Operation: Lost Boys Part 4
"Checkmate."
Duo frowned. "One more time!"
Wendy shook her head in amusement. "You must be a glutton for punishment!"
"I am NOT a GLUTTON!" Duo tried to glare at Wendy, but the effect was ruined when he spoke again. "What's a glutton?"
Wufei let out a snort that sounded suspiciously like a laugh. "A glutton is someone who does something in excess. It usually refers to a person's eating habits. It's a more eloquent way of calling someone a pig. I think the term fits you."
Duo made a face at Wufei. "Thank you, Mr. Webster, for construing the word!" He grinned cheekily when Wufei frowned in puzzlement. "Construe... a verb meaning to translate or to interpret! I'm not as dumb as I sometimes portray myself to be."
"You could be a little nicer to Duo, Wufei. I must admit I have an unfair advantage over him. I've had years of practice." She started setting up the chess set. "Duo... you're being too random! Treat the chess game like a Gundam battle." She pointed to his king. "That's you... your mission in the game is to keep the enemy, which is me, from getting through your defenses and destroying your suit. Quatre would probably be able to explain it better, but consider the other pieces like a Maguanac Core... their sole purpose is to protect you by destroying me."
Duo frowned and nodded. "So... I can't just treat it like a game... got it!"
Wendy nodded. "Don't move before you consider all of your options."
Wufei was taken aback by the sudden seriousness in Duo's eyes. 'He might actually win a game!' He glanced up as Quatre walked in, followed closely by Trowa. "One of you might want to get Heero... I don't think he'll want to miss this."
*****
The group was quiet as the pair played their game. Even Relena and the other girls were watching with interest.
Quatre, though paying attention to the game, frowned as he looked from Duo to Wendy and back.
Trowa noticed the frown on Quatre's face. "What's wrong?"
Quatre shook his head. "Just a nagging feeling... nothing more. It's more of a suspicion than anything else. Nothing to be alarmed about, though."
Duo stared at all the pieces and considered his options. He blinked as he spotted an opening and noticed that his bishop could breach her defenses. He took the chance, hoping that it was enough to push the odds into his favor. His voice was slightly awed when he spoke. "Check."
Wendy blinked in amazement. 'He saw an opening I wasn't aware I had left!' She swore silently. "I got careless."
Duo grinned across at her. "Never underestimate the opponent."
Wendy had to grin back. "A check doesn't always lead to a mate. You haven't won yet." With that, she moved her knight.
But Duo had already pried his way into her defenses, and now he was on the offense, quickly eliminating any opposition that he came up against. He could hardly believe it when he spoke again. "Checkmate." He looked up, worried that Wendy would be mad at him. On the contrary, she looked... pleased.
"You have a great mind when you apply it, Duo." Wendy smiled happily. "It's been so long since I played with people who could give me such a challenge!" She glanced at Heero. "Do you wanna play the only guy who ever beat me?"
Duo grinned at Heero. "Yah! Play me a game, He-man! If I win, YOU have to smile and act happy for the rest of the day even if you have to fake it!"
Heero thought about that and nodded. "If I win, you have to keep your mouth shut for the rest of the day. Agreed?"
Duo sighed. "Well... Wendy's either gonna have two smiling faces or two stone faces at dinner. Sounds fair to me."
*****
"Duo... quit sulking." Heero cursed himself for making that bet with Duo. The instant Heero had called out Checkmate, the braided pilot visibly wilted.
Wendy smiled sadly. "I think he's just disappointed that he didn't get to see you smile. On top of that, he's the type of person who doesn't LIKE silence." She sipped some water out of her goblet and gazed at her dejected friend.
Heero nodded. More than once, a haunted look would enter Duo's eyes. It was as if his enforced silence caused him to remember things he wanted to forget. The look was somehow WRONG on the usually animated face.
Wufei swallowed his mouthful of rice before commenting. "I don't know... I kind of like the quiet. Duo never knows when to shut up." He almost missed the look in Wendy's eyes.
"Apparently, he's not the ONLY one who doesn't know when to shut up." Wendy watched as Duo stood up and walked out of the room. His dinner hadn't even been touched. "Especially when attacking someone who's been forbidden to defend himself."
Heero excused himself and followed Duo. Whatever anyone else thought, he considered Duo his closest friend. He was worried when he spotted the long-haired American sitting on the floor not too far from the dining room. "Duo?" He touched Duo's shoulder and felt like the lowest sort of scum when he saw how dead Duo's eyes were... how tired he looked. He knew some of Duo's past, but the pieces made it into a Swiss cheese. What he did know wasn't pleasant. Of all of them, Duo had been the only one who'd had to beg for whatever scraps someone was willing to toss him. He was the only one who'd had to fend for himself because everyone who ever looked out for him were killed. Duo had shrugged the parts he had shared off as if it were nothing, but Heero saw deeper... saw as deep as Duo saw into him. "I'm sorry. If it'll make you feel better, I'll smile for you."
Duo forced a smile to show his gratitude for the offer, but shrugged. He hated the silence. There was too much he wanted to say, and never enough time to say everything. Although it was true he talked a LOT, he had a hard time sifting through important information and useless babble. It had been so long since he had guys his own age he could just chatter away with. He looked up when Heero touched his shoulder and felt his jaw drop.
Heero decided to see if his offer would make Duo feel better. He thought of everything they'd been through together, and he had to smile when he remembered that their friendship had started with Duo shooting him. When he knew he was smiling, he touched Duo's shoulder, and felt a warmth inside him at the awe in Duo's face. "Only for you! You're the first person to see me really smile in I don't know HOW long. You know why? No one else has ever made me WANT to smile in a long time."
Duo felt a wave of gratitude, and did the only thing he could think of. He threw his arms around Heero and squeezed briefly before letting go and standing up. Suddenly he felt a lot better. He gave Heero an honest smile before running towards the stairs.
Heero just stared after Duo with a stupefied look on his face. Then he let his expressionless mask fall back into place. "Baka." Still... the insult now had an affectionate undertone that hadn't been there before.
*****
Heero glanced up at the sound of Duo's door opening and closing. He frowned as he wondered why Duo would need to leave his room. For a second, he thought Duo was going to the kitchen for a snack. Then he listened. 'No... kitchen is the other way... he just passed Wufei's door... now he passed Wendy's. Can't be going to the bathroom, all the bedrooms have their own.' He stood up and walked to his door. He opened it and glanced in the direction he heard Duo going. He spied the retreating braid. "Duo?"
Duo froze and turned. "Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up."
Heero shook his head. "I was awake. Where are you going? It's after midnight."
Duo half smiled and approached. "Honestly? I didn't think anyone else was awake, and I needed to talk. It didn't really matter if someone was there to hear me or not." He pushed his bangs back and gave Heero a shy, half-hearted grin.
Heero nodded. "Come on." He almost missed the way Duo's eyes lit up. Not long ago, he would have had a sinking feeling. Duo, when in the mood to really talk, could talk the hind leg off of a mule. After the uncanny silence, he wasn't about to take the talkative pilot's chatter for granted. He waited for Duo to get settled on the floor before he sat down on the small chair and resumed work on the crossword.
Duo shrugged. It's not like he expected Heero to really listen to what he was saying anyway. Still... it was better than nothing at all. He took a breath, then frowned. "I don't know what I want to talk about."
Heero shrugged, not taking his eyes off the puzzle. "How about you tell me something I don't know about you."
Duo sighed. "Okay... I've been having these strange dreams lately. No... dreams aren't what they are. They're memories." He hugged his knees to his chest. "The others don't know it, but I DO remember my family... VAGUELY. It's mostly just ghosts of scents and sounds. I know my mother had long hair. That's partially why I keep mine long. When I look at myself in the mirror, I can almost remember what her face looked like. I remember my father even less... but I have his eyes. I remember a lullaby my mother hummed. And then there's a third person... I can't remember her face when I wake up, but I have a feeling she's close to me. I remember once my father lifted me high in the air and spun me around until I was dizzy."
Heero had put his puzzle down and gazed at the puzzle before him. Duo was a puzzle in himself... filled with missing pieces. He looked so lost.
Duo clenched his teeth. "Damn the Federation! All they knew how to do is make orphans like me! It wasn't enough they killed one family off, they had to kill another one, too!"
Heero knew what Duo was talking about. "The Maxwell Church?"
Duo closed his eyes miserably. "That's why I'm fighting. I don't want civilians to be hurt. My father wasn't a soldier, nor was he a rebel. He was a man who just made a living to support his family. But we were in the wrong place at the wrong time. I left the house to play in the nearby park. I really shouldn't have. I got home to find the building I lived in blown to smithereens."
Heero walked over and placed a hand on Duo's shoulder. "Had you been in that building, then you would have been killed, too. Where would I be, then?" He swallowed... not used to talking. "I was about to kill Relena. Had you not stopped me, I WOULD have done it. Then you would have been dead since you were a child, Relena would have been dead from a bullet, and I would have long since killed myself. The others are strong, but they would not have survived this as long as they have without you as a sort of relief from the sadness." He knelt down. "Duo... you've had terrible luck in your life. At the same time, your luck has been amazing beyond belief. While you lost several people you cared for, or loved, you've also made it through all that to be here."
Duo sighed and hung his head. "I'm beginning to get scared, Heero. I'm starting to like all you guys, even Wufei, and that is never a good thing. By liking you, I've just about signed your death warrants." He let out a sarcastic laugh. "I'm just amazed that you all lived as long as you have around me."
Heero grabbed Duo's shoulders. "Duo... we're soldiers in a war. We run the risk of getting killed by just stepping outside. Even on a normal day, something could happen that could end our lives. If anything happens to ANY of us, it would not be because you were here. You've saved our butts countless times at the risk of getting yourself caught." He sighed. "Duo..."
"What?"
Heero took a deep breath. "Thank you for coming after me and getting me out of that hospital." He half-smiled at Duo's shocked expression. "I'm sorry I tried to kill myself in front of you. I hated my life at that time, and wasn't thinking. I don't always say it, but I do appreciate what you do."
Duo gave Heero a heartfelt smile. "Hey... could you do me a favor?" He bit his lip and ducked his head. "Next time I say I want to be alone, will you follow me? I do WANT to be alone when I say I do, but what I want and what I need aren't necessarily the same things."
Heero nodded. "Next time... I will follow you. You'd best get to bed now. I suspect Wendy has a full day planned for us."
Duo nodded. "Oyasumi, Heero. See ya in the morning!" He pushed himself to his feet and left the room without a backward glance.
Heero watched as Duo entered his own room. "Good night."
TBC...
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