Boot Camp Part 63
Goodbye Doesn't Mean Forever
It was late afternoon when the celebration began to wind down, and some of the guests departed. Of course the big shots and politicians were the first to go, citing obligations and other engagements. But that was fine with the former inmates, very few of whom had been comfortable around the dignitaries and authority figures.
Duo was lying on the hillside above the athletic field, sleepy and sated, with his head resting in Heero's lap while the other boy absently stroked the bangs across his forehead. Trowa and Quatre were right next to their teammates, watching the festivities with only half their interest, while idly holding hands between them.
"Nice party," Quatre commented, smirking at the sight of his sister Iria showing Ben and Adam how to make s'mores over one of the barbecue grills.
"Looks like your sister managed to scope out some straight guys," Trowa noted, running a thumb over the back of Quatre's hand.
"She's got a knack for that," Quatre told him. "She never even glanced at Austin or Jase..."
"Speaking of which--I think I saw those two sneaking off together," Duo commented thoughtfully.
Heero's fingers hesitated in their lazy caresses. "I might've put in a good word for Austin with Jason," he admitted.
Duo looked up in surprise. "You hooked them up?"
"Well--I just let Jason know Austin turned out to be a decent guy."
"And gay!" Duo added. "Why you little matchmaker, you!" His indigo eyes narrowed warily. "You didn't do that to distract Jase from me, did you?"
"No, baka."
"Because it would've been completely unnecessary!" Duo asserted. "Jase knows I'm taken--and he respects that."
"I know."
"He's just a good friend."
"I know."
"So there's no need to be jealous at all--"
Duo's rambling was silenced as Heero bent to place a firm, determined kiss on his lips.
Quatre chuckled. "I guess that means he gets the picture, Duo."
Trowa looked across to where his sister was putting Nanashi through his paces, demonstrating some of his tricks for Corporal Carter and a few of the other MSC staff members. A slow, contented smile spread across his face, and he felt Quatre's hand tighten on his. He turned to find aquamarine eyes watching him...sparkling with warmth.'
"Can you tell me what I'm feeling?" he asked quietly.
"Yes," Quatre beamed. "Absolute peace and happiness."
"I don't know if I ever felt that before," Trowa admitted. "When I was with the gang, it wasn't like this at all. This is--different."
"Good different, right?"
"Wonderful different." The green eyes grew pensive. "It'll be strange being back at the circus for the next few weeks." He frowned slightly, looking at Quatre. "I'll miss you."
"Same here," Quatre sighed. "But we'll both still be on Earth--so we can travel to the Academy together, right?"
Trowa nodded, relaxing a bit, and looked at Heero. "What about you, Yuy? Are you sticking around Earth until it's time to report to the Academy?"
Heero shook his head. "Wufei and I are headed for L1 to settle Odin's estate." He grimaced slightly. "There's paperwork to be signed."
Duo blinked up at him, a slightly crestfallen look on his face. "Just you an' Wufei?" he asked quietly.
Heero nodded.
"But--" Duo sat up, his back to Heero, trying to quell the urge to ask why he couldn't go with them. After all, Wufei was his guardian. And yet he was leaving? And taking Heero with him?
Somehow Duo had expected that after boot camp, he and Heero would stay together no matter what.
"But what?" asked Heero gently.
"Nothing," came the rather defiant response.
"What about you, Duo?" asked Quatre. "Where are you going?"
"I have no idea," he replied flatly. "DCF, I guess." He scowled as he said it. Being handed over to the Department of Children and Families and dropped into foster care for a month seemed like a colossal waste of time. He stood up and dusted himself off, trying for a casual, indifferent attitude. "I'll figure something out."
Quatre winced slightly, realizing his friend really had nowhere to go. "I'm sure you could come stay with me," he said quickly.
"No, he can't," came a curt, no-nonsense voice.
Duo turned to find Wufei walking up behind Heero, and he pasted on his most defiant expression. "Why not, Chang? I thought after graduation we were free to go."
"And you thought I'd just turn you out on the streets to fend for yourself," concluded the officer. "Don't you know me better than that, Maxwell? I am still your guardian."
Duo crossed his arms stubbornly. "Then why aren't I going to L1 with you and Heero?"
"Because I've arranged transportation for you to L2," Wufei told him.
Duo was a bit nonplussed at that, wondering for a fleeting instant if he'd screwed something up and Wufei had changed his mind about the Academy. But he knew better than that. "Why would I want to go there?" he asked warily.
"Because I'm asking you to," Wufei said gently. "I'd like you to accompany your friends Howard and Hilde back on the shuttle. Howard said he'd be happy to have you stay with him." The dark eyes met the indigo ones steadily. "I'd like you to go to the L2 authorities and make a full statement regarding the murder you witnessed."
Duo paled slightly. "I'm not real popular with L2 law enforcement," he pointed out.
"You will be," Wufei promised, holding out a card. "I want you to talk to Captain Warren. I've explained the situation, and he assures me he'll make sure you're treated as a witness, rather than a suspect."
"But--couldn't you come with me?" Duo asked, taking the business card with a less than steady hand. "Heero's eighteen--he could handle things on L1, couldn't he?"
Wufei shook his head. "It's complicated on L1," he said quietly. "Odin was a cop, Duo. And no matter how much of a low-life he was in private, his friends on the force will stand behind him. I can't let Heero walk into that alone."
Duo nodded, hanging his head slightly as he felt Heero come up behind him and slide warm arms around his waist. "If you'd feel better with 'Fei along, I don't mind him going with you," murmured the Japanese boy reassuringly.
"No!" Duo said sharply, feeling a twinge of worry for his lover. "Wufei's right. You need him more."
"You'll have Howard at your side," Wufei told Duo. "He promised to act on my behalf--a sort of trade for my arranging transportation for Hilde and him to attend the graduation. He'll watch your back in my place."
Duo nodded, brightening slightly. "Howard's 'good people.'" He smiled wryly. "Not that L2 law enforcement likes him any better than me--but they know he's honest. He might get drunk and disorderly once in a blue moon, but he's never stolen a thing in his life."
"He assured me he'd look after you on L2 and get you on a military shuttle back to Earth in time to start classes next month."
Heero's arms tightened around Duo's waist, his breath ghosting across the back of his neck. "And I'll be there waiting for you."
Duo shivered deliciously at the sensation, closing his eyes and leaning back against the warm chest. "Shit, 'Ro--I'm gonna die without having you for a whole month."
Wufei cleared his throat brusquely. "You're in uniform, gentlemen," he reminded them. "And Colonel Une is headed this way."
Duo reluctantly pulled away from Heero's embrace, as Quatre and Trowa both got up and turned to face the MSC officer.
She waved a hand dismissively as she strode up the hill. "Don't bother saluting, boys...Chang. This is an informal event. I just wanted to congratulate the winning team on behalf of Major Merquise. He thanked you for the vid-feed, Chang." Her sharp gaze turned to Duo. "He said you more than lived up to expectations, Maxwell." A slight flicker of confusion crossed her face then. "He also said to tell you pictures still don't do you justice." She raised a wary eyebrow. "Care to explain the reference?"
Duo smirked wryly. "I don't think so, ma'am--ya kind of had to be there for that one."
Heero scowled at Wufei. "That better have been a joke."
"Not 'hitting'," Duo clarified with an elbow to Heero's ribs. "Not even 'flirting'. Just teasing," he murmured.
"He better be," mumbled the team leader under his breath.
Colonel Une excused herself and headed off on MSC business, leaving the four boys and their commander standing looking over the athletic field at the scattering of people who still lingered.
"We should get going, Yuy," Captain Chang said quietly. "I'd like to make the earliest possible flight to L1." He glanced at the other three. "The last bus to the shuttle port leaves in about an hour." His glance settled on Quatre. "I believe your father has made arrangements to take you with him when he leaves."
The blonde rolled his eyes. "Limo," he sighed flatly.
"Aw, man--don't knock it!" Duo urged.
"Maybe you and Trowa could come with me," Quatre suggested. "Just to the shuttle port, anyway..."
Duo shook his head. "Naw--I gotta stick with Howard an' Hilde, I guess." His mischievous gaze settled on Trowa. "But I'll bet there's room for the hot circus acrobat and his sister."
Trowa tried for a nonchalant shrug. "Mister Winner might not appreciate dog hair on the upholstery." He gave a half-hearted smirk. "Besides, I think Catherine drove up in the circus van, anyway."
"So we're all gonna part company here?" Duo asked with a slight catch in his voice.
Wufei saw the look that passed between the four teammates, and caught Heero's gaze with a meaningful one. "Why don't you go get your things from your barracks? You can meet me in the compound in fifteen minutes."
Heero nodded in understanding and Wufei left to say his own goodbyes. Then the team leader turned to Quatre and Trowa. "Guess this is goodbye for now." He held out a hand, which Trowa shook, smiling wryly.
"See you in a few weeks, Yuy?"
"Wouldn't miss it for the world."
Quatre slapped Heero's hand aside and gave the team leader a quick, fierce hug. "Stay safe!"
"Wufei won't let anything happen to me," Heero promised. He turned to Duo. "C'mon and walk me to the barracks, Maxwell. Then you can come back and say 'so long' to the others."
Duo quirked a rather weak smile, trying not to let the pending separation get to him. "Afraid you'll get lost?"
"You won't get rid of me that easy."
"Don't wanna," came the sincere response.
They walked along side by side, not quite holding hands, but allowing them to brush against each other.
"Will you be okay?" Heero asked quietly. "Really okay?"
Duo snorted quietly. "Shit, Yuy--I'm a street rat, remember?"
"You're much more than that," Heero reminded him, reaching the barracks and opening the door.
Duo shot him a look as he walked through. "Don't start treating me like a girl, Yuy," he cautioned. "Holding doors and shit..."
"I got here first, and thought I'd be polite," Heero told him. "I'd have done the same for anyone."
As he pulled the door shut behind him, strong hands grabbed his shoulders and spun him around, shoving him up against the hard surface. Duo pressed in close, his lips only inches from Heero's. "Now how 'bout you do something you wouldn't do for just anyone?"
Heero answered the request with a long, passionate kiss, wrapping his arms around his lover and pulling him even closer. "That what you had in mind?" he asked when they paused for breath.
"Yeah--I s'pose so," Duo murmured with a grin. "It's all we have time for. Fifteen minutes? Chang's a bastard sometimes."
Heero smirked. "I was kind of hoping for more time...but then again, I did want our next time to be in a bed, with a whole night ahead of us."
"So I have to wait a month?" Duo moaned. "Y'know I'm gonna dream about you every night, don't you?"
"Good." Heero was glad his teammate was thinking about lustful visions, rather than the nightmares he'd been plagued with since the rape. "I'll probably have some sweet dreams myself." Or wet ones...
"Bastard," Duo teased good-naturedly, easing away to let Heero go get his duffel bag. "You love to torment me, don't you?"
"Hn," came the smug, inscrutable reply.
Heero grabbed his things, hoisting the bag over one shoulder and carrying it to the door. "'Fei's probably waiting," he sighed.
"Let him wait," Duo suggested, moving in for another kiss.
This time it was several minutes before they could pull themselves away, and when they did, they were a bit breathless.
Duo swallowed hard, still trying to come to terms with the thought of how much he'd miss Heero and how much could happen in a month. "I hate saying 'goodbye,' Heero. Seems like I've had to do way too much of it."
"Yeah, but this is different," Heero promised. "This time goodbye doesn't mean forever." He ran a finger lightly down Duo's face, tracing it over his lips as if memorizing every feature.
The braided boy managed a wan smile. "How d'you always seem to know the right thing to say?"
"Lucky I guess," came the glib response, as Heero pulled him into another long, promise-filled kiss.
At the rate they were going, they might never had been able to get up the resolve to face Heero's departure, but a sharp rap on the door made them jump guiltily apart.
Wufei walked in, giving them a quick appraising glance. "C'mon, Yuy," he said brusquely. "I've got the jeep ready to go." He nodded curtly at Duo. "Behave yourself, Maxwell."
"You don't get off that easy," the braided boy smirked, walking over to throw his arms around the reserved man, eliciting a grimace and a stiffening of the ramrod-straight back. "Love you Wuffers," he mumbled into the rigid shoulder. "Thanks for everything."
Wufei's eyes widened, but then he visibly relaxed. "It's Wufei, Maxwell. Or Captain Chang, to you." He would have glared at the boy, but the angle was all wrong, so he shrugged a little. "You're very welcome," he added quietly, returning a quick, slightly uncomfortable hug before Duo stepped back.
"An' give your blonde stud a big smooch for me, 'k?" added the boy mischievously.
"S-stud?"
"Merquise. The Major. Big blonde badass himself?" Duo clarified. "I know you'll be seeing him as soon as you can beat feet up to the hospital."
"Of course I have to go there to give him a full report," came the stern reply.
"Yeah--that's not all you're gonna give him, though. Is it?" Duo teased.
Wufei heaved a frustrated sigh. "Yuy, are you ready? I don't think I can take much more of my 'son's' lip."
Heero chuckled dryly, and walked over to place a gentle, chaste kiss on the aforementioned lips. "I'll take all the lip you want to give me, love," he whispered in a husky voice.
Duo groaned at the innuendo. "It's all yours," he promised.
"Stay safe," Heero murmured softly, his deep blue eyes riveted on the indigo ones. "Aishiteru."
"Love you, too, 'Ro," Duo whispered back, trying not to let his eyes tear up with emotion as his lover hoisted his duffel bag and followed Captain Chang out.
Only after the door closed did Duo notice that on top of his own duffel bag, Heero's journal was lying open. He smiled wistfully, walking over to run his fingers down the familiar, spidery script. But the words on the top page were in English, and he started reading them aloud. "'Dear Diary, today I got to Camp Peacecraft and met the most gorgeous, captivating, intelligent guy ever--Duo Maxwell.'" His breath caught in his throat, and his vision blurred. "Shit, Yuy," he murmured in a choked voice, smiling and blinking back the tears. "Romantic fucking sap."
It looked like the writing went on for several pages after that. But he closed the book without reading more right then, wanting to save it for the weeks he'd have to be away from his lover. Tucking the treasure into his own belongings, he picked up his duffel bag and headed back out to say his farewells to Quatre and Trowa.
They were waiting by the field; with Catherine, Hilde, Howard, and a bunch of Quatre's sisters lingering nearby.
"Yuy get off okay?" Trowa asked with a teasing gleam in the deep green eyes.
"I wish," Duo snorted, grinning back.
"You two!" Quatre scolded, seeing the meaningful look his teammates exchanged. "Honestly!"
"Again," Duo commented, looking into the aquamarine eyes knowingly. "If you caught the innuendo, your mind's just as far into the gutter as ours," he pointed out.
Giving a small huff of frustration, Quatre turned his attention back to Trowa. "So, here's my phone number," he said, tucking a piece of paper into his lover's hands. "You can call when you're ready to leave the circus, and I'll pick you up to go to the Academy."
"Sounds good," Trowa replied, tucking the paper into a pocket. He walked over to Duo, holding out a hand. "So long, Maxwell. See you in a few weeks."
Duo smirked back at him, shaking his hand. "Yeah--you keep Nanashi out of trouble, will ya?"
"Of course."
Duo went over to scratch the dog's ears, kneeling so he was closer. "Hey, mutt. You keep Tro' out of trouble, will ya?"
The dog licked his face enthusiastically, and then turned an adoring gaze back to Catherine, who was clearly high on his list of important people. She had, after all, been caring for him for weeks.
Trowa held out a hand to Quatre, but the blonde pulled him into a hug, dropping a quick kiss on his cheek. "I'm going to tell my father about us sooner or later, y'know," he whispered.
"Y'might want to wait until you're eighteen," Duo suggested, his keen ears picking up the quiet promise.
Quatre look questioningly at him.
"Well, then he can't ship you off to a seminary or anything."
The blonde chuckled. "Um, Duo--we aren't Catholic, you know."
"Don't Muslims have some kind of priesthood or something?" Duo suggested.
Quatre just shook his head. "Not the same," he insisted. "But I'm still gonna wait a bit, anyway." He pulled back, watching as Trowa took Nanashi's leash and headed off with Catherine.
"So, it's just you an' me," Duo sighed, elbowing the blonde conspiratorially.
"Hey!" Hilde protested, catching the tail end of the conversation as she walked over. "What about the rest of us?"
Duo shrugged slightly. "Sorry, Hil. But Quat and I met on the bus up here. He was my first friend here, and now he's the last one I have to say goodbye to." He sobered considerably at the thought. "Damn, this is hard."
The blonde turned a warm look to his friend. "It won't be for long," he promised.
"Yeah, I know." Duo looked around at the thinning crowd and the familiar prison grounds. "I'm gonna miss this," he admitted, shaking his head.
"Me too," Quatre admitted. "As much as I'm looking forward to the Academy, nothing will ever be quite like boot camp was."
"We went through Hell together."
"Yeah, but we made it."
Duo hugged Quatre tightly, dropping a fond kiss atop the silky blonde head. "Thanks for everything, little brother."
"Right back atcha," Quatre grinned back.
Duo leaned to whisper in his friend's ear. "This is so not macho, Quat. All this sappy emotional shit. We've really gotta be tougher at the Academy, y'know."
The blonde Arab laughed at him. "We will be," he promised. "It's a lot easier when we're coming together rather than going separate ways."
Quatre's sisters took turns giving Duo hugs and sisterly kisses before spiriting their brother away to where their father was waiting in the limo.
Howard threw an arm around Duo's shoulders. "Ready to go, kid?"
"Yeah," Duo said wearily, taking a last look at the place that had been his home for so long. "It's been a long day," he admitted, yawning widely.
"You can sleep on the bus," Hilde said brightly, linking an arm with one of his, and starting down the path to the compound.
The braided boy snorted wryly. "Wanna bet? That gravel road is like riding on a jackhammer. Ten miles of torture."
"It didn't seem so bad," replied the little brunette. "I slept on the way up."
"You once slept through an explosion in the generator plant next door to the salvage yard," Duo reminded her.
She rolled her eyes. "And you never let me hear the end of it, did you?"
"Not likely," Duo smirked.
Howard sighed deeply. "I'm glad boot camp didn't change you, kid," he said sarcastically.
"Nah. If juvenile detention on L2 couldn't crush my spirit, a little thing like boot camp sure wouldn't."
The whiskered man tousled Duo's hair teasingly. "Good to have ya back, ya little punk."
Duo's smile was a little more relaxed as he got used to being in the company of his long-time friends. "Yeah, an' it might be good to be back, Howie--at least for a visit."
He didn't mind the thought of visiting L2 any more--of seeing his old haunts, and even some of his old acquaintances. In fact, he kind of looked forward to showing them how far he'd come from where he started.
Besides, like he'd said, nothing was going to dim his spirits. Not with the prospect of returning to Earth in a few short weeks to join his two best friends and his lover in a new adventure at the Mobile Suit Corps Academy.
Yeah, life might be good after all.
TBC...
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