This is kind of an old fic I just recently started working on again.
Title: A Helping Hand
Author: Tayjena
Pairings: Solo+2, 2+1x2, 3x4, 5x?, R+1
Warnings: sap, possession, ghost, angst, implied NCS, language
Archived: Please feel free.
Disclaimer: Don't nag, don't own a thing.
Note:
/.../ ~thoughts
*...*~ bold
Heero sat at his desk, working on a mission report. Much to his relief his loudmouth braided, American roommate was not there. If he had been, Heero knew he wouldn't have been able to finish, the "chatterbox" would have kept trying to distract him until he was unable to ignore him anymore and had to give up on what he was doing.
He sighed a few minutes later as he finished. Sinking back in his chair, he sent off the report. For a moment he stared at the screen, then he closed all the programs he had opened only a short time before.
Heero heaved himself out of his chair. Going to the door, he unlocked it. It was just something he did to keep the braided idiot out while he worked on important things. Even though he knew that if Duo really wanted to get in, he would.
Next he turned and his hand came up and began massaging the back of his neck. He knew it would only be a matter of minutes before Duo burst thought the door. His eyes drifted to his laptop, but instead of seeing the dark blue background he usually kept on the desktop. There was a new document open.
Tensing in anticipation, Heero glared around the room. Was it possible that Duo had snuck into the room and was playing a trick on him?
Heero quickly discarded that thought. Even if Duo had managed to be silent for that long, there was nowhere in there small room for him to hide.
None the less Heero glanced under the beds, though it would be nearly impossible for Duo to squeeze under either of them.
Then he thoroughly searched the cramped closest the two of them were forced to share.
No sign of the American.
"Then who...?"
Heero went to the desk prepared to close the new document. As he approached it though, letters slowly began to appear on the blank screen.
Heero stared at the computer, convinced he must be imagining things, he had spent a lot of time sitting in front of the screen and his eyes had to be playing tricks on him. Then he looked at the keyboard in disbelief, but the keys were in fact being pushed down by some invisible force, and now the letters had formed words on the screen above.
TAKE CARE OF HIM
The four words appeared over and over again until they filled half the page. Then the keys stopped moving.
"Take care of him? Take care of who?" Heero asked the computer for lack of anyone else to question, unsure of what the message meant and who he was suppose to take care of.
"Hee-chan!" A light voice rang through the hallway beyond the door, sounding unusually cheerful. It was still outside the room so Heero quickly clicked the close button on the document then 'no' to save it.
Just then the bound of energy walked through the door. But instead of his insistent rambling, Duo paused at the door, mouth hanging open.
Heero turned to him, fixing his piercing blue eyes on the loudmouth American.
Duo seemed to have come out of his momentarily trace. "Wow! You're actually *not* on your laptop! Have you learned that there's a world beyond that piece of technology?"
Heero snapped," Baka."
Duo grinned and glomped Heero. "I love you too Hee-chan." replied Duo cheekily.
Heero rolled his eyes and growled something. He removed Duo's arms from around him.
Duo tried hard not to let his disappointment show. He was after all use to this kind of thing from Heero. It didn't bother Duo too much, at least he could get close to Heero and that was enough for him right now.
Dropping don on his bed, he watched Heero. He knew the reaction his next words would get from the Japanese boy, but he said it anyway. Attention was attention!
"Oh that's right! You've got Relena."
Heero lunged at Duo, and grabbed him by the throat. He squeezed lightly. His intent was not to really hurt Duo, just warn him and let him know that such comments would not be appreciated.
"How many times do I have to tell you *not* to say that!"
Duo grinned. "Dunno. Maybe when you do something that'll convince me otherwise?"
Heero's hand tightened a little more around Duo's neck. "Baka."
"This doesn't convince me. It just... leaves me to think that you're trying to deny that you really love her." Duo said between gasps for air.
As Heero's hands were about to close even harder around Duo's neck, he heard a soft voice somewhere in the room:
"No! No, don't hurt him! Take care of him!"
Heero looked at Duo, but it seemed the American hadn't heard anything. /Duo? Me take care of him?/ Heero was baffled. What would want him to take care of Duo? And why? He could barely stand the American most days. Everyone knew that.
"Take care of him." It came again and Heero withdrew his hands as fast as though they'd been burned. His eyes darted around the room, trying to find where and more importantly who the voice was coming from.
But save for him and Duo, the room was empty.
Duo stared quizzically at Heero as his roommate went into high-paranoia mode. Raising an eyebrow Duo glanced about the room, trying to decide what had Heero on edge.
Though for as long as Duo had known Heero he'd never been this jumpy and never in one of the bedroom's they stayed in since Heero always made a habit of checking every inch of the room for anything suspicious before unpacking anything.
"Hey Heero? What's wrong?" Duo asked quietly suddenly concerned and serious.
Blue eyes froze and narrowed as they returned once more to Duo. It was obvious now that Duo hadn't heard the voice. But he couldn't say anything about it. The last thing he needed was for the American to deem him crazy. "Nothing."
"Nothing? C'mon! *You* don't freak out and get all paranoid for nothing!"
Heero answered with his typical, 'hn', that Duo had come to expect from his roommate. He was still puzzled by Heero's actions. To him Heero had always been a little strange but now he seemed even stranger, almost crazy. Duo didn't like this one bit. Obviously something had Heero acting paranoid. And something was definitely more than nothing.
/Or maybe he just needs to get out and relax... He's probably been in here all day./ Duo thought after rethinking Heero's actions. And that brought him to what he wanted to ask Heero.
"Ok fine. Don't tell me what's wrong." Duo shot back. "But hey would you..."
"No." Heero interrupted sharply.
"You didn't let me finish!"
"The answer would still be no."
Duo sighed heavily. "Would you like to go out with me tonight?" The, blushing slightly, Duo quickly added, "Ya know just to get out and relax a bit. You seem a little stressed."
Heero glanced Duo over and thought he caught a blush on Duo's cheeks. "No." Heero repeated curtly. He dropped down on his bed.
Duo got down on his knees in front of Heero. He placed his hands together, lining them up palm to palm, finger to finger, looking very much like an innocent child praying to God, instead of a Gundam pilot asking a friend to join him for a night out.
"Please Heero. Come with me? Please." Duo sniffed and batted his eyes. "Please?"
"No."
"Aw please Heero. Just this once."
"No." Heero said again.
That's when Heero heard it again: "Say yes. Go with him. Take care of him."
"No." Heero wasn't sure if he was talking to Duo or the disembodied voice that was seemingly tapping into his mind.
Duo persisted on, this time he'd keep trying until Heero gave in. "Please Heero. Please?"
"Say yes. Don't let him go alone."
Heero couldn't believe his bad luck. Some days it was hard enough not giving into Duo when he wanted Heero to go along with him. And he did, on some level, agree that it would do him some good to get out and maybe enjoy some of life. But it never seemed to be a good time; war wasn't the time to be fooling around when there was so much work to be done. Though now, it seemed like he had two people persuading him to go. And if he thought it was hard to say no to one Duo, it was even harder saying no to two.
"If I say yes, will you shut up?" Heero really asked the voice that he alone could hear.
"Yes!" Duo shouted and to Heero it sounded like he had an echo.
Duo quickly hugged Heero. "Thanks Hee-chan!" When Heero didn't move Duo grabbed his hand and tugged him to his feet. "C'mon. We need to change. I've got the perfect thing for you!: Twenty minutes later Duo was dragging Heero out of the front door of the safe house, and yelling over his shoulder for Quatre not to wait up for them. Duo started up the car and Heero finally voiced his question.
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see when we get there." Duo chanced a glance at Heero and caught a menacing glare from him. "Oh come on Hee-chan. Trust me. Why is it so hard for you to put even a tiny bit of faith into me?"
"You've given me no reason to trust you."
"Hey that's unfair!" Duo protested, "I saved your ass! And ya stole parts of my Gundam... and left me to think you were dead! You owe me something!" Heero didn't respond. He didn't think his attempt to self-destruct had affected Duo so much. Getting no answer from the stoic pilot Duo decided to switch topics. "So why'd you agree to come?"
Heero remained silent. /Why did I decide to go? I hate going out to clubs... But that voice... it insisted I go with him and take care of him... And it was like arguing with two of him./ "Someone has to keep you out of trouble." Heero finally replied coldly.
"You never cared before." Duo spat back just as forcefully.
"I never had a ghost follow me and demand I go... Never had two against me..." Heero mumbled under his breath.
"Sorry I didn't catch that one."
"Hn." was Heero's only response.
The rest of their trip was spent in silence, Heero contemplating why he was going with Duo and what was happening to him and who that voice was and why it was so insistent about *him* taking care of Duo, and also why it had chosen him in the first place. Duo, on the other hand, had remained quiet because he was sure he had already crossed the line with Heero and didn't want to push it any further and he was wondering why Heero was even coming with him. Heero had never agreed to go clubbing with him before, what could have changed his mind? Usually no matter how much he begged, Heero never wanted to come along.
Although, the fact that he had tonight, certain made Duo very happy.
After a long silence, and a boring one as far as Duo was concerned, he could have thought of better things to do with Heero in the car than drive in silence, half an hour of driving around, Duo finally came to a night club he and possibly Heero might enjoy.
"Here?" Heero asked suspiciously.
"Yeah. C'mon!" Duo insisted, already climbing out of the car.
Heero glanced at a group heading inside. It seemed like a few straight couples until two of the guys turned to each other and kissed. Not knowing whether to be horrified or intrigued, Heero stepped out of the car as well. It wasn't that he had anything against gays, since Quatre and Trowa had made it obvious that they were a couple and so he was comfortable around homosexuals. He just hadn't thought Duo was one too. This certainly raised a few questions about his roommate. It was just no one would guess by the way Duo flirted with every girl he met that he wouldn't be straight.
Heero, also at this point and to admit at least to himself that he wasn't sure about his own sexuality yet.
"Duo?" Heero called out to his friend, his voice trembling slightly.
Duo turned back to him. "Hm? Let's go Hee-chan." He ran back to him and took a hold of Heero's hand. "You're not afraid are you?"
Heero glared, snapping at Duo, "No." His hand closed tightly around Duo's and he allowed the braided boy to drag him into the club.
The inside was dimly lit with lights of all colors, smoke filled the air and loud music blared all around them. The room was also very crowded making Heero a little more nervous. He huddled closer to Duo, not wanting to lose him. Nothing about this place appealed to him and he couldn't understand what Duo liked about this so much.
But the moment he thought about turning and leaving, he also remembered the voice he'd kept hearing. That voice had convinced him to come with Duo and that one that had told him to take care of Duo. As annoying as the American was, Heero certainly didn't want anything to happen to him. Duo was after all, the only thing he had to a friend. So he'd stick around and protect him.
Duo pulled his Japanese friend toward the dance floor. He'd give anything to have just one dance with Heero. Since Heero had agreed to come along, he hoped he could convince Heero to share one dance with him before the night was through.
Heero wouldn't stand for it though. The minute he realized where Duo was taking him he jerked to a stop.
"Wha..?" Duo spun around to face Heero.
"I'm not dancing."
"But Hee-chan... Please..."
"No Duo. I came with you but I'm not going to dance to this."
"So if they played some other music you would?" Duo teased batting his eyes.
"Baka." Heero retorted. Duo sighed and gave in as Heero tugged him over to the only empty table in sight. "I agreed to come, to keep you out of trouble, not dance with you."
"No one here would care Hee-chan." Duo pointed to those couples already on the dance floor, some were straight, and there were some lesbian and gay couples in the crowd too. "Other guys are dancing together."
"No Duo."
"Fine!" Duo yelled frustrated. "Sit here and be... be boring then! I'm gonna go find someone to dance with!" Duo shot up and hurried away, disappearing into the crowd.
It took Heero several minutes to locate Duo. And Duo had in fact found someone to dance with, actually when Heero looked closer, two people! A young blonde woman in a blank miniskirt and a dark hired man who'd removed his shirt. As Heero watched the three of them, his attention was drawn to Duo's slender waist swaying gracefully and sensually to the music. The more Heero watched Duo move with the two, the harder it became to ignore his jealousy. He had to admit that Duo looked exquisite in his tight black leather pants and purple mesh shirt. Now he was almost regretting saying 'no' to dancing with Duo.
Duo stayed out on the dance floor for several long pulsing songs. Heero though just continued to sit there and track him, watching his every move. Sometime while Duo was out there Heero had ordered water. He sighed and wished he wasn't so stubborn. Maybe he'd give in and go dance with Duo.
Then the blaring music quieted to a slow soothing, calm, love song. After only a few measures Duo was back at the table, smiling at Heero, looking incredibly well for someone who'd been dancing for about two hours.
"Sure you don't want to dance?"
Heero still wouldn't allow himself to give in to the urge. "No, Duo."
Duo just grinned. He stared at those still on the dance floor. Sighing, the grin dropped from his face. "I hate sappy love songs. It sucks not having someone to dance with. I wish I had a date..."
Heero suddenly lurched forward, his hands slamming down on the table with such force his water tipped over. Duo jumped and turned to check on his friend.
"Heero! Heero, what happened? Are you alright?" Duo squeezed between the people crowded around the table to lay a hand on Heero's shoulder. He light shook him. "Heero?"
Heero's head suddenly shook. He glanced around a bit confused for a moment. Then he turned his head to look at Duo and his eyes focused and misted over. "Duo...?" He breathed softly. He felt the hand on his shoulder and seemed delighted at the touch. Heero's hand came up and covered Duo's, squeezing it lightly.
"Heero? Are you alright?" asked Duo, his voice filled with concern.
"Yeah. I'm fine Duo. "Heero said in an unusually light, clear, warm, soft voice. His words were slow as though he weren't use to speaking.
"You sure Heero? You sound kinda funny."
"No Duo. I'm fine." Heero's hand tightened on Duo's. "What were we talking about?"
"Uh...?" Duo was dumbfounded; this wasn't the Heero he knew. "I was just wishing I had a date... But don't worry about that. Are you...?"
"Yes fine." Heero interrupted. "Isn't that why you brought me?"
"Uh...?"
"As... your date...?"
"No!" Duo shouted, surprising both of them, and he blushed deeply. "No Heero... I just..."
Heero's body arose from his chair and he pulled Duo onto the dance floor, where another slow song just happened to be playing. "I'll dance with you." Heero brought Duo to him then his arms slipped around Duo's waist.
Duo blushed, not believing Heero was doing this. He laid his head on Heero's shoulder and his hand rested on the opposite shoulder. Relaxing a bit he let Heero lead their dance.
"You sure you're alright Heero?"
"Yes Duo-chan." Heero said softly in that light voice. Duo's eyes fluttered open, but he didn't say anything about what Heero had just said. No one had called him that since... He felt Heero's head being gently set against his and could've sworn he heard that same sweet innocent voice whisper, "I miss you..." He had to be imagining it, didn't he?
The song played on and it seemed to Duo that the whole rest of the world had disappeared. The room, crowded only a moment ago, now consisted of only him and Heero. He was totally aware of what kind of affect being this close to Heero was having on his body. But Heero wouldn't let him pull back enough to hide it. Then Duo realized that he was having the same affect on Heero! They both gasped as their clothed erections rubbed against each other.
Duo lifted his head. Through the smoky air he made eye-contact with Heero. Somehow his eyes seemed to have changed. They were lighter and there was something in them he recognized but couldn't place. But that had to be a trick of the light, right?
Heero's hand came up and outlined Duo's jaw and cheekbone. Duo lifted his head and leaned closer to Heero, his lips nearly brushing his.
Then suddenly the music changed again. Loud and hard. Reality came crashing back to Duo. There seemed to be even more people in the room then before and Duo felt crowded. Yet he pressed forward, eager to kiss Heero for the first time.
Just as his lips were about to make contact, a breath apart, Heero pulled away. "What are you doing?" He asked in his usual harsh monotone.
"I... I was just..."
Heero noticed he was on the dance floor but he had no memory of agreeing to dance with Duo. "How did we get out here?"
Duo stared at Heero, more hurt than confused. Dark blue eyes were as hard and cold as ever he'd seen. "You... you asked me to dance."
"I don't remember doing such a thing."
"Well you did!"
Heero said nothing, just stared back at Duo. He had no memory of asking Duo but yet he must have for them to be standing on the dance floor about to kiss. He couldn't make sense of any of it. Rather than seeing if anything else would happen, Heero dashed through the crowd as fast as he could, pushing and shoving people out of his way.
Duo stood there in shock, staring off in the direction Heero had gone in. He felt like part of him had been taken from him. He couldn't understand any of the resent events. Heero had been acting so kind and caring, something that made him think about...
Duo shook his head. He couldn't continue to think about Solo. He was dead...
Then Heero had gone back to his old cruel self.
Duo whirled about, heading in the other direction. On his way he caught a few sympathetic glanced, one guy even stopped him to tell him that 'that guy obviously doesn't know a good thing when he sees it'. Duo just rolled his eyes at the lame come on and kept going until he ran out the back door.
~TBC~