Lie To Me
by 0083
Another mission, another hideout. The routine of it was getting predictable, but Oz had yet to figure out that gundam pilots hid in boarding schools. Either they weren’t paying attention, or the pilots’ hacking skills were so incredible that they slipped by the Oz screening net. Whichever the case, Duo Maxwell and Heero Yuy yet again found themselves embroiled in another mission and were posing as ordinary students at a preparatory school.
This particular school was ideal for their mission because it was practically on top of the Oz naval base that was their target. A lot of the students were children of Oz officials from that base and they unwittingly shared the layout and schedules of their parent’s activities with the two gundam pilots. As missions went, this one would be a simple one, just a matter of timing. When all the officials gathered for their annual meeting in two weeks, Duo and Heero would blow the hell out of the base and get of town.
But their objective was two weeks away, and it meant that they had to pretend to be ordinary for that amount of time. Therefore, on a sunlit Monday morning, the two began their day of classes like any other student. They woke up at seven sharp, washed their faces, put on their drab uniform consisting of a bland white shirt, pair of khaki pants and a green blazer. They walked out of their shared dorm room at seven thirty sharp and walked to the dining hall for their breakfast. At seven fifty three, they walked to their first class. Math or something or other.
It was not the first time that these two had worked on a mission together, but they still had the slight communication problem. Mainly, the problem consisted of Duo’s constant chatter and Heero’s lack of response. There was no communication, just a one way monologue. Not that it mattered. The mission was important, not the personal relationship between the two. However, as much as Duo told himself that little fact of life to himself, he wanted to get to know Heero. He wanted to know what Heero’s favorite color was, what he did when he was bored, what he liked to eat. But Heero was never forthcoming.
When night hit, the two boys found themselves in their shared dorm room space. Heero was doing homework for the sake of keeping up appearances while Duo stared at the ceiling thinking about various things. Actually, Duo was trying to find a way to open up a conversation. Anything to get Heero to talk back to him.
"Hey, Heero."
There was no outward sign of response. Duo, thankfully, was persistent.
"Let’s play a game."
No response.
"It’s just a way to clear your mind, refresh it. Great for the mission."
Not a movement betrayed Heero’s attention to his careful foray into conversation land.
"Soldiers fall apart when their minds don’t get a break, you know? I mean, J must have had that talk with you. So, what do you say, want to play?"
A slight nod was all Duo needed.
"So, let’s pretend we’re normal people. Tell me something about yourself, Mr. Yuy. Remember, pretend."
Heero looked over to Duo, slightly confused by Duo’s request. Duo sat up and stared into Heero’s eyes.
"Lie to me."
Heero bobbed his head slowly. He understood, but he still could not think of anything to say.
"Okay, since you are not a good talker, I’ll begin. I’m Duo Maxwell, the well loved son of two loving parents. I live in the suburbs, have a dog named Muffin, and my brother is a total twelve years old brat."
Duo looked at Heero expectantly. It was his turn to lie.
"I am Heero Yuy, the youngest child of five. My parents are alive and well. I like computers and math, they are my favorite subjects. I grew up normal, lead a normal boring life and will continue to lead such a life for a long time."
The conversation ended. Heero went back to his homework and Duo stared at the ceiling again. However, each were thinking about what the other had said.
The next night was much the same. Heero typed his homework, Duo stared at the ceiling. Uneventful and boring seemed to be the plan. Then strangely enough, Heero spoke.
"Duo, lie to me."
A little startled at the sudden gambit at conversation, Duo quickly gathered his thoughts. If Heero liked that game Duo had devised so that he could find out about his elusive partner, he would indulge him.
"Well, let’s see. I like rainy days. Everyone I know is alive and living happily. The world is at peace and everybody gets along just dandy."
Heero nodded and turned around to face Duo. It was his turn to lie.
"I don’t kill people. There is no mission. I don’t know how to use a gun, I am social and can express myself freely to others."
Duo laughed. He continued when Heero stopped.
"Man, Heero, I’m supposed to run and hide, but never lie. The irony is great."
"That is not a lie."
"Okay, okay. I’ll give you a great one."
Heero waited expectantly, like a child on Christmas morning.
"I love a girl. She loves me. We are an item and everyone is jealous of our close relationship."
Heero raised his eyebrows. He had not seen that lie coming.
"I also love a girl," Heero said, "but she does not love me. It makes my heart ache, like any normal boy. I sit and think about her all the time, hoping that she would see the error of her heart."
Duo let out a full out guffaw. Who knew lying to each other would only illuminate the truth within?
During the following nights, the two boys played their lying game. They found out a lot about each other, not through heart to heart talks or any other normal avenues of getting to know someone. They lied to each other and through it, they became closer.
"Hey Heero, I’m always happy."
"Duo, I love the color pink."
"Heero, I enjoy doing complex mathematical equations."
"Duo, I’m not a murderer."
"Heero, I cry for everyone I’ve killed."
"Duo, I only kill when necessary."
"Heero, school is wonderful."
"Duo, I have friends."
The mission would be carried out in two more days. Two more days until they blew up another base, killed more people.
"Duo, what will you do when we achieve peace?"
"Don’t you mean, ‘if’?"
Heero was silent for a minute. A full minute before the games began again.
"Heero, lie to me."
A small smile lit Heero’s face. Duo didn’t know it, and Heero would never admit it, but he loved this game. In the past twelve days, he had found out more about Duo than he had dreamed possible. In lies, the truth waited patiently.
"Duo, I want to live through the war."
The reaction from Duo was swift. Heero did not even see the punch coming until it had knocked him off from his perch on Duo’s bed.
"Fuck you, Heero. Don’t you ever…"
Duo trailed off, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. All of a sudden, their little game had become too intense. But Heero would continue.
"I have friends. I have loved ones. There are people who will give a damn when I die."
A tear escaped Duo’s saddened violet eyes. He practically collapsed next to Heero who still sat on the floor, his cheek reddening from the punch.
"Hey Heero," Duo said, gently cupping Heero’s swelling cek, "my turn to lie. I’m sorry I hit you. You didn’t deserve it. You are nothing to me. You are not my friend and I won’t cry if you die. I will celebrate and dance the night away."
More tears dropped onto Duo’s rumpled school uniform. Heero gently wiped them away.
The last night. It was spent in preparing for the mission. When they were done, it was nearly three in the morning and they were both exhausted. But they had one more round of play left.
"Lie to me, Duo."
Duo moved closer to Heero. They were both sitting on the floor, Indian style, facing each other. When Duo’s face was no more than an inch from Heero’s, Duo spoke.
"I won’t miss you when you leave."
Heero closed the narrow gap by touching his forehead to Duo’s.
"You don’t touch my heart."
"I don’t want you to kiss me."
"I don’t want to kiss you either."
With a soft sigh, their lips met. It was a long, chaste, passionate kiss filled with contradictions. It was a moment of clarity.
The mission was done. The base was nothing but a pile of burning rubble and the two gundams flew away. Their next mission would take the two boys far from each other. For how long, neither knew. But in the last two weeks of contemplation and lies, they had found each other. They would not let go.
"Lie to me, Heero."
"I hate you, Duo."
Duo smiled.
"I hate you too, Heero."
"We won’t see each other again."
"Never."
They parted, Wing going east and Deathscythe going south. Separate ways, different directions, same heart.
"When I see you next, lie to me."
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