Gundam Wing
How Can People Be So Cruel?
by Sephiroth
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is owned by Bandai and other anime companies 
that have nothing  to do with me. In other words, these are not my characters.
Warning: Angst, violence, off-screen rape, yaoi, deals with prejudice and
gaybashers. 
Archive?: Yes, if you'd like. 
-----------------------
-Part 1-


It took Heero Yuy a tremendous effort not to bash the man's face in. The
Perfect Soldier had been listening to the man for ten minutes and he was
already seething.

"We don't do gay marriages," the man had told him, repeating what so many
others had said. "Gays don't love each other the way normal people do. They're
just in it for the sex. The marriage part is so they can get more money from their
tax returns. Its all lust and greed and the church does not support that kind of
sinful behavior."

"No," Heero agreed, "but they do seem to support bigotry and closed-mindedness."
He hadn't told the minister why he had come. He didn't want to be preached at 
again. The minister he had told was still recovering from a broken nose and this
man was getting dangerously close to joining him.

He wanted desperately to marry Duo, to give the boy the stable family life he'd
been denied.  He had proposed several months earlier, and Duo had accepted.
But then, when they'd tried to find someone to marry them, they'd realized how
unpopular their lifestyle was.

Everyone spoke of tolerance, of accepting those who were 'different'. But when
push came to shove, no one was willing to be the first to make the effort. 

Duo no longer went with Heero. He couldn't bear to hear anymore of the cruel
words the people they talked to said. One man had even suggested that Duo be
put in a mental hospital so that his 'sickness' could be cured. 

That remark had angered Heero even more than those made by the minister with
the broken nose. The man who'd made them was in a hospital IC unit with injuries
that the doctors said would leave him in a wheelchair and eating his meals through
a straw.

With a heavy heart, Heero left the office and returned home.

Duo arrived at the same time, looking like he'd been through a hay-baler.

"Duo, " Heero growled angrily. Duo flinched and Heero winced at the boy's
reaction. "I'm not mad at you." he told him, taking him into his arms and trying to
comfort him.

A rock struck Duo's head, drawing blood and causing the boy to go limp
in Heero's arms.

"Get out of our town, fags!" the rock-thrower snarled at them. It was funny how
people changed overnight if they heard you were gay. It seemed as if just yesterday
everyone was happy to have the two of them there. They were Gundam PIlots, after
all, the heroes of the war that had ended less than a year ago. But now they were
'fags', outcasts, shunned by those who had once claimed to love them. The betrayal
had broken Duo's heart. 

"Oh, Kami-sama," Heero's voice was full of concern, "Duo, are you all right?"

Duo remained limp in Heero's arms and gave no reply.

Gundam Wing
How Can People Be So Cruel?
by Sephiroth
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is owned by Bandai and other anime companies 
that have nothing  to do with me. In other words, these are not my characters.
Warning: Angst, violence.
-----------------------
-Part 2-

"I'm sorry, sir," the voice on the phone told Heero, "our hospital is not equipped to
treat homosexuals. The risk of AIDS is too high and we don't want to endanger our
staff. I can recommend a clinic that caters to people like you..."

People like you. There was a phrase Heero hated. It was one of those "let's lump
everyone into categories and forget they're individuals remarks. People, Heero knew,
used comments like this because it made their bigotry more comfortable for them. Look
at a person as an individual, Quatre had once told him before his death, and you're
forced to see that he's just the same as you are, a regular human being who goes to
work, likes and dislikes certain foods, and so on.

Quatre. Heero's mind went back to the day that Trowa had called. The boy had 
been distraught.The people on the board of Quate's family's company had learned that
the boy was gay when one of them had spotted Trowa and Quatre kissing. Feeling it
was an embarrassment to the company, and not wanting to risk losing their fortunes, 
they had invoked a long-extinct law and had beaten Quatre to death in the board room. 

Rashid had heard his master's screams and had run in, arriving too late to save the boy's
life. Holding Quatre's lifeless body in his arms, he'd summoned his men who had slaughtered
the persons responsible for Quatre's death. This had brought reprisals from the men's
respective townships and a civil war had begun in the Middle-East that was still being waged.

Trowa knew nothing of it, however. After hanging up the phone, Heero learned from Wufei,
the young performer had gone to the circus and had committed suicide by shifting after Catherine
had thrown one of her knives causing the projectile to pierce his heart.

Gundam Wing
How Can People Be So Cruel?
by Sephiroth
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is owned by Bandai and other anime companies 
that have nothing  to do with me. In other words, these are not my characters.
Warning: Angst, violence.
-----------------------
-Part 3-

Sally was preparing to go home for the evening when the phone rang. Fighting
the urge to rip it out of the wall and drop it in the fishtank, she picked it up. "Hello?"

"Sally, it's Heero."

"Heero, what's wrong," she knew the young man was upset, despite his attempt
to keep his voice even and his temper hidden.

"Some lousy bastard hit Duo with a rock. He's bleeding and I can't wake him up."

"Is this a head injury?"

"Yes," Heero replied as he bundled Duo onto a stretcher. "I know, 
the local hospital is closer, but they won't take him. They say they 
can't take gays because of the danger of AIDS."

"That's an outright lie," Sally was angry as she prepared her office for
Duo and Heero's arrival.. How could doctors, the people who swore
under oath to do no harm, sit there and refuse to help an injured boy? She was 
ashamed of them. Her mentor had taught her better. A patient was a patient. His
or her sexual preference, appearance, and wealth were not imporant. All that mattered
was that the doctor's job was to keep the patient healthy and, when neccessary, to 
save the patient's life. "I'm going to register a complaint with the medical board. In the
meantime, you get Duo in here. I'm setting up the office and I'll expect you here in a 
few minutes." Normally she'd have sent out an ambulance to pick them up, but Heero
had his own ambulance and having him bring Duo would cut out the time it would take
for an ambulance to drive from her hosptial to Heero's and Duo's home and then back
again. 


Heero brought Duo out to the ambulance and sped off with him. "Please," he prayed,
"Please, let him be all right."

A motorcycle cop gave chase almost as soon as he pulled out of the driveway. The cop
knew damned well who the ambulance belonged to. He'd harrassed Duo a couple of 
times and had once threatened to rape him if he ever caught him alone. He started his
siren, smirling as the ambulance pulled to the curb.

"Damn it," Heero growled. "What seems to be the problem, officer?"

"You were speeding," the cop smirked. "And we both know damned well you're not
a paramedic, so you can forget the 'this is an ambulance" nonsense. Now, would you
care to get out of the vehicle so I can inspect it?"

"Yes, I would," Heero remained firmly in his seat. He was not about to let this creep
in the ambulance with Duo. "In fact, if you don't move your sorry ass in two seconds,
I'm going to crush your damned foot."

The cop pulled out his radio and called for backup. Heero sped away, taking
backroads and alleys until he found himself surrounded by police cars. Knowing that
many of the officers surrounding him were innocent pawns in this sick man's game,
he decided to go after the man himself. 

Police surrounded him and held him down, thinking only of protecting a
fellow officer. 

Giving Heero a smirk, the motorcycle cop stepped into the back of the ambulance,
promising a thorough search of the vehicle.

Several minutes later, the cop re-emerged and gave the others a nod. "He's clean,"
he told his fellow officers. "he can go." he patted Heero on the shoulder. "Have a
nice day."

Heero waited until they were gone, then got back into the ambulance. Crawling 
into the back, he saw that Duo was gagged and that his clothes were torn. Blood
and semen stained his inner thighs and buttocks and the strecher beneath him.

"That son of a bitch," Heero vowed as he ripped off the gag, climbed 
into the driver's seat and sped off as fast as he could. He picked up the phone
and dialed a number. "Wufei, Heero. I'm sending you data on a police officer
who lives in our neighborhood. I want you to take him out of the picture. I have
my reasons. Let's just say that he hurt Duo and leave it at that. Yes. Thanks>"
he hung up the phone as he arrived at Sally's hospital.

-----------------------
-Part 4-

Sally was already in the doorway of the hospital when Heero arrived. Two
attendants flanked her, obeying her every command as they brought Duo
into the hospital. "Why the hell didn't you tell me he was this bad?" She
demanded, angrily. She could understand how rape might be embarrassing
for a young man, but she was a doctor, dammit. She needed to know these
things.

"He wasn't raped until after I called you," Heero told her. "That lousy
cop who's been harrassing him made good on his threat."

"While you were there?" Sally exploded. "Gods, Heero, how could you let
this happen to him?"

"Shut up, Sally," Heero shot back, as they brought Duo inside, "I didn't have
a choice. I tried to flee, but the SOB called for backup and they held me while
he..."

Sally could see the emotion in Heero's eyes. "Heero, I'm sorry," she told him,
"I just care so much for Duo that the idea that this could have happened to him."

"All we want to do is get married," Heero told her as they wheeled the 
stretcher up to the operating room door. Heero started to follow, but Sally put 
a hand on his shoulder. "Doctors only," she told him. "I know you're worried about
him, but I can assure you we won't hurt him. You have to trust me, Heero."

One of the other doctors nodded in agreement, "Unlike some hospitals I can mention,
we're professionals here. We don't base whether or not we treat someone on their
sexual preference. We'll fix your boyfriend's... oh, I'm sorry... your fiance's  injuries. By the
way, congratulations on your engagement. I'd like to talk to you about it later, after we 
take care of this handsome young pilot."

Heero realized that the doctor speaking to him was also gay. He wondered what he had
to say about the engagment. Did the man know someone who performed gay marriages?
Had he at last found what he and Duo was looking for? Looking at Duo through the OR
window, he prayed that he hadn't found what they'd been seeking just in time for Duo to
die.

-----------------------
-Part 5-

Heero looked up at the waiting room clock. A half an hour at most had gone by
but to him it seemed like hours. They were examining him to gather evidence from
the rape as well as taking care of the original problem. He was sure of this. But he
still wished Sally would send someone out to talk to him, to let him know how Duo
was getting on.

Finally, someone did come out. It was the doctor who'd offered to speak to him
before. "My name's Barry," he told Heero. "I won't say I'm glad to meet a Gundam
Pilot because I'm not. I want to be honest with you first off. I'm glad to meet you as
a fellow human being, but I don't see anyone who fights on either side as being a
hero. Civilians like me end up being killed no matter how much you try to avoid
non-military targets. Plus, my family was killed when one of you went berserk, so
I'm not thrilled about what you are. I'm sorry if that makes you feel bad."

"It doesn't," Heero smiled. "The only thing that makes me feel bad right now is
that no one will marry Duo and I."

"I know," Barry replied. "Sally mentioned it to me. My lover and I got married
recently, so I know how hard it is to find someone to perform the ceremony."

"You know of someone who'll do it?" Heero's heart lightened a little, though he
was still worried about Duo. "First, how is Duo?"

"He's fine," Barry replied. "I won't be telling you this if he was going to die. Anyhow,
the man's name is Father O'Casey. Here's his work and home numbers. He's very
open-minded. But I have to warn you, he's very strict, too. He won't marry you if
he doesn't think you're in love with your fiance. You I wouldn't worry about. I can
tell you're in love with Heero. But he will question you about it, so don't expect to
just go and get married just like that."

Heero took the proferrered piece of paper and placed it in his pocket. He couldn't
wait to tell Duo the news.  He and Duo would soon be able to wed as they had
wanted to for so long.

Gundam Wing
How Can People Be So Cruel?
by Sephiroth
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is owned by Bandai and other anime companies 
that have nothing  to do with me. In other words, these are not my characters.
Warning: Angst, violence.
-----------------------
-Part 6-

The first thing that went through Duo's mind as he regained consciousness was
the desire to be dead. He was filled iwth an incredible amount of self-loathing. 
On some level, the told himself, he'd known that he'd deserved what the cop had
done to him. If he hadn't, Heero would have rescued him and he would certainly
not have come while he was being violated.

"Duo," Heero's voice sounded both concerned and cheerful, "I've got wonderful
news. I found a priest who will perform the wedding."

"Then it's a shame that I can't marry you," Duo told him, handing the engagement
ring back to the man who'd given it to him.

"What are you talking about?" Heero placed the ring right back on Duo's finger. 
"You most certainly *can* marry me."

"But..." Duo protested. 

"You think because some criminal attacked you, that means you and I can't get
married?" Heero waited for Duo's response, then continued after the boy gave
the slightest of nods. "Well, you're wrong, Duo. Very wrong. If you think I'm going
to stop loving you because of something like that, you're gravely mistaken. I said
I would marry you and that's exactly what I intend to do."

Duo looked up at Heero with wide and incredulous eyes. "I don't understand," he
admitted. "If you love me, why did you let him...?"

"I didn't," Heero told him. "Duo, how could you think I'd let such a thing happen?"

"I'm sorry," Duo realized how unfair he'd been in thinking such a thing. "I guess I
let all those people get to me, The ones saying how sick or bad I was. And I suppose
a part of me believed that you'd been... well.. converted I guess for lack of a better word."

"Duo, I'd never think you were bad or sick just because you love another man. In
fact, I'm very honored that I'm the one you're in love with." Heero held Duo close while
the braided boy drifted back to sleep. He would prove his love to Duo no matter what
it took.

-----------------------
-Part 7-

Duo didn't know how long he'd slept. He didn't care about it either as he
woke in Heero's arms. The former Wing pilot had been holding him all the
time he'd slept. This gesture of kindness touched the distraught boy's heart
in a way he'd never thought would be possible again. It hadn't been long since
the attack, a good part of him still needed to heal, but his heart recognized
the familiar warmth it had held.. still held... for his fiance. No matter what that
cop had done to him, he still loved Heero. And Heero still loved him. 

"You sleep well?"

"Mm hmm," Duo almost purred. He was still agitated, but Heero sensed that
the boy wasn't about to let some jerk cop ruin his happiness. 

~Good for you, Duo,~ he thought to himself.

Sally walked in and subjected Duo to a number of tests, many of which he
found rather embarrassing. Finally, smiling, she addressed them both. "Well,
he has no infections or diseases, so as far as that's concerned, thee's nothing
to stop the two of you from getting married."

"So, Duo," Heero looked into the braided ex-pilot's eyes. "What do you think? Do
you still want to forget it?"

"I don't kniow why you still want me, Heero," Duo replied. "All I know is that if you
still want to marry me after what's happened, then I can't think of any reason not to
marry you."

Gundam Wing
How Can People Be So Cruel?
by Sephiroth
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is owned by Bandai and other anime companies 
that have nothing  to do with me. In other words, these are not my characters.
Warning: Angst, violence.
-----------------------
-Part 8-

Joy danced within the Perfect Soldier's heart as though it were a living thing
that wanted to make its presence known to all. He was sure the people in
the next room could hear how hard and fast it was beating.

Duo had taken back his acceptance because of what the rapist had done
to him. That had made Heero feel terrible. Not because of the idea that Duo
didn't want to marry him, but that anyone could make his koi feel so wothless.
So many people had done all they could to make Duo feel that way. Now he
would show the boy just how much he meant to him. The rest of the world
could go to hell as far as Heero Yuy was concerned. If they couldn't appreciate
the most beautiful gift Heaven had ever given, that was just too bad.

"Duo," the name was spoken with the greatest reverence, as one might use
when addressing an angel. Heero placed a kiss upon Duo's lips, being careful
to not frighten him. Moments later, he turned to face Sally, who was going over
Duo's chart. "When can he leave?" 

"Tomorrow morning," Sally told him. "If you like, you can have Father O'Casey
visit the two of you here in the hospital. I know he won't be able to sleep if he's
wondering how the interview will go all night."

"Good idea," Heero agreed. "May I use your phone?"

Sally, who had anticipated this moment, handed the phone to Heero, then left
to take care of some more paperwork.

Heero dialed the number. "Hello? Father O'Casey? Yes, this is Heero Yuy. Oh,
you have? Yes, I just got your number recently. My fiance is in the hospital. He
was assaulted. Yeah, that's why. Thanks. I was just calling to ask you that. You
can? That would be wonderful. We'll see you then." he placed the phone on the
desk and drew Duo close once more. "He'll be here in ten minutes," he told him. 


"I  live nearby and often visit the terminal ward at the hospital. Comfort. Last
rites, that sort of thing," Father O'Casey explained when he arrived. "That's why
I perform same-sex marriages. With all the other stuff I do, I can use all the happiness
I can get."

Heero actually smiled and Duo found himself instantly liking this man. "So, can you
marry us?"

"Well, I'd have to know more about the two of you, how you met, how you feel about
each other..." Father O'Casey sounded as if he did want to marry them. There was a
tone in his voice that told the two ex-pilots that his concerns were genuine, not just
excuses to not marry them because they were a same-sex couple.

During the next couple of hours, they told Father O'Casey of the time they'd known
each other, starting from their first meeting, when Duo had shot Heero, to their
current relationship,  Heero cautiously kept some things private, not wishing to embarrass
or upset Duo. But Duo had surprised him by telling the man all that had happened, 
including the recent assaults.

"You two have been through a lot," Father O'Casey decided. "And it looks like the two
of you love each other a great deal. What date would you like to set the wedding for?"

"Can you be ready in a month, Duo?" Heero asked.

"Do we have to wait so long?" Duo protested. He had already waited a longer time
than he wanted.

"I have next Saturday evening free," Father O'Casey offered. "Its usually the time I play
golf, but my partner is on vacation for a week, so I can do the wedding then. Say, around
midnight I know its late, but there's something extra beautiful about the sky at midnight, and
I hear there's a meteor shower that's supposed to happen around at the time. It'd make it extra
special. if it did."

"Fireworks from God," Duo recalled a phrase Sister Helen had once used to describe a
meteor shower they'd watched together so long ago.

Father O'Casey smiled at the sentiment, knowing who had first said it. Duo reminded him
so much of Sister Helen. He could tell the boy had been at the Maxwell Church, and his 
heart ached at the idea that he'd survived that tragedy and now had to deal with so much
hate. 

"Duo?" Heero asked.

Duo nodded. "Yes, please." he agreed, his heart beating rapidly. 

"Okay," Heero told Father O'Casey. "Next Saturnday evening it is."

Gundam Wing
How Can People Be So Cruel?
by Sephiroth
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is owned by Bandai and other anime companies 
that have nothing  to do with me. In other words, these are not my characters.
Warning: Angst, violence.
-----------------------
-Part 9-

Wufei watched the man as he left the bar. He'd clocked the man for several
days, watching as he bullied drinks from the establishment's gay patrons. The
bartender, who was also gay, had been threatened by a number of punk gangs
in the neighborhood. In exchange for protection from the cop, who threatened
to let them destroy the place if he didn't pay up, the man paid most of his salary
to the cop. As it stood the bar was rapidly losing money and the man was coming
close to losing it when Wufei had come into the bar.

That was why the bartender said nothing when his new worker slipped the 
poison into the cop's drink.

After making certain the man was dead and the body desposed of, he returned
to his home to meditate. The mail was still in the box so he removed it. One letter
was an invitation of some kind. He opened it and unfolded its contents, a  beautiful
card featuring two angels in a loving embrace. Beneath it were the words:

You are cordially invited to attend the wedding of
	      Heero Yuy and Duo Maxwell

To be held at the Church of God's Promise, Midnight on this Saturday. Please RSVP

Wufei smiled. So, they were finally going to have the wedding they had been
trying to have. He picked up the phone and dialed. As expected, they took several
minutes before answering. "Its about time," he grumbled, though his voice belied the
happiness he felt for them. "You know you're supposed to wait until your wedding 
night to do that naughty stuff. Yeah, I got the invitation. Of course Ill be there. I
wouldn't miss it for the world. Your wedding *dress*?! Maxwell, why is it that I am 
not surprised? I certainly look forward to seeing how you look in it. Okay, then. I'll
see you this Saturday."

He hung up the phone and shook his head. "Good luck, Heero," he thought aloud,
"you're going to have your hands full with him as your spouse."

*****

Wufei met Sally at the door of the church. Relena and Hirde arrived moments later.
The four of them were escorted inside, 

"I hope my make up doesn't run," Relena told Hirde. "I always get so emotional at
these events. Its funny how these things work out. Just last year you were trying to
get Duo and I was trying to get Heero. Now they have each other and so do we."

"They went through so much to have this moment," Hirde said, her tone agreeing
with Relena's statement, as she continued the conversation. "I thought you abolished
intolerance."

"I thought so, too," Relena admitted. "Apparently it takes more than speeches and
words on paper to make people stop hating each other."

The music marking the start of the wedding drew their attention away from the
conversation and to the aisle.

Duo looked absolutely stunning in his wedding gown. It didn't look at all gaudy or
out of place on him. His hair, out of its usual braid, flowed loosely down his back
and over his shoulders, adorned with a flowing silk veil that covered his face and
came down to the small of his back, overlapping the long satin train that trailed
behind.

He was less than two steps away from the start of the aisle when someone
lobbed a grenade into the church.

"You've got to be kidding," he complained, picking it up and quickly hurling it 
back out to whomever had thrown it. He'd been trained in the use of all
explosives and knew how to pick up and return an unpinned grenade. That
done, he returned his attention to his and Heero's wedding, letting the 
would-be-killer's startled gasps and the muffled sound of the exploding grenade
pass into so many other background noises. 

(OWARI)





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