See all warnings and disclaimers in the first chapter.
A/N: (Sigh) I love all you so much. You have no idea how encouraging it is to keep receiving such fantastic feedback. Makes me think, when I'm in print someday, perhaps my works will be bestsellers after all!
Safety for Some, Danger for Others
Heero had to literally drag himself out of the heavy, smothering darkness surrounding him. His body ached. Especially across the shoulders. Shifting, trying to sit up, he discovered why. His arms were bound behind his back at the wrist and elbow. The iron bar and chain forced his elbows as close together as could be managed, hence his discomfort. Growling, he sat up and looked around, trying to locate his Bonded with his eyes.
His minor irritation turned to panicked rage in a heartbeat. He was in a cell, but Duo was nowhere in sight. Immediately sitting up, he tried slamming himself backward against the cell wall, hoping the force would knock the iron bar free or break it or something. The only thing he accomplished was it cutting into his bare skin. He fell still. That would hurt Duo, wherever he was.
How long he lay there, vision hazed in red, unable to call out to his Bonded, he didn't know. Anger didn't begin to describe the fury burning in his breast. There was not a force in this galaxy that would save Relena when he got free. His throat began to ache from the constant growling. He wasn't aware of it as he continuously strained against the manacles.
Suddenly, just like that, it was gone. That restriction, however it had been placed, on his telepathy was gone. Instantly he sat up, calling out for Duo, desperate for some assurance that his Bonded was all right. He found him quickly, suggesting that he wasn't far. He could tell Duo was upset and somewhat afraid, but he seemed greatly comforted by Heero's reappearance in his mind.
"I'm coming, Duo," Heero sent to him, his anger returning tenfold. "I'm coming, just hang on."
He began straining at his bindings, the thought that it was hopeless never crossing his mind. Soon blood slicked his arms, liberally coating his bare skin with dark red. Snarling constantly, he was about to the point where he would snap when he heard a solid clunk and a distantly familiar voice poured into his mind.
"Heero, can you hear me?"
Momentarily freezing, he glanced wildly around, wishing he could see outside. "Wufei? Is that you?"
"Yes!" came the immediate, jubilant-sounding answer. "We finally got it, Trowa. Where are you, Heero? Keep talking. We've been trying to find you for the last two hours!"
"I'm in some kind of cell," Heero replied, looking around, "but I can't see out. I don't know where Duo is."
His sense of urgency must have been portrayed. "Keep talking, Heero," Wufei said. "I think we're almost to you."
"Hurry," Heero thought, over and over. Hurry, hurry, hurry . . . Every time he thought the word, his muscles strained against their bonds, so desperate to free himself and reach Duo his common sense took a short trip out the proverbial window.
They must have hurried. Less than a minute passed before they door was opened and a tiger and panther spilled inside. Both were bigger than him, the tiger massive. He couldn't really tell their colors; his eyes were still seeing red. They transformed nearly at once, rushing to him.
"Shit!" Wufei cursed, his black eyes conveying his displeasure. "You couldn't wait, could you? Damn it, Heero, you're bleeding all over the place."
Heero just stared up at him, barely comprehending, teeth bared and continuing to snarl. Duo . . . Duo . . . have to . . . get to Duo . . .
"Stop it, Heero," the panther said softly.
Trowa, Heero dimly remembered. They'd met once. A long time ago. He wasn't exactly sure what it was the cat wanted him to stop. He strained harder against his bindings, so close to freedom the last of his cognizance was beginning to slide.
"Stop straining!" Trowa snapped quietly. "I can't get these loose if you don't stop, Heero. We'll get you out, then we can find Duo, all right? Just hold still a little longer."
It took every ounce of will power he possessed to stop trying to break free. The blood pounded harder in his ears when he did, his desperation peaking when it no longer felt like he was doing anything to free Duo. Even if his previous actions were not accomplishing anything. He wondered why he could smell blood so much.
There! A sharp click and he was free! An eye-blink later he was transformed, lunging for the doorway. He barely made it a hairsbreadth before two enormous wildcats were on him, hissing and growling in warning. Snarling, he struggled wildly against them, twisting and squirming to get free.
But their combined weight and speed won. They bore him to the ground, effectively ending his struggles.
"Don't, Heero," Wufei admonished in a surprisingly gentle tone. "We'll get you and Duo to safety, but now is not the time to seek revenge. There will be time enough for that when Duo is safe, right?"
The argument, so logical, finally broke through the haze in Heero's mind. "Yes," he agreed, relaxing to let them know he wouldn't try that again.
The trio rose, the two wildcats flanking the wolf as they paced into the hall. They both kept an eye on Heero, leery of any further attempts at running wild. Heero looked around with distant curiosity, wondering where everyone had gone.
"They left," Trowa explained. "Quatre, my Bonded, asked Rashid if he could speak to him and his men. I think he plans to pay them to enter his service and leave Relena's."
Heero found he didn't care. It wasn't any of them he wanted. He wanted Relena. As they neared Duo, he broke into an easy lope, then finally an all-out run. He literally hit the door to abort his momentum, transforming to grapple with the pad. The door hissed open and Heero sprang inside, reaching out with all his senses.
"Duo," he gasped, "Duo, I'm here."
And then, finally, finally his arms were around his Bonded, free of manacles or captivity or fear. He crushed Duo close, all the angry voices yammering in his head falling blessedly silent. He could hear himself panting, could hear Duo quietly crying. It only occurred to him belatedly why: he was probably feeling the pain Heero himself could not for the rush of adrenaline. And when it finally seeped out of his system, he realized his entire body hurt, especially his arms, shoulders, and back. There was blood all over the place, covering both of them now.
Duo didn't seem to care. "I can hear you again," he whispered, nuzzling his face into Heero's neck. "Is it . . . is it over?"
"Yes. Two of my kind found us. They're taking us somewhere safe. Are you all right? Are you unhurt?"
Duo laughed weakly. "Except for your pain? Yes, I'm fine."
Heero started ever-so-slightly when a warm hand landed gently on his shoulder. "Come on, Heero," Wufei said softly. "Let's go. Trowa's Bonded is waiting for us. We'll be safe with him."
"I want to find Relena," Heero said at once, breathing deeply of Duo's scent.
"No," Trowa quickly cut in. "Quatre wanted us to wait."
Duo reacted to the name. "Quatre?"
"Yes," Trowa said. "He's my Bonded. He said he knew you, Duo."
A tiny smile crossed Duo's exhausted face. "Yes. We were close. I don't suppose you two know where Zechs is?"
"No," Wufei replied. "We didn't find him. If he is not dead, he is no longer here."
Heero felt a bit of disappointment flash through Duo, but it was gone quickly. He rose from the bed, wishing he had the strength to hold Duo, to carry him. But his entire body ached. So he opted for tightly holding Duo's hand, walking so close their sides were aligned from shoulder to thigh. Duo didn't seem to mind, resting his head against Heero's shoulder as they walked.
o8o o8o
Wufei sighed when the pair was stowed safely in the hovercraft known more commonly as Skimmers. He could feel their exhaustion. Frankly, he was exhausted too. It was hard work keeping a wolf under control. He was a little surprised and very glad he and Trowa had been able to do it.
On the back seat, Heero had transformed again to lay curled around Duo. The young, small human lay with his head pillowed on the wolf's soft flank, lovely blind eyes closed. Heero's eyes were closed to slits, but Wufei suspected the wolf wasn't really watchful right at this time.
The drive back to the Winner estate took only twenty minutes. By this time, Heero and Duo were dead asleep. A tiny grin quirked Wufei's lips.
"He couldn't have waited until he was in his secondary form to fall asleep," he mused. "Trowa, why don't you call your Bonded? He can see to Duo while we carry Heero."
The panther nodded, and less than thirty seconds later Quatre came running outside. Relief etched his face as he silently leaned inside the Skimmer and lifted Duo's slight frame out. It took a little more work on Wufei's and Trowa's part to get Heero out. But they managed it and carried him inside just as Quatre was coming back down the stairs.
"They're both covered in blood," he said, frowning. "I think we should clean them up before letting them sleep."
The two wildcats deposited Heero on the floor of the bathroom, mindful of the blood still oozing from his injured arms. Once in contact with the cold tiled floor, the wolf stirred and raised his head, casting a groggy-eyed glance around the bathroom. He instantly sat up straight, growling low.
"It's all right, Heero," Wufei soothed, licking the wolf's longer muzzle. "Quatre's bringing Duo. You're safe, remember? But you're both covered in blood, so how about a shower before you rest?"
Heero calmed at once, slumping to the floor, eyes sliding to half-mast. Wufei suspected the wolf didn't have the energy to reply. He looked completely exhausted. He nudged his head with his own.
"You should transform, though. It will be easier, that way. Quatre will probably want to wrap your injuries."
Compliant and quiet, Heero transformed. His human form looked even more pathetic. He was thinner than Wufei remembered, and the raw, open wounds decorating the back of his torso looked painful. Though he said nothing aloud, Wufei ground his teeth against the stubbornness of wolves. If he hadn't kept struggling uselessly, he wouldn't be in such a bad way.
Moments later, Quatre helped Duo into the bathroom. Heero perked up immediately upon seeing his Bonded, rising shakily to enfold him in his arms. Seeing that made Wufei long for Treize. He laid a hand on both their shoulders.
"We'll be back up to check on you in awhile, okay?" he said gently.
Heero didn't respond, but Duo nodded. Smiling, Wufei left them alone.
o8o o8o
At Duo's insistence, Heero turned on the shower and the pair shed their clothing to step inside. Heero was barely clothed, wearing only a pair of thin pants. Heero hissed when the warm water hit his raw wounds, making Duo flinch into his Bonded's arms. It hurt. A lot. But the comfort of knowing they were safe and together was enough to drive away the pain.
Duo stood as close to Heero as possible, their bodies aligned, pressed together from chest to thigh. For a long, long time they simply stood under the falling water, soothed by the warmth and pressure. Never in his life could Duo remember wanting to be this close to someone, needing them this much. It was like a terrible, physical ache when Heero wasn't there. He hated it with a vehemence that startled him. And, to his even greater surprise, he genuinely hated Relena for imposing that separation on them. Even though it had probably lasted only hours.
"I'm going to kill her, Duo," Heero hissed in his ear.
His anger rippled through Duo with malevolent intensity, and Duo found himself longing to watch just that. Shuddering, he buried his face in Heero's shoulder.
"Don't talk about her," he whispered. Not yet.
And suddenly, Heero's hands were all over him. Caressing, squeezing, holding, seemingly desperate for contact to reassure himself Duo was real, this wasn't some cruel dream. His desperation, his need burned through Duo, building until Duo could no longer tell if it was Heero's or his own. He clung to Heero's shoulders, needing the wolf's strength to keep him upright, rubbing his cheek against the smooth, bare skin there.
Heero held him so tightly, so close he could barely breathe. Sometimes Heero squeezed so hard it hurt, but Duo didn't care. He didn't care at all. He just wanted to feel, to melt into Heero's mind, for everything to vanish except for his Telmaran Bonded. The heat from the water and steam in the enclosed bathroom had him panting, but that was all right, too.
And then Heero's mouth was on his. Hard, aching, demanding, pleading. His hand at Duo's jaw forced him to part his lips, allowing the instant invasion of Heero's tongue. Heero was growling, crushing Duo so close he stole what remaining breath the boy had. The twisted, tumultuous tangle of Heero's emotions overwhelmed his own until he didn't know what he was feeling, only that he wanted to be as close to the Telmaran as physically possible, climb into his skin if he could.
Water streamed down his face in rivulets, leaking into his mouth. Even the heat from that cooled in comparison to the heat that was Heero, his touch and his tongue. When Heero pressed him against the wall of the shower he went, giving everything he had to the demanding Telmaran, still unable to breathe, still not caring.
Heero broke away first, growling audibly now as he dragged his mouth down Duo's jaw to his throat. He bit and licked by turns, every sharp sting from his teeth immediately soothed by long swipes from his tongue. Even now when freed Duo still could not breathe, every gasp catching in his throat as streams of sensation and emotion flooded through him.
"Heero . . ." he panted, not sure what he wanted to say, only knowing he had to say something before he was swept away.
And as suddenly as it had started, it stopped. Heero rested his forehead against Duo's, and the boy found himself wishing desperately he could see his Bonded's face. A soft, sweet kiss was pressed to each of his eyelids, and after that Heero's hold was close and calm. Gentle and tender.
"I'll protect you from now on," he murmured, his lips brushing the bridge of Duo's nose. "I won't let anything happen to you, Duo."
And the words he didn't say but Duo could feel clearly, resonating between them. They remained unspoken, but he didn't have to say a thing. Duo could hear them as easily as though he had.