(Fly on Broken Wings: Chapter Twenty Five - Breaking Up)
rated: R - language, content, violence shounen-ai/yaoi
Breaking Up
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Wufei waited for the soft click of the latch before the coiled tension broke, sending the journal flying across the room, followed by the pencil holder. Meiran's favorite pen collided against the corner with an audible snap. A few months back she had borrowed it from Doctor Une. Then pen, blue and with squishy sides, featured a rather endearing blob with a crooked smile. Some brand of antidepressants' promotion; Wufei assumed Meiran found it ironic. She would be upset if he broke it.
Kneeling on the floor, Wufei began to gather up the scatter pens and the odd pencil or two. There were quite a few; both Trieze and Meiran were fond of borrowing, stealing or otherwise hoarding interesting pens. In a medium-security asylum, that was something of a challenge. Wufei suspected it was yet another one of their many rivalries. Neither had brought home stray pens at the half-way house.
Which brought him back to thinking about today's hearing. Duo's outburst had helped distract him, if nothing else. Fleetingly, Wufei had the rash idea to wander out into the common area, just to bait Duo into another fight. No. He was done fighting for the day.
The last of the pens were rounded up and put back into their holder – a coffee can covered in tissue paper and Elmer's glue, courtesy of Trieze's unfathomable addiction to arts and crafts. Wufei took both the can and the journal back over the desk. Taking a seat, he opened the journal to the first blank spot. He selected Meiran's squishy pen -- coincidentally his favorite, but only because it was comfortable --and began to write.
-July, 27th, 8:42pm
Ms Noin arrived this morning as scheduled for the sentence evaluation hearing. The judge's report will be ready by Friday according to Ms Noin. They wanted to know about someone named Milliard. Trieze is supposed to know him. Upon returning I found Duo reading this journal. Meiran
Wufei paused, pen poised above the paper. He started to scribble out the last word, but a something stopped him. The switch was subtle; the handwriting now took on a cursive loop, deviating from Wufei's neat, even lines.
What about Meiran, Wufei? You should know better than to leave sentences incomplete. How did the hearing go? Was the judge nice? Did Noin say anything about what might happen? You're worthless sometimes.
I wish Noin would have taken me out to a fancy dinner.
What did Duo have to say? He's been worrying about you, and I don't blame him. I thought only Trieze was that big of a sulk. Well, maybe that's harsh. I suppose you had your reasons. I hope Duo gave you an earful. Jerk. I'm glad the hearing's over with. You know Doctor S is going to ask you about it on Monday, Wufei. He's probably going to dock points if you don't "share your emotions" with him, so you better not be a jerk. You hear me? I've been covering for you so far, but I'm about out of patience. Therapy is boring.
Meiran twirled the pen over in her fingers. The plastic clip was chipped slightly. She left the pen on top of the journal and started messing with her hair. She pulled the dark strands up into an imaginary bun. Briefly, she imagined how diamond earrings would look sparkling against the darkness. She let the hair fall. Earrings were girly. Meiran would rather die than end up a flighty princess like Relena, with perfect hair and darling outfits. But, still… earrings were subtle.
No, earrings were not allowed for her.
But what would he think if I had earrings?
A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. She nearly ignored it before remembering the cryptic ending of Wufei's entry. With that it mind, she felt little surprise and finding Duo on the other side of the door. His expression, some combination of misery and supplication that defied her understanding, caused her considerable pause.
Duo spoke quickly, as if expecting to be turned away. "I know you're angry and you have every right to be. I'm a jerk. I was going to just let you cool off and maybe come to your senses, but..."
He paused, amethyst eyes deeply searching dark ones. Caught off guard by both the sudden apology and the deep emotion vibrant in each line of Duo's face, it took Meiran a moment to realize he wasn't talking to her. She started to correct him, but hesitated. Curiosity and jealousy nibbled at her conscious.
Integrity finally won the inner battle. "Are you looking for Wufei?"
Instead of looking disappointed, Duo's face lost some of its misery. He smiled. "I was looking for you, Meiran."
"Don't I feel special." Meiran stepped back and waved Duo in to her room.
Dragging the desk chair over, Meiran situated herself in front of Duo, who sat on the bed. Was it her imagination, or did Duo's eyes keep wandering to the desk? Wufei had mentioned he'd been snooping. Two met two and became four, and Meiran suddenly realized what must have happened. Duo represented the cat, dead from curiosity.
Good thing she hadn't succumbed to it herself.
"Sorry you had to waste such a well rehearsed apology. It's not often I get to see you groveling," Meiran commented.
A touch of pink underscored Duo's cheeks. "Wufei and I exchanged some heated words."
"So I gathered. What's up?" she offered, head tilting to one side.
Duo played with the end of his braid, dusting it over the top of the blanket like a brush. He idly traced out a star pattern. "I want some answers. Where'd Wufei go today? Who was that lady? Why did he call Heero? He hates Heero!"
Meiran sighed heavily, "What makes you think I have the answers? If you read the journal then you know just as much as I do about what that boy's motives are."
Amethyst eyes gave her a disbelieving stare, and Meiran had to look away. "You know I can't tell you anything. It wouldn't be fair to Wufei. If he doesn't want you knowing—"
"Then where did you go today? I didn't see you around the ward," Duo pressed, leaning forward. "Where did you go?"
Her lips formed a tight line and she had to hold back an accusation of cheating. Meiran was saved from response, however, but a light, timid knock on the door. The door creaked open, exposing the petite and equally timid Quatre peering in at them. Meiran waved him in.
Duo looked affronted, "I told you not to worry."
Quatre lowered his head and started to leave. Meiran shot Duo a leveled look and bounced up to intercept the other boy. "Have a seat," she instructed, pointing to the chair she'd just abandoned.
"Story time!" Duo chimed, realizing his victory.
Meiran rolled her eyes and sat on the floor between them. Quatre sat stiffly, his big blue eyes taking in the both of them with a sort of wariness Meiran found a little insulting. She remembered Duo's admittance of a fight and understood; she gave Quatre a soft, reassuring smile. The boy didn't look calmed by it.
"You're going to get me in trouble," Meiran grumbled. Duo just grinned back at her. "Wufei's a ward of the state, so that was his case worker who came to visit." Meiran looked down at her tightly clasped fingers and lied through her teeth, "She took him clothes shopping."
The older boy's features went from keen worry to exasperation. "Shopping."
"And dinner," she lifted her face.
Duo fell back on to the bed with a short, clipped laugh. "All that fuss for a date. That's so Wufei. That jerk made me worry for nothing."
Meiran nodded her agreement, relieved Duo had bought her lie. Something drew her attention to the side, where her gaze caught Quatre's. Her heart skipped a beat; skepticism was plain on the boy's face. Aquamarine eyes softly accused her, and Meiran had to look away.
"This means I'm going to have to grovel again," Duo said from his horizontal position. "Lots and lots of groveling."
"Who's the blonde?" Wufei asked. They were his first words beyond a muttered 'forget it' at breakfast when Duo's groveling commenced. Dark eyes leveled a curious gaze at Zechs, who had just entered Doctor Richards's office.
Duo leaned over and whispered an explanation Quatre couldn't entirely hear, but 'Trieze' and 'boy toy' featured prominently. Wufei's brows drew in sharply. The fainted hint of pink flooded into his cheeks. Quatre had momentarily forgotten that Wufei hadn't been around for Zechs's arrival. The older boy sunk into his usual spot next to the Chinese boy, and Wufei's nostrils flared slightly when he did so.
"Hey," Zechs said, slinging an arm over Wufei's shoulders.
"Get your hand off me," Wufei growled out, body going ridged.
Blue eyes shocked, Zechs jerked his arm away and frowned. "Where're your pigtails?"
"Excuse me?" Wufei lifted his chin and pointedly averted his eyes. "Quatre, switch me chairs."
"O-okay," Quatre stood and they shuffled around Duo. Zechs sunk low in his chair, scowling.
Doctor Richards's voice carried out from the hallway and into the room. He was berating someone, and from the gist of the lecture, Relena. Quatre's suspicions were confirmed when she slunk into the room, head lowered. Richards stopped and said, "We'll talk more after session."
Zechs leaned around Quatre and hissed, "What's your problem?"
Wufei resolutely ignored him.
"Okay, everyone. Since we finished up out art projects yesterday," Richards gestured to one wall of his office where several pictures were clipped up on display, a handful from their own group but the majority from his other sessions. Quatre had found Trowa's half-completed one in the trash last week and relocated it to the bottom of his sock drawer, carefully folded. Relena was beaming at her drawing, which was a rather simple portrait of herself. No matter how many times Richards insisted the portraits were supposed to be symbolic, she submitted a standard self-portrait.
"So everyone pair off," Richards finished.
Quatre realized he had missed the assignment completely. Fortunately, Duo snagged his hand and lifted it up. "I got my buddy!" Quatre smiled at his roommate and caught Wufei glaring darkly at the back of Duo's head. Duo started dragging their chairs over to the far side of the room. The girls moved their chairs away as well and leaned forward, blonde heads close together as they whispered. That left Zechs and a very reluctant Wufei, who glowered darkly when the other boy sat across from him.
"I missed what we're supposed to be doing," Quatre whispered.
"Me too," Duo whispered back. "I was distracted by Wufei's anger not being directed at me for once." He raised his voice, "Hey! What're we doing again?"
The doctor came over and patted Duo on the shoulder, "We're sharing ourselves today. Don't be afraid to open up. Let your feelings out. Everyone is your friend here. I want you to—"
Duo glanced over his shoulder, "The girls are admiring Relena's new shoes."
Dorothy stuck her tongue out as Richards wheeled around and made a bee line for them, waxing advice on deeper topics of discussion. Duo returned the gesture and faced back around to his roommate. "This is lame," he muttered. They stared at each other for a while. Duo grinned suddenly. "Good thing Trowa's not here, this is just the kind of exercise Richards would hammer him with. Oops," Duo said, seeing Quatre's face fall.
"No, it's okay!" Quatre hastened to assure his roommate. He snuck a glance to make sure the doctor was still engrossed in lecturing the girls. Whatever Relena had done really set him off. "I—" The words died.
Duo looked at his expectantly before realizing Quatre's attention was focused just over his shoulder. He turned. Wufei's face was a bright red in color and Zechs's not far off. Duo waved his hand. "Don't worry, I bet—" It was his turn to be at a loss for words when the metal folding chairs toppled over, shoved down by Zechs's abrupt standing. He jerked Wufei up by a fistful of shirt.
"Hey!" Duo rose up.
The sharp resounding sound of abused flesh punctuated Zechs's fist meeting Wufei face, and Quatre let out a small shriek. Another blow knocked Wufei to the ground, but before anything more could happen the doctor, quicker than Quatre would have thought possible, locked both of Zechs's arms behind his back. The boy was nearly as tall as Richards, but put up no resistance. He panted, staring down at Wufei.
Quatre realized his arms were tightly locked around Duo's waist. He hardly remembered restraining his roommate. Duo shook him off, albeit gently, and lowered his raised fist. "I know," he muttered darkly. The girls were frozen in their chairs, Relena's eyes filled with shocked tears as she gazed at her cousin.
Wufei sat up and roughly scrubbed under his nose, streaking crimson along the length of his sleeve. One eye was blackened and puffy, already swelling, and blood dripped from his equally swollen nose. The look of surprise on his face was greater than anyone else's. He dabbed at his face, trying to staunch the bleeding.
"Everyone stay calm, no one move," Richards ordered. "Relena, get Wufei the box of tissues. Wufei, lean your head forward slightly and pinch your nose together. Zechs, you come with me. Everyone else stay here! That means you, Duo." The doctor frog-marched Zechs out of the room, arms still tightly held behind his back.
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Author's Notes: So, little under a month's not bad, right? Ug, I can't believe I'm saying that when I use to be able to get a chapter a day. I miss being able to write practically full-time. (Summer! You're nearly here)
Oh, I'm glad to be writing. I'm really excited about the story. Thank you, everyone, for all the wonderful feedback! I really appreciate it. I'm glad people are still reading despite my awful lack of updates. I'm so sorry! I promise I'll work harder! My groveling will put Duo's to shame!
Feedback/reviews are very much appreciated!
copyright 2007 - Gundam Wing & Co. (c) Sotsu/Sunrise
LSE - Violet Nyte (check my profile for contact info)