Title: The Forgotten
Author: Caer
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Yaoi, violence, angst, language
Pairings: 2x4
Status: Work in progress (part 7)
Disclaimer: This is simply fanfiction. I don't own this anime and I'm not making any money. It's just for fun.
Hey guys. Thanks for still being here. Little warning here. There is lemon in this chapter, but I won't post it on fanfiction dot net. However, you can go to my website to read the full uncut version. You can enjoy the chapter without the lemon, but I needs me some lemon. These guys have been sexually frustrated in my head for years now. They need some action. Hope you like! We're getting close now. May even finish this fic before the year is over. What a concept. Lot of talking again in this one, but a little boy on boy action!
Thanks again for reading!
Duo had kissed him. Kissed him!
Quatre followed Duo into the main hall, completely perplexed. The emotions directed toward him had been such a mix of doubt, hate, confusion and passion, that he hadn't really been able to sense any clear feelings, let alone... attraction. People here were so hard to read. They were guarded, and confusing. Of course most of what Quatre had felt from people in the charity lines was simple gratitude. He had admittedly never gotten that close to any of the actual L2 residents.
The kiss had been so raw and hard and amazing. Quatre could still feel it on his lips , and he could still feel the raw passion coursing through him, even as he was handed a bowl of soup by one of the children. The soup was watered down and not very flavorful, but Quatre ate it with gusto as he found his healthy appetite had returned. He decided for now to focus on that, and set to the task of finding some salt.
Duo watched him from the kitchen. Though the blond was an outsider, he seemed to get on easily with the residents of their small home. Though wary, the children seemed fascinated with him, and he used this to his advantage, joking and .Wufei approached him quietly, after he had given Trowa and Heero something to eat.
"So. Will you be sending him with Heero and Trowa?"
Duo's fingers tightened against the cold metal counter top.
"No." Duo said forlornly. "He'll be leaving too soon as it is."
"Maybe" Wufei said putting a hand on the boy's shoulder. "So why not take advantage of the time he's here?"
"Wufei," Duo warned.
"I understand how you feel, Duo.
Later that night, when most of the group was in bed, Duo sat in his room, sharpening his knife.
"You didn't eat,"
Duo looked up to see the one person he wanted to see more than anything, and the one person he knew he shouldn't. The blond had a bowl in hand and was smiling so gently. A look so foreign to the people of L2, Duo wondered at it.
"What are you doing here?" He put the knife down.
"Wufei told me to bring you some food."
"Ha. Figures."
"Aren't you hungry? It's been a long day."
"I guess," Duo took the bowl and began eating, trying not to look up at the boy. But Quatre wasn't having that. He sat down on Duo's bed, next to him. Duo's leg twitched.
"Shouldn't you get some sleep?"
"I'm not tired."
Duo gritted his teeth and drank the rest of his soup, setting the bowl before turning to the blond.
So what are you doing here?
Quatre reached out a hand and brushed back Duo's thick brown bangs, edging closer.
"Hold still. I'm trying to figure something out."
Quatre kissed him, gently, running his tongue along Duo's upper lip. The boy moaned a little. Quatre could feel him shaking. He pulled away and smiled.
"You aren't lying," Quatre grinned.
"I never lie,"
"You're so hard to read though," Quatre said, frowning. "I couldn't tell how you felt."
"Yeah well... I was trying to hide it." Duo said a bit uncomfortably. "Empaths can be really dangerous to us here. We all have different tricks to try to avoid being read."
"That explains it," the boy replied. "Everyone here is difficult to read. But you especially."
"Yeah well... been burned before."
Duo jumped as Quatre's hand slid up his leg.
"What are you doing?"
Quatre grinned wickedly. He quickly flipped up to sit on Duo's lap, breathing on the boy's earlobe before giving it a quick lick.
"What does it look like? I'm seducing you," he whispered.
There is lemon next, but I won't post it here. You can find it on my website.
Quatre woke, feeling incredibly safe, albeit sweaty and hot as usual. Remembering the night before he smiled and turned over to find Duo looking at him, somewhat sleepily himself.
"Hey," Quatre grinned.
"Hey," Duo whispered. "Did you know you talk in your sleep? A lot?"
"I do?" Quatre was surprised. But since he had been ill, his dreams had been vivid. At least he was free of nightmares this time. They had slept apart because of the intense heat of the colony, but Quatre did remember his hand finding Duo's a few times through the night. He stretched and crawled naturally into Duo's arms. He kissed Duo's neck almost reverently before giving it a lick.
Duo snorted and pushed him away a bit.
"Don't get me horny, Quatre. The kids are awake and we've gotta get up soon."
Quatre muffled his disappointed whine in Duo's neck, before giving in and nibbling at it. Duo moaned involuntarily.
"Quatre, stop. This is hard enough. You're going to have to leave soon. It'll make it harder if we keep doing this."
Quatre backed off, but reached up to clear Duo's bangs out of his sleepy eyes. Adorable was the word that came to mind as Quatre looked into them.
"It doesn't have to be that way, Duo. I want to help. Why would I leave?Especially now?"
"Quatre, you can't stay here. It's too dangerous." He frowned. "I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to you. And you especially would be in a lot of danger. Empaths are hot targets. They don't last long on this colony."
Quatre frowned, a stubborn line forming in his forehead as he crossed his arms.
"It's my risk to take."
"Quatre, you don't know what you're saying," Duo whispered into his hair. "Do you know how many friends I've lost over the years?" There was a raw pain in the boy's voice that rang through Quatre's body like a scream. He collapsed a little and tried to comfort Duo with soft touches.
"I want to understand, Duo." Quatre put a hand over the boy's heart. "That's why I will be part of your life, whether you welcome me or not. I'm not just going to go away. I have connections. I have friends who can make things happen here. Once Miss Relena is here, she will be able to talk to L2 as an envoy. Once she reports the conditions here, she can get ESUN involvement. Once we deal with my father."
Quatre's beautiful eyes grew dark again and Duo kissed him, trying to distract him from his dark thoughts. He sounded so hopeful, but he didn't want to get his hopes up. Quatre moaned into the kiss and began to run his hand down between Duo's legs. Duo quickly pushed him back into the bed before kissing him once on the forehead playfully.
"I guess we need to talk some more, but right now, we... have... to... get... up."
Duo got out of bed and began putting on his clothes. Quatre frowned. He realized he was being avoided, but he knew that pressing the matter would not be a good idea right now. He started to root around for his clothes.
High up in the tower of an old skyscraper, Bossa sat in a relatively undamaged office. In the newly acquired quadrant, his people had been working hard to clean up the graffiti and patch the holes, using materials from buildings that were not salvageable. It was a work in progress, but even with some leftover holes in his office and a cracked window, it was doable for now. The rest of his clan was out fortifying the outside edges of town, in order to make it as secure as possible. He had a feeling that once his community had a school for the kids and one of the greenhouses, it would attract those that wanted a better life.
"Bossa, it's Shinigami. He's here."
Bossa stood up, straightening his shirt.
"Did you escort him in?"
Yes sir. He and his pet are here.
Bossa's eyes glinted. "Even better. All right then, show them in."
The man yelled a few guttural words out the door, and Duo and his little blond walked in.
"Heir Maxwell, it's good to see you. I take it you've come to see the place I have set up for you?"
"Yeah. Plus we want to try to ferret out your little rat."
"Ah, I thought that may be the case. So your new pet is an empath." Bossa wandered over to the boy, who stood firm. However, the German could see the anxiety in Duo's stance as he got closer. He wondered how far he could get before Duo gave in. He ran a questing hand up the boy's white shirt, before hooking a finger under his chin and getting uncomfortably close.
"I might suggest that you leave such a treasure with me for a while." He leaned in and smelled the boy's hair. He'll be far more secure. "May I try him?"
Duo was absolutely rigid, but he wasn't going to pretend.
"Bossa, Quatre isn't a..."
"Master,"
Quatre seemed to surprise both of them and Quatre now had his hand on Bossa's chest, close to his neck, ready to push the man back if need be.
"I won't unless you want me to. Is that your wish?"
Duo was stymied. It took him a few starts in his throat before he could say anything. Was Quatre still pretending? He quickly recovered. If Quatre still wanted to play that game. he could play it too.
"Back off, Bossa. He's mine and he knows it. He could hurt you if you're not careful."
Bossa laughed heartily. "So you have trained him then. Well, perhaps later we can work something out." He leaned down and whispered close to the boy's ear, making Quatre shiver. "He is a jewel. It would be a waste not to share him.
"Maybe. But he's new. You can understand my desire to keep him that way right?" Duo grinned.
Bossa puffed another breath on Quatre's ear, before backing away.
"Very well. I should show you the building we have picked for you. I think you will find that it is very secure. Better than that rat hole you've been living in up to now. It used to be a hospital."
Bossa walked out the door in front of them, while his cohorts guided Quatre and Duo out.
"Quatre, why the hell did you do that?" he whispered as he got as close as he could. Fortunately the two men behind them were keeping their distance. Almost everyone on L2 knew of the Shinigami's reputation. Distance meant time to react to an attack.
"Don't knock it. It may be better this way for now, right?" Quatre said quietly. "Besides, it's kind of fun being your pet. Don't you think so, master?"
Duo swallowed and willed his body not to react to the sultry purr in Quatre's voice as he said it. This kid was going to be trouble for him no matter what. However, for now this was easier. Though they wouldn't keep it quiet for long, Bossa and his gang didn't need to know about Quatre... especially with a traitor in his group.
They followed Bossa out of the building. At the bottom of the stairs, they were joined with some of the group Quatre had seen before, including the bald man that had found him that day under the escalator. However, just like Duo, they were not easy to read. They all seemed dangerous and guarded. They hardly even seemed to trust each other. He was having trouble pinpointing anyone who felt outside of the group. He would need some interaction with them before he could tell who might be a traitor.
They made their way down the street two blocks until they came to a somewhat large steel building that was still structurally sound. It seemed a little drab, but with the small windows and only 2 entrances, it did seem secure. However the size was impressive.
"It used to be a hospital, but they have some bigger rooms where you can have lessons."
Duo seemed impressed so far.
"Are there beds?"
"Some. As you can guess, much of the building was gutted, but we saved what we could. You will have to bring some of the equipment from your current residence. But we stripped out anything you couldn't use. You were left with quite a few supplies, including medical."
"Well that will come in handy," Duo agreed. Between the cuts and scrapes that their younger kids received up to the more serious wounds received by the older ones, medical supplies were hard to come by. Trowa would be pleased.
Inside, the rooms were relatively clean. Someone had already scrubbed them out and cleared the debris. Right now, many of Duo's kids slept in one room. This would ensure that each child could have their own room... at least for a while. There was a rudimentary kitchen, with running water now thanks to Duo's help.
Quatre could feel the excitement coming off of Duo. This would be so much better than where they were. However he scanned the other people with them and had a hard time finding any off-putting feelings. These people were hard to read.
"I hope you see that I'm planning more than just a safe haven, Heir Maxwell. If we do this right, we can make something of this colony. Perhaps we will finally rejoin the rest of the colonies officially. Now that they're here, we can show them what we can make of ourselves, no?"
Duo nodded.
"You really think this could work."
"It's changed even in the last ten years, friend. There are enough families out there now that want to move away from the gangs and find a real community. But they need protection."
"And that's you, then," Duo crossed his arms and regarded the German skeptically.
"And you of course." Bossa smiled his charming smile. "I would be a fool not to have the colony's best warriors in my territory."
Quatre could tell that Duo balked. He was used to running his own territory. But for the children, he had a feeling Duo would be willing to join something bigger. Quatre subtly moved toward him, lending what support he could.
"What about slicers? We can work deals with the gangs, but slicers won't care either way."
"We've been fortifying this area. If we guard the perimeter we shouldn't have too much trouble. There are very few entrances."
"I don't know, Bossa. I know you have enough power to maintain your territory . It's a big step to put our safety in your hands though. What's in this for you?"
"I admit, Duo, that I want to add you to my list of allies. With you on my side, the famous 'Shinigami', I will gain security in name alone. You could say I would like to add you to my 'collection'." He eyed Duo less than innocently. Duo tensed as Bossa's ice blue eyes raked down his figure. "You have my word that you can trust me. That is all I can give. With you on my side, relations with Heero and Trowa will be set. We'll have access to food and water. I'm hardly powerful if I can't provide for my citizens am I"
"Master..."
Duo turned to Quatre, who seemed to be looking at Bossa, but not seeing him. He seemed almost in a trance, as Duo realized the blond was reading the German man.
"I think you can trust him. He's not trying to deceive you."
Quatre released his gaze and looked at Duo meaningfully.
"He's not lying."
Bossa grinned, impressed.
"A powerful empath at that. I think you will need my protection, heir Duo. This pet of yours would fetch a handsome price out there. He is a powerful commodity."
"He's mine, Bossa."
The German tilted his head in acquiescence.
"Of course. I'm just saying that as partners, he would be useful in our dealings with the other gangs."
Duo mulled over everything they had seen. Quatre thought he could be trusted.
"Partners huh?" Duo approached Bossa, who stood almost 4 inches taller than the brown haired boy, but Duo was still impressive in his stance. His muscles were taught with disciplined power. Quatre caught a breath as he realized how strong Duo truly was. If the two fought, he had no doubt that Duo would win.
"I am putting my trust in Quatre, and you. But if you betray me, Bossa. I will kill you."
For just a moment, the German flinched.
"Of that I have no doubt, Heir Duo."
Randolph Winner stood and watched as the plane was connected to the colony atmosphere.
"Right on time, "
Once they had exited the pressure tube into the colony, he stepped forward, shaking her hand.
"Miss Peacecraft, I welcome you. I hope your trip was smooth."
"Fairly smooth, I thank you. Though we did have to skirt some debris when we got close. We were planning on getting here earlier. Can I offer you my deepest condolences, Mr. Winner." Relena's lips were tight and pale.
"Of course, you and Quatre were quite close as well." Winner replied.
"Quite close," she replied.
Her demeanor was stiff, but her tone was calm. He turned and led them to the rooms he had set up.
"Though it's dangerous outside these walls, we have this sector secured. You should feel perfectly safe while you conduct your investigation."
"Thank you, Mr. Winner, however I will want to meet some of the people here, and of course see the living conditions of those around the colony."
Randolph winner hesitated.
"Miss Peacecraft, I must caution you. It is very dangerous out on the streets. My son found that out the hard way." Winner's voice grew hoarse. "We can not risk you falling into the same situation."
"If I were alone I'm sure it would be dangerous. But the people here have no weapons, and I've not heard of any terrorist actions recently."
"We did have an explosion yesterday at the main water facility."
"Was anyone hurt?"
"No." Winner replied.
"I have read in the reports that you recently secured the water supply in this quadrant. I suppose that if the people felt you had control of their source of life, they would want it back." Relena stated.
"I can assure you that we don't deny anyone water. They are free to request it."
"A misunderstanding then, I'm sure." Relena replied curtly. "That's why we must talk to the people. Thank you, Mr. Winner. I am confident that my guards can handle the task. I will travel out as soon as possible. I should like you to tell me about the leaders on the colonies. I shall want to speak with all of them."
"Of course," Winner replied icily. "If you'll come this way."
He led them to a group of black cars. He stepped into one, while Relena and her entourage took the other two cars. They headed for SSIP's main complex, stopping along the way at the food distribution center.
Winner guided Relena and her security to the kitchens, where people were busy preparing warm meals.
"This is where we provide food and clothing for the people. If they sign up for our program, they can get food, clothes and medical attention. This helps the program to grow, because as we help them, they work to help even more. They can either work with us here at the main center, or they can branch out and help with maintenance and repair. Either way, this is a place to provide them with a hot meal and an opportunity to earn a living. We have multiple programs, employing the residents.
"Very impressive," Relena acknowledged. "I would like to start my inquiry here. I'm sure many of these people have seen Quatre. I would like to question them.
She nodded to her security and they moved out among the people in the small cafeteria. She herself went to the line of people distributing food.
"Can I help?"
A lady nodded and handed her a ladle. Winner interjected.
"Miss Relena, you don't have to do that."
"Nonsense," She replied, handing a bowl of soup to an old woman. "This is what we're here for. I want to build some trust among these people. Otherwise, we won't get anywhere with our investigation."
Relena continued to work in the line. Winner sighed and joined her, passing out bread. Relena smiled as she handed a bowl to a young girl. She was about 15... just a few years younger than Relena herself. She had frizzy brown hair and a multitude of freckles. She was slightly tan and her hands were rough from hard work. However she had an easy smile and she was quite forward.
"You're new here. I'm Julie. What's your name?"
"Relena Dorlian," she replied, glad to meet a girl around her age, let alone someone willing to talk. It drove home the point that these were people who needed help. This was no longer a colony for criminals, but a place where children had been born and raised in terrible conditions. Yet they survived. So much could be done here. She understood why Quatre had been so interested in this project.
"Relena, That's a nice name. Thank you for your help." The girl moved to take the soup from Relena, but as she took the soup, she took Relena's hand, pressing a small note into it. Relena glanced at Quatre's father, who seemed unaware. The girl smiled at her. "You should come visit the Greenhouse in H Quadrant. You'll find friends there."
The girl winked and took her soup, moving to a table. Relena pocketed the note, to be read later.
