Disclaimer: You know it, I know, we all know it… Even thought we may not like it…
Author's note: THANK You FOR REVIEWING!!!! Due to some high demands, I did an unplanned sequel to Friend's Touch, which at the moment is called Friend's Touch 2, for lack of imagination on my part… This is right after the first one and I think it's more of an ending… Sorry if you think they're OOC... You tell me! R&R, okay guys? I'm eager to know what you thought of it…
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Friend's Touch 2
By Lilas
I slowly opened my eyes to gaze at shiny aquamarine eyes… Eyes that looked incredibly like Relena's… but she wouldn't be here. She's the one that shooed me away from her and then she couldn't possibly have followed be through the rain. Or could she? I closed my eyes and let a groan escape my lips as a pain in my stomach made itself recognize. I knew what it was… the knife wound. Duo must have patched it up. I hope he didn't take me to the hospital… I'd kill him if he did. I hate hospitals. They remind me too much of when Sally tied me up to the bed… Never got over that one…
I felt a small pressure on my forehead and a wet cloth wiping my sweat away… I hoped the person would never stop… It felt so good. But good things never last forever; you learn that through experiences… Usually bad experiences, but experiences nonetheless. Eventually, the cloth was taken away from my face and something soft, warm and wet pressured on my cheek making a small, perky noise.
I opened my eyes to see Relena's smiling face over mine, her eyes sparkling with tears and her lips in one of the many smiles that melt my heart… Wait a minute… What was Relena doing here? I thought she hated me! No, maybe I'm dead and she got killed and now she came to take me away… Man, I hope that wasn't it!
"It's okay Heero… You'll be fine," her soft voice whispered to me, calming me somewhat.
I moaned again from the pain in my stomach. I couldn't be dead… With this kind of pain, no one could be dead. Duo's often told me I'm paranoid, and now I think I have proof. Here I am, hallucinating about Relena again and thinking I'm dead… This is just like when I woke up and thought Catherine was Relena… Why won't the girl leave me alone? If she doesn't want me, fine, but she has got to stop haunting me!
"I'm sorry I told you to go away… I didn't mean it Heero…" her voice came to me again.
This time I opened my eyes and looked up to she her crying next to me. Her tears rolled down her cheeks and landed on the mattress, forming small, wet patches of water, turning the white sheet into a grayish color. Very slowly and painfully I raised my hand to her face, deep inside afraid that I'd brush nothing but air, but then I hit something solid and wet. My eyes bulged out in surprise that I was actually feeling her skin and then I wiped the tears away.
"I'm so sorry…" she spoke again, taking my hand in hers and pressing it against her face.
I couldn't move… I was too shocked to actually think at that moment. I was too happy to have her next to me to find words to speak to her. In an attempt to pull her in a hug, since words weren't coming to me, I tried to sit up rapidly, pulling myself on my elbow that wasn't lifted to touch her face…
Let me tell you something. Don't ever try that after you were pierced with a knife… It hurts like hell! I felt her hands push me back down onto the soft mattress and heard a soft chuckle. I looked up, expecting to see Relena's smiling face, but faced nothing but sadness etched into her eyes and features… What had happened?!
"I'm so sorry Heero… I guess I shouldn't have come back… I'm sorry if I upset you…" she started rambling.
Again, I was too shocked and tired to understand what she was saying, but I did catch the part about her thinking coming back was bad idea… What was she thinking? Coming back to me was the best thing she'd done in her life! I tried to move my mouth, but I found myself lacking the strength, so with the hand that she still held on her cheek, I pulled it towards me gently. As she understood what I wanted her to do, she leaned forward and stopped her face right in front of mine, her forehead touching mine.
Suddenly, her face started to spin in front of me, and everything was turning upside down in a frenzy. What was going on? I felt as if I would throw up any second as the bile slowly made its way in my throat. Fighting against unconsciousness now, I slowly brought her cheek in front of my mouth and gave her a quick peck, allowing her to see my smile before the world around me turned black and I fell into the inviting black world inside my mind…
***
I guess it must have been a couple of hours before consciousness was granted to me. When I fluttered my eyes open, the room was dim and the quarter moon and stars shone brightly from my open window. I shifted my head sideways and felt something slide from my forehead and tumble to floor. A cloth…
I gazed around the room slowly, wondering if everything was supposed to be spinning so fast when I caught sight of a figure sitting in front of my computer. I squinted my eyes to try to clear as well as focus my vision to identify the person, but to no avail. I did manage to make out something that looked like a brown snake coming from the person's head…
A braid, I thought to myself. There's only one person that'd have a braid like that, that I know of at least…
"Duo?" I whispered, my voice actually coming out as a whimper as a blinding pain emanated from my abdomen at that same moment.
I heard shuffling coming from the other side, but my eyes were closed due to the intense pain that threatened to send me back to the lonely place I had just ridden myself from. I heard some splashing and the cloth was placed back on my forehead, its coolness helping me a little. I slowly opened my eyes to meet with those of Duo's; to meet his worried gaze and a little angered at that matter too…
"Could I… have some water?" I asked softly, my throat suddenly gone dry from the sleep and from the glare he was giving me… He'd been hanging around me way too much…
He lifted himself from his seat without uttering a word to me and went to the small kitchenette, grabbing a glass and pouring some water. I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking. I'd never seen him this mad at me before. Then again, he didn't have any reason to be before… Now he did. I had promised him I'd be careful, but I hadn't been… Actually, I had never bothered to be, that is until I felt the knife pierce me. Then I knew I was in for it…
He sat down next to me and placed his hand behind my head, lifting it up to the glass and tipping it slowly to allow me to take a sip without using much of my energy. I took a huge gulp and sighed as he helped me lean back… My side was killing me and my head was throbbing, but I knew what was coming next. Duo was too predictable…
"What happened?"
What'd I say? I sighed softly and looked down to my hands as I leaned against the soft pillows. I started to wonder where Relena was and if she was okay. She seemed so sad when she was here taking care of me… I heard something in the distance and looked up to see Duo's waiting face. Maybe it was him who'd just spoken. I couldn't tell; my vision was a haze and my hearing playing tricks on me.
"I was injured," I replied in my everlasting monotone voice.
Sometimes I wish I could just open up and be myself, but the harsh training drilled into me impeded me of doing so, no matter how much I truly wanted to be set free. I heard Duo give an annoyed sigh and suddenly felt a hand on my chin, lifting my face up to gaze at his infinite eyes… Eyes that claimed to be Shinigami-sama…
"I know that… How?" he asked softly, making me take in a sharp breath of air at the tone. It was so… un-Duo like.
"A knife," I stated, not in the mood to give out the details.
He shook his head impatiently and suddenly I felt a pressure at my side, where my knife wound was. I tried to look down but Duo's hand would not allow me. All I could do was stare at his eyes, confusion quickly bypassing my defenses… But that was all I allowed before a sharp pain enveloped my mind. What the hell was he doing?
"Heero, I want you to tell me," he spoke in a cold voice, close to mirroring mine.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I asked against the pain burning at my side.
"I'm making you talk," was his simple answer.
I could never counter his comment as I suddenly inhaled a sharp breath as the pain increased in volumes. Black spots started to cover my vision and fright took over my mind as I thought back on the nightmares I had been having, unwilling to go back to that cold and dark void that was my subconscious…
"All right…" I whispered hoarsely. "I'll tell you…"
The pain went away quickly and as soon as I relaxed, Duo let go of my chin and I slumped backwards, and wiped the sweat on my forehead with shaky hands… He'd never acted that way before… What in the world was going on? He was scary the hell outta me!
"Start talking," he spoke again, his voice as cold as mine, his usually shining and glowing eyes dead to the world… or at least to me.
I shuddered under his gaze and gulped harshly for various reasons, but mostly because of his icy voice. Again I wondered what had happened to him for him to change so drastically… Could all this be because he's mad at me? Could someone be that mad at his friend? Was it possible?
"Well?"
I looked up and sighed, organizing my thoughts in my head, trying to put some order into what I was going to tell him, but just gave up at the task.
"I was in the shadows watching her, following her…" I started, closing my eyes at the memories. "I… I was debating whether I should tell her or not. I mean, it had been quite sometime, ne?" I looked up, hoping to see some sort of facial expression, but his face was blank, not allowing anything to pass through.
I gulped and took in a deep breath before closing my eyes again. "I figured I should… And I did. When she was alone in the bathroom, I walked in and stood in the shadows, watching her fix her make up. I think I was smiling…" I smiled a little at the memory of a pouting Relena trying to rearrange her make up…
Realizing I wasn't going to hear a peep out of Duo before I was finished, I simply continued on, "Then she turned to where I stood and looked at me angrily and asked me what I was doing there… I was pretty impressed she'd known I was there, so I stepped out of the shadows and told her I was watching over her. She only hmphed before turning back towards the mirror… And then I told her," I stopped, trying my best to think of what happened afterwards, but it was all such a blur…
"I… I can't… remember exactly what happened afterwards..." I laughed nervously, a shaky smile on my lips, my eyes still closed… It helped me forget the dizziness, and I didn't have to see Duo's face in front of me… "I remember seeing her slowly turn back and tell me she… didn't feel the same and then she stepped out of the bathroom… I… I followed her and just as I was catching up to her, I saw someone dive for her and I jumped in front of her and felt a blinding pain as something entered me."
I stopped, not looking up at him but simply remembering her scream by my side and the pain that had engulfed me for a brief second before I had shoved it at the back of my mind as much as I could… I'd given the wanna-be murderer a good pounding afterwards, until the fat, armed bodyguards showed up and took him away that is…
"And after that?" Duo's voice spoke from the shadows of my mind.
I opened my eyes, not recalling have ever closed them and looked at him, unsure of what to say. "I left," I finally replied after an awkward silence, my mouth dry once again.
He seemed to relax next to me and his face fell and his trademark grin appeared in his features once again. As I saw him shift, I felt more comfortable and open than I had been and fell tiredly against the pillows behind me, my eyes looking at him the whole time as his grin broke into a smile. He placed a hand on my shoulder, smiling, a sorry expression covering his still cheerful face.
"I'm sorry, Heero. I just… I had to get the story straight. Relena was being hysterical when she told me and I had to know how you'd gotten injured," he spoke softly, as if he were ashamed.
"Relena? She really was here?"
He nodded and my mouth opened slightly at the thought… I hadn't been hallucinating. She had really come and apologized… I had to find her. I had to tell her I forgave her! I swung my legs to the side and sat up quickly, bringing a wave of nausea with it, placing my hand on my head as it began to pound violently. I felt a pair of strong hands push me back down on the soft, inviting covers and accepted the offer.
"I told her all about your wandering…" Duo whispered.
"You what?!" I bellowed incredulous.
"I'm sorry Heero, but I had to. She was being a real b-… brat and I had to make her know that you've felt that way for a long time… I'm really sorry and I'd understand if you'd hate me forever and never trust and-"
"No, it's okay Duo," I cut him off, one of my rare smile on my face.
He looked at me gratefully and stood up from his chair and silently exited my apartment through the adjacent door leading to his. I've never told him, but I feel like he's my big brother for some reason. He is a bit older than I am, but it's mostly because he gives me advices on life and how to live like a normal human being, or as normal as I would ever get… and I'm thankful for that. One day, I'll make it up to him.
My thoughts were interrupted when the door creaked open and a figure with long dirty blond hair peeked through the door. Her eyes were red and black circles appeared around them. Her hair was uncared for and her face scared, unsure whether she'd be welcomed or rejected… I guess I must let some sort of facial expression through at her sight for she instantly relaxed and stepped in the room, coming to sit next to me.
She took my hand in her and inhaled deeply before whispering, tears in her eyes, "I'm so sorry…"
I squeezed her hand back, a smile tugging at my lip. "Don't be… I would have felt the same, if the capability was in me."
"It is Heero… And I can help you search… If you still give me that privilege," she replied hesitantly, the voice shy and sweet.
"Always…"
She smiled again and kissed my cheek lightly before standing up and adjusting her uniform. She walked to the small living room and picked up her ivory colored purse, placing it on her delicate shoulder. She walked back to where I lay and smiled again, giving me another peck.
"I have to get going. I'll be expecting you to show your face more often… Or am I going to have you get knifed again?"
"No ma'am…" I joked back.
She smiled and exited the door, winking at me before closing it entirely. A broad smile covered my features as I brought my hand up to my cheek and touched it lightly… Things were looking up already, and I hadn't been awake for more than three hours! I could get used to this…
I sighed contently and lay back down, bringing the covers up to my chin. My limbs were covered in tiredness and I found myself unable to keep my eyes open much longer. I thought back to Relena's smiling face and sighed again. For the first time in my life, I felt free, like nothing could touch me… And I loved every second of it!