Disclaimer: hahahahahahaha… I'm so old. You know the score.
Notes: Duo and Trowa try to fix things.
Song: Ciara – Paint it black
I see a red door and I want it painted black
No colours anymore I want them to turn black
I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes
I see a line of cars and they're all painted black
With flowers and my love both never to come back
I see people turn their heads and quickly look away
Eldritch Holiday
By Doctor Megalomania
Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts
It's not easy facin' up, when your whole world is black
Chapter 20 – No colours anymore
The mobile suit was vast; its engine core was many times the size of Wing Zero. It was an impossible machine. Duo and Trowa stared down at the machine blankly. Between them, Riko stood. Her hands dropped from where she was holding them, and she turned to face the two.
She touched Duo's forehead and then Trowa's as if she was taking their temperature. She'd done it several times, and every time afterward the mobile suit made slightly more sense. The hanger bay grew dimmer; the details did not seem to matter so much as the pilots began to understand the engine before them. The distant star's manipulation of their senses was helping them to see the engine in a way they could work with.
Hours had passed, and Duo began to sway with the effort of remaining standing.
The thing inside Riko made a noise that could have been an impatient tut. It placed both of Riko's hands either side of Duo's head and the air grew warm around his head. The pain from the head wound lessened and the bleeding was staunched. Riko's head tilted. "You are so fragile." She touched his forehead and then returned to her task.
"We're only human." Trowa observed, "We will die." He looked at Duo. "How bad is it?"
"It doesn't hurt now." Duo replied, "I have a headache, and my vision is not great. Perhaps I have a concussion."
"I had a scientist of the flesh once." The thing inside Riko said, "She could not fix the machine. She fixed the bodies of the others who came after. She could not fix herself." It turned Riko's body to them, "You will fix the machine. You have the knowledge and the ability to think in alternative methods. Then you can fix each other."
"Why?" Trowa looked at Riko. He gestured behind him, "You have destroyed everything that mattered to us, and you have even taken the emotions from us that made it matter. You will kill us anyway; helping you is pointless."
"I will not choose your death. I will free you." Riko made a circular gesture, "And you may die in your own way." She turned away from them, and walked towards the power core of the massive mobile suit. She reached out a hand to rest it on the darkened core. Her face was reflected in the glass. "I will be free from this accursed rock. I will go back and roam the spaces between. I will be free and I will die in my own way."
She turned back to them.
"Your will is strong. I admire that. The herald too is strong in her own way. I command you to work."
Duo and Trowa looked at each other. Duo shrugged. "No."
"You have the science I need."
"You've taken it all from us," Trowa replied. "There's no reason for us to help you."
"I will free you." Riko stepped forward, "Free you as I have the other parasites. This one you call Wufei, and the others. I will free you as I have freed my last herald. Your insignificant freedom." She clenched a fist in front of them. "I could destroy this all. I will instead grant you a ..." The thing inside Riko seemed to lose track of what it was saying. It loosened Riko's fist and dropped it down, "I will give you a promise. Ask one thing of me, and you will have it."
"Give me back my friends." Duo said, "They're our family."
"I cannot give you what I do not have." The thing inside Riko spread its hands, "I can only give you what is in my possession now."
Trowa looked at Duo for a long time before nodding slowly. "Make him unable to kill himself when this is all done." Duo gazed at Trowa, expression blank before nodding thoughtfully.
"I want the same thing… make Trowa unable to kill himself when this is all done." Duo stared blankly at Trowa, "We are all the family we have left."
Trowa tilted his head toward Duo, "I have no doubt that once our feelings are back, we will resent this."
"Oh most certainly," Duo nodded, "but it makes sense – the others wouldn't want us to die. We are Gundam Pilots… The world still needs protecting."
They looked at the monstrosity inside Riko. Her expression was confused. "Is that all?"
"What else is there to ask for?" Trowa asked faintly. "You cannot give us back the rest, so let us protect what's left."
"Will you work?"
"Will we have our feelings back afterwards?"
The thing inside Riko thought for a moment, and made a gesture. The two vials of strange liquid floated to her and orbited her hand. She seemed to stare at them. "The distractions. Yes. I will have no need for them after this. What tools you need will be provided. You need only think of them. Go and perform your science."
She walked away from them, walking down a gangplank away from the massive machine. Duo and Trowa looked at the dark machine and shrugged at each other as they bent to their work.
How many hours they worked, how many days they worked, neither Trowa nor Duo could comprehend. There was no indication of day or night, if they were hungry or tired, they simply did not care enough to stop. The machine was relatively easy to fix. Duo almost passed out at one point, and Riko came closer. She brought a bowl of water and left it for them. Trowa looked up as she walked away, watching as she seemed to tilt her head, almost as if listening to something.
The thing inside Riko seemed to mutter, "You fragile little things."
It returned to the engine and reached in; taking what looked to Trowa like an oddly augmented battery with a small circuit board attached. Its cables writhed as if alive and in pain to be separated from the suit. Riko paused and looked at him directly.
"How is it that you survive anything?" It seemed to ask, reaching forward and gently pushing Trowa away. He stumbled backwards and looked at his hands, his palms were burned. The skin was red and raw and bleeding. Riko passed her hand over his. She looked into the engine and the part he had been working on shifted away. "You have done enough. I can fix that now. Go elsewhere and fix."
She picked up the living part and walked away slightly.
Flexing his fingers, he glanced at Duo who continued to work, his focus was completely on the task in front of him. Trowa looked at Riko. She raised a hand and the air in front of her shimmered and ripped. She thrust the living part through and moved her arm around. There was a brief moment where something on the other side pulled her forwards and the top half of Riko's body disappeared into the shimmer.
Trowa shook his head and returned his attention to the machine.
"I think we're almost finished." Duo's voice was low.
"Yes, I agree."
"What will we do next?"
"I think the distant star will leave." Trowa thought for a moment, "And then we will leave. I will go to Wufei's place and pick up the cat. You can break the news to Rashid and to Relena. I will take the Preventers."
"That's an appropriate plan." Duo considered a part as the cables from it started to wrap around his wrist, nosing and burrowing for a vein. "Do you think this is really a machine?"
"No."
"Me either." Duo sighed slightly. "We're likely going to be very traumatised by this. Do you think perhaps we should forgo our emotions?"
"I admit this does mean we are hyper focused and are able to work intensely." Trowa nodded, pushing a transistor into place. "But I suspect that this will not be considered a life by others." He paused for a moment, confused when another transistor he had been positioning burst in his hand like an egg. He reached behind him and picked up a replacement. "I think Quatre would want me to have my feelings back. I think he would like to be mourned."
"I am not certain what my reaction to Heero's death will be."
"Yes." Trowa went silent for a long moment. "More light?"
"Please."
Later – was it hours? Days? – Duo straightened and looked up when he heard a sound. Around him from the open engine, sparks floated slowly like a firefly. He reached up a hand to touch one, but was gently stopped by Riko. The thing inside her gestured at them, walking them away from the engine. Behind them the illusion faded, and Duo caught sight of a living black rock move and shift. He looked down at himself, splattered with dark liquid.
"You have done what none could do for two hundred years." The thing inside Riko seemed impressed, joyful. "If I had known you were what I needed…" She raised a hand, and the two vials appeared. They floated over to Duo and Trowa, who grabbed them out of the air. Trowa's hands were burned; Duo's shoulder was sodden with blood. They glanced at each other, and then at the thing inside Riko. Behind them the engine made another noise, louder this time. More sparks floated past.
Duo watched them for a long moment before looking at the thing inside Riko. "We're taking Riko. Wufei would not be pleased if we left her behind."
The thing tilted Riko's head, its expression curious. "You are keen to keep the herald." It seemed to think. "I do not need it. It has shown me the stars I need to navigate by. You can have it."
"Take us back to the hotel." Trowa nodded slowly, looking down at his hands. The burns were superficial and healing. "We need to return there."
"You wish to go back to the splice's lair?" The thing seemed bemused. "It has fed off you for days." The thing in Riko's body looked away, as if listening to something far away. It raised a hand and reached through the shimmering rip in the air. When it brought her hand back through, it held something misshapen and bloody. Distantly, Duo thought it looked like the nun's head.
"I will bless you thrice over." The thing in Riko's body was pleased. "I will rid you of your curse. I will weaken the splice. I will return you to its lair."
Duo asked, "What is that?"
"This?" The thing inside Riko laughed, "Your curse. An insect. It crawls over life, drinking the blood. Harmless but annoying." It tossed the head to the engine. Neither pilot reacted to the sickening crunching sounds behind them.
"And the splice?" Duo persisted, "What is that?"
The thing inside Riko seemed less pleased. "What does it matter? A parasite, below me. A predator that feeds off you. I have not the time to destroy it. I have weakened it instead. Are you not grateful to me?"
The engine made a louder noise, making the air reverberate behind them.
"What have we got to be grateful for?" Trowa asked simply, "You left us alive and took everything we've ever had from us."
For a moment, the thing inside Riko seemed to look inward. It nodded and then made an expansive gesture, "You cannot comprehend. You fragile little things. Tell all you have been blessed by the distant star." It made a circular gesture with her hands. "I free you now. Go be free and die in your own way."
Riko's head tipped back and she opened her mouth in a scream that was as many colours as it was musical notes.
The unfathomable light was so bright.
Duo blinked.
And he was back in the hotel. He was stood by the bed, his hands folding a shirt. He looked down and realised he was partway through packing Heero's bag. There was a rumble of thunder and he put the shirt down. He walked towards the bathroom and took the chance to wash his hands. Looking up, he stared at himself in the mirror. He was wet. He was cold. He could feel it now. The pain in his head, the pain in his heart. It was sharp, cutting him deeply. His feelings came back, blossoming like a deadly flower in his chest. He stared at his reflection, watching as the Duo in the mirror fell apart.
Trowa slowly lowered his hands down from his face.
They were bandaged. He looked at them; he'd done it. He recognised his own first aid bandage technique. Looking around he found himself in his hotel room. On Quatre's bed, both of their bags were neatly packed. Behind him, there was a rumble of thunder and he turned to look at the window. Outside, the rain fell. It fell like it hated this damned earth, and Trowa understood then what he was feeling. Everything.
Rage at Duo.
Sorrow for Wufei.
Pity for Heero.
Regret for Quatre.
It was the regret that choked him, making him stumble until he was sat on the edge of his bed, sobbing. He hadn't cried this like for years. The last time had been the first time he had seen Quatre after they had broken up. When the realisation that he would never have Quatre's love again had come crashing in, that he had broken up with Quatre in the hope of finding freedom, and that freedom was not what he had wanted. He had sobbed like this that night.
The tears blurred his vision and made him wish he had not asked for Duo's life. The price of having to keep his own was too much.
Someone cleared their throat awkwardly.
Trowa's eyes shot open and he slowly looked up, unsure if he'd heard the familiar noise.
Quatre stood before him, wrapped in a towel, freshly showered.
Hope was extinguished as soon as he recognised where Quatre was stood. He looked around the darkened room. Quatre didn't quite seem completely here. He glanced at the door, then rose from the bed and moved closer to Quatre, wondering how long he had.
It only took another flash of lightning for him to make up his mind.
He didn't care.
"Of course. This is why." He raised a hand to push his hair away, to really look at Quatre. "You knew this would happen." He realised sadly. "You knew we'd—"
Sharp pain stabbed at his mind, and he felt momentarily sick. He could see Quatre felt the same.
He gave up that train of thought, "Of course."
Duo found the gun Heero had hidden in the toilet cistern, and stared at it for a long time. It was oddly weighted but it was all he needed. All their other weapons were in the car. He walked to the window in the bedroom and stared out. The rain was driving hard, and the storm was getting worse. Glancing at the billboard, he saw that it was burned. It might have been the rain, but it seemed to Duo that it was healing. Whatever it was, it was recovering from whatever the distant star had done to it. He looked around the ruins of the town. Where the church had been, a pillar of light now struck the sky, so many different colours. It looked as if a gigantic laser beam was shooting into the sky. He was briefly reminded of the moment Heero saved the earth.
He tried to raise the gun, and found himself unable to do it. The tears came then. He bought his other hand up to his face and cried. Whatever the distant star had done to him, he couldn't just kill himself.
"Come on, come on." He said to himself, promising himself that he could be quicker than this distant star's magic. It worked, and he managed to get the gun against his temple.
"Duo."
He turned, Heero was there. Dark blue eyes wide, one hand reaching for him.
"You made it! I'm sorry… I thought you—" Duo stopped himself, realising that this wasn't his Heero. "Oh… you're not…"
Not the Heero who'd told him about this moment.
Not the Heero who'd lain in bed with him, making soft promises as they touched each other.
Duo stumbled back. Hit the floor hard and scrabbled away from this Heero.
"Oh no, this is…"
The past. A Heero untouched by his curse.
"This isn't…"
The Heero in front of him, a dream, a nightmare. Blessed before being cursed by him.
"No!" He couldn't help but wail when Heero took a step forward. "Don't touch me!" He crumpled with the weight of his guilt. Ashes and blood, Sister Helen's dark eyes going blank as her soul left. All because of him.
"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have loved you!"
Solo's dark blue eyes closing for the last time.
"I… I shouldn't have loved you!"
Father Maxwell crushed beneath the church he'd loved.
"I killed you!"
Heero engulfed in flames.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"
"No."
Duo stilled, Heero's voice cutting through his anguish like a lifeline.
"I… I need you. You… make me so… so happy. I feel so…"
Duo stared at the dirty carpet. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Heero's feet come closer. He could see the gun. He could feel the thing that the distant star had put in his mind. Ashes and blood covered the hidden command.
"I'm going to tell you… I thought I hadn't found the words yet, but…"
Duo felt the hidden command begin to strain.
"Yes… love. I love you."
The distant star's hidden command broke. It slipped away like Sister Helen's hand slipped away from his cheek. He was free.
"Please don't—"
Duo picked up the gun, and smiled hopefully at Heero. Hoping he'd understood the freedom he'd given Duo even after death. "Everyone who loves me dies." He felt his freedom and knew he could pull the trigger. Heero had thought this terrible; he didn't know that this had been wonderful.
"See you soon, lover."
He pulled the trigger.
Riko woke up on the bed she'd shared with Wufei. She stared at the ceiling, looking at the cracks. She wanted to vomit, scream, cry and laugh at the same time. She patiently folded her hands over her stomach and waited for the feelings to pass. When she felt up to it, she got up and looked around the room. There was nothing of Wufei's here. Her bag was by the end of the bed, packed and ready. She stared at it, knowing distantly when she'd packed but unable to connect the action to herself. The time between leaving the church and arriving at the hotel was even fuzzier than the time the distant star had been in her. She got up, pulled on her coat and pulled on her rucksack. Tightened the straps.
Looked around the room once and then walked out.
In front of her, Trowa's door was slightly open. She knocked on it once and opened the door without waiting for him to answer. He was knelt on the floor, staring into space. Riko walked toward him slowly. "I thought you'd have recovered by now." She said, as much to herself as him. "I need you guys to wake up. It's getting creepy." She rolled her shoulders uncomfortably, "And late. We need to go."
"Go where?" Trowa said faintly, looking up at her with reddened eyes.
She sighed with relief, "You are awake then."
"Yes." He got up, staring for a moment at the spot in front of him. "How did we get here?"
"We walked." Riko shrugged. "It didn't exactly help once it shoved us out the door." She made a familiar circular gesture, "Be free and all that." She crouched down and picked up the discarded weapon. She handed it to Trowa. "The splice. The thing in the billboard. We need to leave soon. Before it heals from what the distant star did to it."
"What does it do?" Trowa said, uninterested. He stared at the gun for a long hard moment, before packing it away into his bag.
Riko shifted nervously from one foot to another. "Feeds off us. The distant star didn't really explain what that meant. It just... feeds off us." She motioned around the room, "The hotel is kinda like its larder. It's where the distant star kept its scientists when it didn't need them. The splice just came to where there was food." She looked queasy for a moment, "It didn't … the distant star didn't understand… the people it kept here… they didn't have food, the splice drove them mad…" She swallowed hard, "They ate each other when they ran out of food."
Trowa gave her an odd look then, one of bemusement. "Of course they did. Cannibals…" He bowed his head for a moment, before muttering. "You were right, Quatre Winner…"
"Huh?"
"Nothing." He picked up his things, picked up Quatre's things and nodded at her. "I'm ready. Let's get Duo."
Duo's door was closed. From down the corridor, they could hear him wailing and shouting. Riko looked at Trowa apprehensively. Trowa paused at the door and dropped the bags. He pressed an ear against the door, listening with his eyes closed. Duo went abruptly quiet. Trowa pulled away from the door to look at Riko just as Duo let out a fresh howl of pain.
It shocked Trowa enough to make him slam into the room.
They ran in and found Duo collapsed on the floor like a puppet with cut strings. A gun lay pulled apart in front of him and Duo looked like he was praying, his forehead pressed desperately against his laced hands. Trowa stared at the weapon; he frowned as he noticed that even before it had been pulled apart the magazine had been incorrectly loaded. He picked it up, confused. The weapon would never have been able to fire anything. Duo drew a hard breath. Dropping the useless magazine, Trowa knelt down next to Duo and touched him, "It's going to be okay."
Duo snorted wetly. Cleared his throat. Rolled his shoulders, and looked up with a watery grin. "Yeah. Yeah, it is. Heero-fucking-Yuy. Sorry, lost it for a moment there." He swallowed and opened a hand to Trowa, passing over something in their hand shake in exchange for the useless magazine. He turned his attention to the gun on the floor and started putting it back together.
Trowa frowned and looked at the thing in his hand; Riko could only see that it was a small balled-up paper. Trowa carefully unscrewed the paper and read the finger-length note. He smiled bitterly and carefully folded the paper back up.
Duo finished with the gun and got up, walking over to the bed and dropping it in the bag he hadn't finished packing. Riko moved to help him, gently folding things and handing them to him. She glanced at Trowa, who simply tucked the tiny paper into Duo's bag.
Duo caught her look, and reached out to pull her into a hug. "Don't worry about it, honey. We got you."
Riko felt her throat close up. "I'm so sorry. I don't know where it took them. I'm so sorry, I should have—"
"Don't be." He squeezed her and then took a step back. His strangely-coloured eyes shone with tears, but he smiled broadly. "We're gonna go back."
"Hell yeah." Trowa said roughly behind him, focused on packing.
"We're gonna regroup."
Trowa picked up a bag and slung it over his shoulder, his expression dour. "Preach it, brother."
"We're gonna come back with the full force of - not only the Preventers – the strongest force of good in the universe..." Duo paused dramatically, "We're gonna tell Relena that Heero is missing."
Trowa held up a hand, and shook it. "Tes-ti-fy."
"And then we're gonna find them. Wufei and your aunt as well." He glanced at Trowa, holding up a fist. "Oorah."
"Oorah." Trowa fist-bumped him and then walked past Riko, slapping her gently on the shoulder. "Let's go."
Duo picked up Heero's bags and slung them over his shoulder. He took a moment to look at the bed, and roughly ran his sleeve over his face. He looked at Riko, unsteady on his feet but looking ready. She tilted her head.
"What was on the note?"
Trowa snorted from the door, "Same thing that Heero always says when Duo has a stupid idea."
She glanced at Trowa, and then at Duo who walked past her to join Trowa. He paused before he left the room, and tossed a bright grin at her. "No fucking way, idiot."
Riko looked horrified. "Wait—were those his last words to you?"
"Nah." Duo chuckled, "Those would never be his last words to me. The Yuy Theorem. That's how I know he's out there somewhere. C'mon Riko, let's get out of here." He glanced at Trowa as he started walking. "I saw some cars we can probably steal; reckon they're in any condition to drive?"
It took six stolen cars, but they eventually crossed over the county line and left Happiness and its storm behind. Once they hit the truck stop where they'd met Riko the first time, they had to hitchhike. While Trowa negotiated the next ride, Duo took the chance to grab a few quiet minutes with the truck stop owner's telephone. Punching in a number he'd memorized, he heard the call connect and go straight to the voicemail message.
"The person you have called…" The computerised voice paused for Heero to speak. "When do I speak? What? Now?" The computerised voice took over, "Cannot come to the phone right now, please leave a message."
Duo swallowed hard. "Hey. It's me. I'm coming back for you, bud. I fuckin' love you. So this ain't it." He hung up and stared hard at the phone. He punched the table and rung again.
"The person you have called…" The computerised voice paused for Heero to speak. "When do I speak? What? Now?" The computerised voice took over, "Cannot come to the phone right now, please leave a message."
Duo smiled bitterly. "Yeah, I rung up again to listen to your voice. Shut the hell up." Duo hung up again, and stared hard at the phone. He took a moment to touch the crucifix at his throat. Straightened his shoulders. Nodded once to the owner, and walked away.
They arrived at the airport, worse for wear but glad to be somewhere with some kind of civilisation. While Duo bought tickets home, Trowa and Riko freshened up in the bathrooms. While Duo washed up, Trowa took their luggage and checked it in – showing his credentials to security to pass their weapons through. They got through security and found a quiet café in the departure lounge. They ate a light meal silently, and then proceeded to their boarding gate. By the time they were able to get in line for the flight, they were feeling a little more human.
Riko smiled when Duo got the double take from the attendant. "Are you-?"
"I am."
The poor man looked over the moon. He glanced around quickly, and brought out his phone. "Oh my god, can I get a photo?"
Duo smiled tightly and tapped the sign that said 'No photography', he snorted. "Maybe on the plane?"
"Oh… Yes!" The attendant beamed, "Thank you sir!"
Riko looked over her shoulder as they walked the boarding gate. "He didn't recognise Trowa?"
"Nobody ever recognises me." Trowa snorted, "I don't have stupid hair."
Riko stared at him for a moment, before glancing at Duo.
Duo scoffed, "Yes you do. We all have stupid hair." He tapped Riko on the arm, "This guy, right? Used to wear a clown mask on the side of his face not covered by hair."
"How did you …" Riko frowned, searching for the right word as she stepped onto the plane. "Wait, how did you see?"
"There was a hole cut into the mask." Trowa said dourly, walking to their seats. Duo had managed to get a row.
Duo leaned into Riko as he put his carry on into the hold above the seats. "There was no hole."
Riko laughed as she passed Trowa and went to sit by the window. The flight was uneventful. After taking a photo with the flight attendant, Duo settled into the middle seat and promptly fell asleep; Trowa slouched down where he was and folded his arms. Riko looked out the window and watched as the land below them passed. She let her mind wander, and for a moment, she dreamed.
A memory of Wufei came to her, in a dark place. Dark eyes filled with rage. His fingers tight on her chin.
She gasped as she woke up.
Beside her, Duo stirred and Trowa reached past him to touch her hand. "Are you okay?" He said in a low voice. "You were dreaming."
"I…" She swallowed hard, "Just. Wufei. I keep thinking about the last time I saw him… but—" She closed her eyes and shook her head hard, "He wasn't angry when I left him. I keep seeing him so angry."
"How could you tell?" One of Duo's eyes opened slightly and he inclined his head toward her, "He always looks angry."
Riko let her head fall forward for a moment, breathing. When she raised her head, she looked at Duo searchingly. "You seem pretty damn sure they're still alive."
He nodded, staring at the headrest in front of him. "Gotta be. Heero promised he'd haunt me."
"Hah." Trowa said, slouching comfortably in his seat. "Zechs owes me fifty dollars."
Duo looked at him, "Why does he owe you money?"
"You're totally boning each other." He said in a bored tone, "I knew it."
"You did not. I didn't even know it."
Trowa side eyed him hard, "Yeah but…"
"Yeah, but what?"
Trowa shook his head, "Duo. You didn't notice that the only pizza Heero would buy was always your favourite pizza. So, yeah, I'm not exactly surprised you didn't know."
"I resent that." Duo held up a middle finger, "Asshole."
"Good. You should, you're stupid."
They stared at each other until Riko made a soft noise, "Huh."
"What?" Duo glanced at her.
She shrugged, "No. Just Wufei said you were too much like brothers." She smiled knowingly as they both shared a confused look.
The queues for passport control were long. Duo pulled out his phone and looked at it despondently. It wasn't charging and it wasn't on. All their electronics were fried in different ways. "Guess we gotta go find a phone."
Getting through passport control was easy; waiting for their luggage was a bit more difficult but, eventually, they piled up a trolley with their things, and moved on through customs. As they exited arrivals, they paused in the immense airport. Duo adjusted his holdall and touched Riko's shoulder. "We're gonna go straight to Preventers central from here. Gotta get the troops." He glanced at Trowa, "Man. Une's gonna rip me a new one."
"Uh. She might have come to greet us."
Duo looked at Trowa who was staring off into the distance. He pointed, and Duo turned to look. Parting the many other travellers was a large group of armed preventers, General Une and—
"Oh shit." Duo swore, wincing. "Is that Relena?"
Trowa adjusted his holdall before pushing the trolley forward. "Yup."
"Oooo." Duo slipped an arm into Riko's, "I am not ready to tell her Heero's missing." He pulled Riko forward with him, "I was kinda hoping to be able to put on some combat gear first…" He raised a hand and waved, "Oh well, gotta face the music, I guess!"
Notes: We come to the end of the story. I'm really glad you're still here with me.