Revolutinary Duo-kun: Eternal Revolution Part 2
Haunting Dreams
Heero stood silently at the door to the dojo, not moving an inch. Though his eyes were shaded by his brown bangs he missed nothing. Heero just simply chose to stand still, not wishing to disturb the scene before him. And a scene it was. When Heero had first seen Solo he'd been amazed at how similar the boy looked to Duo, but now he was seeing a completely different side, one that looked to be Duo's mirror opposite.
Solo stood completely still, his back to the door where Heero stood. He had his long hair pulled back in a tight ponytail down his back, falling over the sweatpants and white tank top. His arms were locked out, holding the katana tight, yet lose enough that it almost seemed like an extension of his body. Heero watched with great interest as Solo started to move.
He moved slow at first, each arm turning and each sword stroke as smooth as a flowing stream unhindered by the scattered rocks. He began to slowly circle around the room, his violet eyes narrowing in deep concentration. His speed increased with amazing grace as he continued to move around the room, fending off unseen enemies in what looked more like a dance then a battle. The graceful movements only lasted for a few minutes and then it seemed like something was triggered, Solo stopped abruptly and headed for the rack to put the sword away.
He saw me, Heero realized. He'd been concentrating so much and then he noticed me standing in the corner and decided to stop. Heero sighed silently as he tried to figure what to do. He could try and talk to the other boy but... he had to be careful. Wufei had a very good point and it was perfectly possible that this wasn't Duo in any way. Heero had to be careful he didn't turn Solo into someone he wasn't. Heero pushed himself off the door frame and walked over. Solo set the sword down and grabbed a towel, he sat down on a bench and watched Heero closely as he wiped away the sweat.
"You're good," Heero commented softly. What are you doing?! He scolded himself. Just what in the world did he plan to accomplish? Heero Yuy wasn't one for small talk and that's exactly what he was attempting, and he would most definitely fail miserably. But he had to find out if this was Duo. He had to know!
Solo's eyes watched him silently for a moment as he seemed to contemplating something, then Heero could have sworn he saw the edge of his mouth move up in the smallest of smirks. "Are you challenging me?" Solo asked quietly, the tone of his voice echoed the joking tone of Duo.
Wordlessly Heero walked over to the rack and took one of the swords in his hand. He pulled the sheath off partway and inspected the blade. Behind him he heard Solo stand up and retrieve his blade. Silently the two boys moved to the center of the room. Heero raised his sword in a kind of salute and slashed it through the air to the floor. "Heero Yuy," he said simply.
Solo copied his movement, making the blade whistle through the air. His smirk was gone to leave nothing but a blank face and haunted looking eyes. "Solo Kama."
Both dropped into a ready stance, watching each other with silted eyes. Heero noticed right away that the haunted look disappeared from Solo's eyes and they seemed to light up, as if a battle like this was the only time he dared let himself be free, dared to let his true self show. Heero pondered this silently as he moved forward, testing his new opponent. Solo moved out of the way easily before the blade was even a threat. Heero tried again, faster this time, and still received the same response. Except that this time Solo whirled around and struck back almost instantly, Heero quickly brought his blade up to block.
It was almost as if the boy were reading his mind. He responded to every attack Heero made, moving out the way and countering them with unearthly ease. It was incredible how Solo made the blade a part of his body. Despite the fact that Heero had once won his own set of duels, long before he'd become the Star Prince, he found himself struggling to stand against Solo. True this wasn't a duel, it wasn't nearly as intense, but it was still a challenge and Heero owed it to attempt to win. Yet Solo was exceptional and it didn't take more then ten minutes before Heero's blade was forced out of his hand. Solo's sword stopped a hair from his neck.
For a moment both boys stood frozen, staring at each other. Heero didn't move, he just watched Solo's eyes. He watched the light and excitement from the challenge fade away back into the strange haunted look. Solo dropped away his sword and gave Heero a short nod, signaling the duel was over. Then he cross the room and retrieved Heero's blade, handing it to him.
"Who taught you?" Heero asked as he watched Solo pull the hair-tie from his hair, letting the long sweat-sparkled locks free across his back. Solo shrugged.
"Dunno. Guess I picked it up along the way."
Heero pondered this, still not moving from where he stood. His mind worked slowly, moving over each possibility. There was still a chance it could be Duo. In the beginning of the duels Duo hadn't even touched a sword before, but it was amazing what one could learn in a year if they put their minds to it, not to mention that Duo had used the power of Death. With the power of Death he'd become the best duelist and won the duels. So it was still possible...
"You've been staring at me the entire time you've been here," Solo remarked without turning to face Heero. He turned and ran a hand through his long hair to straighten it out. "Why?"
Heero shrugged and finally moved to replace his sword on the rack. He resigned himself to leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets.
With a small laugh Solo dropped down onto the bench. "You're quieter than me."
"Hn." Well? What was he supposed to respond with? Heero wanted so much to yell at the other boy. Force him up against the wall and scream in his face, demanding to know if he really was Duo or not, but he held back. That wouldn't solve anything, it wouldn't only make the situation worse. The two were so different and yet so similar at the same time! It was driving him mad and he was about at his breaking point. And constantly staring at Solo and taking note of his every mood didn't help!
"Solo, you in here?" Catherine poked her head into the room and immediately fixed Heero with a suspicious look. A second later she completely stepped into the room. "You ready to go? We're going to be late."
Solo nodded. In the one second that Catherine appeared the walls seemed to soar up. It was as if he suddenly remembered that he needed to hide from the world, that he needed to keep himself protected. Heero cursed himself for not having the ability to talk more. Maybe with a little more time he could have found the answers that he was looking for. All he knew now was that if he was going to ask Solo anything about his past it would have to be somewhere without Catherine.
"Ja ne, Heero." Solo gave a short wave and grabbed his stuff, falling into step behind Catherine and they left. Heero was left to stand alone in the silent dojo, just watching after them through the open doorway.
He sighed softly and closed his eyes. In his mind he played with images. Over and over in his mind he replayed scenes between himself and Duo that had taken place outside of the duels. It was like a repeating tape.
<<"Leave the duels. If you don't I will kill you."
Duo frowned. "No."
Heero glared even more and opened his mouth to spit out another threat, when suddenly he found Duo's lips pressed against his. Heero's eyes went wide as the American slid his hands around Heero's waist and held him tightly, kissing him. Heero froze, completely shocked. He could only stand there in shock as Duo finally pulled back and smiled at him. Smiling at his surprised expression.
"So, it is possible for the 'Star Prince' to show some emotion. And here I thought you were a lost cause." Duo shrugged and ducked around Heero.>>
Heero frowned. How ironic. In the beginning it had been Duo who showed all the emotion, trying anything and everything to get some kind of response from him. And now? Now Heero would have to show his emotions and act on them to get any answers out of Solo. Solo was one of those people that didn't give up things, he would have to be befriended. And that would prove to be the most challenging part, without a doubt.
~*~
He refused to shut his eyes, knowing that if he did he'd be forced to see the entire scene play again in his mind. How Trowa had been attacked... the sword that had been stolen and then Trowa's face when he fell. He'd looked dead! But it wasn't just the replaying of the scene that haunted him, it was also his own reaction at the time.
"I should have stayed behind... should have helped." Quatre buried his face in his arms as he hugged his knees in the corner. He should have picked a stick, anything, and raced forward to help Trowa. He should have done something! Trowa would have protected him. Trowa would have been able to save him. But in the end Quatre had failed to save the one he loved.
After Trowa had fallen Quatre had taken off at a run, going as fast as his feet could carry him. All he could think about was getting to the others and warning them about this duelist with a black rose. All he could do was warn them. He'd headed straight for the academy that Heero was supposed to be at, and currently sat huddled in corner right by the door to Heero's dorm room. Yet now that he was here all he could do was blame himself. He'd left Trowa alone, lying dead in the middle of the street. Anything could happen to Trowa, anything at all and he'd just left him there. But he couldn't go back to check on him, he was too scared of the black rose duelist. So instead Quatre just huddled in the corner cursing himself as the tears slipped down his cheeks.
"Quatre?!"
Quatre looked up to find Heero standing at the top of the stairs. Immediately the blond boy stood to his feet and brushed away what was left of the tears. He opened his mouth to say something but only emitted a sob.
He watched as Heero crossed the hallway and opened the door to his dorm, beckoning him inside. Quatre followed in silence, noticing how much Heero hadn't changed. The usually silent and always glaring Star Prince hadn't changed one bit, he still didn't show his emotions but did act on them... when you least expected him to. Quatre took a seat on the bed as Heero shut the door and turned to face him, waiting in silence for an explanation.
"He got Trowa." Quatre sobbed out. His voice cracked and he swallowed the rest of his explanation trying to calm down. Cracking again wouldn't help the situation at all.
"Who?" Heero asked quietly.
Quatre took a deep breath. "Death," he spoke quietly and his eyes drifted up to meet Heero's. He watched a frightened look flutter through Heero's eyes and then disappear.
"Explain."
"Trowa and I were together, walking back from the library. A black rose landed at Trowa's feet, you know, they way we were instructed to challenge for the duels. And then he stepped out of the shadows. I couldn't see his face but he wore a black student council uniform and... and the black cloak of death."
Heero frowned and leaned back against the wall, seeming to ponder this as Quatre continued. No more emotion showed on his face.
"He took Trowa's soul sword, and combined it with his own. I didn't even know we all had them, I thought you were the only one..." Quatre trailed off.
"Everyone has their own soul sword," Heero explained quietly. "But yours were not needed for the duels, not unless you won. Duo used his in the end."
Duo... Quatre frowned. "Do you think it's possible that it could be him?"
"No." Heero bit the word out a little too quickly. A second later he shook his head. "It doesn't make sense."
Quatre sighed and turned his eyes to the window. Despite former thoughts he'd had of the Star Prince being an emotionless doll he now knew that wasn't true. It wasn't true at all. Heero's feelings were quite obvious to him, even if Heero didn't realize it. Somewhere within the course of the duels Heero had fallen in love with Duo, and he wasn't making any effort to hide that fact, especially since all the former duelists knew that Heero had spent the last year searching for his lost love. Quatre wanted to offer some kind of comfort, to help look, but he had no idea where to begin. Where as he could understand how Heero felt about Duo, he had nothing else in common with the boy. Heero wouldn't accept his help, it's not the way Heero was.
Quatre could take the hint, he realized Heero hadn't found Duo. What exactly had happened after the duels anyway? "Anou... Heero did you ever find him?"
For a long time he didn't respond. "Yes... and no."
"Nani?"
Heero shook his head. "I'll explain tomorrow."
~*~
A knock sounded on the door. "Solo? You alright?"
Solo didn't look up from where he sat. He didn't even answer until he heard her hand try the door to find it locked.
"Solo?"
"I'm fine Catherine, I just... need some time alone." Time alone? Solo sighed and laid down across the floor, rubbing his cheek across the soft carpet. Closing his eyes he relaxed and tried to remember. He tried to reach back into his mind and pull at the large web which covered and concealed his memories. His fingers stuck to the thick webbing but otherwise nothing changed. He couldn't pull it away, he couldn't reach them. Solo gritted his teeth and clenched his fists in anger and frustration. He heard the door knob shake again.
"Solo! Please let me in."
Solo gave a sigh of defeat and opened his eyes. Standing up he walked over and opened the door, his eyes looking to the floor as he faced Catherine. He felt her hand reach up and brush across the cheek he'd rubbed into the carpet. She caressed his cheek gently.
"You're trying to remember again?"
Solo pulled away from her and turned away, crossing his arms and facing the window. All he could do was stare out at the stars, stare out at the misty moon. Catherine walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his shoulder.
"Was it another dream?"
Solo shook his head. "No. I thought I... recognized someone."
Catherine pulled away and walked around, in front, and met his eyes. "Nani? Who?"
"That boy from the dojo, Heero. I feel like I know him. He looked so familiar..." Solo sighed and closed his eyes, running his hands through his hair. "This is driving me insane! I don't think I can take this any longer, why can't I remember?!" Solo dropped down onto the bed and buried his face in the pillow. Catherine quickly rushed to his side.
"Don't do that! Solo, please, listen to me. Please, you can't force memories to come back and there's no reason why you should."
Solo rolled over on his side so he face the wall and had his back to her. "I can't take this anymore. I can't remember anything except for small images and voices. And that boy... I know I recognize him, even his name sounded familiar." Solo sat up. "I need to go talk to him."
"No! Don't."
Solo turned a puzzled look on Catherine. "Why not?"
"Solo, listen to me, please. You must have forgotten for a reason. You've told me about some of the things you remember, swords and battles right? What if he's not a friend? You must have forgotten it for a reason and I'm betting your past was pretty painful. Why not just forget it all? Stop trying to unearth something so painful you that you took the time to bury it that deep? It's perfectly possible to live your life now. What's past has past. Don't let it haunt you, just let it go and be happy the way you are." She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him. "Please Solo, please. For me?"
Solo sighed and nodded slowly. "Maybe you're right..."
Catherine offered a small smile and embraced him tighter. "You're happy now aren't you? Why risk that happiness?"
Solo nodded. "Thanks Cat."
"Of course. You know you can always talk to me, Solo."
Slowly she pulled out of the embrace and stood up, backing slightly toward the door. "Now I better get out of here before I get in trouble for staying after hours in a boy's dorm. I'll see you tomorrow. Ja ne."
"Ja." Solo echoed quietly after her as the door shut. Smiling softly to himself he laid back down on the bed and closed his eyes. Maybe, for once in a long time, maybe he'd be able to have a peaceful night of rest. He wished silently for sleep to come quietly, with just the soft sound of the night and peaceful dreams. Not the sounds of clashing swords and screams.
TBC...
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