A War Worth Fighting Part 10
Duo sighed as he stared up at the ceiling of his cell. Lying back on his cot, he tried to occupy himself with doing something other than just staring out the windows. This time, he was counting the tiny speckles on the ceiling tiles.
One-hundred-and-twenty-seven... One-hundred-and-twenty-eight... One-hundred-and-twenty-nine...
The sound of the door being unlocked and opened broke his thoughts and he sat up to watch Heero entering with his briefcase and cap as he would return from any meeting with his staff. Looking over to his charge, the sergeant closed the door behind himself and smirked, "I hope I did not interrupt your nap at two o'clock in the afternoon."
Snorting, the private retorted, "For your information, I was counting the little spots overhead. I'm fucking bored out of my skull in here." As he turned onto his side, he grinned slyly, "There's not any way you could swipe something for me to read or anything, could you?"
Heero lowered his belongings by his desk as he chuckled deeply, "You seem to think of this as a hotel. But, I suppose that if I don't come up with something you will only cause me grief. I will see what I can do."
"Great!" Duo cheered. "Thanks, 'Ro." Picking himself up from the mattress, he placed himself in the middle of the floor to begin his push-up reps just as the telephone rang.
Already seated, the officer easily reached for the receiver and switched back to his native language to greet, "Yuy." At the voice that responded, he sat straight to attention and blinked in surprise. "Yes, Sergeant Major."
Looking up upon in hearing that, the braided soldier grunted as he continued his workout and listened in on the one half of the conversation. The surprise in his captor's eyes only grew as he said, "Tomorrow morning... Yes, sir... Very Good, sir. Thank you." Slowly, he removed the receiver from his ear and put it back in its cradle.
For a long moment, Heero just sat in silence, staring off at nothing as he silently wondered why he would be receiving a visit from his direct superior. It was not even a whole week since the last visit, when those stops were normally a month or more apart. Instantly, the wheels were turning to come up with any possible explanation behind the visit.
"Stop thinking about it so much," Duo suggested as he ended his hundredth rep. Lying himself on his back, he began his sit-ups and peered at the other soldier from the corner of his eye. "You'll make yourself crazy," he grunted through his effort.
Unable to help the small smile of amusement on his face, Heero shook his head and resigned himself to the fact that his charge was right. He had other things to worry about besides a meeting with his superior.
Rising from behind his desk, the sergeant announced on his way to the door, "I'll see what I can do about some reading material."
Once the door closed and he was alone again, Duo paused in his workout and smiled. "Guy's not too bad if given a chance," he told himself before continuing his workout.
* * * * * *
The following morning, Heero's nerves were plaguing him as he waited for the Sergeant Major to arrive in the secluded office he'd chosen as their meeting place. Gazing out the large windows, he kept his hands folded behind him as he stood in silent thought.
No doubt was in his mind that this was not going to be a routine check-in. But whatever the sudden reason to meet in person, he was still unsure.
Finally, the old man entered the room and closed the door behind him to end the torturous waiting. Instantly turning to greet him, the First Sergeant bowed at the waist with a respectful, "Sergeant Major."
Waving his hand nonchalantly, his superior replied, "No need for the formalities, Heero. I am coming to you as a friend more than your commanding officer today." He gazed around the room with a worried look and asked, "This room is also soundproof when closed, correct?"
A frown marring his face, Heero nodded firmly, "Yes, Sir. From the sound of your voice, I thought that we should meet in a space that was completely private as opposed to my office."
"Very good," the old man nodded in response. Slowly raising his head so that their eyes met, he took a deep breath and stated, "I wanted to speak with you in person regarding this."
Heero swallowed roughly, not liking the sound of that at all. As he feared, perhaps he was being demoted for whatever reason. Some reprimanding had to be behind this meeting. There would have been more time to prepare for the visit otherwise.
Releasing his breath in a sigh, the Major shook his head and informed, "There is no easy way of saying it so I will have to get right to the point. France has been liberated by the Allies for a couple of months now. They are moving in on Germany quickly."
Knees nearly buckling, the First Sergeant's cobalt eyes widened. That was certainly unlike anything that he had imagined hearing. To be honest, a reprimand would have been much better news to receive. But this... this made the bottom of his stomach fall out.
"Now we both know what this will mean for us when we become the only fronts left," the old man began. "We are going to need as many of our men out in the fields to defend ourselves."
Coming back to life, Heero nodded firmly, "Of course. I can be ready to leave by night-"
He was cut off by a strict, "That does not include you, Yuy."
The wind was knocked out of the subordinate officer's lungs at that. Skin pale and eyes wide, he whispered, "W-what?"
"I am sorry," his superior frowned as he shook his head. "But I have decided that you need to stay here and continue your duty in seeing that nothing happens to the prisoners that Treize is expecting-primarily the one locked in your office. The war is far from won for any side that that man could still be someone that will help change the tide back. It is vital that we live up to every part of our agreement with him."
Stunned, Heero breathed, "But I trained to become a soldier to protect my country." Nearly shaking with rage, his voice rose to a nearly shouted, "I should not to be stuck here to watch over prisoners like this when I am needed in battle the most!"
Raising his hand, the Sergeant Major glared heatedly at him. "You are to do as ordered," he snapped. "Plain and simple. If you do not believe that you are fit for the task, then I will be happy to strip you of your role as a soldier in this army entirely."
Quickly remembering his place, the young soldier bowed his head with a sincere, "Forgive me for raising my voice, Sir. This is... beyond frustrating for me to feel like my hands are tied in this."
At that, the old man calmed and rested his hands on the boy's shoulders. "I understand where you are coming from," he reassured. "Treize is overdue in his arrival here. It will probably only be a matter of days... weeks before he finally arrives. When he does, you can join the others in battle as you have wanted since you came here. But I need someone that I can trust to oversee things here."
Their eyes meeting, Heero forced in a deep breath and nodded with a quiet, "You can count on me then, sir. Clearly you have your reasons for your decisions and it is not my place to question them. If you want me to stay, I will stay."
Chuckling, the Major grinned, "Very good, son. You have made me proud as always." As he lowered his hands, he advised, "I will be taking more than half of the ninety soldiers that are stationed here. If more of your men are needed, they will be called upon. By the end of the month, I imagine that Treize should have been here to collect his prizes, then you will be back where you belong."
It was not ideal for Heero. But it was what it was. With another firm nod, he replied, "Yes, Sir. We best go over the details of who I will be losing, then."
* * * * * *
Watching a few white clouds pass by, Duo waited anxiously for Heero's return. After watching his 'roommate' nervously pacing back and forth in the office for most of the morning, he actually was worried over what this meeting meant for him.
Hours ticked by and so was his anxiety rising. If anything had happened to the sergeant, what would that mean for him?
Regardless of their current relationship as a prisoner and keeper, there was a significant growth of respect and understanding between them. At least the private knew that there had been that growth on his end.
They were far from good friends. But they were not the enemies they had started off as.
At the sound of the door opening, Duo spun quickly to face it as the First Sergeant entered. Upon first glance, it was difficult to read the expression on his face to get a good enough idea on how the meeting went.
But there was something in the air around the officer that just did not seem right. It was enough to make Duo hold his tongue as he swallowed roughly.
Without a word, Heero moved for his desk once the door was closed behind him. His back to the cell, he just paused and stared at the paperwork building up on him. A rigidness in his shoulders, he sighed long and deeply.
Slowly looking over to his charge, the sergeant announced, "I need some air." Heading over to the key holder on the wall, he removed the ring bearing the key to the padlock sealing the prison. "You're coming with me," he concluded while heading to the cage door.
In a hurried scramble to his feet, Duo blinked in surprise but still remained quiet. No doubt there was something wrong and he was not sure the best way to address it. Besides, it had been weeks since he was able to 'get some air.' He was not about to ruin the opportunity by saying anything that may have him left behind.
The door was unlocked, a light coat was handed over and wrist restraints were locked together more for show than need. Once his loaded pistol was in his hip holster, Heero guided his prisoner with a hand on his back.
Much to the private's shock, there were no guards to be found waiting in the immediate hallway. In fact, as they continued down the corridors, there were no soldiers to be found anywhere. Biting his lip against the surge of questions that he had, he allowed himself to be guided through the maze of Muroran.
After what seemed like a short eternity, they finally reached the door leading to the outside. His heart pounding in his chest, Duo's eyes widened. Reaching around him, Heero unlocked the exit and pushed the door aside.
Instantly, a rush of autumn smells were carried on the crisp breeze that flowed in. The braided soldier took a few tentative steps into the world, leery of any guards that may be guarding with guns ready to take aim. Looking around the empty courtyard, he grew a breath of relief and took in the gray walls that secured the area, awed by the size of the prison around him.
Still not speaking a word, Heero gently ushered his captive to the back wall where a small gate sat. Easily unlocking the crude metal door, he stepped aside for his companion to enter the site first.
Walking as though in a dream, Duo slowly headed into the wooded area around him. Surrounded by vivid colors of reds, yellows, greens and oranges, he could not help but think of his home in Montana and how its own trees would have shared the same shades.
A lump began to form in his throat and tears stung his violet eyes at the sights and smells that he feared he would never experience again. For some time, he had forgotten what it was like to just breathe in a cool, fresh breeze.
Even with his wrists tied together, Duo had never felt as free as he did then. One never did appreciate what they had until it was gone.
Heero gave his charge a moment to take things in before closing the gate and urging him with a quiet, "This way." Gently urging him on, he led them where the ground kept rising, down an unmarked path that he knew of by heart until they reached the edge of the foliage where a tall hill resided.
At the top of the steep hill where they stopped, there was a perfect view of the tree tops around them. In the distance, the sun was just beginning its decent over the horizon. Overhead, the clear sky was painted in a rainbow of vibrant colors.
Turning the other soldier so that they were facing each other, Heero froze with wide eyes at the sight of the wet trails running down Duo's face. During the two months that he had come to know the American, he had never seen him cry before.
Suddenly, he wondered once again how he had become so cold towards another person's needs... enemy or not.
As he reached down to carefully unbind the wrist restraints, the sergeant cleared his throat and said to the wide-eyed combatant, "You have demonstrated several times your trust in me. Now I am showing my trust in you by doing this."
Duo bit his lip and nodded with a broken, "Thank you." There really was nothing more that he could say. Nothing more that he trusted his voice to express.
Once his wrists were free, he rubbed them and took a long look all around to the patchwork of multicolored treetops. Closing his eyes, he let his braided head fall back and opened his arms out wide as he took in a deep breath.
It was the first time... in a long time that he actually felt alive.
Sitting himself down onto the grass, Heero kept an eye on the sun placement to know when it was time to head back. The Sergeant Major was going to be meeting with his guards for several hours, going over the details of where help would be needed most and who would be shipped to what locations.
No better time than that to be alone with someone who needed as much of a break from the prison as he did.
Lost in his thoughts of the war, the officer continued to stare off as he felt his companion sit beside him. In a whisper just faintly heard over the light wind at their height, he spoke, "Clearly you believe that your country and the Allies are on the side of right. Do you see me and my people as truly vile, then?"
There was a pause before Duo sighed. His own violet eyes staring ahead, he replied just as softly, "You know, 'Ro, being stuck in a cell as long as I've been you have a lot of time to think. Of course, war is one of my biggest thoughts in trying to understand it and the people involved." Pausing a moment, he shared, "I think I have an answer to that question."
With Heero's cobalt eyes turning to face him, the American slowly lowered himself onto his back. Staring up to the heavens he shrugged, "Every war is a war worth fighting in the eyes of every soldier because something is important to them. Whether that 'something' is simply protecting their country, love, peace, respect or even power... there is something that they're willing to stand up for and even die for."
He turned his braided head to meet the cobalt eyes watching him and questioned, "Is there really a right or wrong in that? I'd like to think that so long as a person fights for what they believe in there is some good source behind it."
Duo winced, adding, "Granted, there can be corruption involved by the people who call the shots and come to the decisions that make battles like this possible... but I really hope that everyone who has been sacrificed in this has had something that they found the good in."
Blinking in surprise, Heero felt a slight sting of tears in his eyes over that moving sentiment. Not wanting the shimmer to be caught, he looked away and cleared his throat once more. "I... I never looked at it that way," he admitted.
They fell into a companionable silence for some time. For a time, they just enjoyed some peace for a change in a world gripped by violence and grief.
As the sky began to darken, the sergeant rose to his feet and suggested, "We better head back. The others will be returning to their posts soon. It would be best for it to seem like we never left before that happens."
Regardless of his desire to just stay where he was, Duo knew the trust that was placed in him by not putting Heero in danger should he run. Pulling himself up and onto his feet, he took one last, long look around. Then, finishing his spin by facing the officer, he closed the distance between them with a fierce hug.
Stunned, Heero froze with wide eyes when those strong arms wrapped around his neck. For a brief moment, he wondered when the last time he received a hug was. Almost cautiously raising his own arms, he returned the embrace. Before he could dwell on how nice the simple gesture felt, he pulled back and asked, "What was that for?"
"I never got to really thank you for everything," Duo answered with that grin of his that reached his violet eyes. Looking almost sheepish, he shrugged, "And you just looked like you needed that."
Yet again, the sergeant was without a way to respond. Instead, he just stood there, blinking his wide eyes.
Holding his arms out, the private offered himself to be taken away again. At that, Heero shook his head, "I'll put the restraints back on when we reach the prison walls." Gesturing with his head towards the direction they came from, he said quietly, "Come on."
Duo's arms fell to his sides as his jaw fell open in surprise. With a smile from ear-to-ear, he fell into step with his companion, walking beside him instead of being forced ahead or behind him for the first time.
And it was quite the nice change for both of them.
TBC...
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