This one is all for Corinna. No one else has been able to get me off my butt and working – that was the sweetest feedback! This one's 4 u, tho u know that already… ^_^ May you have an eternity of happy endings ^_^
Mercilessly, he tore at the zipper of the tent, fumbling in his urgency. Even if it was not Shinagami – well – someone was in trouble. Normally, that wouldn't bother him. Receding into yourself, indifferent in the very face of illness or death, was easy. But the possibility – the very thought that Duo's lungs MIGHT be struggling, that Duo could be – Shuddering for perhaps the first time in his life, Heero cut off that thought, sharp and frightened-
/I… I am frightened? / Thoughts spun in a blur around his aching head. Whatever he or anyone felt or thought, he needed to focus on his one goal, and that was currently reaching the source of the noise. Finishing at last, he had wrestled the zippers of the screen and then the door down, tumbling headfirst into the tent.
Glazed lavender eyes, clouded and unseeing, rested inches from his face.
/DUO!!!/ The thought formed, dripping horror, before he forced it from his throat in a desperate hiss.
"DUO!"
No response.
"DUO! SHINAGAMI, DAMMIT, ANSWER ME, OR I'LL KILL YOU! DUO!" The empty threats rolled off the indifferent form, and the distances between each precious, rattling breath grew.
Heero crumpled, angry now, a more familiar emotion. It was only then that the chill became more pronounced, and he realized, if nothing else, Duo had to be warm. Struggling to free his pilot from a tangle of damp sheets, Heero grunted softly, and placed his own jacket around Duo's frigid form. In doing so, his hands brushed Duo's clothes –
/Soaked. He'll never dry off this way. /
Grimly, Heero began to take the shirt, plastered to Duo's ruined form, off. He forced his own breathing to remain even, and his movements mechanical, as he reached for Duo's shorts.
Five minutes later, Duo was dressed in spandex and a thin jacket.
Heero wore a birthday suit, but wouldn't shiver or give in to the frostbite that had claimed his toes and fingers already.
/If it gets too bad, I'll chop them off/ he resolved, unflinching.
Softly, oh-so-gently, he lay next to Duo, pulling a wet blanket over up to his waist for decency. Sharp fingers of a cold so concentrated and unbearable forced him to curl smaller, as if trying to fold into himself. Finally, he wrapped a bluing arm around his friend, eagerly stealing all the warmth his starved body could find. He tangled all his limbs around this source of heat, brushing icicles from Duo's soft lashes.
Larger, a still-rattling breath was taken, and the braided pilot responded at last.
"H… Heero?" The film on his eyes had lessened, and at last he saw the adolescent cradled against his body.
"You need to get out of here. Can you walk?" Began Heero, brisk as ever.
"You're… MY GOD, YOU'RE NAK-" Coughing, Duo spattered blood onto his damp pillowcase, splotchy red-brown stains showing that this, perhaps, wasn't the first time.
"Calm down. You can't walk, then. I'll carry you. What equipment do you need?" Heero placed warm, surprisingly soft hands onto Duo's back, almost rising before ducking down to wrap the bedspread back around his lower body, then replacing the calming hands upon his colleague's spine.
Leaning into him unconsciously, Duo thought, breathing evening out to a steady rattle.
"Nothing. I have nothing here of value. Not that can be saved. You don't have to take me, but if you must, please select another outfit." Duo mumbled, almost incoherent.
"As pleases you. I shall carry you, and wear your old clothes. I can stand the cold of dampness longer."
Beginning to try and protest, Duo let loose another splattering of blood. The unpleasant crimson liquid dripped accusingly from his mouth as he heaved grueling breaths.
"Exactly." Heero gathered their equipment, perfectly calm and seeming completely ignorant of the frostbite that had climbed to his arms.
Mouth an indifferent line, he hoisted Duo over his left shoulder, causing him to have another fit of coughing, till Heero resigned himself to carrying Duo princess-style, perhaps hurting his dignity slightly. Exhaustion was stronger than the reality of the waking world for Duo, and he slipped into half sleep.
Thus, Heero reasoned, he would never feel the press of lips against him anyway…
^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^
Mercilessly, he tore at the zipper of the tent, fumbling in his urgency. Even if it was not Shinagami – well – someone was in trouble. Normally, that wouldn't bother him. Receding into yourself, indifferent in the very face of illness or death, was easy. But the possibility – the very thought that Duo's lungs MIGHT be struggling, that Duo could be – Shuddering for perhaps the first time in his life, Heero cut off that thought, sharp and frightened-
/I… I am frightened? / Thoughts spun in a blur around his aching head. Whatever he or anyone felt or thought, he needed to focus on his one goal, and that was currently reaching the source of the noise. Finishing at last, he had wrestled the zippers of the screen and then the door down, tumbling headfirst into the tent.
Glazed lavender eyes, clouded and unseeing, rested inches from his face.
/DUO!!!/ The thought formed, dripping horror, before he forced it from his throat in a desperate hiss.
"DUO!"
No response.
"DUO! SHINAGAMI, DAMMIT, ANSWER ME, OR I'LL KILL YOU! DUO!" The empty threats rolled off the indifferent form, and the distances between each precious, rattling breath grew.
Heero crumpled, angry now, a more familiar emotion. It was only then that the chill became more pronounced, and he realized, if nothing else, Duo had to be warm. Struggling to free his pilot from a tangle of damp sheets, Heero grunted softly, and placed his own jacket around Duo's frigid form. In doing so, his hands brushed Duo's clothes –
/Soaked. He'll never dry off this way. /
Grimly, Heero began to take the shirt, plastered to Duo's ruined form, off. He forced his own breathing to remain even, and his movements mechanical, as he reached for Duo's shorts.
Five minutes later, Duo was dressed in spandex and a thin jacket.
Heero wore a birthday suit, but wouldn't shiver or give in to the frostbite that had claimed his toes and fingers already.
/If it gets too bad, I'll chop them off/ he resolved, unflinching.
Softly, oh-so-gently, he lay next to Duo, pulling a wet blanket over up to his waist for decency. Sharp fingers of a cold so concentrated and unbearable forced him to curl smaller, as if trying to fold into himself. Finally, he wrapped a bluing arm around his friend, eagerly stealing all the warmth his starved body could find. He tangled all his limbs around this source of heat, brushing icicles from Duo's soft lashes.
Larger, a still-rattling breath was taken, and the braided pilot responded at last.
"H… Heero?" The film on his eyes had lessened, and at last he saw the adolescent cradled against his body.
"You need to get out of here. Can you walk?" Began Heero, brisk as ever.
"You're… MY GOD, YOU'RE NAK-" Coughing, Duo spattered blood onto his damp pillowcase, splotchy red-brown stains showing that this, perhaps, wasn't the first time.
"Calm down. You can't walk, then. I'll carry you. What equipment do you need?" Heero placed warm, surprisingly soft hands onto Duo's back, almost rising before ducking down to wrap the bedspread back around his lower body, then replacing the calming hands upon his colleague's spine.
Leaning into him unconsciously, Duo thought, breathing evening out to a steady rattle.
"Nothing. I have nothing here of value. Not that can be saved. You don't have to take me, but if you must, please select another outfit." Duo mumbled, almost incoherent.
"As pleases you. I shall carry you, and wear your old clothes. I can stand the cold of dampness longer."
Beginning to try and protest, Duo let loose another splattering of blood. The unpleasant crimson liquid dripped accusingly from his mouth as he heaved grueling breaths.
"Exactly." Heero gathered their equipment, perfectly calm and seeming completely ignorant of the frostbite that had climbed to his arms.
Mouth an indifferent line, he hoisted Duo over his left shoulder, causing him to have another fit of coughing, till Heero resigned himself to carrying Duo princess-style, perhaps hurting his dignity slightly. Exhaustion was stronger than the reality of the waking world for Duo, and he slipped into half sleep.
Thus, Heero reasoned, he would never feel the press of lips against him anyway…
^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^