| Mizu-iwa cho | home |
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| Heero and Duo |
across his back. He creeped through the silence of the night, Zero One waiting for him outside.
The events of the previous night echoed in his mind, one final mission of Operation Mizu-iwa
etched into place. He slowly made his way to Duo’s room, his last stop before his departure from
Mizu-iwa. He pushed open the door silently, just barely able to make out a figure hunched over
the side of the bed.
Duo sat, his hands loosely clasped on his lap, as shimmering violet eyes stared upon
them. A faint seam of light ran over his face, and he looked up to see the familiar silhouette
of a boy at the doorway. He smiled, faint, meaningless, yet grateful. "Oi," Shinigami whispered
in the night before casting his eyes downward again. "Where are you going?"
Heero frowned upon the image of Duo sitting depressed on his bed. He never thought that
such a mood would cover the light in Duo’s eyes. "I am needed elsewhere," was his simple reply.
Duo looked up at him again, shaking his head slightly as a tiny smirk creased his face.
"Same ‘ol Heero, eh? Nothing phases ya."
Heero did not budge. Not until his mission was complete.
"It was just a simple romp through the colony," Duo declared as his eyes grew distant,
his mind flashing back. "And here she comes, bringing trouble with her as always. Man, that fire
in her was brilliant, ya know? Nothing could put it out. Life was just a little more exciting
with her around, she had that affect on everyone she came across. Not anymore, never again." He
turned his head sharply away, so as not to let Heero see him fight back tears. "Damn it, I don’t
know why I’m being so sentimental. It’s not like me, for the god of death to be this way."
Heero stared, glued to his spot. He had never seen Duo cry for anything else but
Deathscythe. Tears were not commonly Duo’s way. He turned, prepared to leave, as rigid as stone
yet his heart secretly cried out for his friend. "Mina is not dead," he stated quietly.
Duo’s head snapped up as his violet eyes searched Heero’s prussian-blue ones. He looked
confused, bewildered for a few seconds before he suddenly charged at the perfect soldier. Heero
was shoved back, slammed across the hallway as Duo pinned him up against the wall with angry
fists.
"Quit messing with me, Heero!" he shouted fiercely. "I’m sick of your games!"
Heero glared coolly as Duo slowly calmed down, eventually releasing his hold on Heero.
The short-haired boy moved noiselessly down the hall as Duo stared after him. Heero stopped as
eyes met, and Duo knew at once that Heero’s words were the absolute truth. The perfect soldier
would never lie to Shinigami.
"Mina told me to tell you that she loves you," came Heero’s final statement
before leaving Duo motionless in the building. He stalked slowly across the grass to his gundam
standing proud and tall by the trees, waiting for his command.
Mission complete.