A War Worth Fighting Part 3
Duo was just about to settle himself down to a night's 'almost rest' as he called it. One never could get a complete night's sleep in Muroran. While tuning out the sounds and smells of the place became easier to get past, it did not change the fact that he knew that something was in store for him.
With that little bit of information that 'Blue Eyes' had unknowingly provided him, the private had a lot of time to ponder just what he was being treated specially for. Not one of the things that he imagined as his fate was particularly pleasant. As a prisoner of war, there was not about to be a 'pleasant' fate waiting for him.
Left without any friends or family, Duo could only rely on himself to get out of his situation. As time passed, that was looking to be a bleak possibility. But, so long as he was alive, there would be fight in him. Even when he wanted nothing more than to have a moment to breakdown, he never would.
The sound of the cell door opening had the American's violet eyes snapping wide open. For the whole of his first week at the prison, his cell was rarely opened. Only when it was time to feed him his meager portions and replace his bucket that served as a toilet was his door opened. Instantly, a chill ran through him and his guard was up to defend himself from what was sure to be an attack.
Quickly pushing himself up and spinning, Duo was just about to land a forceful punch when a strong hand grasped his throat and knocked him back against the wall. Before he even had a chance to blink, the other hand reached up to roughly press the cold barrel of a pistol under his chin.
Panting along with his attacker, the American's wide eyes took in the fierce, narrowed cobalt eyes staring at him. With a rough swallow that almost did not make it past the metal digging under his chin, he managed to smirk, "Hey, Blue Eyes. And here I thought that you'd called it a night."
The sergeant growled deeply and pulled his prisoner by the front of his dingy, green uniform shirt. Duo remained still, fully prepared to do whatever was expected of him to keep that trigger from being pulled. Leading them from the cells and down a deserted corridor as the other officers changed over, the Japanese soldier brought them to his office and slammed the door closed as they entered.
Alone with his captive, Heero lowered his pistol onto his desk and removed the uniform cap from his head. Running a hand through his unruly hair he turned to his captive and commented in his native tongue, "I know you understand everything that I have been saying in your presence. You're translating what I am saying to you now."
Shocked as he was to be called out on his little secret, Duo maintained a look of confusion and tilted his braided head with a deep frown. "I don't know what the hell you're saying there, Blue Eyes." Opening his arms, he shrugged, "American, remember?"
Unable to help himself, he added with a smirk, "Though I must admit that you're kinda cute when you're angry- that brow of yours creased the way it is now. And that shade of red on your face is-" He never got to finish his remark when the back of a hand came up to smack him across the ride side of his face.
Pain shot through Duo's skull, causing stars to fill his vision as his head snapped to the left from the blow. Violet eyes wide, he slowly turned back to face the fierce glare focused on him. The sergeant's hands were balled into fists and shaking at his sides as a sure sign that he was prepared to strike again at any moment.
'Yea,' the American thought to himself while rubbing his throbbing cheek. 'So much for no harm coming to me. Must have been pushing his buttons a little too hard this week. Must be tired of hearing the sound of my voice.'
Opting to hold his tongue, the private remained still and defiant as ever while the Japanese youth yelled in his own tongue, "I know that you can understand me!" Duo only blinked in bewilderment and frowned once again.
At the end of his rope, the First Sergeant smirked in realization. "I know what will have you confessing," he stated in a low growl. Roughly gripping his prisoner by the back of the neck, he forced him towards the desk. Pushing the braided private's upper torso onto the top of his desk, he paid no mind to the pained grunt and pinned him down.
Freezing, Duo gasped sharply when he saw his captor's free hand reach for a pair of scissors. Panting heavily, his eyes widened as sweat beaded his forehead. His heart was racing, pounding in his ears to block out everything else for a moment.
He valued few things in his life the way he valued his hair. Being a soldier in the army and still having his long locks shouted to the world how important it was to him.
Desperate, the American struggled to free himself only to be pressed down onto the desk all the more roughly. In his ear, over his thumping heart, he heard the Japanese words hissed, "You want to play games? Fine. Now we're going to play my way."
There was a distinctive, metallic ring in the air as the scissors were opened. The cold metal pressed against the nape of Duo's neck. Eyes squeezing closed, Duo screamed in a strangled voice, "Iie!"
Inches from closing on the braid, the scissors paused before they were tossed aside. Gripping the back of his prisoner's shoulders roughly, the sergeant forced him up onto his feet. For a moment, the two soldiers panted heavily as they glared on one another.
Running a hand through his now damp hair, the Japanese officer sighed deeply. Reluctant at first, he finally spoke in English, "You hid your secret well." He raided an eyebrow and smirked, "Not nearly as well as I, however."
Stunned, Duo's jaw fell as he straightened. "Y-you... you mean to tell me that you've understood what I've been...?" Already, his thoughts were swirling, taking the new information in while his voice trailed off. The bottom of his stomach fell out in recalling his taunts and colorful names for the guards over the last few days.
His skin paling a couple of shades lighter than its usual fair hue, the private chuckled nervously, "Uh... sorry for the things that I said about your mother." Flushing, he coughed and threw in, "And the size of your dick."
Raising his hand to stop the list of items that had been a part of the American's verbal attacks over the last few days, the dark-haired soldier replied, "I am quite used to hearing some... interesting things from the prisoners held here."
Finally coming to his senses, Duo's violet eyes scanned the simple office around him-focusing on the name engraved at the plate on the front of the desk. "First Sergeant Heero Yuy," he read aloud. Looking to the officer, he snorted, "Wish that I could say that it's nice meeting you, Heero."
Unfazed by the remark, Heero leaned in to reply, "Same to you..." Leaning in, he took hold of the private's dog tags hanging around his neck. "Duo Maxwell," he smirked just as the tags were snapped back from his hand.
Snarling at the sergeant, the braided soldier asked, "So... what now?"
Heero folded his arms and shrugged, "Well, you have proven to me time and time again that I cannot leave you sealed away where my men can get to you. They have incredible patience, but even they have their limits. It would not be long before one of them decides that they have had enough of your mouth- even if they cannot understand you."
"Well then, what do you have in mind to take care of that?" Duo asked. While he put on an air that he really did not care what the answer would be, he was inwardly regretting asking the question.
The small, amused grin that tugged the First Sergeant's lips certainly did not help ebb his fears.
* * * * * *
It only took an hour for the cage to be set up and drilled into the drywall to take up half of Heero's office. As crude as the standard cells were, he knew that it would be a simple assembly with a couple hands to assist him. The tiny, adjacent bathroom of a toilet and sink was enclosed as a part of the cell to keep the office from becoming... unpleasant.
More than a few of the men cast their commanding officer confused or outright disgusted looks from the corner of their eyes. No one dared come out and actually question Heero in his choice to give the prisoner what seemed to be better accommodations. No one ever questioned their superior. But they did not have to appear thrilled about his choices, either.
While aware of the disdain, the First Sergeant never balked or even offered an explanation. The others would just have to trust and follow along with whatever was ordered. What a commanding officer did was always for the better of his men. It did not matter whether they understood the reasons or not.
Besides, that swelling bruise on the right side of Maxwell's cheek was enough to calm the majority of the soldiers for the time being. It was a clear sign that their leader was still willing to use force on the prisoner. At the sight of the bruise, many of the guards offered the sergeant a smile and a firm nod of their approval.
Still... Heero could not help but silently feel just a bit uncomfortable at the feeling of being stuck between a rock and a hard place in this situation. It would not be long before things became uncomfortable again. Even at the expense of his relationship with his men, he was going to see that the braided baka that had been handed over to his care would be safe from further infliction until Khushrenada came to collect him.
Once the cell was completed, the sergeant went and escorted his charge there himself. Late as it was when all was said and done, Duo remained compliant and followed along. The pistol pressing against his back was further motivation for him to hold his tongue.
Each step he took, the American private looked ahead and not to either side of him at the other cells to his comrades and those soldiers that had been at Muroran before their arrival. Not knowing his own fate or theirs, he did not want to commit any of those faces to memory lest he never see them again. He imagined that the only way a prisoner of war survived was to not get too attached.
Taken aback when they reached the sergeant's office, Duo's eyes widened on his new cell that had almost magically appeared since the last time he was taken to the room. Closing the door behind them, Heero gestured to the cell and commanded in English, "In there."
Without hesitating, the private stepped into his new prison. Looking over his shoulder as the door was closed behind him, he smirked despite the pain it caused in his cheek, "So this is similar to the bad student being punished by being stuck with the teacher, huh?"
Not the least bit amused, Heero snapped the lock on the door in place. Since the room was closed off and sound proof, he answered in his prisoner's tongue to reply, "I suppose you can look at it that way. This is the easiest way for me to keep an eye on you and maintain my normal duties here at Muroran."
Gesturing to the door and his two large windows on opposite sides of the room, he informed, "There will be armed guards standing by to take you out if you make any movement from this room without me."
A glance to his watch had the sergeant sighing. It was far too late to bother driving to his quarters a few miles away. He would only earn a couple hours of sleep until he needed to return to the prison for his usual shift. Relenting to simply taking up the cot down the hall where there was also a change of clothes and a shower for long nights like this, he headed for the door.
Pausing to fix his captive with a firm glance, he stated, "You have seen that I am not as unwilling to hurt you as you thought. The trouble that you have caused me has deprived m of my usual amount of sleep. I will be grouchy tomorrow for it. Do not test me when I am back."
Duo swallowed roughly. His own eyes fighting the sleep that threatened to close them, he nodded firmly without so much as a snort. The dull throb of his cheek was proof enough that the sergeant was willing to take measures into his own hands to subdue him if need be. And as determined as the private was in getting out of Muroran alive, he was not about to test his boundaries again any time soon.
Their discussion over, Heero turned out the lights to his office and stepped out into the hallway. Moonlight shone through the windows of the second floor office, pouring onto the floor as the first sign of natural light that Duo had seen since arriving to Japan.
Chewing on the inside of his good cheek, the braided soldier lowered himself onto his side.
Taking advantage of the sound-proof room in its blocking of any cries and shouts from the heart of the prison, his violet eyes drifted closed.
For the first time in over a week, he slept through the night.
* * * * * *
Not only had Duo slept through the night, but Heero was already at his desk and flipping through some paperwork when he returned to the world of the living. Blinking his violet eyes, he pushed himself up off his side and moved for the tiny bathroom.
Relieved a few minutes later, Duo washed his hands in the sink and silently wished that he could find a mirror somewhere to get a look at himself. He knew that his braid had to be a mess. Knowing that there would not be a mirror provided to him, he simply made do by running his damp hands through his hair and braiding it by memory.
Much as he wanted a shower, the private did not bother on two accounts. First: the 'shower' meant having to stand in front of a violent-force hose and laughing soldiers as they berated and taunted the person they were 'helping' in getting clean.
Second: Judging by the look on Heero's face as he continued through his paperwork, he knew the young man had not been joking in his prediction that he would be in a foul mood for missed sleep. Disturbing him for a request to simply feel somewhat refreshed was not something Duo was about to try. Lightly, he pressed a hand to his numb right cheek for a reminder of the blow he'd received to hold his tongue.
Throughout the day, Heero worked at his desk. Other than a few trips out to check on the men and head to another bathroom, he spent most of his time going over report after report. All the while, Duo simply sat in the furthest corner from the desk. Facing the windows, he looked to the bright sky and watched a few birds and military planes fly past from time to time.
A whole day passed and not a single word was spoken between the sworn enemies. There were only a few glances from one to the other to see what their foe was doing. Otherwise, it was as if the other person never existed.
Bright reds and oranges colored the sky at the first signs of sunset. Slowly rising from his seat, the First Sergeant reached for his fresh uniform coat and cap. Fitting them neatly into place, he took up a file from his desk and headed out for the night. A hand reaching up to turn out the office light, he closed the door behind him. Still without acknowledging his prisoner.
With a deep sigh, Duo lied back onto the wooden floor. Uneventful as the day was, it had been far better than any other day. At least it was quiet and the air was free of must, blood, urine and feces. Along with that, he had his own bathroom and a couple of windows to look through.
His arms folded under his head as a pillow, the American counted the clouds drifting past while envisioning shapes that they made. Before long, he was counting the stars as they came out in the darkening sky. And within moments of that, he had drifted off to sleep again.
* * * * * *
The following morning, Duo stirred at the sound of the office door unlocking and opening. Blinking his violet eyes, he stared up to the window. Frowning at the sight of the still dark sky, he instantly knew that something was wrong.
It was too early for Heero to be returning to his office to start the day.
Spinning onto his side to push himself to his feet, the private stared into the dark narrowed eyes watching him. It was one of the guards that he recognized from the night shift. Akio Kenishi. When he was not sleeping, Duo was studying and placing the names that he heard spoken amongst the soldiers in the prison.
This Akio was a particularly nasty soldier. It was not uncommon for him to become bored late in the evening and decide to rouse one of the original prisoners from his sleep to use his whip on them. He got a particular joy out of causing pain.
Built like a machine and tall for his heritage, just an inch taller than Duo, the soldier smirked darkly at his prey. Slowly sliding the metal wires that he had used to pick the office lock into his pocket, Kenishi hissed in his own language, "You may not understand my words, but I see the worry hidden in your eyes so you do understand the threat I bring."
Playing off as though he did not have an inkling to what was being said, Duo tilted his head with a frown. But he would not show any fear,
Akio leaned close and whispered, "There will be no hiding from me. I know where you are now. I will have my shot at you when the opportunity presents itself."
Chuckling deeply, he warned, "Rumor around here has it that you're being saved for someone else's... pleasures of the flesh and that is why you're not to be harmed before they get to you. It certainly would stand to reason why someone as exquisite as yourself would be given the utmost care."
Such a notion nearly had Duo's knees buckle on him. But he never betrayed the fact that he understood what he was hearing. Sweat ran down the back of his neck from the effort of holding back a gasp or cry of surprise at the realization that there might be some truth to the rumor that was being spread.
Kenishi only leaned closer to the gated door. "But I will have my shot at you before anyone else will," he vowed in a low growl. "And there is not a thing that you or our dear First Sergeant will be able to do about it." Patting the door, he grinned in a manner without humor or warmth, "You have a good night."
With another chuckle, the Japanese soldier headed for the office door and slipped out into the hallway. The metallic click of the lock latching back into place echoed in the office.
Finally allowing the shudder that he had been holding back to shake his frame and all but collapsing onto the floor, he pulled his legs close to his chest. Closing his eyes, he whispered his mantra over and over again.
'I will not break. I will not break. I will not break.'
TBC...
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