Running Smooth
by Juu-chan and Abandonment
Note: For all warnings, disclaimers, and notes, see Part One.
- - -
Part Nine: The End
- - -
For the first time since he had begun work, a problem had arisen: one of the speakers had broken down. This was the least opportune time - Duo had walked off with Ethan and Heero wanted to be there when he came back. But work, as usual, came first. He fought his way through the crowd, pushed open the door, and moved down the hall. He needed the tool kit Maria had showed him, and it was the main equipment room. He walked quickly.
Then, he heard noises.
It was a collection of sounds he knew well. The impact of force on the giving surface of flesh; the bitten back cries and sounds of pain; the murmuring of low growled words. These were sounds that he recognized from his past, the sounds that defined torture and inquisition.
Heero hurried through the halls, moving in the direction of the noise. As he moved the thuds grew louder and the cries grew sharper. In seconds he came to the room that Duo had taken him to two days previous. The sound originated from there.
He approached the room with caution. He listened, trying to make out words, but at the time none were being said. He attempted to look into the room though the ajar door but the people within were out of sight. Then, is a quick and smooth movement, he threw open the door.
Light spilled into the room, making a body visible. The person turned to look at Heero. It was Ethan.
"If it isn't the pretty Japanese slut," he said. "Didn't I tell you to mind your own business?"
Heero ignored the words; he looked instead to the floor, to the form that Ethan crouched over with one hand out to cover the mouth.
Duo, Heero thought, and it was. His mouth was blocked by Ethan's hand, his head was turned to the side, his eyes were closed. He was blocking out the memory and the pain - it was a technique that all the pilots had been taught in order to survive interrogation after capture without revealing any secrets. His shirt was ripped to reveal bruising on his chest, his jaw was swelling. Anger built in Heero, soon overflowed, and his vision blurred with red again.
Ethan's form remained crystal clear.
Heero had never been one to waste words - he did not yell, he did not swear. Instead, he took the most direct route. Stepping forward - "You gonna do something, bastard?" Ethan asked - he grabbed Ethan's shirt collar. When the man's hands moved from Duo, up, to block, Heero changed positions: he grabbed an arm, twisted it, and pulled it behind Ethan's back with a step to the side. The maneuver took seconds and caught Ethan unaware.
"Stand up. Slowly," Heero said.
"You can't do anything to me, kid. You'll loose your job." Ethan rose from his knees.
Ethan's muscles flexed and he turned, now catching Heero off guard. He yanked his arm away and aimed a punch at Heero's face, his eyes slits and his body tense.
Heero dropped into a duck and then tackled Ethan's legs, knocking him off balance and to the ground. He jumped to his feet, sidestepped to stand beside Ethan, and, with a single tap to the side of Ethan's neck with his military style boots, the other was unconscious.
Heero's job could go to hell.
Heero dropped down beside Duo, doing a quick scan for injuries. He ran his hands over Duo's chest - his skin was already beginning to show bruises and one rib was most likely cracked - and under his touch Duo began to stir. His eyes opened and he saw Heero.
"There are no serious injuries. Try not to move, Duo, I'll be back in a moment."
He told the first person he found to call emergency services, instructing them to bring the vehicle to the club's back entrance, and to notify the police of a physical assault in which the attacker had been restrained. Then he was back at Duo's side again, lifting his care into his arms. Duo said Heero's name, his eyes focusing on his face.
"Shit," he then said, slowly. "He broke something, didn't he?"
"A cracked or broken rib. Bruising. Swelling. Abrasions. Possible minor concussion."
"My jaw hurts."
"More bruising. Some teeth may be knocked loose."
"Nothing too bad, right? I won't scar."
"No."
"Well, I'm gonna shut up now 'cause it hurts to talk." Duo paused, then added a final phrase, "Thanks, Heero."
- - -
Heero stayed in the waiting room until Duo was released. A young male nurse led him out.
Bounding over with only a slight wince, Duo grabbed Heero's arm. "Broken rib, some pretty bad bruising, probably a few of my teeth feel funny but they say it's not bad enough to see a dentist, some hair pulled out, lacerations on my back from the concrete, banged my head and it hurts but nothing compared to that time Deathscythe broke down on me in outer space, and I'm as tired as hell. That's all. I was safe to walk out, but I'm back for a check-up on day Wednesday, half past two. They told me to go to the outpatient desk. I should be fine and my rib'll heal in no time if I don't do anything too strenuous, you know, move too much."
Heero began walking, moving at a slow pace, leading Duo from the hospital waiting room. "No dancing," he said.
"Nope. I'll take some time off work, but only for a while."
Heero held the door open for Duo.
"I owe you big time," said Duo after a short pause. "You saved my ass. If you hadn't come I could have been hurt bad. Thanks, Heero."
"You should have been able to defend yourself."
"Not against him. I'm not that big and I'm not that strong and my hand to hand skills suck. If I had had a gun he would be missing his balls right now, but I didn't have one at the time, you may have noticed. I was essentially powerless. You rescued me."
They stopped just before the parking lot. Heero said, "I called a taxi when they told me you were nearly done. It will be here soon." Then they stood in silence. The sun was beginning to climb up over the horizon and the first birds began to sing. The taxi pulled into the lot and Heero flagged the driver over. Again Heero held open the door. As he slid in after Duo, he spoke. "You're welcome."
- - -
When they went to bed the sun was blazing in the sky.
As Duo undressed, stripping off his pants and the t-shirt the hospital had provided to replace the one Ethan had ripped, he revealed dark bruises and angry abrasions. Heero's anger grew as each new injury was exposed. He watched as Duo stood in his boxers, his shirt having just dropped to the bedroom floor, watching the beginnings of scabs move as Duo breathed.
Duo looked to Heero, and then down at one hand. The knuckles had been scraped against the floor and were now red, missing a layer of skin. Duo began to cry. At first it was silent and he wore a self-accusatory smile on his face, mocking his tears. Then it became sobs, loud convulsions that made him shake and gasp for breath.
Heero moved to hold him and Duo fell into his arms. He clung, tears running down his face to fall onto Heero's skin. Hands rose, hesitant, and the fingers tangled in Duo's hair. Lips found Duo's forehead. For many minutes they were that way: Heero the insecure, uncertain comforter and Duo living, for the moment, as the victim.
When Duo finally pulled away, all his tears shed, they climbed into bed and slept.
- - -
"I really should have guessed."
"Is it obvious?" Heero asked.
"Yeah. I mean, who else would you have called? I would've turned to Quatre if it had been me. He's a hopeless romantic, of course, but he does know what to do in 'matters of the heart'." Duo's voice flew into a laugh and he leaned into the gas, making the car shoot down the highway. They were alone on the road - if Heero had thought there would be traffic he wouldn't have let Duo drive. It was an unnecessary risk.
Duo's chatter appeared to have come to a temporary pause. Seizing the opportunity, Heero spoke:
"Bill Hansen called on Saturday when you where out."
"The boss? What about?"
"He wanted me to tell you what happened to Ethan."
"Well?" Duo's voice was cold and his eyes did not stray from the road.
"He was convicted of physical assault. Most of his sentence is in fines. The club has banned him from the premises indefinitely."
Duo looked over. "Banned? Why?"
"Because of what he did to you."
"Guys get beat up all of the time in places like that."
"You are one of the club's best employees and a crowd favorite. They would do anything to keep you, Duo. This is my assumption, at least. Bill said it in a way that assumed you knew his reasons."
"Banned from the club. Fined, too? How much?"
"He didn't say."
"Nothing would be enough. You know, I should sue."
Again there was silence and the roar of the engine. The road stretched on before them and they sped down it, well above the limit. Eventually, Duo sighed and said, "Fuck it. He's gone; it's over and done with. I don't want to think about it, much less sue the bastard. Why bother? I've got much better things to do with my time. Don't you think, Heero?" He flipped on the radio of the rented car, keeping the volume low, and changed the subject. "So how do you think everyone's changed? Quatre said that Sally Poe got married to some Davis guy - I wonder what he's like." And so Duo continued to talk as they drove.
Heero and Duo reached the Winner-Barton estate at noon. A valet parked the rental car, and a butler led them into the main entrance.
"Master Quatre wants to greet all of his guests personally," he said, and then he was gone off in search of Quatre.
Then Heero and Duo were alone in the high-ceilinged, marble floored entrance. For a few moments Duo was silent and still, and then he began to chatter and wander around, poking flower filled vases and staring at pictures.
After a few moments more he came and stood by Heero, adjusting the collar of Heero's shirt for him and saying, "I'm nervous. I don't know why, but I am."
This is the beginning, thought Heero. The moment did not feel special, it did not stand out, but Heero knew that is was significant. This moment was the beginning of the rest of their life - without the war, without Ethan, without distraction.
"Why would you be nervous?" he asked Duo.
"It's been so long! The war ended four years ago, and I haven't seen some of the others in all that time. Noin, Relena - is she still obsessed with you? - Trowa's sister, whatshername, Catherine, Zechs, even Trowa and Quatre and Wufei, how have they all changed? And what do they expect of us?"
For the moment everything seemed so far behind them, in Heero's mind. The war and Ethan were memories now. The anger was gone - he had learned, when Duo had been hurt, that life and death, and love, even, were more important than anger. Duo had been involved with Ethan, this he recognized, and it had made him jealous and angry. But, when he had been given a choice, Duo had chosen Heero. This alone was enough to put all worries to rest.
"Come on, Heero, you must be a little nervous, at least."
"No. I'm not."
How real this moment felt. Not serene, not perfect. Occurring, instead, and tangible and existent.
"Of course not, you wouldn't be. Gods, Heero, sometimes you drive me crazy!"
The sound of approaching footsteps floated through the hall.
"He's coming. Finally - I hate waiting." Duo rocked back and forth on his feet, heel to toe to heel to toe, impatient. "Hey, Heero, Quatre knows how things turned out, right?" he asked.
"No."
"You didn't tell him? He must be dying of curiosity."
The footsteps were moments away.
Duo grabbed Heero's hand. "Do you think we'll make it?" he asked, quietly, giving no explanation for the strange question.
Quatre came into the room, Trowa trailing behind. "Heero! Duo! I'm sorry we took so long. Welcome."
Heero squeezed Duo's hand. I don't know, he thought. I don't know any more than you, I don't know any less. Quatre told me I would know love, and he was correct. He also said some love can last forever, and I believe this. If we can do that, I will be very thankful.
by Juu-chan and Abandonment
Note: For all warnings, disclaimers, and notes, see Part One.
- - -
Part Nine: The End
- - -
For the first time since he had begun work, a problem had arisen: one of the speakers had broken down. This was the least opportune time - Duo had walked off with Ethan and Heero wanted to be there when he came back. But work, as usual, came first. He fought his way through the crowd, pushed open the door, and moved down the hall. He needed the tool kit Maria had showed him, and it was the main equipment room. He walked quickly.
Then, he heard noises.
It was a collection of sounds he knew well. The impact of force on the giving surface of flesh; the bitten back cries and sounds of pain; the murmuring of low growled words. These were sounds that he recognized from his past, the sounds that defined torture and inquisition.
Heero hurried through the halls, moving in the direction of the noise. As he moved the thuds grew louder and the cries grew sharper. In seconds he came to the room that Duo had taken him to two days previous. The sound originated from there.
He approached the room with caution. He listened, trying to make out words, but at the time none were being said. He attempted to look into the room though the ajar door but the people within were out of sight. Then, is a quick and smooth movement, he threw open the door.
Light spilled into the room, making a body visible. The person turned to look at Heero. It was Ethan.
"If it isn't the pretty Japanese slut," he said. "Didn't I tell you to mind your own business?"
Heero ignored the words; he looked instead to the floor, to the form that Ethan crouched over with one hand out to cover the mouth.
Duo, Heero thought, and it was. His mouth was blocked by Ethan's hand, his head was turned to the side, his eyes were closed. He was blocking out the memory and the pain - it was a technique that all the pilots had been taught in order to survive interrogation after capture without revealing any secrets. His shirt was ripped to reveal bruising on his chest, his jaw was swelling. Anger built in Heero, soon overflowed, and his vision blurred with red again.
Ethan's form remained crystal clear.
Heero had never been one to waste words - he did not yell, he did not swear. Instead, he took the most direct route. Stepping forward - "You gonna do something, bastard?" Ethan asked - he grabbed Ethan's shirt collar. When the man's hands moved from Duo, up, to block, Heero changed positions: he grabbed an arm, twisted it, and pulled it behind Ethan's back with a step to the side. The maneuver took seconds and caught Ethan unaware.
"Stand up. Slowly," Heero said.
"You can't do anything to me, kid. You'll loose your job." Ethan rose from his knees.
Ethan's muscles flexed and he turned, now catching Heero off guard. He yanked his arm away and aimed a punch at Heero's face, his eyes slits and his body tense.
Heero dropped into a duck and then tackled Ethan's legs, knocking him off balance and to the ground. He jumped to his feet, sidestepped to stand beside Ethan, and, with a single tap to the side of Ethan's neck with his military style boots, the other was unconscious.
Heero's job could go to hell.
Heero dropped down beside Duo, doing a quick scan for injuries. He ran his hands over Duo's chest - his skin was already beginning to show bruises and one rib was most likely cracked - and under his touch Duo began to stir. His eyes opened and he saw Heero.
"There are no serious injuries. Try not to move, Duo, I'll be back in a moment."
He told the first person he found to call emergency services, instructing them to bring the vehicle to the club's back entrance, and to notify the police of a physical assault in which the attacker had been restrained. Then he was back at Duo's side again, lifting his care into his arms. Duo said Heero's name, his eyes focusing on his face.
"Shit," he then said, slowly. "He broke something, didn't he?"
"A cracked or broken rib. Bruising. Swelling. Abrasions. Possible minor concussion."
"My jaw hurts."
"More bruising. Some teeth may be knocked loose."
"Nothing too bad, right? I won't scar."
"No."
"Well, I'm gonna shut up now 'cause it hurts to talk." Duo paused, then added a final phrase, "Thanks, Heero."
- - -
Heero stayed in the waiting room until Duo was released. A young male nurse led him out.
Bounding over with only a slight wince, Duo grabbed Heero's arm. "Broken rib, some pretty bad bruising, probably a few of my teeth feel funny but they say it's not bad enough to see a dentist, some hair pulled out, lacerations on my back from the concrete, banged my head and it hurts but nothing compared to that time Deathscythe broke down on me in outer space, and I'm as tired as hell. That's all. I was safe to walk out, but I'm back for a check-up on day Wednesday, half past two. They told me to go to the outpatient desk. I should be fine and my rib'll heal in no time if I don't do anything too strenuous, you know, move too much."
Heero began walking, moving at a slow pace, leading Duo from the hospital waiting room. "No dancing," he said.
"Nope. I'll take some time off work, but only for a while."
Heero held the door open for Duo.
"I owe you big time," said Duo after a short pause. "You saved my ass. If you hadn't come I could have been hurt bad. Thanks, Heero."
"You should have been able to defend yourself."
"Not against him. I'm not that big and I'm not that strong and my hand to hand skills suck. If I had had a gun he would be missing his balls right now, but I didn't have one at the time, you may have noticed. I was essentially powerless. You rescued me."
They stopped just before the parking lot. Heero said, "I called a taxi when they told me you were nearly done. It will be here soon." Then they stood in silence. The sun was beginning to climb up over the horizon and the first birds began to sing. The taxi pulled into the lot and Heero flagged the driver over. Again Heero held open the door. As he slid in after Duo, he spoke. "You're welcome."
- - -
When they went to bed the sun was blazing in the sky.
As Duo undressed, stripping off his pants and the t-shirt the hospital had provided to replace the one Ethan had ripped, he revealed dark bruises and angry abrasions. Heero's anger grew as each new injury was exposed. He watched as Duo stood in his boxers, his shirt having just dropped to the bedroom floor, watching the beginnings of scabs move as Duo breathed.
Duo looked to Heero, and then down at one hand. The knuckles had been scraped against the floor and were now red, missing a layer of skin. Duo began to cry. At first it was silent and he wore a self-accusatory smile on his face, mocking his tears. Then it became sobs, loud convulsions that made him shake and gasp for breath.
Heero moved to hold him and Duo fell into his arms. He clung, tears running down his face to fall onto Heero's skin. Hands rose, hesitant, and the fingers tangled in Duo's hair. Lips found Duo's forehead. For many minutes they were that way: Heero the insecure, uncertain comforter and Duo living, for the moment, as the victim.
When Duo finally pulled away, all his tears shed, they climbed into bed and slept.
- - -
"I really should have guessed."
"Is it obvious?" Heero asked.
"Yeah. I mean, who else would you have called? I would've turned to Quatre if it had been me. He's a hopeless romantic, of course, but he does know what to do in 'matters of the heart'." Duo's voice flew into a laugh and he leaned into the gas, making the car shoot down the highway. They were alone on the road - if Heero had thought there would be traffic he wouldn't have let Duo drive. It was an unnecessary risk.
Duo's chatter appeared to have come to a temporary pause. Seizing the opportunity, Heero spoke:
"Bill Hansen called on Saturday when you where out."
"The boss? What about?"
"He wanted me to tell you what happened to Ethan."
"Well?" Duo's voice was cold and his eyes did not stray from the road.
"He was convicted of physical assault. Most of his sentence is in fines. The club has banned him from the premises indefinitely."
Duo looked over. "Banned? Why?"
"Because of what he did to you."
"Guys get beat up all of the time in places like that."
"You are one of the club's best employees and a crowd favorite. They would do anything to keep you, Duo. This is my assumption, at least. Bill said it in a way that assumed you knew his reasons."
"Banned from the club. Fined, too? How much?"
"He didn't say."
"Nothing would be enough. You know, I should sue."
Again there was silence and the roar of the engine. The road stretched on before them and they sped down it, well above the limit. Eventually, Duo sighed and said, "Fuck it. He's gone; it's over and done with. I don't want to think about it, much less sue the bastard. Why bother? I've got much better things to do with my time. Don't you think, Heero?" He flipped on the radio of the rented car, keeping the volume low, and changed the subject. "So how do you think everyone's changed? Quatre said that Sally Poe got married to some Davis guy - I wonder what he's like." And so Duo continued to talk as they drove.
Heero and Duo reached the Winner-Barton estate at noon. A valet parked the rental car, and a butler led them into the main entrance.
"Master Quatre wants to greet all of his guests personally," he said, and then he was gone off in search of Quatre.
Then Heero and Duo were alone in the high-ceilinged, marble floored entrance. For a few moments Duo was silent and still, and then he began to chatter and wander around, poking flower filled vases and staring at pictures.
After a few moments more he came and stood by Heero, adjusting the collar of Heero's shirt for him and saying, "I'm nervous. I don't know why, but I am."
This is the beginning, thought Heero. The moment did not feel special, it did not stand out, but Heero knew that is was significant. This moment was the beginning of the rest of their life - without the war, without Ethan, without distraction.
"Why would you be nervous?" he asked Duo.
"It's been so long! The war ended four years ago, and I haven't seen some of the others in all that time. Noin, Relena - is she still obsessed with you? - Trowa's sister, whatshername, Catherine, Zechs, even Trowa and Quatre and Wufei, how have they all changed? And what do they expect of us?"
For the moment everything seemed so far behind them, in Heero's mind. The war and Ethan were memories now. The anger was gone - he had learned, when Duo had been hurt, that life and death, and love, even, were more important than anger. Duo had been involved with Ethan, this he recognized, and it had made him jealous and angry. But, when he had been given a choice, Duo had chosen Heero. This alone was enough to put all worries to rest.
"Come on, Heero, you must be a little nervous, at least."
"No. I'm not."
How real this moment felt. Not serene, not perfect. Occurring, instead, and tangible and existent.
"Of course not, you wouldn't be. Gods, Heero, sometimes you drive me crazy!"
The sound of approaching footsteps floated through the hall.
"He's coming. Finally - I hate waiting." Duo rocked back and forth on his feet, heel to toe to heel to toe, impatient. "Hey, Heero, Quatre knows how things turned out, right?" he asked.
"No."
"You didn't tell him? He must be dying of curiosity."
The footsteps were moments away.
Duo grabbed Heero's hand. "Do you think we'll make it?" he asked, quietly, giving no explanation for the strange question.
Quatre came into the room, Trowa trailing behind. "Heero! Duo! I'm sorry we took so long. Welcome."
Heero squeezed Duo's hand. I don't know, he thought. I don't know any more than you, I don't know any less. Quatre told me I would know love, and he was correct. He also said some love can last forever, and I believe this. If we can do that, I will be very thankful.
