For Sainan no Kekka, visit:
http://www.midnightrevolution.org/gundam/
Author's Notes, Sainan no Kekka: Hi everyone! We hope
you remember us...Gerald is back and we're getting
ready to begin the last Arc for this monster fic.
We'll start off by posting a Heero and Duo sidestory
that QS wrote over the summer with Lyra Stormrider,
and the first part of Act 10 will be posted in one
weeks, on Sept. 28. The scene titles for Act 10 have
been posted on the site.
Gundam Wing is property of Sotsu Agency, Bandai
Studios, and TV Asahi. Sainan no Kekka and all
original characters and plot copyright 2000 by
Quicksilver and Gerald Tarrant. Please ask permission
before reposting.
Special thanks to Lyra Stormrider, co-writer of this
sidestory with Quicksilver.
SHIN KIDOU SENKI GUNDAM WING
SAINAN NO KEKKA
Reunion: Heero and Duo
Part I: Sollicitudo
"We've been missing long before
Never found our way home.
We've been missing long before
Where we'll find our way."
--Bush, Mouth
Perfect moments were few and far between, and they
never lasted longer than a minute. When Duo embraced
Heero after their yearlong separation, it was like
embracing his opposite self. He loved Heero; it wasn�t
like the passionate, romantic love he felt for Hilde-
no, it was different. A Greek philosopher had once
theorized that there were there were three types of
love, and that of all of them, brotherly love was the
strongest. Duo had always believed he could never love
anyone as much as he loved Hilde, but now, seeing
Heero, he knew he was seeing his other half.
It was a pity that the moment couldn�t last forever.
Predictably enough, it was Heero who broke away first.
He studied Duo�s sleep-rumpled clothes and stubbled
face carefully before stating in a flat voice, �You
look like shit.�
�Pot calling the kettle black,� Duo said. For the
first time, he really studied Heero without tension.
Heero�s scar was what drew the eye, but Duo ignored it
this time, evaluating the eyes it was masking. The
cobalt blue eyes were harder than ever, but this time
they held something Duo had never seen in them before-
despair. It scared him. �I just had my best friend
swing a knife at me, so I figured I�m entitled.�
Duo watched as Heero arched his eyebrow slightly,
running his hand through his newly shortened hair. The
questioning look the other boy sent his way made him
chuckle a little. "Okay, so I haven't seen you in a
while...doesn't change the fact that you are my best
friend." He grinned as Heero blinked, trying to
process those words. "Let's go get something to eat,
ne? We can catch up while we do."
Heero gave a quick nod, a thoughtful look coming into
his eyes as he glanced towards the hangar door. "I
guess, but maybe you should tell Hilde first?" he
suggested. He had seen what women did when they were
irritated, and it was confusing. He would never
understand them, but he recognized that agreeing to
what they said whenever possible was the wisest
course. Hilde had demanded Duo come back after their
talk- she�d be expecting her boyfriend.
Duo blinked at the change in subject then gave a
sheepish grin. "Oh...yeah. Probably would be the wise
thing to do. A change of clothes might not hurt
either," he remarked, giving his rumpled clothing a
cursory glance.
Heero said nothing, but stood stock-still, apparently
waiting.
�Ah�. You know, I don�t know where my new quarters
are� I think I was reassigned since the VOQ was one of
the places breached,� he said, a shadow crossing his
usually pleasant features. Most people would have
pressed him or expressed condolences if they had known
the cause of his sorrow, but Heero wasn�t most people.
He kept his mouth shut, which Duo appreciated. He was
sick of sympathy; he didn�t need it. He was a Gundam
Pilot, and they were a cut above.
�I know where it is,� Heero said. �Come on,� he
ordered.
�How do you� nevermind. Heero, sometimes you�re just
scary,� Duo said with a mock shudder, even though he
was half-serious.
Heero shot Duo a sideways glance as they headed
towards the building that housed Duo and Hilde's new
quarters. Duo stuffed his hands into his pockets,
beginning to feel a little more...alive now that Heero
was back. There was just something reassuring about
having the stoic boy nearby.
Hilde seemed to be waiting for them. She was in the
living room, holding a med kit and a cell phone. She
blinked as she saw Heero, but there was no real
surprise as she said to Duo, �Good. You�re in one
piece- I wasn�t sure about that. Hop in the shower,
and I can have dinner prepared in ten. And don�t
forget to shave- I always get burned by your
whiskers.�
Duo watched with an amused smile as Hilde set the
first aid kit down and waved her hand towards the
bathroom. "Um...Hil..." he started, "Heero and I were
going to go out to get a bite. We, um, wanted to catch
up with each other." The longhaired boy gave her a
charming smile as he said this, not sure how she would
take his words. He really hoped she wouldn�t explode-
she had a horrid temper.
Hilde paused at that, a slight frown tugging at the
corner of her lips before she nodded wearily. "Okay."
She glanced from Duo to Heero and back again. "Still,
go shower before you go out anywhere." That said, she
placed her palms against Duo's back and pushed him
towards the bathroom.
Duo knew better than to argue with Hilde. Hilde tended
to organize his life for him, and as long as her
requests were reasonable, he tended to go along with
her. Besides, she was right. He reeked.
The shower was hot, but he doubted it would stay that
way for long. The plumbing hadn�t been the best before
the attack, and since� well, he doubted it had helped
matters. It was too bad, since he preferred baths. He
hadn�t been able to fill a tub since his arrival,
since the water never stayed hot enough to fill the
entire thing. Maybe tomorrow, if nothing imperative
came up. He�d figure out someway to jury-rig the
system.
Duo snickered quietly as he tried to imagine what was
going on out in the living room while he was in the
shower. He could just picture Hilde and Heero standing
there, staring at one another blankly. He washed
quickly, deciding to leave his hair alone for the time
being. It took much too long to wash, and he was in a
bit of a hurry. Stepping out of the shower, he gave
himself a quick shave and checked to make sure he
looked acceptable before returning to the room to find
clothing. Somehow, it didn't surprise him to find that
Hilde had already laid an outfit out on the bed.
Hilde had selected the black pants he had buried at
the bottom of his bag, and apparently she�d found time
to press it in the last four days, because it was
smooth. She�d picked out a red shirt that brought out
the violet in his eyes, and a brush was prominently
placed in the center of the entire mess.
She knew him too well. Moreover, she was hinting.
Duo gave a slight groan, but he was smiling as he
undid his wet braid and picked up the brush. His hair
was always hard to manage, thick and wavy right after
being freed from the braid, and tangled if left free
for too long. Hilde liked brushing out his hair
though. It was almost therapeutic, for the both of
them. He quickly ran the brush through his hair before
re-braiding it and donning the clothing she had left
out.
Stopping in the doorway to the living room area, he
grinned to see Hilde and Heero still staring one
another down, exactly where he had left them. "Glad to
see some things don't change," he murmured. �You two
never did really get along, did you?�
The two of them turned their glares from each other
and onto him, and he wished that he had had the native
intelligence to keep his mouth shut. It was one of his
primary flaws- open mouth, insert foot. And always at
the worst possible time. �Um, Heero? You ready to go?�
Heero gave a curt nod.
�Duo, take my cell,� Hilde advised, she said, pressing
a cellphone into his hands. �I programmed the number
here into it- its AutoDial 6 now. The Preventers will
be looking out for you guys, so I suggest you stay on
base. I doubt they�d let you leave, anyway, and
sneaking out would be nearly impossible unless you
broke about a dozen rules. Security is really tight.�
Duo pouted slightly. �There�s nothing to do on base!�
�It�s safer,� she said. �Promise me you won�t leave
base,� she begged.
Duo shuffled his feet a bit, sighing. He knew once he
promised Hilde anything he wouldn't want to go back on
his word. After all, his motto was 'I may run and
hide, but I never tell a lie." Looking over at Heero,
he wasn't surprised to see the same stony expression
on his face. "Aa. Fine, Hil, we won't...leave the
base." He'd just have to find something for them to do
ON the base. Needle in a very, very large haystack.
Hilde smiled. �I won�t expect you home before two,
then,� she said, brushing a chaste kissed against
Duo�s lips. �And Heero? If you get him into any
trouble, the Eve Wars will look like child�s play to
what I�ll do to you,� she said cheerfully.
Heero�s eyes flickered. �Keeping Duo out of trouble
may be impossible.�
�Well, Gundam pilots specialize in the impossible.
You�d better make sure it happens.�
Silent laughter shook Duo's body as he watched Hilde
and Heero. He didn't feel too offended by Hilde's
wanting the other pilot to keep him out of trouble-
God knew it seemed to follow him like a faithful
puppy. "See you when I get back, Hil." he said, a
sweet smile on his face before he turned and headed
out of the quarters with Heero. Once the door was
closed behind them, and Hilde out of earshot, he
turned to look into the cool blue eyes of his best
friend. "Ne, Heero...got any ideas on where we can go
first?"
Heero evaluated his friend with carefully, looking
slightly off balance. He didn�t have the same
confidence Duo was used to seeing in his face, and he
seemed out of place. Duo wondered about that; the old
Heero had the ability to blend into the background
wherever he chose and the ability to fit in, whether
it was in a ballroom or on the battlefield. This Heero
seemed shyer, and more jumpy. Just what we need, Duo
thought, a trigger-happy Gundam pilot.
�I don�t know the base,� Heero said finally. �You
choose.�
"Aa." Duo murmured, trying to think of where they
could go. "There should be some restaurants near
here." He was pretty sure that the restaurants,
stores, and other recreational areas were near the
housing units. "What kind of food are you in the mood
for?" he asked, tucking his hands into his pockets as
he led the way. The braided boy figured the best time
to talk would be once the both of them had food
sitting in front of them.
�Anything is acceptable,� Heero said, further
exasperating his friend.
Duo almost screamed in frustration. If there was one
thing he couldn�t stand, it was someone who couldn�t
make up their mind. He liked opinionated, sharp people
who knew what they thought. There was a difference
between being laid back and a pushover, and Heero was
seriously trying his very limited patience.
Duo clamped down on his lower lip and shot a look at
Heero. "No preferences at all, huh?" he prodded. As he
spoke, he tried to recall any type of food that Heero
hadn't shown much of a liking for back when they had
been pilots. Maybe offering that up would get him to
change his mind and say something. "How about...Thai?
I think there's a Thai restaurant here..."
Heero�s left eye twitched.
Duo chortled in merriment. �Yes, let�s go for Thai!
That sounds perfect!�
�No,� Heero said in a flat voice.
�No?� Duo asked in mock surprise. �I thought you
didn�t care?�
�I hate Thai- it�s too spicy,� Heero said, glaring at
his friend. �And you know I hate it. You�re suggesting
it to irritate me."
Duo pretended to be wounded. �Would I do that?�
If it were possible, Heero's glare turned even
deadlier. "Yes, you would."
Duo laughed softly, shrugging his shoulder lithely.
"Hey, you said anything was fine. Thai was the first
thing I could think of." He gave a little smirk.
"Evidently, you do have an opinion on where we eat, so
speak up!"
Heero gave a slightly irritated growl, still glaring
at Duo. The food really should be something mild,
since he had grown unaccustomed to many spices in The
Breaks. "Pizza." he said simply.
His friend gave him a bright smile. �Pizza, here we
come! The base has at least three of the places, and
oh, I loved their stuffed crust. And extra pepperoni,
and maybe a slice with ham and pineapple with five
different cheeses! Yum, cheese!� he said, rolling his
eyes in pretend ecstasy.
�It�s amazing you haven�t had a heart attack yet. Your
cholesterol must be off the charts.�
�Did my ears deceive me? Did Heero Yuy just crack a
joke?� Duo�s eyes lit up, hoping that his friend was
shaking off his melancholy and finding his soul again.
Duo had lost pieces of himself since the war, but
nothing had prepared him for what depths Heero had
sunk to.
The corner of Heero's mouth curled very slightly as he
looked at Duo. "Well?" he asked, gesturing for the
other boy to once again lead the way.
Duo grinned and jokingly bowed. "Right this way, my
good sir." He started off towards one of the pizza
parlors, feeling much happier than he had since this
whole mess had started.
End 1/3
=====
Crazy world - full of crazy contradictions like a child
You're cold and you're cruel
And I, like a fool, try to cope
Try to hang on, to hope
But I've got my pride, I won't give in
Even though I know I'll never win
Oh, how I love this crazy world
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