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- Chimera of Life -
Story Two: Probe the Psyche
~*~
Duo and Hilde silently
watched as the two ate their food. Other than the occasional ‘Please pass…’
whatever, clearly directed to them, Heero and Relena never looked up from their
plates, neither did they even try to make any type of conversation…
Something happened. They
left for a month to look for their perfect honeymoon spot, and to bag a deal
with a software company, thinking that the two would finally settle their
differences and what did they came back to? The Arctic!
Sometimes, they only had to
look at each other to send a message… and this was one of them…
…
Duo hammered his fist on
Heero’s door. He’s driven, motivated, and he has a purpose! He couldn’t care
less if Heero was a good fighter… well… maybe a little, but he’s not gonna back
down! It was happening again! Relena was obviously heartbroken. How could Heero
do this to her?! The asshole just doesn’t have any heart!
As soon as that thought left
his mind, Heero opened the door with a scowl on his face. Duo’s eyes slanted in
anger. Before Heero could speak, Duo’s knuckles punched him on the nose, then
his stomach. Heero stumbled back into
his room and Duo slammed the door closed behind him.
“What the hell did I tell you
about hurting her?!”
…
“Oh Relena…” Hilde hugged
her friend and Relena tiredly placed her head on Hilde’s shoulder.
“I mean… It was… everything
was perfect… and then… he just turned cold… No reasons… no explanations…”
“Hey, it’s going to be
okay.”
“I don’t care.” Relena
whispered as she closed her eyes and willed those demented tears away. “Oh darn
it… What am I doing anyway? I knew this was going to happen sooner or later…
Better it happened sooner, than later…”
“Relena… stop thinking like
that. Hey…” Hilde gently pushed Relena away to look at her in the eyes, to show
her that she understood. “Men are slow. They’re all slow. Look at Duo and me…
How long had we known each other? How long had we lived in the same house? How
many hours a day do we see each other?” Hilde rolled her eyes. “Consider
yourself lucky that you didn’t have to live with the man of your dreams under
the same roof for… God knows I don’t want to keep count of the years! Now that
was torture! And him not even looking at my side!”
A strangled laugh escaped
Relena’s lips as she heard Hilde’s frustration set upon a humorous light.
“Hilde, you’re a gem.”
Hilde shook her head. “No…
I’m your friend…” She quickly stood up, pulling Relena along. “Come on… You
need sleep. I don’t want you to have eye bags for tomorrow’s conference… I’ll
give you some pills.”
Relena shrugged. “Fine with
me…” That was how she had been catching sleep these past few days anyway.
…
Heero felt another blow to
the side of his head.
“I warned you, Yuy!”
He didn’t even bother to
cover his face and let Duo’s knuckles rain on him. He could already hear
ringing in his ears… feel blood trickle down his nose… but he didn’t care… Why
not feel just as badly on the outside?
“Heck, Yuy! Why won’t you
fight back?” Duo grabbed Heero’s collar and started pounding his friend’s head
on the floor. When no blows came back, no struggles from the perfect soldier,
Duo stopped and stared at him in confusion. Slowly, his initial anger dropped
down to a controllable level…
“Heero? Dude… Are you okay?”
Duo dropped down on his knees to shake him. He was still breathing… Man! He
couldn’t have done more than just stun him for a few minutes… the man survived
damn self-detonating inside a Gundam, for heaven’s sake!
Heero opened his eyes and
stared right into Duo’s worried eyes. “Thanks… You should have punched harder
though.” He sat up, shook his head only once, and then jumped to a stand. His
face and body stung with Duo’s hard punches, but he will not show it.
Duo’s jaw dropped. ‘Should
have punched harder…?’ He frowned. “What the hell is going on in this
nuthouse?!”
With his shoulders slumped,
Heero walked to his window and then leaned against the wall. Slowly, he looked
down at the cuts and bruises that were still fresh on his knuckles. Hilde and
Duo’s surprise visit two days after that… that event… He just wasn’t himself
yet…
Duo walked to Heero and
placed a hand on his shoulder. “Heero? What happened?” When his friend didn’t
answer, Duo sighed, walked to the other side of the window, and then leaned
against that side of the wall. “Come on…Tell me. I know I’m no expert at this…”
He pushed a hand through his hair in frustration. “Hell! My life was a wreck
before, too. But… try me… Sometimes, it helps a person feel better, talking,
you know.”
After a few more seconds of
silence, his lips moved. “She’s what’s wrong.” The phrase was said in a
deep growl as he elbowed the wall behind him. Why did he even talk?!
“Relena?” Duo frowned as he
scratched his head. “I knew that all ready. What I wanted to know was what’s
wrong with both of you!”
“Nothing! There isn’t
anything between us anyway!”
Duo was expecting a
monosyllable, or a grunt, not an actual sentence that didn’t answer his
question. Well, seemed like he’s gonna have to do a little prodding before he learns
what’s up. “You know…” He reached out and gave Heero’s shoulder a pat. “Relena
is hard to resist… Half the male population loves and adores her like a little
sister who has beauty and brains, while the other half just wants to get their
little hands in her panties.”
The murderous glare that
came his way was expected, but he hadn’t expected to feel as though he should
be running for the next hill! Duo gulped… maybe he shouldn’t have said that
last sentence…? Even if it were to make Heero mad as hell that he’d start
talking…?
“Just be happy that I know
you’re in love with Hilde… or else you’ll find yourself six feet under
ground.” Heero’s voice shook with
barely controlled anger. The mere thought that half the male
population—whatever Duo said! The… Why the hell is… Dammit! He’s so confused!
He looked down on his bruised hands… then up at Duo while broken words spilled
from his mouth. He must know… “How… how did you know that it was Hilde, Duo?
How did you know?”
He was ready for any kind of
question but that one! Duo gawked at Heero until Heero’s eyes met his
and right then and there, Duo felt the pain Heero was experiencing from inside…
His friend was good, covering his emotions, but sooner or later, he was going
to have to let go… and it was later, now… Duo sighed. “Helluva question to ask,
Yuy…”
“Why? You don’t know the
answer?” Heero muttered under his breath… He didn’t even know why he asked
that. He turned away with a huff, embarrassed with his question. “Forget it.”
“No… I want to answer.” Duo
couldn’t help the smile that left his lips as he looked outside the window and
imagined his wife. “I knew it was Hilde because… every time I wake up in the
morning I knew that she was there, ready to start the day with me. When she’s
the first person I see and the last before I go to sleep, my day’s complete.”
Heero watched the emotions
flit over Duo’s face from under his unruly thick brown bangs. Sometimes, he
envy him- his openness…
Duo let a few minutes slide
before he said his next few words just as memories assailed him. “I never
noticed it before, but when she was in a coma… When she was nearly kidnapped, I
knew that I never wanted to lose her…” Duo looked up at Heero and gave a half
smile. “Because of a lot of things, Heero… I will never be able to point at one
and say that it was because of that… it’s a lot, rolled into one… I love her
and the moment I realized that, I was the happiest man in the world.”
Heero nodded. He saw that
truth on Duo’s face every time. “When did you know?” The question left his lips
before he could stop it.
Duo grinned. His friend was
in an unusual questioning mode. “Heh… I dunno… Probably from the very start
when she was glaring down her cute little nose at me and scolding me about
doing nothing when there was a war out there… and the funny thing was, she
didn’t know that I was right in the middle of it… I just couldn’t accept it
then…” Duo looked away, a sad smile on his face. If he had been more truthful
with himself, he would have lived a longer life of bliss… but, right now,
they’re having fun catching up on lost time.
Heero shook his head… Damn! Duo cut too close… He couldn’t be… he couldn’t be in love with Relena… He just couldn’t be! He’s not allowed to feel those things. He’s not supposed to feel those things… He’s not… “I’m not ready for this…” Heero slid down the wall with a groan, bent down, and grabbed his hair in frustration. You would have thought that after killing so many people, after being soulless, nameless, and emotionless for nearly half of his life, he would be ready for something like this…
Duo frowned as he stared at
Heero… He knew that Heero’s fighting an inner demon but he must realize that-
“Heero, none of us are ready for it… It just sorta hits us… And man… we may be
strong, but when we fall… we fall hard and flat on our faces… We’re just human,
Heero… we’re just like any other average human being…” Duo looked at Heero
significantly. They may know more and do more, but they have the same feelings.
“Duo, you don’t understand…”
It was more complicated than that…
He could barely hear Heero’s
voice and Duo stooped, balanced his weight on the balls of his feet, and- “Try
me…”
A minute passed… Two, before
he spoke again, and it pained him to hear those words from his lips. “She loves
someone else…”
Duo nearly fell down on his
rump! He gawked, stared, and then blinked at Heero in surprise. “Excuse me?”
Was that squawk from him?!
Heero straightened, eyes
still closed as he bumped his head against the wall. “I said she loves someone
else.” He couldn’t believe that he’s telling Duo these things!
“Excuse me?” He knew he
sounded like a parrot… but what the hell?
Heero’s eyes opened in slits
and glared at him. For a moment, Duo felt better after he saw the familiar
look- the Heero he knew…
“Are you trying to irritate
me?”
“Dude, you’re confusing me!”
Duo pushed his hand through his thick hair for lack of anything else to do.
“For one thing, Relena doesn’t love anyone but-” He stopped his tongue just in
time… It’s for Relena to say, not him…
“But?” Heero’s sharp eyes
knew that Duo was holding something back…
“Uhm… nothing…” He cleared
his throat. “And you can’t make me say it either. Anyway, why did you say she
loves someone else?” He dropped down on his buttocks and sat on the floor,
beside Heero, Indian style. He’s gonna get to the bottom of this even if it
kills him!
Heero’s glare hardened as he
forgot Duo’s comment and focused on that… that painful day. “I don’t just jump
to conclusions, like someone I know.”
Duo flinched. He schooled
his face to show a ‘Who? Me?’ look and earned another heartfelt omae wo kurosu
glare from his friend.
“I heard it.”
Duo shook his head and his
braid swished to and fro… There couldn’t be anyone else… “What’s the guy’s
name?” He saw a silent snarl leave Heero’s lips before the poor man spoke.
“Charlie.”
Duo gave him an incredulous
stare but Heero’s glare didn’t waver and… Slowly, Duo’s wild imagination made
sense of the whole situation… The whole, sordid- “MWAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!” Duo fell
on his back as he clutched his stomach. But his laughter was cut short when he
felt a hand grab his throat. “Ergh… Heero… let go…”
“Stop laughing.” The threat
was clear and strong.
With his oxygen being cut
off, Duo could only nod.
Heero instantly let him go.
He never meant to hurt Duo anyway, just stop him from laughing. “Why did you
laugh?”
Duo coughed exaggeratedly
then grinned up at him. “Heero, my man, sorry to say but you’re one love sick
guy.”
“Shut up, Maxwell.” If Duo
teases him one more time-
Duo wiped the smirk off his
face as he saw the dangerous glint in Heero’s eyes. “Well, anywayz… I’m happy to announce that I only know one
Charlie in Relena’s life…”
Heero’s raised eyebrow prompted him to continue- if he values his life.
“Charlie is Relena’s
stepbrother. Her mom married his dad a few years after the war. They kinda hit
it off ‘coz they’re both onlys… you know, only kid.” He looked for any signs of
recognition on Heero’s face and found none… “Er… Heero… You haven’t been
keeping in touch with her family ties, have you?”
“Why would I want to keep up
with issues concerning her when I just want to forget about her?” Heero
snorted. Of course, he will not tell Duo that he never did a good job of it.
“Besides, stepbrothers do not kiss stepsisters on the lips.”
“Two days ago.” Heero went
back to his original position by the wall.
“You saw him kiss her?”
Duo’s frown deepened. Much as he liked the way Heero had opened up, he was
starting to wonder if Relena and Charlie really were more than… nah… can’t be!
“I have a 15-15 vision. I
saw what I saw from where I was. They hugged each other, Charlie leaned down to
Relena, and then they kissed.”
“Whoa! Back track there a
bit… Was his back to you?” He’s trying to comprehend whatever’s happening here
as best as he could…
“Yes. So what?”
A knock from outside made
their gazes swivel to the door.
“Duo? Are you still in
there?” Hilde hesitantly asked and from inside, Duo grinned as Hilde’s voice
made him remember something. Maybe he should pair Charlie up with someone, after
this. With all the situations the poor guy gets himself into, it will save his
life to have a girlfriend.
“Heero, watch and learn… I’m
not the only one who jumps to conclusion.” He walked to the door then opened
it. “Hilde… help me with a li’l experiment.” Before she could answer, he pulled
Hilde inside and didn’t even bother to close the door. “Yuy, watch and learn.”
Duo stepped in front of Heero’s line of vision and then leaned down.
“Watch you kiss Hilde?
What’s to learn from that?” Heero sarcastically groused.
“You come over here and
look.” Duo retorted, a bit impatient, while Hilde frowned at Duo, wanting to
question him, but that silencing look he gave stopped her.
Heero wearily stood up,
walked to the side and saw Duo… kissing Hilde’s cheek…
“A stepbrother can kiss a stepsister’s cheek, now can’t he?” Duo let go of Hilde, faced a stilled Heero, and then grinned at his friend’s reaction. “Now look who’s been jumping to conclusions.”
“Oh my…! Heero! What
happened to you?! You’re bleeding!” Hilde gasped as she got a good look at
Heero’s bleeding nose and the cut on his cheek.
“It’s nothing.” Duo and
Heero answered as they stared at each other and then Heero looked away and
grabbed his forehead.
“Damn!”
Duo smiled. “It’s hard,
isn’t it? But hey, we learn… How about if you go to Relena right now and talk
to her?”
Panic enveloped Heero. ‘Talk
to her?’ Now? What could he tell her? How? Where should he start?
“Relena’s sleeping… I gave
her some pills because she needs rest for that conference tomorrow.” Hilde
motioned to Relena’s closed door. “You can talk to her tomorrow… I’d suggest
after the conference so she wouldn’t be too shaken.”
Duo shrugged. “Sounds like a
good idea. Heero, you’ve got everything ready for the conference tomorrow,
right?”
Heero glared at Duo. “I may
be slow in other areas, but not this one.”
“Hallelujah! He admits!” Duo
cried out comically.
Hilde saw murder in Heero’s
eyes and quickly pushed Duo out of the man’s room. “We’ll see you tomorrow, all
right Heero? Good night!”
The door closed behind them
and he was by himself once again. Now that the smug grin was gone from his line
of vision, he could remember why Duo’s such a good friend… With a quick shake of his head, he dropped
down on his bed, aware that he will finally get a good night’s rest…
…
“Duo! Don’t you know when to
stop?!” Hilde whispered with utmost severity.
Duo only grabbed her waist
and then twirled her around. By the time they stopped, they were both trying
hard to cover their laughter. “I like to tease.”
“Too much! Heero was about
to kill you! Are you going to turn me into a widow so soon?!” She pulled at his
braid while a hand went around his neck. “It’s bad enough that Arche is still
on our tail, adding a former Gundam pilot to sniff us out is just making it
worse!”
“Nope…” Duo leaned down and
then rubbed his nose against her, torturing each other as their lips touched
with featherlike kisses. “Forget about Arche. We can handle them. As for those two… they’re gonna settle down
soon… I can feel it. So… how about we go to that honeymoon of ours?”
Hilde’s hands stilled Duo’s face and finally pressed her lips
against his for a good, long, hard, recklessly wild kiss. Duo pulled her body
against his while his hand roamed her back, wanting to feel her skin instead of
cloth.
“I guess… that means… yeah…”
His breathing became haggard as he talked between passionate kisses.
Hilde drew her lips away
then pressed her face against the side of his neck. “Well… I agree with you. I
mean, we found the perfect place… Heero and Relena are fine now… We’ve done
what we could… I think it’s about time that we move on with our lives.”
“Mmm…” With one last kiss on
her cheek, Duo leaned down and then scooped her up in his arms.
Hilde gasped while her hands
clutched his shirt. “Duo! What are you doing?!”
“Just practicing carrying my
bride over the threshold.” Duo whispered against her ear as he walked towards
her room and hummed the wedding march. “How about we leave tomorrow morning?”
They reached her door and he
slowly let Hilde slide down his body. His knees grew weak, but God! That felt
good! He wished that they could share the room together but… No one knows that
they’re officially married… and they want it to happen in the perfect
place…
“Tomorrow morning sounds
fine to me.” Hilde hugged her Duo one last time for that night. “I’m going to
dream of you tonight, my husband.”
Duo grinned. He wouldn’t have it any other way. “I love you, my wife.”
A soft chuckle left Hilde as
she touched her forehead against his chest. “Duo, we’re hopeless.”
“Yep.” He kissed her hair
one last time then stepped back before he could lose control. “Good night.”
Hilde nodded as she opened
her door. “Good night.”
Duo watched as she closed
her door then started for his own room, trying to ease his thoughts with their
upcoming honeymoon. After searching high and low for the right place for nearly
a month, they finally found their paradise island. They rented the whole
island, indefinitely, and by tomorrow, they would be in it with no radios, no
television, no one. With only a single telephone line that nobody knows about,
they are going to relish each other, making sweet, slow, torturous, rapturous
love.
Ah… Paradise!
{Heartfire’s Note: I’ve
received quite a few letters asking why I chose the name ‘Chimera of Life’ for
this saga, so I thought I should give a brief explanation, for those who are
interested.
In Greek mythology, Chimera
is a monster. Yet, it also means fantasy, illusions, or dreams. Monsters are
usually perceived as terrible while Dreams and Fantasies are usually wonderful.
There are two sides of a coin, as the saying goes. In life, even for an
instant, we experience both pain and pleasure.
Finally—I know, I know… for
those expecting more angst and found… well… humor, it’s because I couldn’t
torture them yet. I love them too much ^_^ and I thought that they’ve been
through enough, don’t you?
Once again, I would like to
thank you all for the wonderful reviews. If you have any criticisms, don’t
hesitate to send it over.
Well, I know everyone is starting to get ready for either Christmas, or winter vacation. Good Luck in both gift shopping and test taking!}