Author: Sphynx
Title: A Light in the Darkness 1/?
Pairings: Future 3+4
Warnings: Angst, older OOC Duo
Disclaimers: *takes a deep breath* They aren't mine, these loverly boys. Yep…Now I'm going to go resign myself to that fact. *goes off and cries quietly for a moment or two*
Notes: Ok, I really don't know how long this will be. But long it will be. I have created St. Julien's Hospital for War-Related Illnesses, and the policies of the staff are based on both personal experience (mine and other people's) and my imagination. So don't say they would do it another way.
A man walked down the street, thinking to himself as he hurried to his destination. It was cold and windy, and the lone figure had his collar turned up against the cold. His chestnut hair whipped in the wind, lashing his face as strands escaped from the braid down his back. Suddenly a figure rose before him and he broke out of his quiet reverie into a wide grin hailing the small blonde with a sunny smile.
"Oi, Quatre! You should be inside. It's cold out here. How are you? You've let your hair grow out!" His sunny bright words were a contrast to the solitary hunched figure of only moments earlier. He chattered on, filling the air with meaningless words, hardly letting the blonde get in a word that he was just fine. It wasn't until Quatre got frustrated that he couldn't answer between questions that the man shut up.
"Hush Duo, if you'll give me a chance I could tell you that, yes, I'm fine, no, I don't know where any of the others are, and yes, I'm cold let's get inside." Quatre's voice was soft and light, but carried an authoritative ring to it that shut the braided man called Duo up. He laughed while Quatre showed him into the well-furnished house they were stopped in front of.
A single servant came to take their coats, and Quatre showed Duo into his study. Duo was wide-eyed at the small but luxurious setting. Though the house was on the small side, it was tastefully and expensively decorated. All the way to the study, which was upstairs Quatre asked Duo for news. Duo uncharacteristically was quiet, there was something bothering him, and Quatre commented on such.
"Duo, I know you have been in touch with Heero, what is bothering you to keep you from telling me what you know of the others? It's been a long while since you contacted me."
"Can't a guy call to say hey without getting the sixth degree here? Are you going to have me tell you all I know on an empty stomach? I'm famished!" Duo responded, ducking the question and taking the armchair that Quatre offered.
"When are you not hungry?" Quatre asked back jokingly with a laugh as he sat down in a chair near Duo's. "My man is bringing something to eat and drink to the study. We'll be more comfortable there. And no, I don't think you called just to catch up on old times friend, though it is good to see you." Duo looked at Quatre carefully, as Quatre looked calmly back.
"I guess you're right. I did call you with news, but I also just wanted to see you. You were on the mark when you said I've been in touch with Heero. He stops by every so often to check on me. I know he keeps updated on all of you, but he almost never tells me what he knows. But the other day he had stopped by and I asked if he knew where everyone was. He went kinda quiet and got a funny look on his face. Well, a funny look for Heero. I knew he had learned something was wrong. I made him tell me." Here Duo stopped, almost uncomfortable. Quatre waited patiently, knowing that Duo would tell him what had happened, surprised at how much Duo had changed in just the few years since the war. He had learned tact, and developed a bit of reserve.
"He told me how you were, how Wufei was, he's doing well, and then he stopped again. Almost as if he just couldn't go on."
"Duo, is something wrong with Trowa?" A look of dismay had come over Quatre's face. He had a strange sinking feeling that Duo was going to tell him something horrible, something he knew in his heart, but had blocked out of his mind. Duo took a deep breath and continued quietly.
"Quatre, he tried to commit suicide after the war. About a year after peace was declared, he was involuntarily committed to a hospital. Catherine visits when she can, but more and more often, she just can't get away from the circus." Duo cast his eyes down, hearing Quatre's breath catch as he tried valiantly to keep his composure. They sat there for a long while in silence. The servant came in leaving a tray of food and a tea service when Quatre dismissed him with an absent wave of his hand. He went out worried, for his normally kind and smiling master looked so distraught, and his master's guest, so energetic just sat in the chair, with his head down. Finally Quatre spoke quietly, his voice strong and determined.
"Duo, where is he?" Duo looked up at Quatre and saw emotions churning across his face. Determination and worry were there, as well as love and a touch of despair.
"St. Julien's. They're the best equipped to deal with war survivors. He's not doing well." Duo's voice held a despair and sadness that was unaccustomed in the talkative, bright boy he had been. Quatre knew that he must go, he must go and see Trowa, even if he couldn't help.
"Duo, you are welcome here as long as you like, there is a room prepared for you. I'll be leaving early tomorrow morning after I settle a few things here. Trowa needs me." Duo had more or less expected this of Quatre, the boy was perhaps Trowa's last hope, and they all knew this. The two were close during the war, and Duo knew that Quatre loved Trowa. Quatre had said so himself. So it was no surprise to Duo that Quatre would go tearing off to Trowa, maybe only that Quatre hadn't left yet.
"It would be nice to stay here for a while, but I left Heero at my place and I want to find him there when I get back. Who knows with him, he could already be gone. Call me," Duo handed the blonde a card, "here's my number at work, my home phone's on the back. I will take you up on your offer for tonight, but I'm off to bed now."
"Goodnight, Duo. Thank you."
Title: A Light in the Darkness 1/?
Pairings: Future 3+4
Warnings: Angst, older OOC Duo
Disclaimers: *takes a deep breath* They aren't mine, these loverly boys. Yep…Now I'm going to go resign myself to that fact. *goes off and cries quietly for a moment or two*
Notes: Ok, I really don't know how long this will be. But long it will be. I have created St. Julien's Hospital for War-Related Illnesses, and the policies of the staff are based on both personal experience (mine and other people's) and my imagination. So don't say they would do it another way.
A man walked down the street, thinking to himself as he hurried to his destination. It was cold and windy, and the lone figure had his collar turned up against the cold. His chestnut hair whipped in the wind, lashing his face as strands escaped from the braid down his back. Suddenly a figure rose before him and he broke out of his quiet reverie into a wide grin hailing the small blonde with a sunny smile.
"Oi, Quatre! You should be inside. It's cold out here. How are you? You've let your hair grow out!" His sunny bright words were a contrast to the solitary hunched figure of only moments earlier. He chattered on, filling the air with meaningless words, hardly letting the blonde get in a word that he was just fine. It wasn't until Quatre got frustrated that he couldn't answer between questions that the man shut up.
"Hush Duo, if you'll give me a chance I could tell you that, yes, I'm fine, no, I don't know where any of the others are, and yes, I'm cold let's get inside." Quatre's voice was soft and light, but carried an authoritative ring to it that shut the braided man called Duo up. He laughed while Quatre showed him into the well-furnished house they were stopped in front of.
A single servant came to take their coats, and Quatre showed Duo into his study. Duo was wide-eyed at the small but luxurious setting. Though the house was on the small side, it was tastefully and expensively decorated. All the way to the study, which was upstairs Quatre asked Duo for news. Duo uncharacteristically was quiet, there was something bothering him, and Quatre commented on such.
"Duo, I know you have been in touch with Heero, what is bothering you to keep you from telling me what you know of the others? It's been a long while since you contacted me."
"Can't a guy call to say hey without getting the sixth degree here? Are you going to have me tell you all I know on an empty stomach? I'm famished!" Duo responded, ducking the question and taking the armchair that Quatre offered.
"When are you not hungry?" Quatre asked back jokingly with a laugh as he sat down in a chair near Duo's. "My man is bringing something to eat and drink to the study. We'll be more comfortable there. And no, I don't think you called just to catch up on old times friend, though it is good to see you." Duo looked at Quatre carefully, as Quatre looked calmly back.
"I guess you're right. I did call you with news, but I also just wanted to see you. You were on the mark when you said I've been in touch with Heero. He stops by every so often to check on me. I know he keeps updated on all of you, but he almost never tells me what he knows. But the other day he had stopped by and I asked if he knew where everyone was. He went kinda quiet and got a funny look on his face. Well, a funny look for Heero. I knew he had learned something was wrong. I made him tell me." Here Duo stopped, almost uncomfortable. Quatre waited patiently, knowing that Duo would tell him what had happened, surprised at how much Duo had changed in just the few years since the war. He had learned tact, and developed a bit of reserve.
"He told me how you were, how Wufei was, he's doing well, and then he stopped again. Almost as if he just couldn't go on."
"Duo, is something wrong with Trowa?" A look of dismay had come over Quatre's face. He had a strange sinking feeling that Duo was going to tell him something horrible, something he knew in his heart, but had blocked out of his mind. Duo took a deep breath and continued quietly.
"Quatre, he tried to commit suicide after the war. About a year after peace was declared, he was involuntarily committed to a hospital. Catherine visits when she can, but more and more often, she just can't get away from the circus." Duo cast his eyes down, hearing Quatre's breath catch as he tried valiantly to keep his composure. They sat there for a long while in silence. The servant came in leaving a tray of food and a tea service when Quatre dismissed him with an absent wave of his hand. He went out worried, for his normally kind and smiling master looked so distraught, and his master's guest, so energetic just sat in the chair, with his head down. Finally Quatre spoke quietly, his voice strong and determined.
"Duo, where is he?" Duo looked up at Quatre and saw emotions churning across his face. Determination and worry were there, as well as love and a touch of despair.
"St. Julien's. They're the best equipped to deal with war survivors. He's not doing well." Duo's voice held a despair and sadness that was unaccustomed in the talkative, bright boy he had been. Quatre knew that he must go, he must go and see Trowa, even if he couldn't help.
"Duo, you are welcome here as long as you like, there is a room prepared for you. I'll be leaving early tomorrow morning after I settle a few things here. Trowa needs me." Duo had more or less expected this of Quatre, the boy was perhaps Trowa's last hope, and they all knew this. The two were close during the war, and Duo knew that Quatre loved Trowa. Quatre had said so himself. So it was no surprise to Duo that Quatre would go tearing off to Trowa, maybe only that Quatre hadn't left yet.
"It would be nice to stay here for a while, but I left Heero at my place and I want to find him there when I get back. Who knows with him, he could already be gone. Call me," Duo handed the blonde a card, "here's my number at work, my home phone's on the back. I will take you up on your offer for tonight, but I'm off to bed now."
"Goodnight, Duo. Thank you."