The next morning, Duo sat on his bed and counted down to ten. He did this a few times since yesterday as he tried to calm his nerves after talk with Heero kept replaying itself over and over in his head like a cruel joke.
Heero's hesitance, Relena's kiss, and it made him sick just thinking about it. He had just finished moving most of his things from his old bedroom that he shared with his ex to his new one with Quatre and he was already beginning to regret it.
He thought he reacted too quickly, that he hadn't given Heero enough time and he felt silly for doubting himself. He was going to say as much to his best friend when said boy entered their room.
"Duo, are you okay?" The blonde pilot had asked him for the second time today, three times since he woke him up to ask for help in moving rooms. He knew it was in Quatre's nature to worry, the sandrock pilot being an empath. It was impossible for him to not know something was bothering him, for him to not ask questions.
Sometimes, it irked him that Quatre could tell what he was feeling. Duo wished he could shut him out and keep some of his thoughts and feelings private.
"I'm fine, Quat." He replied, trying to mask his feelings behind a smile. He moved over to him and wrapped his arm over his shoulder.
"I'm just sorry for dragging you away from Trowa." He muttered, smiling at the cute blush that covered his friend's cheek at the mention of his boyfriend.
"You don't have to apologize to me, Duo. You mean a lot to me so I am glad to help you when you let me. "Duo could sense the truth in his friend's words and it stung him. He didn't know what he did to deserve such a good friend, but he was glad he had him.
"Thanks Q." They shared a hug. "I'm okay so you can go be with Trowa."
"Are you sure?"
"Yep." He replied, his usual cheerful disposition returning. Duo waited for him to leave before shutting the door.
He sat on his bed, shifting through his clothes, the majority of the them were black, when a knock startled him. "Come in?" He muttered, not looking up until a pair of familiar looking sneakers came into view and he looked up.
Wufei stood in front of him, his face stone. He said nothing. He only stared at him. It made him a little nervous." You know huh?"
"I'm sorry." Wufei said, and that was all it took. He took one look at Duo's heart-shaped face, wet with sudden tears and he sat beside him on the bed. He gathered the smaller teen into his arms, letting his tears soak through his black muscle tee.
"You were right, Wufei."
"Hmmm?" He asked, resting his chin on top of Duo's head as he looked around his new room. It was bare aside for his bags and the two beds. Quatre rarely used the room choosing to sleep with Trowa except when he was away on missions.
"About Heero. I was just too stupid to see it myself." He explained, remembering of how he confided in the other teen about his relationship with the Wing pilot. How Wufei had tried to talk him out of it. Telling him, he would never be first, that Heero would walk all over his heart. He was right.
"You're not stupid. Heero is an idiot. He will be back when he sees what he gave up." Duo pushed away from him at that." I don't want him if he comes back. I am always putting myself out there only to get hurt and pushed away. I'm done with love and relationships all together!" He screamed. Wufei waited for him to calm down and then he stood up and made his way to the door only stopping when Duo called out to him.
"Thanks for talking with me, Wu-man. I needed you. If only I had fallen for you instead." He said, laughing lightly. Wufei's eyes widened in surprise at the comment, before a sadder smile crossed his face. He turned away from the slighter teen before he noticed, but Duo saw it anyway.
The braided teen chose to not comment on it. Much to Wufei's relief, and the Chinese pilot held open the door.
"Anytime Duo."
"You're hiding." Wufei heard as he entered the hallway and spotted Quatre, resting against the opposite. The blonde was staring curiously at the older boy taking in the way his form tensed at his statement.
"Hiding?"Wufei repeated, shocked at the other boy's presence. He had run into Quatre a few hours earlier, after returning from his last solo mission. Quatre had told him what happened in his absence and had convinced him to go talk with Duo.
"I said that your hiding, your feelings for him that it. "Quatre explained, pushing away from the wall. He stood in front of the other pilot, effectively blocking his path.
"Why?" He could see from the way Wufei switched his gaze from him to the door that he just left from that he didn't feel comfortable talking about it so openly where Duo could hear them.
No wanting to dive into that topic, he immediately sought to change the subject." Did you want something, Quatre?"
"How is he?"Quatre asked him, his eyebrows furrowed at the sudden change in topic. He expected it, though it didn't make him happy.
"He'll be okay. He's taking it kind of hard, but he knows he did the right thing." Another sad smile crossed the Asian boy's face." He can't let Heero continue to take advantage of him."
Quatre nodded in silent agreement." What about you, Wufei?"
"What about me?" He replied, confused
"You love him?"
"Yes." Wufei admitted." I don't want to hurt him." Quatre nodded, understanding where he was coming from.
"You could never hurt him; you love him too much to do that."
"How could you possibly know that?" Wufei asked, genuinely curious. "Heero said the same thing and look what happened."
"I can't speak about Heero, but I can feel your feelings and even if you did hurt him, it would hurt you more." Quatre grabbed his shoulders.
"We love him, Wufei, but we can't give him what he needs. We thought Heero could, but that failed. But you can. Please take good care of him." He said, and Wufei swore, startling him.
"Quatre..."
"Wufei." He started, smiling gently at him. "I'm not asking you to jump immediately into a relationship with Duo. Just please, think about it. I think it would be good for the both of you."
Like Quatre asked, Wufei spent most of the day thinking about a possible relationship between him and the death scythe pilot. It wasn't that he hadn't thought of it before, but with the war taking up most of their time and their odd new side jobs, that was as far as he had got to considering it. He thought about confessing when the war ended, but that could be years away.
Their lives were in constant danger. They didn't need the distraction. Is what he told himself and he buried his feelings for a safer time.
That time never came and instead a few weeks later he learned of Heero and Duo in a relationship. He was hurt, but accepted it only stepping in to offer advice when either pilot needed it.
It was almost dinnertime when Wufei decided to take a break. He couldn't make a decision yet as to confess to Duo. It was too soon, Duo was hurting and he doubted that the braided boy would want to be in a relationship again.
Sighing, Wufei grabbed his coat from the living room closet. He needed air. "I'll be back later!" He yelled out, smiling when Trowa answered him with a brief "okay."
He opened the door and almost jumped in fright as he stared at the person standing outside the door. The blond girl stared, equally surprised with her arm prepped to knock.
The princess lowered her arm and smiled at him. "Hello Wufei," She said politely.
"R-Relena." He responded, unable to keep his surprise at her visit out of his voice. "Are you here to see Heero?" Though he knew it was a stupid question, why else would should be there.
"Yes, can I come in?" Wufei stepped aside to let her in and shut the door behind her. He threw his coat back into the closet. He knew that with Relena here, it could only mean trouble.
