tantrys - ffiction - stop the world - 10
Stop The World
10
Shounen ai Gundam Wing
Warnings: Shounen ai. POV switching.
I'm getting spooked-- I've never done a mystery and I'm panicking. ::cries:: Forgive me for any errors, I'm trying to write this as fast as I can so I won't forget everything -_-*
PART 10
"Quatre?"
The small blonde head resting on the counter jerked suddenly, and Quatre sat up. His eyes were wide, slightly frightened. They softened as he focused on Trowa's familiar face, but he didn't smile.
"I'm sorry--" he wiped at blurry eyes and moved away from the counter. "I didn't hear you come in. Duo just left--"
"We met him outside," Trowa offered softly. Quatre nodded and moved past the detective to where a book had fallen to the floor from its niche in the shelf. He replaced it and moved along the wall shelves, straightening, dusting a little. Keeping his back to Trowa, and hoping faintly that he'd leave... Or that he'd stay.
I should make up my mind, Quatre decided humorlessly. He rubbed his eyes again. They were puffy from lack of sleep and an interrupted nap. He also had a terrible crick in his neck from resting at such an awkward angle...
"Do you have more questions?" He inquired suddenly, trying to break the pregnant silence. I'm so tired of questions... I'm just *tired*... He slowed his rapid movements as he neared end of the wall, and leaned his arm on the nearest level. His head lowered as a nauseating wave of fatigue practically floored him. His knees wavered.
A soft, guiding pressure at his elbow startled him, and he looked up in surprise. Trowa wrapped an arm around Quatre's shoulders, and began moving him in the direction of the back apartments. The support was a comfort... Something Quatre hadn't felt in days. He was shaking by the time Trowa sat him in one of the kitchen chairs, and hovered beside him.
"Do you have coffee? Or tea--" Trowa moved toward the kitchen.
"Tea. It's ready to heat up on the stove..." Trowa disappeared into the small kitchenette. Quatre watched the doorway for a moment, then blushed.
I should feel like an invalid, right now... But it's more like he's taking care of me. The thought was bizarre. Unprovoked even... But it was nice to think about... His blush remained as Trowa returned, and settled into one of the chairs across from Quatre.
"Thank you." Quatre began quickly. He folded his trembling hands carefully in his lap, and offered a tentative smile. "I haven't been sleeping well."
Trowa nodded slowly. It showed. There were haunted circles beneath Quatre's eyes, and his small, full lips were tugged down slightly at the corners. Trowa shook himself from his wandering scrutiny of Quatre's lips, as a soft sigh escaped from them, and made Trowa swallow hard.
"Have you... found anything else?" Quatre let out a dubious puff of breath, not quite a laugh. "I should ask *can you tell me*, if you've found anything else."
The pause before Trowa's answer stretched out to an unnerving half second of silence. Trowa looked up from his examination of the table top, and faltered.
Quatre's head was lowered, so that his feathery blonde hair shadowed his eyes. But Trowa didn't need to see them. A single rogue tear fled down Quatre's silky cheek. Not a sound came from him; neither a sob, nor the sound of his shallow breathing.
"I'm sorry," Quatre erupted brokenly. He swiped angrily at his face, and stood up. Trowa rose as well, and he held out his arms unconsciously, even as Quatre turned away and fled into the kitchen. Trowa hesitated. He'd flattened his arms back to his sides but the ache remained. He wanted to hold him. Very much...
Before he could follow Quatre's flight, the blonde reappeared with two steaming mugs of a caramel colored liquid. His eyes were dry now, and he didn't shake as he sat one mug of tea before Trowa, then slid into his abruptly vacated chair, mug fastened neatly in his hands.
Stronger than he looks, Trowa mused. He sipped obediently at his tea, downing half of it even if it did taste like tree bark... He settled the warm glass back onto the table, and leaned forward to speak.
"My sister was killed, about five years ago." This story is so old... Even if I've never told anyone... "I found her in my apartment." Trowa's eyes rose purposefully, and met with Quatre's wide, sparkling stare. "We found the killer... It took a little time, but we found him and I... had peace..." Trowa trailed off, wondering how something so true could sound so lame. "As corny as that sounds, I did. And we'll figure out what happened to your sister. These things have a way of falling into place with the right clues, and persistence..."
Quatre nodded. He'd been silenced by Trowa's halting admission. How terrible... He smiled softly, sadly, because it was the only thing he could offer. Except...
"Would you like more tea?"
The faint light behind her eyelids was annoying... Did Trieze have the lamp on, reading at midnight again? Relena let out a small moan of annoyance and sat up. Eyes that had been deep in slumber cracked open, ready to glare murderously at the love of her life.
But his half of the bed was dark. The long, vague shape of him beneath the pink comforter was breathing slowly, obviously deep in sleep. She frowned in confusion and moved her glare from the darkened part of the room to her side, lit with a pale, unfamiliar light.
Her heart leapt crazily in her chest, and she smashed one hand over her mouth to keep in a terrified scream. Recognition came after the first initial shock, and she glanced over at Treize nervously.
"He's asleep, Relena," a voice from her past cooed. "I made sure your love was fast asleep before I came to visit..."
"Visit, brother?" She hissed through her fingers. "How kind of you, after all these years."
The glowing vision hovering beside her bed smiled unattractively. It was more of a smirk, one that she recognized all too well.
"What do you want?"
Feigning hurt, her brother drifted down from his royal height, and sat at her feet on the bed. He gave Relena a not-quite-pitiful look... It quickly morphed into a sharp stare, with darker undertones...
"Stay out of it, Relena. He killed the girl. Angels are capable of lying-- or have you forgotten that? Like you said, it's been several years..."
Relena mirrored her brother's sharp tone. "If you're referring to Heero, I know he didn't kill Iria."
Her brother scowled. She was shocked. He'd made some rather nasty faces in the past, and he had quite a mean streak, but angels were never known to frown, or glare so intensely. Her hands curled up in fists on top of the blanket.
"He killed her," he insisted. "The Guardians are never *that* wrong. Never. Just stay out of it, dearest sister. You'll make life for poor 'Heero' a lot harder if you interfere." He rose again, and floated nearer with a more confidant smirk tracing its way from smooth lips to his eyes...
Relena leaned back unconsciously, furthering herself from the angel that should have been harmless... The angel with the dangerous smile...
"I don't know what your interest in this is, brother... I can't see how you're so convinced Heero is guilty. No one knowing of their guilt would be so miserable..." She paused to take a determined breath. "You can see it in his eyes."
Her brother visibly flinched at her confidence. His body moved back, fading slightly into the shadows of the room, but not yet retreating.
"Eyes can lie," he insisted. But the uncertainty in his voice was tangible. Relena couldn't resist giving him a mockingly sympathetic smile.
"You're so sure, brother. What-- did you rise to Guardian Status after I left?"
The faint heavenly light that just tinted the room golden flared, fire-like. Her brother hissed warningly.
"You always were an interfering little snob Relena! Believe me, fallen. Leave Heero and his Hell well enough alone. Every fallen deserves as much-- they're the worst heaven has ever borne. Leave it alone!"
He vanished... The room plunged back into its pre-dawn darkness, and in it Relena shivered. Her heart had begun to race when he'd lunged at her, his eyes a confused mix of hatred and fear.
"Mmn nn Relena....?"
Immediately she slid back down beneath the blankets, and edged closer to Treize's seeking arm. With one firm tug he had her pressed close to his side, protected and near enough to nuzzle her neck. She gripped his arm tightly and wondered at the dark...
Duo was completely drunk. 'Wasted', as he called it. And very. Somehow he managed to tell me what streets to drag him down to get back to the shop. He was laughing at how funny Wufei had been in the car... How Quatre wouldn't let him use *his* car because of the last time he'd gotten drunk.
"Upholstery was never the same," Duo sighed. He squeezed his arm around my neck and tripped for the hundredth time... He smelled like liquor, but he was warm...
I stopped abruptly in front of the Horizons shop, and watched curiously as Duo dug out a key from his pocket, and proceeded to attempt sticking it in the lock.
"You can help now," he muttered thickly. His head angled up and grinned at me. I took the key from his hand obediently, and had the door open in seconds. Duo cheered and fell in.
"Quatre is probably sleeping," I told him softly. Duo clambered up from the floor and nodded, then began giggling. I grabbed his arms before he fell in a heap on the floor, and began the long trek upstairs, assuming I could figure out where he slept... I paused at the first door in the upstairs hall and moved to open it.
"No-- don't." It was Duo talking. He sounded completely sober... I pulled my hand away, comprehending... Iria's room. Duo pointed me to the next closed door and I ferried him inside.
"Hmmm nice bed... Pillows," he sighed as I positioned him on the bed. One flop later he was sprawled out and snoring. I smiled a little, because he was ridiculous...
And beautiful... My hand moved of its own volition and pressed gentle fingers to his jaw. Soft, and warm. I haven't felt warm since... falling... My fingertips were cool when I pulled away, but I set myself to tasks other than admiring beauty. I peeled Duo's heavy boots off, and yanked one of his blankets over his sweetly slumbering form. I didn't linger... though I wanted to... I locked the door on my way out and I sighed at the cold air. I don't like the cold.
As I jogged the distance from my place of work to my place of residence I decided that I didn't like the dark, either. Mostly, though, I didn't like being alone. It was an unpleasant state to be in... I ran up the steps to my apartment, and closed the door behind me eagerly.
"Blondie-- I mean 'Quatre' is pretty good at avoiding your questions."
Trowa couldn't reply. Wufei was right... And it wasn't entirely Quatre's fault. I can't press him. Damn I'm weak. He muted his sigh as something began to materialize from the dark street. It was a pair of stumbling figures, and a single long braid of hair swinging behind either of them.
Wufei snorted. "I never doubted he'd be a noisy drunk. Thank God I got out of there before they wanted a ride home..." He quieted as the two passed the car, and tripped up to the shop door. They entered moments later, and Wufei let out a low, annoyed growl.
"I don't like this new guy. Get research on him. And the name 'Zechs'..." Wufei stopped and tightened his grip on the steering wheel. 'Heero' stepped out of the Horizons shop and began jogging down the street. One sharp turn of the key had the car purring and flowing down the road at a snail's pace, staying just far enough behind its quarry, and just close enough...
Wufei braked quickly, and squeezed into a parking space that his car really didn't fit into. Heero had stopped just outside a brownstone that no longer looked like a building. It was more like a convenient pile of stone and mortar. Trowa watched with his partner as the mysterious young man entered the building...
Suddenly Wufei leaned forward, face pressing into the driver's side window. A moment later he was bursting out of the door and sprinting across the street. Trowa scrambled out of his seat and placed a firm hand over his holster as he took off after Wufei.
Son of a bitch-- Wufei cursed the cold night air as he ran, and cursed again out of habit as his feet thudded to a hard stop. The knees of his slacks ground unpleasantly into the concrete as he knelt. He heard Trowa approach in a much quieter fashion. Without lifting his eyes he held out one impatient hand.
"Gimme a bag."
Trowa obeyed without hesitation. He'd grown used to Wufei's abruptness, and near encrypted method of posing orders. He dug around quickly in his coat and slapped a small plastic evidence bag into Wufei's waiting palm. Trowa stayed a few feet back, keeping an anxious vigil and letting Wufei finish with his find. He couldn't help the small tick of excitement he felt-- What the hell could he need an evidence bag for--
Finally Wufei stood, shaking the plastic bag tantalizingly. The plastic shimmered yellow from the dim street light. Wufei turned with a grim smile, and raised it enough for Trowa to focus. His wide green eyes shifted to Wufei's, and blinked.
"What the hell," Wufei agreed.
They were so eager. And it's funny that they should suspect *him*... Well, not funny. Only natural. He's tainted, after all. He smiled with satisfaction as the one of the law keepers knelt excitedly, while the other hovered behind him. Their speech following the find was soft and tense. He kept his smile when their automobile hummed to life, and disappeared into the night.
The outdoor scene now finished, he rose and passed through the ugly building where his prey dwelt. It was hideous. Filthy. Perfect for dirt like him... And he was asleep, sprawled like a lazy human on his bed... making terrible sawing sounds...
There is one thing that you are perfect for, he decided. Falling. Condemned in Heaven... and on Earth. His face twisted happily. And you don't even try! He wanted to laugh... Instead he drew closer to the slightly shivering figure on the bed. His fingers slid lightly along the most destroyed parts of crimson wings. Where the slashes bled. This wonderfully red substance coated his fingers, and he smiled.
'Heero' shifted in his sleep, and curled his limbs tighter...
No where to go, 'Heero'... No where for the fallen...