Title: Silence and the Soldier

Title: Silence and the Soldier
Author: Satsuki Kitsune
Category: yaoi
Rating: PG-13… for now.
Pairings: 3x1 (more later, I think.)
Warnings: the usual…boys with boys… and perhaps I will get to a lemon later on, if I get up my courage…… well… now that I think about it… I don't REALLY want to do one… Relations to Heero's and Trowa's Episode Zero.
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing characters and universe are the property of the copyright owners. Plus whatever is mine, is mine (which is little or nothing). I don't make any money….
Feedback: Any and all comments and feedback is welcome!!!!!!!!! Please!!
Notes: Hmmm……… EPISODE ZERO !!! hee! They are just too cute….

Thank you to the people that reviewed the 2nd chapter: Wildfire's Flame ( I did sign your guestbook! Hee-hee…well… Silence and the Soldier did sound good at the time I was posting it…thanks!); WildfireFriendship (you definitely have the most enthusiastic reviews…but I thank you for them greatly); Anime Princess (yeah, yeah…they ALMOST kissed… maybe they will in this chapter, ne? *evil grin * ………); Xan Samurai (you like? Tee-hee… I am really glad you do.); sana (yeah, sometimes I complain about being "left hanging"… sometimes I can be really whiny…); lizzy b (thanks for your criticism…it is appreciated… Humor?? You want humor?? Uhh… I'll try later, but after I get over with the serious stuff, okay? It IS hard with characters like these…) And I apologize to anyone if I missed you.

Trowa waited while Heero slept. He waited for the other pilot to wake up so maybe he could gather up enough courage to tell Heero the truth….The truth about his true feelings- …His thoughts were interrupted by a groan from Heero on the bed. Heero opened his eyes, only to find that Trowa was looking at him. Wrenching his eyes away from the deep gaze, he spoke to the tall, green-eyed pilot,

" You must think me as weak….cold-hearted….a disgu-" he started. Heero stopped and turned rigid when he felt Trowa's hand on hi cheek.

" No. Not at all, Heero." Trowa's words hit Heero like a tsunami. " In fact, you're the most amazing person I've ever met." His eyes were soft with emotion as he caressed Heero's cheek. On what little human emotion he had, Heero closed his eyes and leaned into the caress, suddenly desperately in need of human touch. It was his first, in such a long time…..

" Why me? Of all people, why me? Why someone who isn't sure that he is able to love?" Heero murmured. He curled up till his head was tucked under the taller pilot's chin. It was a good feeling, to be warm and safe.

Trowa kissed the top of Heero's head and chuckled,

" Because you're you. I have no other explanation."

The strange fluttering sensation occupied itself in Heero's chest once again. He reached up his hand to touch Trowa's face, but winced and drew back. Pain lanced all around his broken, and still-healing, arm.

" Are you okay? What's wrong? Maybe you should rest some more….."

Heero was clearly not all right. He drew his breaths in with a painful hiss and was doubled over, clutching his arm. Trowa moved forward to help him.

" No. Stop. Don't help me." Heero's voice was firm and commanding, but full of pain as well. Ever since his self-destruction, Heero had been struggling to regain his self-control, but had been failing miserably. He was unable to hide his emotions as well as he could before. " Trowa, this is the first time that I can remember that someone has told me that they cared for me and I don't need to be treated like an invalid."

Trowa considered this and refrained from helping him, honoring Heero's decision and strength.

" If that's what you want."

" Hn." With a grunt, Heero lowered himself back down on the bed and pulled the covers up around him. He forced his breathing to slow down, then opened his mouth to speak,

" I-I know that I'm not the best person to be around… but will you please understand that this is all new to me?" Trowa smiled. It was warm and comforting.

" I understand."

" Thank you. I'll try to–" Heero was interrupted as the door opened.

" Trowa? The Manager wants to see you about the show tonight, and when we're moving next." It was Catherine.

' A show? Tonight? How could I have forgotten…? But I can't leave Heero here alone… His condition has gotten worse…' Trowa thought, but kept his face completely calm. Although his face showed nothing, Heero could sense it. Heero gave Trowa a look that simply said,

' Go.'

" Trowa, on this next show, we're just going to be entertaining a bunch of people from this colony, nothing fancy. You're going to be doing the usual, so I don't need to explain that." The Manager, a man in a suit, complete with a hat and tie confirmed his role as the ringmaster. The two had met in the Manager's trailer.

" Yes, Sir," said Trowa, and he turned to leave.

" One more thing, Trowa: We're going to be taking a shuttle back to Earth after this, so be prepared to leave. I told Catherine to spread the word," the Manager said. Trowa nodded and left.

' A shuttle back to Earth? I'll have to be careful with Heero…'

" Heero, are you alright? Do you need anything?" Now, it was Catherine who sat by Heero's bed. She noticed how the boy's hand shook while he held his spoon, eating soup.

" I'm fine," Heero mumbled, in-between bites. He was getting tired of girls always hanging around. First the Peacecraft girl, now Catherine. He knew they meant well, but it just got annoying. Where's my gun…?

' Wait, where am I? I thought I was in Trowa's trailer…' Heero looked around, seeing that he was in a graveyard. His eyes widened as he saw the familiar build of a man walking towards him through the mist.

' O-Odin?

Catherine saw that Heero had fallen asleep. Frowning, she took away his food and felt his forehead.

' Just great. A fever,' she thought. ' I'd better stay here until Trowa comes back.' She sighed and got out a book.

' I guess all those years with you weren't so bad, boy.'

'Whatcha looking at? The void of space…which took everything away from you? Or…your own image, a face without a name…?' In Heero's dream, Odin Lowe's words came back to him just like Odin himself had said them for the first time.

" Stop talking to me, Odin. You're dead. You died a long time ago."

' Here's one last bit of good advice. No matter what happens, follow your feelings. So, you may as well do what your heart tells you, so you won't regret it later. That's the right path…for people who live in the present.

Heero felt a pain in his chest as he struggled to control the urge to break down and cry.

' Okay…this is good-bye. Don't get killed.'

" I didn't get killed, Odin. I did exactly what you said…. I always did exactly what you said… don't leave again…please."

The man known as Odin Lowe walked up to Heero and looked him over,

' Hmmm…. I always knew you were gonna grow up to be like this. Now look at you, a Gundam Pilot. Dr. J sure did a good job on you, better than I could have.'

Heero glared at the dead man and clenched his fists,

" A good job? Is that all I am? A machine that people use in wars? You have no idea what I went through, and what Dr. J did to me! Sure I'm good for wars, but what will happen when we achieve peace? What then?!" he shouted. Odin's allowed his face to show a little sympathy, but said nothing.

" What will I do?!!" Then Odin disappeared. The Wing pilot sank to the ground, all alone now.

" What will I do…..?" Catherine's eyebrows furrowed in a frown. Heero had been mumbling, but now she could make out what he was saying. She dunked the washcloth that she had put over his forehead into the bowl of cold water again. Trowa still was not back, and Heero's fever had rose. But she knew that there was something special about this boy, so she didn't worry about his sickness too much. His body was just weak from his injuries, that's all.

Trowa needed time to think and be alone. He sat by the lion's cage, stroking the fur while the lion purred loudly.

' What will happen when Heero gets better? Will there be more fights with OZ? I don't know…'

' I have always been a soldier.' A voice whispered. It was the voice of a young boy.

" Who's there?" Trowa asked aloud. The lion roared suddenly.

' I used up all my sadness when I was a baby.'

Realization came upon Trowa….

" I said those words to Midii, so long ago."

Just then, the young girl Midii herself walked out of the trees towards him. She held an outstretched hand towards him,

" Nanashi… It really has been a long time."

" M-Midii..?? Is that really you?" Trowa stuttered. He then saw that the girl's image was almost see-through: An image of his past.

" Yes. I said this once, and I'll say it again: How long do you plan to wear that mask that never cries? Come on, at least show some emotion towards the one you love!" A look of sadness crossed her face….but she shook it off quickly, for what she had wanted once was impossible.

" I-" Trowa started.

"- You what? Why aren't you with him now? He's sick and hurting and you aren't with him. You choose to be alone, ne?" Midii was getting angry at him, trying to get Trowa to understand.

" He loves you, Nanashi. And he's trying to understand!" Her words stopped as her image faded some.

" My time is up. Farewell, Nanashi. Please understand what I'm telling you. The Perfect Soldier has done something that has been thought impossible…. He has fallen in love with Nanashi….."

And Midii disappeared, leaving Trowa once again alone. Trowa got up and ran to the trailer.

TBC.

Author's notes: Hi! I just love Trowa and Heero's episode Zeros…they're so cute. If you haven't read them yet, you can find them at: http://www.stormpages.com/zero/translate/index.html I think almost everyone's is there!

Well, hope ya liked that chapter. And I'm sorry if it was too short for you.