(Fly on Broken Wings: Chapter Twenty Six - Coming Down)
rated: R - language, content, violence
shounen-ai/yaoi
Coming Down
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"What the hell did you say to him!" Dorothy broke out, breaking the silence. She sounded slightly scandalized and fully amused. Relena rushed to the doctor's desk and snagged up the box of tissues.
Duo and Quatre rushed to Wufei's side. Duo snagged him up under the arm, "Let's get you up. Here, into the chair. I'll help."
Wufei shook Duo off and remained sitting on the floor. He scrubbed at the blood under his nose, trying to keep it from entering his mouth. Relena set the box of tissues on the floor and backed away, clearly squeamish, either from the blood or the mess. Wufei ignored the tissues.
Duo snatched one up and pinched Wufei's nose closed like the doctor ordered. Wufei yelped in pain and tried to pull away, but Duo held firm. "The quack went to medical school," Duo countered. "Lean forward like he said, not back. I heard that's actually bad for you."
"Attila the Hun died from a nosebleed, you know." Dorothy spun the doctor's rolodex hard enough to send a couple of the little cardboard entries fluttering. Relena gathered them up off the floor and started rearranging the entire thing into proper, alphabetical order. Dorothy started thumbing through one of the bookcases. "He whacked his head into a beam and drowned right there, on the floor, in his own blood. Incredibly drunk."
"Ib fine," Wufei insisted thickly, trying to wave off Duo's ministrations. The older boy just clasped another tissue to the bleeding, making Wufei wince.
Quatre hung back, squeezing Sandy to his chest. "Why did he hit you?"
Wufei just glowered out of his good eye, the swelling having finally claimed the other. One of the nurses breezed in holding a first aid kit. Quatre vaguely recognized her as the head of the infirmary from his own brief stay after Duo… He shoved the memories aside, already too shaken from the brief fight to divulge in dark thoughts.
The nurse was accompanied by a stout, angry-looking orderly. Quatre backed off without being told and partially hid Sandy behind his back. The nurse stared at Duo for a moment, "Maxwell, go wash your hands. You've got blood on them." She brushed him aside and clamped latex glove-covered fingers over Wufei's nose, making him flinch and mutter 'Ib fine' again.
"Doc said not to leave," Duo protested.
"Scott, escort Maxwell to the bathroom and back."
Following the stern orderly out the door, Duo stuck out his tongue at the nurse's back. The orderly saw and berated him sharply, but Quatre lost Duo's response as they disappeared out the door. The nurse took Wufei under the arm like Duo had, and this time the boy let himself be hauled up into standing. "Let's get you to the infirmary, Chang." She kept her hand on Wufei's elbow. "The rest of you stay put!"
"Yes, ma'am," Relena called from the desk. She was arranging the pens in Richards's desk holder by approximate amount of ink left, testing each one on a scrap piece of paper. She kept casting angry glances to Dorothy, who was rearranging all the doctor's books by color. "They go by author!" she finally snapped, earning a distracted rude gesture from her friend.
Quatre sunk into one of the empty chairs and curled Sandy up against his chest. Why would Zechs do something like that? His hands shook slightly with nerves, but Quatre suddenly realized that he hadn't panicked. Violence normally sent him shaking and quavering, but this time he'd actually done something useful. He'd kept Duo from getting in trouble. But maybe he should have let Duo help? Quatre gnawed on his lower lip.
Duo's return provided a much needed distraction which he eagerly latched on to. Duo dragged one of the scattered folding chairs over to where Quatre sat and straddled it, arms looped over the back. "Man, that was crazy, even for this place. You all right?" He smiled when Quatre nodded. "I thought for sure you would have spazzed out, so, glad you didn't. Thanks for keeping me from pummeling Zechs's pretty face in, I bet Dickie would have had a field day with that. Oh, violent outbursts! He's a danger! Write up a transfer! That man's such a pompous ass."
A little warm feeling spread in his chest, and Quatre ducked his head to hide his smile. Duo grinned back, however, so he probably wasn't hiding it very well. Then again, Duo tended to grin a lot. "I'm probably going to spit in his food or something," Duo admitted. "Poor substitute for kicking the snot out of him, though. I can't believe he'd haul off and punch Wufei like that. Hell, I've been more pissed at him than most people and couldn't hit him."
"Daddy says he has a temper. He warned me not to get too close," Relena piped up. She'd moved on to fixing Dorothy's rearrangements, but the other girl was taking all the pens out of their holder and doodling on the back of a patient's file. Relena looked very unhappy about this. "I can't believe he was right."
"Yeah, I'd call that a bad temper. Way to go, Trieze," Duo muttered. "Hey, Dorothy, anything fun over there?"
"Half eaten Danish and a bottle of Evian in the bottom drawer," she called back, staring down into the drawer in question. Relena made a scandalized noise and hurriedly retrieved the tissues. Holding the pastry gingerly between one, she dumped it into the trash. Dorothy amended her statement, "Just a bottle of water."
"Great," Duo sighed. "You wanna play I spy? I spy something pink and neurotic."
"What do you think Wufei said?" Quatre said, hoping that Relena overhead Duo's last comment. Her attention seemed pretty riveted on the bookcase.
"Gathering from the glares he was shooting off, probably something along the lines of 'hands off' … But I don't get why that would make Zechs get violent like that. I mean, he knew Meiran was against him, but that didn't stop him. He'd have to be an idiot not to figure out Wufei wasn't going to be happy. You'd have to be half an idiot to mess around with someone's alternate personality. I mean, I'm crazy and that idea sounds like lunacy."
"Daddy said he used to be in a gang until his suicide attempt." Relena tossed back her long, golden hair and gave them a smug look. "It's where the name Zechs comes from."
"Anything else you'd like to contribute, princess? You seemed to have found out a lot about your cousin," Duo shot back.
Relena sniffed haughtily and turned back to the books. "Daddy said he's working on getting him transferred. I told him I didn't feel safe with him here and now look what's happened. I bet you he'll be gone after this."
"I spy something pink and bitchy," Duo muttered. "C'mon, Quat, let's blow this place." He stood up and started for the door, but the hulking mass of Scott the orderly made him turn back around. Slumping back into his chair, Duo kicked his roommate's sneakers with a black-boot covered foot. "Maybe not."
By the time a nurse came to announce they could leave, Relena was no longer speaking to Dorothy and the doctor's desk was in shambles. They filed out under the watchful eyes of Scott the hulking orderly, out of the therapy ward and into the commons.
"C'mon" Duo whispered as they broke away from the group. The girls parted ways, Relena's face firmly pressed into quiet fury and Dorothy's just looking rather bored. Duo was leading him toward the other hallway.
"Don't you have individual next?" Quatre asked. G's office was in the same long corridor as Richards's.
Duo didn't say anything at first, eyes intent on one of the nurses. When she turned her back on them briefly to reprimand a round girl in sweats, Duo snagged the smaller boy's elbow and they darted into the hallway, ducking around the first corner they approached. Duo craned his head out and whispered, "All clear." He moved quietly down the hall and motioned for Quatre to follow.
The walls were a powdery blue, a color Quatre found particularly soothing. He frowned and plucked at Duo's sleeve. "Isn't this—" Duo made a jerking hand gesture and hushed him softly. Quatre lowered his voice into a hissing whisper. "Isn't this the restricted ward?"
"The infirmary office is at the end of the hall," Duo told him in hushed tones. He grabbed the boy's arm again and pulled him around another corner. He held up a finger to his lips and set a hand against Quatre's chest to keep up against the hall. They stood there, motionless, for a long time.
Quatre grew antsy, shifting his weight from one leg to another. Ominous doors with little glass windows set into thick steel lined the hallways on either side of the intersection. Some were open, but with his back against the wall he couldn't see the interior. Impatient, Quatre opened his mouth to protest, but just then he heard the faint sound of footsteps. Two orderlies came walking up the hall. Quatre stiffened with panic, but Duo squeezed his hand and made another motion for silence. They waited until the orderlies came into view and then passed, never once ceasing conversation. Quatre let out his breath.
"What are we doing?" Quatre whirled on his friend in a quiet fury. "We're going to get caught."
"Nonsense. Here, hurry up." Duo ducked out into the hallway and sauntered out like he belonged there. Which he didn't. Not at all. Quatre scrambled after his roommate.
True enough, at the end of the hallway was a single glass door, currently open, leading into a cramped office. Wufei sat on one of the sodas, across the room on the other was a pale-faced young boy, younger than Quatre. The swelling on Wufei's face had gone down considerably, but the eye was still darkly circled. The thin, wire-framed glasses perched on a bandaged and puffy nose; the bleeding had stopped. Funny, Quatre realized, that Wufei hadn't been wearing his glasses earlier.
"How ya doing?" Duo chirped brightly, plunking himself down on the couch. Wufei gave him a long look of reluctant patience; it was a he often gave the older boy. Duo gently touched the mottled bruises and Wufei winced. Duo dropped his hand away as if burned. "Is it broken?"
"No," Wufei said shortly, his voice still thick. Quatre noticed his cheeks had pinked slightly.
"What are you two doing here?" the infirmary nurse barked. She came out of a door behind her desk, and with a jolting shock Quatre recognized it. He'd last seen Trowa through the other side of that small glass window.
"We were sent to take Wufei back. Session's over," Duo explained quickly, throwing around an innocent, charming smile. Quatre had seen it soothed ruffled nurses and get him extra dessert when Duo was at his most appealing.
"Chang is going to stay right here until I say so, Maxwell. Get out before I have to dock points," the nurse snapped. She turned so sharply on her heel that Quatre heard the tile protest. The heavy door slammed shut behind her, making both the pale boy on the couch and Quatre flinch.
"What's her deal?" Duo asked in bewilderment, making a rude gesture with his hand at the closed door.
Wufei rolled his shoulders. "Some phone call set her off."
The nurse rapped on the glass window and a muffled "Out!" sounded through the door. Duo waved cheerily back and edged just closer to the door that she left again. "I've got session with G right now, but after that you want to play chess?"
"I'll just beat you," Wufei grumbled.
The answer set a big grin across Duo's face. "Let's go!" he urged Quatre, still grinning stupidly. "Bye, Nurse Ratched!" he called loudly, making Wufei cough around a concealed laugh. Taking Quatre by the arm, Duo hauled his roommate out into the hall.
"I can't believe she bought that," Quatre hissed. Duo's grin was infectious and the blonde found himself smiling back.
Duo snagged Quatre's hand and swung it up as they walked. "Wufei doesn't hate me! Wufei doesn't—" Gesturing wildly with his free hand, Quatre made frantic hushing sound at his roommate. Duo reduced his noise down to a cheery hum, and Quatre pressed his hand into the taller boy's mouth.
Very faintly, the sound of voices came drifting down the corridor. Duo stop staring at him and twisted his hand around, eyes searching. Quatre bounced on his toes anxiously, nibbling on one thumbnail; the other was still firmly encased in his roommate's firm grip. What would happen if they were caught? His father had said—
"This way," Duo used his grip to yank Quatre across the hall. He other hand sought the door and jerked it open, pulling Quatre after him. He eagerly hurried into the supply closet, but balked when he saw how small and dark it was. Duo shuffled back to make room, but it was a tight fit. Quatre felt his stomach clench when Duo pulled the door closed, forcing Quatre back into an unyielding expanse of chest. His sneaker nudged up against Duo's boot, which slid out of the way.
They waited, Quatre hardly daring to breathe. For a moment, nothing happened and he relaxed. They must not have been heading toward the infirmary after all. He shifted, making the door push open slightly. Duo pulled it back shut, the lock clasping out the thin sliver of light. He threw over the bolt. "Shh," his breath tickled Quatre's ear.
Shadows crossed the line of light under the door, the sound of feet shuffling quieter than the pounding blood in Quatre's ears. "I don't have time to deal with this," Doctor Richards's voice was sharp and clear, practically right in front of the door. Quatre jerked back into Duo, who moved back further and tucked his roommate in next to him. On the other side of the door, the audible sound of a cell phone being snapped open and shut made Quatre flinch. Duo understood and shifted further back, practically sitting on a mop bucket and a low shelf.
"Go wait in my office."
Footsteps, and then Richards's saying, "St. Francis Hospital? Room two…" he must have walked away quickly, because Quatre quickly lost the rest. Duo's hand brushed against his hip as he reached for the lock. Quatre blinked into the fluorescent lights as Duo peered out. "All clear," he whispered.
Neither one spoke until they were out of the closed ward and heaving sighs of relief. Duo laughed nervously and looked up at the intimidating, barred wall clock. "Ha! Still got time."
It was then Quatre realized Sandy was missing. The shock crept in on him slowly, like a cold fog descending. He whirled around in a circle, breath hitched. When had he last had his bear? He chewed at his lower lip as his middle curled around itself in knots. He definitely remembered having Sandy when they left group therapy. Lifting his eyes, Quatre realized Duo was staring at him with a puzzled look tinged sad with concern.
"What's up?"
"Nothing," Quatre said quickly. He made a quavering effort at a reassuring smile and must have succeeded, but Duo bought it and looked anxiously at the clock. Quatre jumped on the opportunity. "You don't want to be late."
"Right, I'll catch up with you later," Duo strode off at a brisk walk, making his braid bounce over his lower back as he moved.
Quatre waited until his roommate was out of sight before turning back into the restricted area. He moved quickly, with urgency, and heedless of any attention that may draw him. Retracing his and Duo's steps, Quatre spotted his bear right in front of the supply closet. Huge waves of relief nearly buckled his knees as Quatre knelt and scooped Sandy up to his chest.
His head jerked up at a sudden noise. He froze, deer in the headlights style, before realizing it had only been a door closing somewhere close. Clutching Sandy close, Quatre moved quietly back the way he had come. Getting caught now would be worse; he couldn't think of an excuse like Duo. Lying had never been one of his strong points. Voices sent him hurrying down a side corridor lined with locked doors; a few were open to show nothing but padded walls. Quatre felt a chill down his spine and quickened his pace.
An orderly suddenly stepped out into the hall. Quatre abruptly turned around. Maybe if he just acted like he was supposed to be there. He dug his hands into the plush fur to keep them from quavering. No voice shouted for him to stop, and Quatre quickly reached the main hallway once more. This time he kept walking, past more locked doors of the restricted ward. The tell-tale sound of heels against tile sent Quatre ducking into one of the few open rooms. Pressed against the stiff wall padding, he felt a gnawing sensation in his middle. It joined the butterflies already there.
Sneaking around was definitely not his thing. Quatre peeked out into the hall only to jerk his head back. The nurse stood where the halls intersected, fiddling with her hair. Her backed was turned. Quatre leaned his head back against the stiff, padded wall and considered his options. He came up with a huge blank expanse of worry.
When he glanced out of the little cell a few moments later, the nurse was gone. Pleased with another unexpected turn of good luck, Quatre stayed still for a moment but could hear no footsteps or voices. He tucked Sandy up under his arm and set out at a brisk walk, trying to remind himself to look natural.
The end of the hall loomed up in front of him, the tangible goal line within sight. He was almost there when Doctor Richards suddenly stepped out into view. Their eyes met, and Quatre slowed to a halt. Sneaking around was definitely not his strong suit.
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Author's Notes: SUMMER VACATION IS HERE! I'm so excited, you have no idea. I went through alot to get this chapter out! I was like 75 done when my flash drive blew up and I lost ALL my work-in-progress files. Yeah, I screamed and flailed alot when it happened. I have a new, better, bigger flash drive and the damage isn't so severe. I just had to retype everything, which sucked. Then I had to hand-write because I couldn't get access to Ian's computer... ANYWAY! The important thing is that I got it done and I still have hand-written material left to type.
(Oh, and a huge thank you to everyone for being so understanding/encouraging! You guys are awesome and make me so motivated to write!)
One thing that may delay the next chapter is that tomorrow is my birthday, hooray! I'll be busy celebrating the rest of the week, starting tonight at midnight. It's the big 21.
Footnote: 'Nurse Ratched' is the head nurse from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
I'd like to think Duo and Wufei would be the sort to read that book.
Feedback/reviews are very much appreciated!
copyright 2007 - Gundam Wing & Co. (c) Sotsu/Sunrise
LSE - Violet Nyte (check my profile for contact info)