Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing.
CHAPTER TEN
Heero shoved his hands into the deep pockets of his wool coat, an imaginary shield going up around him while he walked along the sidewalk. Window shoppers gazed into the tiny shops that lined the street and a few entered the stores filled with things that sparkled and caught the eye but did nothing more. He kept an even pace, weaving his way around the crowds like a deer making its way through trees, not once brushing someone.
While passing one of the quaint little shops he released a small snort. Duo had dragged him in there, having seen something in the large window display, and had forced him to wait a good half hour while he spoke with the owner and bargained with him, something the owner obviously had never been open to doing. With a shake of the man's hand, Duo turned and gave Heero a big grin as he arched his eyebrows up and wriggled them.
Heero shook his head as the owner came out with a large painting and Duo pressed his thumb onto a small silver pad, automatically charging him for the purchase. The painting, large strokes of yellow and red with square and uneven shaped faces outlined in black, was wrapped up in brown paper.
When Duo approached him, Heero reprimanded him saying he should only pay in cash. Duo rolled his eyes. "Yes mom." He handed him the painting. He laughed at the look on his face, and then told him it was a gift and that there was no return policy.
Heero passed the shop and left the memory when he heard flirtatious giggles being directed towards him. He sidestepped the girls and kept walking, able to feel their gaze on his ass. He looked up and noticed the swarm of people ahead of him, like bees gathering around their hive, and took a step off of the curb to cross the street to avoid being stung, but stopped as his ears picked up some of the conversations.
He walked slowly towards them and as some heads moved he saw a large picture of Relena on a sign just outside the bookstore's entrance. She sat comfortably with her legs stretched out in front of her and her arms out behind her, acting as support beams, as they held her up.
She wore a pair of jeans and a white short-sleeved shirt. She wasn't looking directly into the camera, but to the side, perhaps looking at the person who was making her laugh. Above the image was written 'Relena's Autobiography, Forever caught in her own Shadow.' That caused a small tug on the corner of Heero's mouth.
He had last seen her about a year ago. It was an accidental meeting. She was off doing one of her speeches and he was doing an assignment for the Preventers during the brief time he worked with them. They only talked a short time, not because it was awkward, but because of the lack of anything to say to one another. It was as if running into an old high school friend. You greet them even though it feels like an inconvenience. You tell each other that you should get together, say your goodbyes, and then never see them again.
That's how it was for all of them. The pilots and everyone else who had entered his life during those long wars had become nothing more than images of people in a dusty yearbook. But now he couldn't just walk away from the other pilots, they were staying in his house.
"I'd love to fuck her. The ones that put the good girl front on are always wild in the sack." Heero's eyes narrowed at the remark. The young man's friend laughed.
"Yeah, I heard there was a video out on her. I'd love to see that." Heero quickened his pace and left the crowd and whatever else might have been there behind him.
He began to notice people pulling out their umbrellas and grumbled. He pulled his coat tightly around himself and waited for the rain, inwardly cursing himself for not taking note of the weather system for the day.
"Cathy, I have—I haven't-no—don't you—Cathy. Cathy!" Trowa glared at the message 'disconnected' as it flickered above the small compact. He snapped it closed and held onto it tightly for a moment. Hearing the front door open he slowly placed it on the dresser and left his room to look down the stairway to see who it was.
Heero ran his fingers through his hair and shook the droplets of water off and removed his coat that weighed an extra pound from the rain. Tossing it on one of the hooks that lined the wall beside the door, he began to go up the stairs, the thought of a shower running through his mind, and stopped when he saw Trowa. They stared at each other for a moment, like wolves establishing their dominance.
"Quatre went to pick up Wufei about forty minutes ago. They'll be back soon." Trowa crossed his arms in front of his chest as he held the high ground and looked down at Heero.
Heero said nothing and continued up the stairs and walked past him and into his room. Trowa followed and leaned against his door-frame. "We're all going to see Duo tomorrow."
Nothing.
"Damn it Heero." He stepped into the room. "You could show you cared a little."
Heero crossed the room and opened a dresser drawer, continuing to get a change of clothes ready, completely ignoring Trowa, infuriating him.
Trowa crossed the room and grabbed his shoulder, forcing him to turn and face him. Heero's eyes slanted in as he stared at him. "Don't give me that look Heero." Trowa said in a low growl.
"Don't accuse me of not caring."
"Then pull the fucking cork out of your ass and stop moping around the house because no one is throwing confetti in the air for your pity party."
"At least I know and understand what I'm feeling." Heero saw the quick flash in Trowa's eyes before he felt the punch to the face.
He watched as Heero's head snapped to the side. Shoving his hands into his pockets he turned to leave but stopped as he sensed Heero charging him from behind. He plowed into him, sending them both sprawling to the floor. Trowa clenched his teeth together as the impact jarred him like a gong being struck. He rolled over onto his back, Heero rolling with him. Before he was able to block he felt a blow to the gut.
The air whooshed into his throat and he choked on it. Pain. Everywhere. Forcing himself to breath, he used his elbow as a club; slamming it into the arm Heero was holding him down with.
Heero released him and rolled to the side. The two stood and silently eyed one another. They could almost hear the bell strike to sound round two as they charged, their arms locking, each fighting to overcome the other. Trowa could sense the competition coming out of the battle. Resentment and anger poured out of them. He shot his knee into Heero's gut as the two slammed up against a wall.
Heero broke his one arm free and Trowa felt a crashing pain in his chin. He could feel himself being lifted and flung, smacking into the dresser. Two of the drawers shot out and fell to the floor and the two eyed them silently for a moment until Trowa pressed off of the dresser and began swinging at Heero. They left all tactical moves behind them as they blindly threw punches at one another.
Both swayed, unstable as a man having his cane kicked out from underneath him, as their anger and energy drained and pain wrapped around them like a blanket of barbwire. Heero fought to flick his switch off and finally lowered his fists. Trowa followed his actions and a smile came across his face. He breathed in heavily then released a sigh.
"That felt good."
Heero snorted lightly and walked over to the edge of his bed where he fell more than sat down on it. Trowa found the floor comfortable and eased himself down.
"We're back." Quatre announced as he opened the door with Wufei following him inside. He turned and saw the two sitting opposite of one another at the kitchen table, each eating an assortment of food as their lunch. Heero's lip was bloodied and his left eye was a bit swollen with the harsh reality of pain surrounding it in dark shades of purple and yellow. He lowered his fork and looked at Wufei.
Trowa sat with his arms resting on the table and his ankles crossed. The opposite eye of Heero's was bruised and swelling, making the two look like a perfect match for one another. He had another bruise under his chin and Quatre was sure that there were several more decorating his and Heero's bodies.
Wufei didn't attempt to stop himself from grinning as he looked at the two, who silently looked back. He was pleasantly amused.
"Come on Wufei." Quatre turned to the young man beside him. "We'll figure out the sleeping arrangements." He began up the stairs, saying nothing to Heero or Trowa.
Wufei, still grinning, nodded his head at the two as his hello and both silently nodded back before he followed Quatre.
The silence of the night was broken as Quatre heard the phone whining. He pressed his pillow against his ears and after a moment he sighed and surrendered. Tossing the covers off of himself, he silently made his way out of the room, trying not to wake Trowa, who was now staying on a fold out cot in his room, while Wufei stayed in the room he had been using. He made his way downstairs to answer the phone, knowing that Heero wouldn't. He rubbed his eyes, trying to lift the gloss of sleep off of them and glanced at the clock, quarter to three, who the hell calls someone at quarter to three?
"Hello?" Quatre pressed the button on the machine and tried to clear his scratchy voice.
"Mr. Yuy?" A strained woman's voice came through the line.
"No, no, this Raberba. Can I help you?"
"Yes, is Mr. Yuy there?" Quatre ran his hand through his hair.
"Umm, yes, hold on." He left the phone and jogged up the stairs. Knocking on Heero's door before he entered, he peered in, his eyes were already not used to the darkness, and he squinted.
"What?" Heero was sitting up in his bed and he coolly looked at him.
"Phone. I think it's important." He stepped aside as Heero quickly passed and the two jogged down the stairs, both in their boxers.
"This is Yuy."
"Oh thank goodness. Mr. Yuy, we need you down here right away. It's Mr. Maxwell." Quatre caught the phone as Heero tossed it and ran up the stairs. He began to ask the woman questions as Heero ran back down the stairs, a pair of sweat pants and a white t-shirt on, and out the door with his keys.
Duo lay in his bed. The dark surrounded him and the only sound in the room was his breathing. He began to breath harder and louder as he listened to himself and sweat began to form on his brow. It was too dark. Too quiet. His own breathing frightened him as it dragged him back into memories.
It was just like the end of a battle. Everything was silent, deathly silent. Nothing but darkness surrounding him and the sound of his breathing echoing through his cockpit. The end of the battle was the worst part. That's when you had to debate if you were alive or not, and then decide if you were disappointed or not. The wake of darkness and silence that followed every battle, like death's cloak, scared him shitless. During that time he could feel the dead pressing against him, smothering him.
"NO!" The scream ripped through him as if it were being yanked out of him with a pair of pliers, and he jumped out of his bed. He shut his eyes and paced back and forth; tugging at himself, trying to feel, feel anything. Opening his eyes he screamed as he saw them surrounding him. They were there, all around him. He wasn't seeing things. He wasn't, he wasn't! Their faces all focused on him and blankly stared into him.
"Dr. Mills! Dr. Mills!" He shouted for him and pressed his hands to his face, trying to block them out.
The nurse ran along side Heero as they rushed down the hall to Duo's room. "He's been going on like this for over two hours. We can't get into the room. He shouted a few times for Dr. Mills, but he's out of town."
Heero looked into the small window on Duo's door and saw him running around the room, shouting and waving his arms frantically in the air. His hair had begun to come unraveled and strands of it stuck to his tear-streaked face. He had flung the mattress off of its frame and had managed to wreck the room that held so little furniture. Heero turned and looked at the nurse who bit her lower lip.
"Open the door."
"Charlie and Frank will follow in behind you." She looked back at two of the men behind them. Heero shook his head.
"No."
"But they have—"
"No." The nurse stared at him and opened her mouth to protest again but his glare stopped her. She handed him the key to unlock the door and he took it and entered the room, closing the door behind him. Duo didn't look at him. He continued to shout out names and curses, none of which Heero recognized. He silently approached him.
When he was only three steps away from him, Duo turned and looked at him for the first time and Heero easily recognized the anguish on his face. He lunged at Heero, sending them both to the ground. Heero fought to grab his arms and hold them still as Duo struggled against him while continuously shouting 'no.'
Heero finally got a hold of his arms and like a rag doll, harshly shook him. "Look at me Duo. Look at me!" Duo tried to pull away as he kept screaming 'no'. Heero began to shout the word with him. He screamed it, drowning Duo out, causing him to become silent. Duo raised his head and his eyes resembled an owl's; large and round with a rim of red circling them. Heero saw his reflection in them and slowly released his arms and lifted him up so they could rest on their knees. Duo placed his forehead against Heero's chest and his shoulders rose and fell.
Quatre peered through Duo's window while Trowa and Wufei were outside paying the cab driver. He watched as Heero wrapped his arms around the boy and wondered if he would shatter.
