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"Silver Strand"Written By: Clara Barton Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing. The following
is an intellectual exercise with no intention of profit. That said,
these characterizations, words, and situations are mine. Please ask
before reprinting. Rating: NC 17 Warnings: angst, language, violence, character
death, drugs, sex, AU Pairings: 2x3, 1x2, 2x5, 3x5, 2x3x5, 2x13, 4x6,
HxR, 9xS, 1xD, others Summary: The world had shifted, boundaries had been crossed, right and wrong had long ago been abandoned. A dark story of revenge, love, loss and drug smuggling. AU set in Coronado, California in the 1970s. Based on/Inspired by Joshuah Bearman's "Coronado High" A/N: As always, thank you to Ro for your patience,
encouragement and friendship. You are a remarkable beta reader. "Silver Strand" "You're alive." Heero stared at him, his face as calm and unnerving as the ocean before a storm. Duo realized he should say something else - anything else. Pointing out the obvious to Heero wasn't going to propel this chance meeting away from awkwardness anytime soon. But after a moment, Heero nodded. "I got back last year." Words that had an all-too-familiar curl of rage growing in Duo's belly. "Last YEAR?" he clarified. Heero nodded again. "And this is the first time you've set foot in Coronado?" It wasn't really a question - wasn't even a guess. Another nod, and Heero's equilibrium started to falter at Duo's answering glare. "You've been alive and away from that hellhole for a YEAR-" "Sixteen months." "Did you even tell your mom? Did you make her wait this long to know if you were safe?" Heero shook his head in the negative. And while Duo was relieved that he had at least done that, it made it even more abundantly clear that Heero hadn't even thought to tell Duo he was still alive. Duo, who had learned to surf beside Heero in the warm, shallow waters just a few yards from Heero's bedroom. Duo, who had learned how to kiss, how to tease, how to fuck in that same bedroom. Duo, who had watched his brother get drafted, who had watched Trowa volunteer, and then, after everyone else had left him, had had to see even Heero drafted and shipped off. Duo, who hadn't heard a word - hadn't received a single letter - in almost four years from Heero. "Well that's fucking great." Duo slammed the hood of the car closed. "Get your oil changed and have someone look at the radiator." Heero reached into his pocket for his wallet. "How much do I owe you?" Duo glared at him, fought the urge to rip the bills out of the wallet and throw them into the wind. "Nothing," he snarled as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "You don't owe me anything." He got back into the cab of the truck and waited until Heero drove off, waited until his anger faded and he was left with just relief, just despair, just a dark pit of emptiness where his heart had once been. Heero was alive. That was something. It was so much more than Heero being dead. And somewhere out there, Trowa was alive. And at home, in his room, staring at the ocean, Solo was alive too. Everyone Duo loved was alive. And everyone Duo loved had left him. ~ * ~ |
