought life couldn't have gotten any better. And he was right. When the new transfer student by the name of Relena Peacecraft had begun attending their school, life wasn't.

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Part Two

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The urge to drill my fist through the brick wall was most tempting, so I didn't bother to resist the slightest bit. After just finding out that your secret crush just ditched you (be it intentionally or not) when you had waited for said secret crush to do community service for the day before driving you home, and had even ditched you to take home your *love* rival no less..! Well, wouldn't you be pissed off? See, now the headmaster has no reason to punish me for damaging school property; that is, if he ever finds out.

I was told once that even though you don't want others to know what you feel, to keep your emotions locked up inside you will only do you harm. And right now...I bore a few negative ones. So, since shutting all that crap in isn't gonna help, to release all that anger, bitterness and...hurt meant to give into that temptation. The end result was a ricocheting, sickening, loud crack and a raw pain that burned through my right fist that followed the first, second, and third blow.

The rain continued to pour steadily, with its `tat tat tat' sound and the wind continued to blow, but almost gently now. I stood hunched over slightly, listening to the rain and absently panting softly. The continuous `tat tat tat' with the occasional `drip drip' of the rainwater hitting the puddles were oddly comforting. I was feeling a bit better....

Then I noticed something.

Strangely enough, my hand had never removed itself from the wall; it just stayed where it was, where the last blow landed, as if it were stuck in that spot. It wasn't that that'd appealed to me though, nor did the scarlet trail that began to make itself known. The only thing that did was the measly, small crack right above my knuckles.

Like an idiot, I had blinked, then stared at the puny crack that was probably not even an inch long. That tiny split should've erased all comfort and pushed me to my boiling point, making me more pissed than before tenfold. The fact that the force I'd packed in that first punch and then the other two had only made a puny, little crack? Yes, I really should have. But surprisingly...I wasn't. Instead, a flash of both Heero and Relena talking cordially and then laughing at a shared conversation popped into mind, before disappearing altogether.

I didn't know what to think. A jumble of emotions threatened to put my brain in overload: surprise, confusion, envy, dejection.... And these are only some of the few I named. I couldn't even *begin* to list the rest of what I was feeling.

I already know one thing though: I could spend the next hundred years trying to figure out why the hell the two of them suddenly flashed to mind when I saw that stupid crack, but I still wouldn't be able to understand all that. So, why bother staring in the first place, right? It's a no win situation and it'd only waste my time. Besides, I still gotta figure out something else that I'd rather try to fathom: my reaction to the stupid crack.

I was painfully aware that the wall was made out of brick...but I'm pretty sure I should've made more damage than that! Perhaps...in some bizarre, screwed up way, I had unconsciously, *unknowing* held back? If so, then why..? I am making no sense....

And so, the question remains unchanged: why. Why am I not mad? Why am I not the least bit ticked off? Why am I not cussing and bitching so much that it would make the baddest man cower in fear? Why did I only make a stupid, little crack? Why, had I not put the whole punch in one, much less *three*, bags? Why do I no longer feel an ounce of anger?

And why...why the hell does it suddenly feel like as if someone had seriously ran me ten times over, putting what's left of me in a grinding machine and then placing me on display behind the counter in a butcher shop labeled as `Duo Maxwell - ground meat', leaving me feel all damn...shitty?

I sighed.

Being human is so goddamn complicated. If I had known it'd be this complex when I was still butt naked in all the glory a shrimpy, little kid could get, I'd have blown my brains out with a gun the minute I could pick one up without throwing it away. I suppose it'd be a wee bit too late now to be regretting and sulking for being a living, breathing, damn confused and feelin' completely like shit of a human being so I won't sulk and dwell on the stupid subject.

I suddenly remembered that I had dropped my books earlier. Scowling at my hateful luck, I bent to pick up the now thoroughly wet books that lay on the ground beside me. But of course, things just really couldn't be easier, could it? If I knew how to fly and I was doing just that right now, I bet I'd find some asshole up there that hates my guts and is having the time of his life fuckin' with me like this.

Tipping my headdress lower to the left to hopefully conceal the blemish from the rain, I take a step from under the shades and into the rain.

The moment the drops of rain touched my open flesh, it triggered an annoying sting that made my hand occasionally twitch and a familiar, dull ache that almost beckoned me to scratch my face. And it seems that even the rain hated my guts because it chose that moment pour even harder, making each drop that hit my fractured hand seem like ice needles. The ten-year-old burnt scar on my let cheek wasn't any better.

Gritting my teeth indignantly, I tried as fast as I could - which was hardly fast at all, considering I still had the damn text books in hand - to pull the ends of my long-sleeved sweater into my right palm, then finishing the job with a closed a fist over it. The sleeves were used as a cover over my injured fist now, and though it didn't stop the rain from soaking my sweater and still numbing my knuckles, it did, however, stop the `ice needles'. Good enough.

I shifted the books into my injured hand and proceeded with the first step, shielding my face with my free hand. The only thing I wanted now was to be home rather than anywhere else at this moment. But I had to stop as the roar of a familiar engine caught my ears.

Okay, I must admit that I am happy to hear that unique engine roar for...various reasons, but that's only half of what I'm feeling. I think that if I had a gun in hand at that exact moment, I would seriously blow Yuy's brain out right now, best friend and secret crush or not.

His car chose that damn exact instant to pull into the parking lot and swerve around the other cars to halt in front of me. If I had waited just a couple of more seconds, if he had been here just a couple of seconds earlier, I wouldn't be freakin' drenched from head to toe and be standing here, shivering my ass off! And he just had to splash water at me to boot, didn't he? Now if I had my hands free at the instant, I'd rip my own hair off my head out of sheer frustration.

Just as he rolled the windows down on the passenger's seat side of the car, a snarl was thrown at his face and a fuming "Yuy! I'm goin' to break your fuckin' neck!" exploded from me. All four books I was holding were hurled at him and he had to block each one, though the first (and heaviest) book did manage to smack him on the head and shoulder.

Still not thoroughly satisfied, I reached for my books in the car and threw them at him again. I continued to do so until I decided that he looked pissed off enough - which was about a couple of minutes later.

Ooh, did he look thoroughly livid right now....

Ha! Take that, Yuy! I proceeded to do a little victory dance in my head for that one.

He glared daggers back at me, extremely *jagged* daggers as it would seem, with twisted ends so that he could painfully grind into me just so he could get even with me. It feels really nice to be able to relish the fact that I angered him this much, that I at least affected him this much, even if it was only with negative responses....

Faced with my dripping bangs that pasted itself against my face and the non-faltering smirk fastened there, he glared even more, which only widened my smirk further. I think at least ten or fifteen minutes has passed yet his `I'll kill you' look still hasn't vanished. You'd think that he'd given up by now; I'm still standing right here in front of him and not somewhere dead being eaten by a pack of wolves after all. Well, though as much as I'd love to just stay at this spot with this triumphant grin on my face...one could only not be cold in this weather for so long. So I put my smirk at rest, for the time being, and jerked with my chin for him to open the door.

He snorted and lifted his hand to push the button to unlock the doors but suddenly stopped in midway. An idea seemed to suggest itself to him then which, knowing from experience, is never good. The glare was suddenly gone, replaced by a really annoying smug. He let his hand drop, then leaned back in his seat, folding his arms casually across his chest. The eyes then closed and if I hadn't known him for so long, I'd have considered the notion that he'd fallen asleep.

"What're you doing, Yuy?" I questioned, confusion and suspicion evident in my tone. Believe me, never trust a guy with a smug look on his face, especially not one whose name's Heero Yuy.

Heero's eyes opened then and he looked me straight in the eye. "I can simply go home right now if I wanted." There was no anger, no resentment, no threatening tone; he'd said that smoothly, as if he were merely commenting on the weather or something of the like. But the underlying, implied statement that practically screamed from his whole body language said something else.

My eyes widened, jaws slacked, and was half staring at him in horror, half thriving to pound the now smirking arrogant jackass in the car. Clamping my mouth shut and spitting the rain out to the side, I leaned forward and rested my arms on the rolled down windows. Eyes narrowed, teeth clenched, I glared menacingly, daring him to do take off right now.

"You wouldn't dare."

One brow shifted slightly before an odd, unidentified countenance was thrown my way. But it was gone as soon as it appeared and now, I couldn't even begin to know what he was going to do next. Even having been his best friend for ten years now, there are still just some things about Yuy that you'll never get. But next thing I knew, I found myself thinking, `Shit, that is one damn sexy man.'

I watched as he let out a quick breath before blowing air up at his bangs. Those same dark, wild bangs now became more tousled than they already were, dancing around his perfectly shaped face. Small drops of rain that had landed on his hair slowly made a trail along the side of his face, around the high cheek bones, going further along the finely curved jaw, before seeming to sizzle down that incredibly kissable, suck-able neck of his. And his eyes...he had a wild look in them but whether it was wild in a dangerous way or something else entirely, I couldn't be too sure. Perhaps, it was both.... I suddenly felt almost small, vulnerable, and marked as `Prey' yet I couldn't find one ounce of flesh on me that was trembling with fear. Trembling with something else entirely on the other hand...I'm not gonna say.

Unexpectedly, Heero brought his arm over the head of the passenger seat and leaned forward; his nose was now only inches from mine. A million questions, a million remarks and outbursts should be the things that are swimming around in my psyche right now.

But there was none.

In its place instead, I feel his every breath on me, see his unyielding eyes, and smell his dark, husky scent of purely *him*. Things were beginning to get a bit hot in here.... And the tingling sensation that was sizzling in my groin didn't make things any better either.

That truly says a lot given that I *should* be nearly chilling to the bone right now with how my braid and bangs are flapping in the wind and my black outfit is completely drenched. Yet I felt anything but numb.

He was staring intensely at me, suddenly making me feel uneasy and self-conscious as if what I was doing, how I was reacting, was wrong.

I suppose, in my reality, it was.

Because deep down, I knew that the one he loved was not me, was never going to *be* me.

I suddenly felt the deep-seated urge to want to look away at anything but him at the moment. But I'd rather die than do that. Because if I did, I was admitting defeat, and Duo Maxwell loses to no one. Most certainly not Heero Yuy (...again). So it was only my pride that made me stomp down my feelings and match my own stare against his challenging ones. In truth, though you'd have to kill me before I'd ever divulge this, I wanted to turn tail and run; just be anywhere but leaning against the car, silently challenging him back with equal effort right now.

But maybe, if only for the moment, no matter how short it may be, I just want to remain in this reverie before reality thunders in painfully.

Clearly not expecting anymore...pleasuring torture, he leaned forward a little bit more to the point where we weren't exactly touching but it was definitely one of the `up close and personal' moments where I could vividly feel his even intake and exhale of air.

And he whispered, "Try me."

Having been so hopelessly lost in his more-than-close presence, all that came out was an utterly stupid, "Huh?"

Mr. Smirk made itself present on his face again, apparently annoying the hell out of me, despite the fact that I was annoyed with myself as well. I finally put two and two together only to realize that he was responding to my challenge. When that sunk in, half of me wanted to bite back an equally taunting remark but the other half was lidded with the growing - torturing sensation of ecstasy as his hot breath ghosted over me. I wanted to roll my head back and moan in pleasure but then I figured that that'll only probably scare him and I'd probably choke on rain. To make everything worse, my hand was itching to get rid of the `uncomfortableness' I was beginning to feel. Damn, if I hadn't known better, I'd have thought that he was deliberately makin' a move on me.

But you know what I hate most about all of this? Is that you can never stay pissed at Yuy for long - and now you know why. Damn manipulative bastard.... Miraculously though, I was able to force my what's supposed to be a moan of ecstasy, into a growl of frustration instead.

As if on cue, he chose that moment to lean back and to simply sit there, calmly, the amusement present, arms folded. And he said not a single word.

I was ready to explode.

I wanted to both violently throttle him out of sheer frustration and to also kiss him until he dies from the lack of oxygen out of desire, but luckily I did neither. I was, honest-to-God, ready to explode...but not quite.

So I plan to do the next best thing that came to mind: take that challenge, kick Yuy's butt at his own game, and then throw it back at his face and gloat like there was no tomorrow.

"You know I never back down from a challenge, Yuy. So if you really think I can't make it back home by foot in this weather, then you've got somethin' else comin'." I shot him a rather haughty look and righted myself up. "See you at home, oh soon-to-be-losing-this-bet-buddy." Then I mocked saluted him, grinned, and walked off.

"Maxwell," I suddenly hear him say, with a faint hint of seriousness. "Your lips are blue, you're shaking like a crinkled, old leaf, and you look like death warmed over."

My foot paused on its next step. I spun on my heels to face the Japanese driver inside the car. "Dear, dear Lord," I said in the most olden days, pristine ladylike voice of imitation that I could muster. "Do you not know that you have wound me so? Really, young man, shame on you for even the thought of underestimating a young chap as you have done so." I slowly shook my head in mock dismay and `tsk'ed quietly in feigned disappointment. When I lifted my head again, he was rolling his eyes at me.

Throwing a wink (with the only visible eye) his way, I suddenly laid my left hand on top the hood of car's engine and swiftly swung over, sliding across the thing and onto the other side of the car, before gleefully taking off. The near distant shouts of `Maxwell!' and the growling of the engine once again only made me pick up my pace, in amusement, of course.

I practically skipped down the streets, not without a smug on my face, despite everything else. Home was but a few blocks away and though, yes, it's pouring rather hard, yes, my hand is smarting annoyingly, and yes, I was beginning to shake (I am not shaking like "a crinkled, old leaf"!), but what's a few blocks? As long I get warm, I can get home faster. And what other way to kill two birds with one stone by running home? So, I ran. And I continued to, without once looking back for I'd already known that he wouldn't be far behind.

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end part two.

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