Intruder - Part Thirty-five
Shopping...
On the other side of the store, Heero was looking at new cards for his computer.
"Excuse me sir, can I help you?" another assistant asked him.
He didn't even turn round. "No."
The man frowned, he was used to stubborn customers, but this one was just a kid, he could handle a kid, easy.
"What are you looking for?"
Heero ignored him; he was quite capable to do it himself.
The guy was getting annoyed now; who did this boy think he was? Ignoring him in his own shop. He put his hand on Heero's shoulder, to turn him round. It worked, but not quite how he'd expected.
Heero's shoulder was still very sore from the shot wound, and he didn't need some inconsiderate fool making it worse now. He knocked his hand off his shoulder, and spun around. Unfortunately he'd done it a little hard, and the man had wobbled, and fell into the shelves on the other side of the aisle. He was going to help him up, as he hadn't meant to knock him over, but now his hand was pushed away, as the man grabbed at a shelf, and tried to pull himself up. He gave up when he looked up, and saw the eyes of the boy standing over him. Cold gray-blue, and staring. They made his spine shudder.
Heero pulled down the strap of his shirt, and adjusted the bandage. A slightly bloody pad fell out, and would have hit the floor, but Heero caught it.
The man saw this and fainted.
Heero frowned at him, replaced the pad, and tightened the wraps. Then he sighed and turned around to continue looking at the cards on the shelf opposite the man.
Wufei heard a noise from where he was in the security department, but ignored it.
Quatre was with Trowa, who'd reluctantly agreed to look at the new cookers. They heard a quiet tumble of boxes, followed by Duo's voice calling to the attendant.
They went over, expecting to see Duo and Hilde under a heap, having removed the bottom one from a display. However, what they found was Heero looking at some things in boxes on the shelf. They turned the corner to find a man lying in the shelving behind him. He wasn't moving.
"Heero! What happened?" Quatre asked, looking from him to the attendant on the floor.
He explained, and took a box down from the shelf, reading the back of it.
"Oh...Maybe we should go back now, huh?"
"Maybe."
Trowa nodded, and went to get the others.
He found Wufei, looking at something, which appeared to be a kind of electric fence. He explained the situation, so Wufei put it back on the shelf and came with.
Duo and Hilde were keeping the other attendant busy, so she would go and investigate the noise they'd heard. Trowa and Wufei appeared around the corner.
"Oh, here come my friends, maybe they'll know. Thank you for your time, you've been very helpful." He smiled sweetly.
"Well, that's what I'm paid for." She smiled back at them and left.
"So, what's up?" he asked, content that she was out of earshot.
"Well..." Trowa again explained the situation, Hilde looked concerned, but Duo grinned.
"Guess he just doesn't know his own strength." He smiled again. "Ok, I'll come with, just let me get these, and I'll meet you outside."
"Are you coming with us or going with him?" Wufei asked, turning to Hilde.
She was caught a little off guard by this question, especially from him.
"Uh, I'll come with you. See ya outside, Duo."
"Sure." He waved them out, then bought his cable connections.
He was just leaving when he had to stop; his braid was caught on something. He turned to find a woman standing behind him, gently holding the end. It was the assistant from earlier, out of her work clothes; it was the end of her day.
"Hi handsome. Do you want to go somewhere?" she smiled at him again.
He flinched, lost for words. "Uh..." Then he was saved, he grinned as he heard:
"Duo! Aren't you finished yet?" Hilde called from behind the racks near the door.
"Sorry, I'm taken." He said, pointing towards the voice, coming from the exit.
"Oh well. Maybe I'll see you again some time." She dropped the end of his plait.
"I don't doubt it." He said, leaving hurriedly. "Comin' babe!" he called back to Hilde.
* I don't doubt it either...Maxwell...* the assistant muttered quietly.
"What took you? We've been out here for-"
"Too long. I know, and I apologize, sorry. Let's go now."
Duo rushed them away up the street.
"What happened in there, Duo?" Hilde looked concerned
"Wha-? Oh, nothing important." He tapped Heero on the shoulder, from where he was walking behind him. "Hey, Heero, are we goin' back now or what?"
"Yes." He replied, without looking back.
Duo breathed a sigh of relief, and the smile returned to his face.
Quatre turned to him, with a questioning look.
All he received was a sly grin and no answers.
Wufei wondered about what could have ruffled him like that, but it was probably nothing, well, nothing important anyway, otherwise he would have explained.
Trowa didn't show any sign of interest at all. Now he just wanted to get back to base.
They reached the cargo bays for the resources, and boarded their small shuttle. Before long they were all back on the satellite, in their respective suits.
The workers and residents waved them off.
Quatre waved back as they flew out through the hatch in the roof above them.
On reaching the base, they all landed safely, Heero leading, and Hilde last. The group dispersed into the base as they all went their separate ways.
Heero went to the Medlab with Quatre to refresh his bandages. Duo should have gone too, but didn't want to right now, so Quatre said he'd do them in his room later if he wanted to. Duo agreed - after the docking bay, the Medlab was his least favorite place in the base. However, he was currently going with Hilde to one of his favorites, the Mess hall. Wufei stayed in the hangar, in Nataku. Trowa went to his room, to see to Charlie.
Heero didn't know why Quatre had bothered to come with him, he could do it himself, and he didn't need his help. Quatre on the other hand knew exactly why - he wanted to check up on him, and he was positive that even the perfect soldier could use a helping hand.
Heero stripped off his top and rolled his shoulder a couple of times. He winced, but kept going, he knew it would only get better with time.
"Why do you have to do that?"
"It helps me to focus, and stops stiffness."
"Can you stop a minute, please, to remove the bandages?"
"Sure."
Heero dropped his arm by his side and with his other arm single handedly undid the knot on the bandaging across his back.
Quatre watched, and voiced him thoughts.
"You don't have anything to prove, not to me."
"I...I guess I'm just used to managing on my own."
"Even after all this time?"
"Yeah." He smiled faintly, but stopped himself from shrugging; it would have aggravated the wound. Quatre peeled the pads away, and threw them in the bin.
Heero looked closely at his shoulder; he was lucky the bullet had gone straight through. Sometimes they hit bone, and either break or shatter it, or ricochet off inside.
He frowned. That could have been pretty painful.
Quatre reached up and retrieved some fresh wraps from the cupboard above the bench.
He came back to him, and checked out the hole in Heero's shoulder. He re-padded it and wound the new bandages round it tightly.
"There. That should hold you for a while." Quatre beamed at him.
He was almost about to let him go, when he remembered the other one, in his arm.
"Shall I check this one now?"
"If you must."
"I must."
Heero forced a smile as Quatre gently, but still painfully, removed the second cover.
"Sorry." Quatre said, sympathy in his eyes.
"For what? You're not the one who shot me."
Quatre forced a smile as he threw away these pads too. As soon as his back was turned to Heero, his usually bright expression darkened.
~ Not this time, but I did, once. ~
Duo's voice interrupted his thoughts 'yeah, but you know we'd all love to.'
It wasn't funny at the time, but now he understood. Duo had been bored with Heero's sulky and frowning exterior, which had annoyed him on more than one occasion.
Quatre's spirits brightened again, he redressed the other shot wound quickly and easily.
"Thanks." Heero said, once he'd finished.
Then he stood up, and turned to leave.
Quatre smiled.
Wufei sat in Nataku, and watched as Heero and Quatre went past in the hallway outside. Once they had passed, he sat back in the seat and relaxed. Well, kind of.
He could tell something was coming, soon. Unfortunately he couldn't tell what.
Which was why he was there again, waiting patiently until whatever it was burst in on his meditation, interrupted once more.
~ What can I do about it? Nothing. Nothing at all. So what will I do? Sit here and wait. ~
Trowa had reached his room quickly, and opened the door to find Charlie sleeping on the heap of rugs in the middle of the room. He opened one eye, and looked up at Trowa as he came in.
He rumbled a greeting.
Trowa smiled.
"I was wondering when you'd get back."
He spun and pulled his gun out in one fluid motion.
"Whoa, whoa, calm down Trowa! Phew!"
He lowered the gun slightly.
"Katherine? Is that you?"
She shrugged and smiled playfully. "O' course it is! Who else would I be?"
He looked to his feet. The lion had got up and was pawing him gently.
It was Katherine Bloom, his sister.
"What are you doing here? It's dangerous."
"What am I doing here? Aw, come on Trowa, have you lost your memory again? I arranged to pick up Charlie today, remember? Lucrezia dropped me off a little while ago, and I've been here with Charlie since."
"Oh, yeah, of course. So, when are you leaving?"
"Are you that anxious to get rid of me? Noin said she was busy, so the soonest she could manage was tomorrow. I would have gone today if I'd known you were so unhappy about me staying here."
"No, no it's not that, I'm sorry. Let me start again. Come, sit down."
Kathy looked confused, and a little apprehensive, but complied.
"We've been having some, technical difficulties, and I just don't want you getting hurt."
"Hurt? Really? Is it that bad? Has anyone else been hurt?"
Trowa thought for a moment. What could he tell her, without getting her worried again? She always worried when he used to go off on missions, so this could break her.
~ Had anyone been hurt? I haven't. Heero hides it pretty well, you can't see Wufei's injuries, or Quatre's so that leaves Hilde, who was also uninjured, and - ah. Duo. Well, he hid his pretty well too, so...~
"I'll take your silence as a yes." She said, before he had a chance to reply.
"Yes." He decided that perhaps it would be best if he allowed her to work it out herself.
"Oh. Ok." His blunt answer had somehow reassured her. A long explanation wasn't what she needed right now a confirmation would do fine.
*Ping* the microwave had finished whirring around.
"Do you want the first one, 06?" he asked innocently.
"No, I'll watch you poison yourself first, 02." she smiled back.
"Huh. Fine, doesn't bother me if it's a few days over."
"Duo! They're a year out of date, not a few days."
"They're frozen! It doesn't make any difference."
They went off into an argument. It was almost reaching its full potential when the door was slammed shut.
*Bang*
There was silence between the two of them, as they looked up to find Quatre and Heero in the doorway. Heero had slammed the door.
"I thought that might get your attention."
Duo grinned; he knew what would happen now.
Hilde, diverted in what was close to full strength, would now focus her full argument on whoever had interrupted - this time it happened to be Heero.
"Do you mind!? I was in the middle of a shouting match with Duo, and you've stopped it! How dare you?! Now who am I supposed to yell at? Where am I supposed to vent my pent up aggression? Honestly you..." she carried on.
Quatre motioned to Duo to come outside.
Duo nodded, and sneaked out behind Hilde, bringing his plate with him.
Heero stared at this crazy woman before him.
~ Help?! ~
Shopping...
On the other side of the store, Heero was looking at new cards for his computer.
"Excuse me sir, can I help you?" another assistant asked him.
He didn't even turn round. "No."
The man frowned, he was used to stubborn customers, but this one was just a kid, he could handle a kid, easy.
"What are you looking for?"
Heero ignored him; he was quite capable to do it himself.
The guy was getting annoyed now; who did this boy think he was? Ignoring him in his own shop. He put his hand on Heero's shoulder, to turn him round. It worked, but not quite how he'd expected.
Heero's shoulder was still very sore from the shot wound, and he didn't need some inconsiderate fool making it worse now. He knocked his hand off his shoulder, and spun around. Unfortunately he'd done it a little hard, and the man had wobbled, and fell into the shelves on the other side of the aisle. He was going to help him up, as he hadn't meant to knock him over, but now his hand was pushed away, as the man grabbed at a shelf, and tried to pull himself up. He gave up when he looked up, and saw the eyes of the boy standing over him. Cold gray-blue, and staring. They made his spine shudder.
Heero pulled down the strap of his shirt, and adjusted the bandage. A slightly bloody pad fell out, and would have hit the floor, but Heero caught it.
The man saw this and fainted.
Heero frowned at him, replaced the pad, and tightened the wraps. Then he sighed and turned around to continue looking at the cards on the shelf opposite the man.
Wufei heard a noise from where he was in the security department, but ignored it.
Quatre was with Trowa, who'd reluctantly agreed to look at the new cookers. They heard a quiet tumble of boxes, followed by Duo's voice calling to the attendant.
They went over, expecting to see Duo and Hilde under a heap, having removed the bottom one from a display. However, what they found was Heero looking at some things in boxes on the shelf. They turned the corner to find a man lying in the shelving behind him. He wasn't moving.
"Heero! What happened?" Quatre asked, looking from him to the attendant on the floor.
He explained, and took a box down from the shelf, reading the back of it.
"Oh...Maybe we should go back now, huh?"
"Maybe."
Trowa nodded, and went to get the others.
He found Wufei, looking at something, which appeared to be a kind of electric fence. He explained the situation, so Wufei put it back on the shelf and came with.
Duo and Hilde were keeping the other attendant busy, so she would go and investigate the noise they'd heard. Trowa and Wufei appeared around the corner.
"Oh, here come my friends, maybe they'll know. Thank you for your time, you've been very helpful." He smiled sweetly.
"Well, that's what I'm paid for." She smiled back at them and left.
"So, what's up?" he asked, content that she was out of earshot.
"Well..." Trowa again explained the situation, Hilde looked concerned, but Duo grinned.
"Guess he just doesn't know his own strength." He smiled again. "Ok, I'll come with, just let me get these, and I'll meet you outside."
"Are you coming with us or going with him?" Wufei asked, turning to Hilde.
She was caught a little off guard by this question, especially from him.
"Uh, I'll come with you. See ya outside, Duo."
"Sure." He waved them out, then bought his cable connections.
He was just leaving when he had to stop; his braid was caught on something. He turned to find a woman standing behind him, gently holding the end. It was the assistant from earlier, out of her work clothes; it was the end of her day.
"Hi handsome. Do you want to go somewhere?" she smiled at him again.
He flinched, lost for words. "Uh..." Then he was saved, he grinned as he heard:
"Duo! Aren't you finished yet?" Hilde called from behind the racks near the door.
"Sorry, I'm taken." He said, pointing towards the voice, coming from the exit.
"Oh well. Maybe I'll see you again some time." She dropped the end of his plait.
"I don't doubt it." He said, leaving hurriedly. "Comin' babe!" he called back to Hilde.
* I don't doubt it either...Maxwell...* the assistant muttered quietly.
"What took you? We've been out here for-"
"Too long. I know, and I apologize, sorry. Let's go now."
Duo rushed them away up the street.
"What happened in there, Duo?" Hilde looked concerned
"Wha-? Oh, nothing important." He tapped Heero on the shoulder, from where he was walking behind him. "Hey, Heero, are we goin' back now or what?"
"Yes." He replied, without looking back.
Duo breathed a sigh of relief, and the smile returned to his face.
Quatre turned to him, with a questioning look.
All he received was a sly grin and no answers.
Wufei wondered about what could have ruffled him like that, but it was probably nothing, well, nothing important anyway, otherwise he would have explained.
Trowa didn't show any sign of interest at all. Now he just wanted to get back to base.
They reached the cargo bays for the resources, and boarded their small shuttle. Before long they were all back on the satellite, in their respective suits.
The workers and residents waved them off.
Quatre waved back as they flew out through the hatch in the roof above them.
On reaching the base, they all landed safely, Heero leading, and Hilde last. The group dispersed into the base as they all went their separate ways.
Heero went to the Medlab with Quatre to refresh his bandages. Duo should have gone too, but didn't want to right now, so Quatre said he'd do them in his room later if he wanted to. Duo agreed - after the docking bay, the Medlab was his least favorite place in the base. However, he was currently going with Hilde to one of his favorites, the Mess hall. Wufei stayed in the hangar, in Nataku. Trowa went to his room, to see to Charlie.
Heero didn't know why Quatre had bothered to come with him, he could do it himself, and he didn't need his help. Quatre on the other hand knew exactly why - he wanted to check up on him, and he was positive that even the perfect soldier could use a helping hand.
Heero stripped off his top and rolled his shoulder a couple of times. He winced, but kept going, he knew it would only get better with time.
"Why do you have to do that?"
"It helps me to focus, and stops stiffness."
"Can you stop a minute, please, to remove the bandages?"
"Sure."
Heero dropped his arm by his side and with his other arm single handedly undid the knot on the bandaging across his back.
Quatre watched, and voiced him thoughts.
"You don't have anything to prove, not to me."
"I...I guess I'm just used to managing on my own."
"Even after all this time?"
"Yeah." He smiled faintly, but stopped himself from shrugging; it would have aggravated the wound. Quatre peeled the pads away, and threw them in the bin.
Heero looked closely at his shoulder; he was lucky the bullet had gone straight through. Sometimes they hit bone, and either break or shatter it, or ricochet off inside.
He frowned. That could have been pretty painful.
Quatre reached up and retrieved some fresh wraps from the cupboard above the bench.
He came back to him, and checked out the hole in Heero's shoulder. He re-padded it and wound the new bandages round it tightly.
"There. That should hold you for a while." Quatre beamed at him.
He was almost about to let him go, when he remembered the other one, in his arm.
"Shall I check this one now?"
"If you must."
"I must."
Heero forced a smile as Quatre gently, but still painfully, removed the second cover.
"Sorry." Quatre said, sympathy in his eyes.
"For what? You're not the one who shot me."
Quatre forced a smile as he threw away these pads too. As soon as his back was turned to Heero, his usually bright expression darkened.
~ Not this time, but I did, once. ~
Duo's voice interrupted his thoughts 'yeah, but you know we'd all love to.'
It wasn't funny at the time, but now he understood. Duo had been bored with Heero's sulky and frowning exterior, which had annoyed him on more than one occasion.
Quatre's spirits brightened again, he redressed the other shot wound quickly and easily.
"Thanks." Heero said, once he'd finished.
Then he stood up, and turned to leave.
Quatre smiled.
Wufei sat in Nataku, and watched as Heero and Quatre went past in the hallway outside. Once they had passed, he sat back in the seat and relaxed. Well, kind of.
He could tell something was coming, soon. Unfortunately he couldn't tell what.
Which was why he was there again, waiting patiently until whatever it was burst in on his meditation, interrupted once more.
~ What can I do about it? Nothing. Nothing at all. So what will I do? Sit here and wait. ~
Trowa had reached his room quickly, and opened the door to find Charlie sleeping on the heap of rugs in the middle of the room. He opened one eye, and looked up at Trowa as he came in.
He rumbled a greeting.
Trowa smiled.
"I was wondering when you'd get back."
He spun and pulled his gun out in one fluid motion.
"Whoa, whoa, calm down Trowa! Phew!"
He lowered the gun slightly.
"Katherine? Is that you?"
She shrugged and smiled playfully. "O' course it is! Who else would I be?"
He looked to his feet. The lion had got up and was pawing him gently.
It was Katherine Bloom, his sister.
"What are you doing here? It's dangerous."
"What am I doing here? Aw, come on Trowa, have you lost your memory again? I arranged to pick up Charlie today, remember? Lucrezia dropped me off a little while ago, and I've been here with Charlie since."
"Oh, yeah, of course. So, when are you leaving?"
"Are you that anxious to get rid of me? Noin said she was busy, so the soonest she could manage was tomorrow. I would have gone today if I'd known you were so unhappy about me staying here."
"No, no it's not that, I'm sorry. Let me start again. Come, sit down."
Kathy looked confused, and a little apprehensive, but complied.
"We've been having some, technical difficulties, and I just don't want you getting hurt."
"Hurt? Really? Is it that bad? Has anyone else been hurt?"
Trowa thought for a moment. What could he tell her, without getting her worried again? She always worried when he used to go off on missions, so this could break her.
~ Had anyone been hurt? I haven't. Heero hides it pretty well, you can't see Wufei's injuries, or Quatre's so that leaves Hilde, who was also uninjured, and - ah. Duo. Well, he hid his pretty well too, so...~
"I'll take your silence as a yes." She said, before he had a chance to reply.
"Yes." He decided that perhaps it would be best if he allowed her to work it out herself.
"Oh. Ok." His blunt answer had somehow reassured her. A long explanation wasn't what she needed right now a confirmation would do fine.
*Ping* the microwave had finished whirring around.
"Do you want the first one, 06?" he asked innocently.
"No, I'll watch you poison yourself first, 02." she smiled back.
"Huh. Fine, doesn't bother me if it's a few days over."
"Duo! They're a year out of date, not a few days."
"They're frozen! It doesn't make any difference."
They went off into an argument. It was almost reaching its full potential when the door was slammed shut.
*Bang*
There was silence between the two of them, as they looked up to find Quatre and Heero in the doorway. Heero had slammed the door.
"I thought that might get your attention."
Duo grinned; he knew what would happen now.
Hilde, diverted in what was close to full strength, would now focus her full argument on whoever had interrupted - this time it happened to be Heero.
"Do you mind!? I was in the middle of a shouting match with Duo, and you've stopped it! How dare you?! Now who am I supposed to yell at? Where am I supposed to vent my pent up aggression? Honestly you..." she carried on.
Quatre motioned to Duo to come outside.
Duo nodded, and sneaked out behind Hilde, bringing his plate with him.
Heero stared at this crazy woman before him.
~ Help?! ~