Disclaimer: Don't own them, receiving no money.
Warning: Violence, swearing, and yaoi, 1X4. And in this chapter non-graphic sex, (2X4).
Chapter 9On the Peacemillion, 2 years earlier.
Quatre stared down at the schematics of Libra without really seeing them. He was alone in Peacemillion's war room when everyone else was asleep. His own mind was too full for sleep. Full of the coming battle, and thoughts of the other pilots, one in particular.
The deliberate sound of a boot being scuffed on the floor let him know that he was no longer alone. Looking up, he saw Duo standing casually in the doorway.
"Hey Q-Man, whatcha still doing up?" The braided boy strolled over to the empty chair beside the blonde and sat down in a comfortable sprawl, heels propped on the table.
"I couldn't sleep. What about you?"
"Same problem. I'm just way too damn wired. This coming battle, it'll be intense, you know? I mean, we've got all five of us together, finally, a sure sign that the shit's about to hit the fan."
"What do you think of them?"
"The other pilots?" Quatre nodded. "They're all pretty intense. Trowa's a quiet guy, the strong silent type, but I like him. Wufei's got quite the temper. I was checking out his gundam, just a little harmless curiosity, and the guy almost skewers me with that freaking sword he always carries around! He sure needs to relax a little. Then there's Heero. He's still as nutty as the first time I met him. I mean, we're all a little bit crazy, we'd have to be to do the shit we do, but this guy takes it to a whole new level."
"He's not that bad," the blonde said, eyes pointed back to the blue prints.
"Not that bad? Quatre, he's a psycho . . . wait a minute, you like him, don't you?"
A slow blush began to rise in Quatre's cheeks.
"Oh man, you do! I mean he is a hottie, but so are all the rest of the pilots! Why not Trowa? He seems a little more stable than that guy, despite the memory loss stuff. I thought you had a thing for him, not Yuy!"
Quatre shook his head slowly. "I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive myself for what I did to Trowa. He's beautiful and fascinating, but . . . he's not Heero."
"Nope, guess not, despite their shared fondness for stoic ness. Man Q, you sure no how to pick 'em. So have you told him? Or have you already been playing a little slap and tickle behind my back?"
"Duo!"
"While geez, I guess not."
"No I haven't told him, and I don't plan to."
"Why the hell not? Either one of you could die tomorrow, why not take advantage of the time you have now? Or are you afraid of a little rejection?"
"Yes, but that's not all of it. It's never going to happen. And it's because we're in this war that it can't. If he did return my feelings, I'd be a distraction for him, and he'd be one for me. I'd worry about a lover in battle, Duo, most people would. That kind of worry could get a person killed, it could lead to fatal mistakes. We both need to stay focused."
"Sounds like you're already worried about him."
"I worry about you all, that's nothing new."
Duo grinned. "Love you too, Q-Man. But I gotta tell you, your excuses both suck and blow, big time. So what is it, hormones or a little of the L-word?"
Quatre sighed and wearily rubbed his eyes. "A lot from column A and a little from column B."
"So put them together and you don't think you can do anything about either one?"
"Yes."
"So conceivably, if you had the attraction without the feelings you'd be willing to indulge?"
The blonde looked curiously at his friend. "Duo, are you trying to imply something?"
"Um, maybe . . . oh hell. Yeah I am. I'm surrounded by all these attractive, interesting guys and all I can do is look and not touch? It's frustrating as hell." Duo scooted his chair a little closer to the blonde boy. "I don't want to ruin our friendship or anything, but do you find me at all attractive?
Quatre's cheeks began to turn red again. "While, yes, I mean, who wouldn't?"
"Man, you're going to give me a swelled head." The braided pilot grinned weakly. "Would you, would you maybe want to, um, you know . . ."
"Yes."
Duo looked up at the blushing blonde, surprise written across his features. He hadn't really expected Quatre to agree, but he wasn't one to lose out on an opportunity. He reached out and put his hand on the other boy's face, and then pulled him forward for a gentle kiss.
Quatre's eyes closed automatically at the delicate press of lips. Hesitantly he extended his tongue and lightly traced the outline of Duo's mouth. The other boy groaned, and opened his mouth. The kiss deepened, became wild, as they both put all their pent up feelings into it. Fear, for the friends, of their own failure, was all lost as they connected on the most primitive of levels. Clothes were practically shredded in their haste to appease their need. Before he knew it the blonde was on the conference table with Duo on top, Libra's plans underneath, the paper ripping with their movements. Neither one cared. They were lost to everything but the excitement and comfort to be found in each other.
And neither boy noticed the shadow standing stunned in the partially opened doorway.
The Present.
Quatre stared at the boy inches from his face. "Why, why didn't you ever say anything before?"
"It wasn't my business. You two could do whatever you wanted," Heero
said, his tone free of emotion.
"It only happened that one time. We decided we worked best as friends." Quatre paused, and then frowned. "Why are you bringing this up now?"
Heero ran his fingers over the blonde's jaw line again. "Why do you think?" The other boy stared at him, eyes wide. "What kind of person does this make me that I would use this information, bring this up, after what Rai Setsuna nearly did to you?" His expression was bitter.
With those self-loathing words Quatre abruptly calmed, knowing what he must do. He leaned forward and returned the caress. "Still a kind person," he breathed. Then he leaned forward the necessary few inches and softly pressed his lips against Heero's.
The perfect soldier held himself stiff, trying to ignore the blonde's gentle touch. Then he suddenly melted, moved his hands to cup his face and stroke the baby-fine hair. The kiss hardened, still oddly gentle, and very intimate. Quatre ran his hands over Heero's back. The world spun dizzily, and the blonde cried out softly, finding himself moved on to his back, the movement to fast for his still sore head.
Heero cursed and pulled away, face flushed. "We can't do this, I'll only hurt you more."
"Heero . . ." the blonde murmured unhappily. It was only a token protest. No matter how frustrating it was, he knew that he really wasn't well enough for this quite yet.
The dark-haired boy moved from the bed and collected his laptop. "You need to sleep. Tomorrow the rescue will be arranged, and you'll have a lot to do."
He paused near the foot of the bed, and looked at Quatre. His eyes were confused and pain-filled, the expression more open than anything Quatre had ever seen before. "If I find out that you're the traitor . . . I will kill you." The words, after what just happened, remained unspoken. Heero left the room, bolting the door behind him.
The blonde had a hard time falling asleep after that.
The next day Quatre woke feeling much better. The pain in his head had abated to a faint throb, the bruises had begun to fade, and the cuts on his person were healing nicely.
To bad his emotions weren't doing the same.
Heero came in briefly to drop off clothes and breakfast, then he left again, presumably to get things ready for Quatre's "release." After filling his stomach and getting dressed in real clothes, he felt almost human again.
The blonde was left to his own devices for several hours, which basically consisted of him fretting, until Heero came back.
"Your escape and rescue has been all set up. Take this communicator. I want you to contact me whenever you get a chance. I'll need to stay informed on your whereabouts." Heero was all business, completing focused on the mission at hand. It was like the kiss the day before had never happened.
Quatre was silent during most of his briefing. Finally when the other boy finished he spoke up. "Heero, I'm not leaving until I get a chance to talk to Eric and make sure he's all right."
"Don't worry about him. You need to stay focused on the mission at hand."
"I will worry until I see him. Please Heero."
The other boy finally nodded in acquiescence, but he did not look happy. Quatre was escorted to the new cell two floors down where Eric was being held. The blonde carefully memorized the route, in case he had a chance to go back for the boy himself. He knew Heero was aware of what he was doing, but he said nothing.
The Arabian was relieved to note that Mia was indeed keeping her word and guarding the cell. She nodded at him in acknowledgement, and he gave a slight smile back.
Heero unlocked the door and gestured for Quatre to go inside. His face was back to its expressionless mask and his gun was out, but not pointed. The blonde hurried in before he could change his mind.
Eric looked up, huge eyes peering through his glasses, which apparently someone had been kind enough to return. His face lit up hopefully when he saw Quatre, but fell just as abruptly when he saw that Heero was also there in the doorway. He had obviously been hoping that he was about to be rescued.
Quatre studied him critically. His hands had been chained much more comfortably in front of him, and there was an empty tray of food beside his feet. Mia's work, he thought, with a great deal of relief.
"Are you okay? They haven't hurt you have they?"
"N-no, I'm okay. Quatre I really, really want to get out of here," he whispered in a tiny voice.
"I know Eric, and I swear I'll get you out as soon as I can. I have to do something for them first, and then they'll let you go."
"Do something? What are they making you do?" He said worriedly.
"Remember how I told you Red Thorn was against corporations? While in this case the company their up against is actually corrupt, and it's my own. There are some things going on in W.E., things that I wasn't aware of, things that are very wrong. I'm going to help Red Thorn stop them."
"You're going to help them! Quatre are you insane? These people kidnapped us, kidnapped us out of a restaurant with guns! Then kept us prisoner in these tiny little cells! That guy, the ex-gundam pilot isn't going to keep his word. He'll kill me as soon as you leave!
Quatre grabbed Eric's chained hands. "He won't, Eric. I swear to you he will not hurt you. Heero isn't as bad as you think."
"Not as bad! He's a terrorist! We can't trust him!"
"So was I Eric," Quatre said quietly, eyes sad. "Sometimes people do things that don't seem right to others, but there are reasons that aren't readily apparent. Things aren't as they appear."
Eric looked at him. "Were you really a gundam pilot?" He murmured quietly.
"Yes."
"Did you kill people?"
"Yes," the blonde answered, just as quietly.
"Were they bad people?"
"Some of them, but not all. Some were just soldiers doing their job."
"Are you sorry that you killed them?"
"Yes."
That answer seemed to give some kind of obscure comfort to the other boy. He nodded slowly, and then his hand tightened around Quatre's, desperately. "Please don't leave me here."
"I swear to you Eric, I will be back for you. Everything will be alright."
"It's time to go," Heero said from the doorway.
Eric glanced suspiciously past the blonde's shoulder. "Be careful Quatre, okay?"
"I will, and I'll be back before you know it." The Arabian glanced behind him at Mia. "If you need anything ask the woman in the white coat. She said she'd keep you safe while I was gone. Her name is Mia. You can trust her."
Eric blew out a breath and nodded his head shakily. "She's been a lot nicer than any of the others," he whispered.
Quatre ignored the pain in his heart and squeezed the other boy's hand reassuringly. "See you soon." The blonde moved away toward the hallway after Eric nodded. Heero leaned back against the doorframe to let him pass, face back to its unreadable state.
Mia looked at him, dark eyes serious. "He'll be fine. I promised, didn't I?"
"You did," he said calmly.
Heero stepped past him. "Come on, it's time." He started to move down the hallway, not glancing back to see if Quatre was following.
He caught Mia's eyes one more time, and then he followed after the perfect soldier.
He had a mission to complete.
Notes: While I'm officially down into crunch time. I need to finish this thing before September when school starts, otherwise it will take me forever to update. Don't worry I have a plan. I will write like I never have before. (I hope).
I never, ever expected that Duo and Quatre would do it. It's those damn elves again. I personally am not a huge fan of 2 and 4 in a relationship because I think that they need to be paired with the less expressive boys, because frankly those three need all the help they can get with their feelings. But I like them as friends and I can see a fling happening. (While obviously I managed to see it very clearly).
Thanks again to all the people reading this. I read your reviews and I can't believe that we're talking about the same story. You make me sound so much better than I actually am. Diane, thanks for noting the undertones. Glad this makes enough sense for you to pick up on the emotions behind the words. Kasra and Card Mistress, glad you're starting to like Mia. And no Nanashi, I have not died. If I did my ghost would come back and finish this story.