Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing.
Warning: Short
Mindless Babble:
"Here he comes! He's here!" Quatre had been running around non-stop all morning making sure everything was perfect. He had spent most of the day before cooking and cleaning. He had managed to make a five-course meal with the reluctant help of Wufei. In addition, he had managed to con Trowa into helping him get Duo's room ready.
It had been six weeks since Duo had woken up, two months since that fateful day. Sally had been right on several accounts in reference to the pilot's condition. There was little scarring on the boy's body, but quite a bit on his psyche. While the bone mender had done it's job, Duo had a difficult time learning to walk. He would cringe any time someone tried to touch him, including the physical therapist.
Heero was the exception. Sally figured it was because Heero spent so much time with his friend that Duo found someone who he could trust. Together, Duo learned how to use his legs again along with the arm that the shoulder blade had been shattered.
There, however, did remain one problem. Since wakening up, the usually talkative Duo had not spoken one word. The doctors ran a number of tests, checking to see if damage had been done to the vocal cords. They all came back negative. Quatre had come up with his own reason for his friend's silence.
"Maybe he imbedded a command so deeply, to keep from saying anything, that it's still there."
In some odd way, this made sense to pilots.
Duo was now walking up the stairs to the front door, Heero walking along side of him carrying a small overnight bag that he had used to bring Duo a change of clothes. It now carried the few personal affects that friends had brought to make the braided boy's stay at the hospital a bit more bearable.
Trowa had to literally hold onto Quatre's shirt collar to make sure the young blond didn't knock over Duo in his enthusiastic greeting. Heero came in first and with a single "Yui Death Glare" calmed Quatre down. Duo crept in next, his purple eyes wide with anxiety.
Quatre approached him slowly. "Welcome back, Duo. Wufei helped make a welcome home dinner for you. If you'd like to settle in first, Trowa and I got your room ready."
Duo let a ghost of a smile escape and he nodded his thanks. He looked at Heero who made a motion for Duo to follow.
"Give us about a half an hour, then we'll be down for dinner," Heero said looking over his shoulder.
Quatre nodded and snagged Wufei and Trowa just as they were trying to sneak off to there own rooms. "You guys can help me set the table."
Upstairs in Duo's room, Heero sat on the bed, watching his friend unpack the few things from the bag. Duo seemed to just be going through the motions. Heero pulled something from his pocket.
"Umm Duo? I got you something, kind of a welcome home gift."
He handed the other boy a small black box. Inside was gold cross on a chain. Duo grinned and slipped the chain over his head.
"I figured you lost your other one when...on that day," Heero said correcting himself.
Duo flung his arms around Heero in a bear hug. That finally broke the Perfect Soldier.
"Talk to me, Duo! Please! I want...I...I need to know that I did the right thing!"
Duo release Heero and pulled back, the shock plain on his face. There was also a hint of sorrow in those purple eyes. He reached over to the nightstand and picked up a framed photo, handing it to Heero. The picture was the two of them; Duo slinging an arm over a stone faced Heero. With his other hand, Duo held up two fingers in a "V". Both had obviously just come from a nasty little fistfight.
Heero remembered that day. Some big biker type guys were teasing Duo about his beloved braid. The boy lost his temper punched one of them. This lead to a big ol' fight that Heero eventually ended up wading into to retrieve his friend. In the process, he sent two of the bikers to the hospital and one to a dentist to have his teeth put back in. Duo had managed to knock the other two idiots out. When they arrived home, Quatre, who had been playing with an old camera, snapped a picture of the two. Then for Duo's birthday, Quatre gave him the framed photo.
Heero smiled a bit at the memory. When he looked up, Duo was giving him the same "V for Victory" sign with the same grin as in the picture. Heero's smile widen with understanding.
"Thanks, Duo."
