CHAPTER THREE: CONNECTIONS
Xiran noticed the Asian boy looking at her, his face unreadable in the dull lights, and his brown eyes dark. For a moment, their eyes caught each other's gaze in fierce electricity. They both looked away, Xiran back to the bar and him back to his friends.
That must be Wufei, Xiran thought. Considering the situation, she absently rolled her shot glass in her fingers. Now that she had them at her fingertips, how was she going to make contact?
She stared hard at a dark groove in the bar counter, as if it could tell her what to do, and pondered what she could say. Suddenly there was a light tap on her right shoulder. She turned, a little sharply, to regard the grinning face of the braided young man, who was standing just behind her. He scratched his head a little sheepishly. "Yah hi, me and my friends over there, we saw the whole little episode and we were sorta wondering if you were okay, you know, if the guy had hurt you or anything…though I'm sure you can take care of yourself…" There was a slight uncomfortable pause. "Oh, and my name's Duo Maxwell, in case you were wondering." His hair scratching hand came down and extended itself towards her, as his blue violet eyes opened wide and focused on her face.
Duo. Pilot of the Deathscythe Hell.
For a moment she was unsure which emotion she should bring to the surface. Ignoring her better judgment she let a smile dawn on her face. Xiran took his hand in a sure grip and shook it, slipping off her stool to greet him properly.
"I'm Xiran. Xiran Ki'Era. I thank you very much for caring about me, but I'm fine, really." Inwardly she cringed at her own stupidity, but ploughed onward. "It's great to meet you. I had almost given up hope of people looking out for each other in this day and age."
"Yah well, I guess not everyone's as special as I am," he said, grinning good-naturedly.
Xiran smothered a laugh. "No, I don't think anyone's quite like you, Duo."
He chuckled, throwing a glance back at his table, and said, "That's what Wufei says too, though his answer is usually a little more sarcastic."
She also looked to where Wufei sat, elbows forward on the table, and raised an eyebrow.
"Is that so?"
Looking a little embarrassed, he said, "Well, sure, and he's really a nice guy besides all that…"
Xiran assured him with a quick smile, and said easily, "I believe you, don't worry about it. Well, I still think you all deserve a round of something for having the courtesy to care about a lone girl in a bar."
Duo perked up immediately, and after a couple of moments of deliberation, decided on key lime Jell-O. She agreed, saying, "Gelatin it is. I'll get the waiter to send it over to the table."
"Well…allright. If you* insist.*"
Xiran thought in amusement, you are so priceless Duo Maxwell. The expressions on your face are worth a thousand desserts. She said firmly, "I do."
After this short exchange, Duo fairly bounced back to the table, with Xiran in tow. She introduced herself to a gently smiling Quatre, and then to a silent, expressionless Wufei. His grip was firm when she shook his hand, but his expression did not change at all, even in the face of her warm smile. Obviously it took more than a handshake and a dessert to thaw him. Wufei, your reputation precedes you, she thought a bit dryly.
Duo slid in beside Quatre, and invited her to sit as well. Then he turned to a slightly surprised Wufei, and said, "Hey guys, this lady is going to buy us a round of Jell-O for our heroics! So be nice." This last part he directed specifically at Wufei, who crossed his arms and gave him a thinly veiled glare.
Xiran almosts laughed again, but managed to turn it into an odd sounding cough as she raised her hand to call the waitress over.
[Wufei]
He didn't want to be here. It almost stirred too many painful memories to be around them, but it was still good to get together. He had hoped for a fairly serious night of planning and conversation, but somehow they had managed to get mixed up in this mess with the maroon haired girl. It had started out all right--she had looked like she was being threatened by a huge man at the bar (who was probably a redneck from a satanic football cult in the wilderness) and they had thought to intervene. Instead, she had taken care of the problem herself, which had been very surprising. Duo, of course, had gotten it into his head that they should check up on her to see if she was okay. Wufei thought privately that Duo thought she was hot and just wanted to flirt with her, but he didn't say anything.
Much to Wufei's annoyance, after verifying that she was fine, Duo had brought the girl back to the table, where she would be sure to disrupt any chance of serious talk. There was no chance of conversational distractions now, at least until the others came.
Duo was now chattering to the girl, who either enjoyed it or didn't have the heart to say no. Either way, Wufei couldn't tell. And he didn't care. Now Duo wouldn't babble to him, and he could bide his time and wait for the others. At least they could appreciate the value of SILENCE.
Wufei spent several minutes staring at the ceiling and counting the beams in the rafters before grudgingly deciding that he might as well make an effort to get to know her, since she was going to be sticking around for the rest of the night. He uncrossed his arms and leaned forward into the yellowish light.
She was talking with Quatre about some mindless topic, probably about something on the fashion runways… Wufei cringed inwardly as he thought that last sentence. He didn't really mean to be so hard on Quatre…or Duo, but--
"—so what do you think, Wufei?"
He looked up quickly. "About what?"
"About space exploration and colonizing other planets."
"Oh…" Wufei paused and let his mind race along the pathways of interstellar space exploration. He considered asking why they were thinking of that, then decided against it. He didn't want to know. He sifted through more information in his brain, then said slowly, "Well, the subject is vague so I can't give a really precise answer, but I think this: it works on the same principle as the rebellion of the colonies and the earth's corruption. The greater power would seek to dominate the weaker one. The original inhabitants, if they had lesser intellect, would in all likelihood be enslaved and the earth would take advantage of their helplessness. They would be overpowered and their rights revoked. Eventually this would lead to resistance movements, and loss of life. Reform groups or rebellious alliances from the earth's side would also join in the fight, and once more we would have war, on technological, moral, and personal levels. If the situation were reversed, then humanity would be in a serious rut. So, no, I don't support colonization, for many reasons."
The girl stared at him intently while he was saying this, and leaned forward, eyes glittering. The others looked at little speechless.
"That's true, Wufei. War is an endless possibility for the human race, and is deeply rooted in our history and actions. However long we hold peace, it always seems to come crashing down in the end. Whether it be because of natural resources, politics, or moral atrocities, we can't seem to escape it. It always rises, and we rise to meet it…like we want to fight." She smiled a little shyly and turned to the others. "Of course this is a really, really depressing topic to be having at a bar downtown, and it seems both me and Wufei are a little pessimistic." She chuckled softly. Wufei gave a little shrug. Across the table, Duo grinned and stretched.
"Yeah, but that's Wufei all the time."
"Shut-up Maxwell. And stop playing with the salt and pepper packets. That glass of water looks truly disgusting."
"Okay mother." He stared calmly at Wufei and reached across the table towards the sugar packets.
Quatre gave them both looks and smoothly but pointedly moved the basket of packets to the far side of the table. He turned to Xiran, who looked a little embarrassed, and said loudly, "So anyways…"
They easily began another line of conversation that seemed to be focusing around Duo's near obsession with food and Quatre's abilities to prepare it. Wufei said nearly nothing, since he didn't want to even think of the problems that would arise if he mentioned sushi and 'those squishy fish-egg things'.
He noticed that Xiran didn't say much either, but shrugged it off and amused himself with thoughts of getting Duo really drunk. The thought of alcohol made him clench his hands in his lap. He almost wanted the freedom of it, to know absolutely nothing for several hours, but knew he could never forgive himself if he let it happen. Yet he really didn't want to think right now, about anything. Unfortunately, this was made especially difficult with a member of the opposite sex sitting across from him. Why did everything remind him of Sally? Wufei sighed.
1 *Just let this be over soon…*
[Xiran]
She saw Wufei unconsciously run a hand through his hair, and thought he looked pained. The expression vanished almost immediately, but she was sure it had been there. She wondered about the cause of it for a time, but soon gave up. He was too closed off.
The talk of food had begun to make her nervous, and she was hoping the others hadn't noticed her lack of participation. It made her uneasy, but it was at least something that could occupy them for some time and give her a chance to organize her thoughts.
She found herself staring outside the window, beyond at the vague yellow collage of reflected light, and into the darkness. It pressed up against the glass, tinged with grey from the streetlights and blue from the sliver of moon. She didn't notice when her smile faded from her face. She became lost in her own musings.
The night…full of possibilities, and illusions, and certainties…
Abruptly she sensed something amiss. She blinked. Then she sharply turned her head and raised her eyes to meet a cold blue gaze. A young man stood silently next to the table, his hands nonchalantly in the pockets of his black coat. His face was blank.
Xiran didn't move. She just kept the deadlock, staring into his face. She wasn't sure if it was a challenge or not, but it didn't seem to matter. The blue of his gaze burned into her. His face was strong, and his hair dark brown and thick. Like the others, he was young, but something in his eyes betrayed experiences that were older than his years. She felt a sudden bitterness rise in her throat.
"—him?"
She realized that the others were looking at her, and that a question had been asked, but she had no idea what it was. She tore her gaze from the cold one's face and looked at Duo for help. He was just looking at her.
"What?"
Quatre glanced at the stranger, and back to her. He said politely, "I just asked if you knew him. You were looking at each other like you had met before."
She paused. "Well, no. I haven't. I don't even know what his name is…"
"Heero Yuy," the stranger said for the first time. "My name is Heero Yuy."
Yes, she thought. I will remember. Yuy, the leader, Yuy, the pilot of the Gundam ZERO and master of the ZERO system, Yuy the cold soldier with iron determination. The one who had a death-wish…who showed no emotion at all. Xiran slowly extended her hand, her eyes on his face again. For a moment he did nothing, then he silently removed his hands from his pockets. His hand clasped hers for a moment in the handshake, cool, with a little bit of pressure, completely neutral. Hers was the same. She introduced herself as their palms parted, and he gave her a nod of acknowledgement.
Duo, grinning widely at Heero's silence, said loudly, "He's just so talkative, isn't he, Xiran?"
Heero, obviously used to such jabs, simply gave him a look that said, oh shut up.
"Stop making her uncomfortable, Duo," Quatre said easily, and turned to her. "You don't have to answer that."
"Naw. Me and Xi here are buddies! She knows I'm just kidding." Duo laughed and threw an arm around her. He whispered loudly in her ear, "He's really a soft squishy teddy bear underneath, you know, you just have to get past his emotional constipation."
Heero, who was in the process of removing his coat, paused and shot him a look. "I heard that."
Duo feigned innocence. "What did I say?" he asked, with a bewildered expression on his face.
Heero did not bother to reply.
Duo gave Xiran a look of suffering. "Do you see what I have to deal with around here?"
She sputtered, "Well, I…" and Quatre leaped in for her. "I'd advise you to stop that, Duo. She may cancel your Jell-O order."
Duo fell over as if struck. "No," he gasped, putting a hand over his heart. "She wouldn't do that to me! She likes me too much." He shot her the look of a mistreated puppy, his eyes huge. Xiran was caught between laughing and being so nervous she couldn't say anything at all. Finally she managed to say, "Of course I wouldn't, Duo… unless you started playing with the packets again."
He beamed and gave her a mock salute. "Consider the packets safe!"
During this exchange, one of Heero's eyebrows had shot up. She saw Wufei wordlessly point across the table at the dirtied glass, which still had pieces of disintegrating paper and pepper floating in it. Heero gave Duo a look, then sighed, shaking his head. Duo grinned good naturedly and said, "Whaaat?" knowing full well what Heero was sighing about. Xiran couldn't help but chuckle.
"You know what, Duo? I'd really hate to see you high," she told him. She heard what may have been a soft laugh from the other side of the table, but couldn't figure out who it had been. Duo laughed too and put a hand on his head. "Yah well, I don't think anyone else here wants to experience that either." Heero looked up. "I second that," he said, a shadow of a smile playing over his face. Xiran smiled too. Being around someone as…charismatic as Duo was, in a colossal understatement, interesting. He seemed to bring out the best in the rest of the group as well, including her. It was very different.
Her gaze moved over the group, memorizing them, impressing them into her memory. She would probably not see them like this again, acting so natural and unguarded. As she watched, Duo nonchalantly formed a spitball with a bit of his napkin and rolled it in some leftover salt on the table. His gaze flicked to Wufei as he did this, obviously considering him a prime target. Wufei, of course, having noticed the spitball preparations, gave him a glare that would have killed a basilisk. Duo stopped in the act of raising his arm above his head to supposedly rearrange his braid. He smiled widely. Wufei fairly emanated 'I will kill you if you do that' vibes, and his eyes burned two holes in Duo's face. Duo was still grinning, the spitball in hand. Xiran felt sure he would throw it, just to piss Wufei off, and hoped that Duo either had several allies or that he could run really fast. Quatre was watching with a sort of helpless, amused smile on his face. He turned and gave her a shrug, as if to say, 'what can you do?' . Heero, completely ignoring the whole affair, was apparently absorbed in the choice of beverages on a wall sign. Very well then. It was up to her to do something. Hopefully Wufei wouldn't rise up and kill her with his dinner plate.
Xiran quickly gave Duo's braid a tug and gestured vaguely in the direction of the kitchen doors. "Hey look, is that the waitress? Does she have the gelatin?" Duo immediately lost interest in Wufei and turned towards the doors. Xiran leaned back and grinned. "Sucker." Duo turned back with a completely innocent grin in place on his face. "Oh yeah?" Moving fast, his arm a blur, he whipped the spitball at her head.
She ducked and deftly caught the spitball in midair as it passed towards Wufei's side of the table, greatly amused to see his triumphant expression slip off his face. She quickly turned and flicked it back at Duo, who ducked almost under the table. Then she pinned him there while he wriggled, and delicately wiped the drool off her hand onto his shirt, with a very serious, "Yuck."
There was a muffled gah noise and a bit of a thump. A moment later she sat up again—without Duo. A foolish look of surprise was on her face, but it didn't have much time to register. Quatre started, "Where— " and her mouth opened to respond, but with a small noise, she was yanked downwards and out of sight. Beneath the table, there was the sound of muffled laughter. Heero and Wufei calmly glanced at each other, as Quatre covered his face with his hand.
Heero paused to regard the overhead lamps. "We could pretend we don't know them," he said mildly.
Wufei nodded his head. "Good idea."
They suddenly found the overhead beams to be extremely interesting.
"I wonder what they're doing under there," Quatre mused, several minutes later. Wufei and Heero stopped in the process of identifying drunks who would likely become criminals, and gave him two blank stares. "I really don't think we want to know," Heero told him.
"No, no we don't." Wufei confirmed. They resumed their game. Quatre sighed. "Well I wish they'd at least be quick about it," he muttered.
In the crowded space beneath the table, it was warm and semi-dark and rather dirty. But its two inhabitants weren't noticing, considering they were in the process of having a laughing fit so hard they could barely breathe. Xiran's mouth hurt from laughing and her stomach was beginning to ache but she couldn't stop. Every time she even looked in Duo's direction she started laughing again. He was just so funny.
Near her and practically sitting on one of her legs was Duo, who was also having near convulsions of laughter and holding his sides.
A couple of minutes later they had quieted down enough to form actual sentences, but still gasped for breath. Xiran relaxed her aching stomach and leaned against the bench where she was supposed to be sitting. She was grinning and her dark eyes seemed totally clear. She poked Duo, who was chortling in the corner. "Hey. Do you even know what we were laughing about? Because I have no idea." At this she started laughing again, and covered her face with her hand. Duo scooted over to where she was and laughed right along with her, shaking his head. "No, I have no idea whatsoever! But it sure was funny wasn't it?"
"Well, obviously!" She told him. They sat back, rather tired out, and after a while, Duo commented, "Wufei's probably making his 'I so don't know them face'…"
Xiran nodded. "Oh, definitely." Then she laughed, "And we are what, four years old?" They both erupted into mirth yet again. Duo ran a hand through his tousled hair, fixing her with his violet eyes.
"Okay we're going to go up now so try to be normal, even though that may be hard for you…"
Xiran snorted. "Oh yes, we all know how easy it is for you to be normal..."
"This is normal, baby."
"Aren't you just the epitome of the average teen."
"And don't you forget it."
They emerged from the darkness of the table, hair a little out of place, and idiotic grins on their faces. Wufei fixed them with a penetrating look. Heero's gaze moved from one to the other, before settling on Duo, who grinned impishly, his face revealing nothing. Quatre quietly elbowed Duo in the ribs, still smiling normally. Duo stretched and leaned back. "Well I'm feeling a little worn out now, aren't you?" He said to her, his eyes dancing. Xiran paused a moment before grasping the implications of what he was saying. She put a hand to her face as if in fatigue. "Oh yes, I feel as if I've run a mile. You know how hard that sort of thing is on a girl." Wufei's eyes were a little wider now, and Heero had his entire attention on them. Quatre was a bit speechless. Duo let the silence go on for a while. Finally he burst out in laughter. "You guys are so gullible!" Heero shook his head. Wufei looked quite annoyed and Quatre looked really relieved. They all seemed to relax. Heero reminded Duo that he had left his hat at his place, and taking it out of his coat, tossed it to him. "Hey thanks," Duo said, plopping it on his head.
During this short exchange, Xiran glanced at the clock.
Where was the last one?
[Wufei]
He was not amused. Definitely not amused. How could Duo lead them on like that? Then again, that was his nature, to confound, amuse, and eventually annoy. Wufei sighed. Sally would have--Damn it! Why couldn't his thoughts leave him alone for a moment? He sat back in disgust, focusing on calming himself and thinking of the wonderful silence back at his apartment.
After several minutes of subtle meditation, Wufei once again opened his ears to the conversation flowing around him.
Xiran and Duo were chattering away at each other, and it was obvious she felt very comfortable in his presence. The waitress brought the Jell-O bowls and set them on the table with an amused smile, their contents jiggling merrily beneath the whipped cream. Duo and Xiran stopped their conversation abruptly as the wiggling masses were set before their eyes, and quickly dug in. Duo wolfed his down like he was inhaling it, only stopping a few times when Xiran poked his spoon on the way to his mouth, causing the greenish square to topple off and splat into the table. This always caused a great amount of teasing and light insults, especially when they would scrabble for the runaway gob with their forks, the metallic sliding of the utensils chattering. In a matter of minutes Duo's bowl was empty and meticulously scraped clean of every tiny piece of lime, and he was eyeing her bowl rather mischievously.
Wufei could see what was coming next. He saw Xiran glance sideways at Duo's vacant bowl, and then at his innocently grinning face, her eyes narrowing in sudden understanding. Just as his fork was inching towards her inviting green Jell-O cubes, she turned to him in sudden seriousness, and said with a perfectly straight face,
"Touch my Jell-O, and I'll eat your hat."
Duo threw back his head and roared with laughter, prompting amused smiles from even the silent ones, as Xiran grinned from behind her hand. Her shoulders shook with suppressed giggles.
Wufei thought, you two are crazy. Then he considered her more closely. Xiran was relaxed, almost shy, yet seemed sometimes as controlled as Heero. She seemed real to him as she was now, and he couldn't sense any acting in her actions, but he had seen her take down a man two times her size and four times her weight with the same emotion one would have swatting a fly. There was definitely more to her than met the eye. Wufei thought to himself, I'll keep my attention on her and watch for any inconsistencies.
Wufei leaned back into the shadows and watched expressions chase across her face as Duo challenged her to a thumb war over Quatre's leftovers. To his left there was a small sound from Quatre, who was looking at something beyond the booth, over his shoulder. His eyes traveled quickly to the silent figure standing next to the table, his hands in his pockets. The faint scent of cotton candy and animals wafted past his nose as he recognized the characteristic silence. Wufei also saw a green eye past the light brown hair that almost always covered Trowa's face. Wufei acknowledged him with a slight nod of his head, and gestured for him to sit down. Trowa smoothly cast a glance at Xiran as he settled down, passing Wufei a curious look shortly afterwards. Wufei shrugged. He rolled his eyes in Duo's direction. *His idea.*
Trowa gave an almost imperceptible nod. At this point the conversation had paused, as the rest of the pilots acknowledged Trowa's presence. Their greetings were warm, and relaxed, the words of people who know each other well. Wufei noticed Xiran's dark gaze on them all, and felt uneasy at being unable to read her. He thought he saw a flicker of pain in her eyes…but it may have been a trick of the light.
[Xiran]
At the same time, she was thinking, now they are all here.
Still she hesitated. She could not open her mouth. Her hands tightened in her lap as she sat and watched them talk. They knew each other so well.
They had their individual traits, and their opposing personalities, but still, they seemed like a unit. No, something more personal, like a family. Or what she supposed a family should be like. They had faced the war like this, and it had drawn them together. Her experiences could not come close to rivaling theirs. She had nothing in common, nothing to compare with them. Yet they had taken her in so easily, without any provocation. Why?
The conversation flowed around her like a rock in a stream, as they talked beneath the dull yellow glow of the lamps, and suddenly she felt hollow. She thought, I will never be like them.
[Wufei]
He had been watching her since Trowa arrived. She had not said much, not even to Duo, and seemed to have retreated to her earlier shyness. He wondered idly when they were going to get rid of her and start what they had come here to start. He drummed his fingers on the table and ignored Quatre's polite attempts at conversation. Letting his concentration slip away, he stared off into the grey outside the window. He thought about space and how he'd like to pilot something again, even though nothing would ever compare to Nataku. Immediately he blinked the bar back into focus, not letting his imagination get the best of him. He almost never thought of Nataku at all anymore…but he liked it better that way.
Just then Xiran leaned forward and added something to the stupid conversation they were having,(something far beneath his notice-- the Miss Galaxy Pageant) and her eyes flashed blue. Dammit! Why couldn't she just go away and bother another bunch of people? Why did she have to sit there and remind him of Sally and—stop it. She had suddenly turned and glanced at him, her eyes unreadable. Wufei rearranged his face.
With a long, slow blink, she returned her attention to the rest of them. Wufei thought, stupid, stupid, why can't you just leave me alone… and abruptly saw the first sign of tension in her face. There was weariness too, he noticed suddenly, and her next smile looked forced. Maybe slapping that hulk around took more out of her than I thought, he mused. She leaned forward into the conversation again, and said something feministic, and after a brief retort from Duo, said something about the way men ran the world, and about war. Wufei noted that those remarks were very leading, and wondered if it had been she that had begun the earlier conversation about colonization. He snapped to attention.
"—at least most women don't have pissing contests over trivial things."
"Yah but most of them don't have any fun either."
"I'm sure you've had your share of parties Duo."
"You bet…"
"And you probably scared the people so badly they decided to run away…"
"Hey--!"
"I'd say that's a remarkably astute assumption," Heero said, with a sly look in Duo's direction.
"Oh sure, take *her* part…just don't start getting all pacifist on me now…"
"I'll get right on that."
"Are you mocking me?"
"No."
"Yes you are."
"No, really, I'm not."
"Liar."
"It's on my priorities list."
"Shut up."
Xiran smiled at them. "Okay, Duo, okay. You've won," she said in defeated tone. "We all know Trowa here's the real party animal." Even Wufei had to smile at that one, and Duo laughed loudly and clapped her on the back, saying, "Oh so true, so true…" Wufei vaguely noticed that she was putting them all off guard, but he was suddenly totally focused on her. Just as Duo had hit her shoulder, her face had tensed ever so slightly, and her eyes had clouded, as if it had hurt her. After a few moments he passed it off as his own overreaction, but several minutes later, she left the table quickly, claiming she had to go to the ladies' room. Almost immediately, he knew something was wrong.
[Xiran]
Xiran closed the door of the bathroom stall and sat down on the toilet seat. She absently wiped at the green semicircle with the toilet paper, hoping it wouldn't get something on her pants. She put her face in her hands. She sat like that for several minutes, thinking, and at the same time noting the hideous lime green colour of the bathroom's décor. The air freshener was lime too, how truly disgusting.
Wincing slightly, she touched her shoulder, and thought about infection and disease. She felt a little lightheaded. She cursed herself. Why did you take so long with the group of them? You could have said something sooner.
I don't want to ruin what they have built for themselves.
Yes, but this isn't just about them, its about everyone. She thought in sudden despair, I can't do this alone, and stood up. The world spun, and the nasty greens blended together. Xiran put a hand to her face.
Make a decision.
Outside the bar, in the cool twilight, a group of men stopped beneath a streetlight. They laughed loudly and obnoxiously and passed a bottle around, finally smashing it on the ground as it completed the round from one to fifteen. They made their way towards the bar called…something they couldn't remember, but they knew it well. With a little effort they turned the corner onto the street, one of their members almost stumbling into the road, and become suddenly confused by flashing red lights. A police car and ambulance were parked in the middle of the road, blocking it. Attracted by the thought of an accident and some gore, they eagerly pressed forward. Someone, or what once was someone, was being loaded into the ambulance. It was not too recognizable anymore. Then one of the less intoxicated members stepped forward, squinting in the red lights, and narrowing his eyes. All of a sudden his face blanched, and he stepped back, saying, "Darus? It's Darus?" The others crowded forward, asking questions of the policeman who appeared from inside his car, looking wary. He told them minor details of the accident, and responded curtly to the snarls of 'who did it?'
"The police are in the process of investigating this accident," he told them. "We have yet to go to the bar he was last seen in."
[Wufei]
Wufei leaned across the table. "We have to get down to business," he said, "We have to ditch Xiran and get out of here." Heero and Trowa looked up at him with their annoyingly expressionless faces. Heero nodded slowly. "You're right." He glanced over at Duo and silenced his protest with a look. Duo sighed. "Allright."
Wufei leaned back and glanced in the direction of the bathroom. "It's time."
[Xiran]
Xiran exited the bathroom and returned to the table, her hands stiffly clenched at her sides. She noticed that they were all looking at her, and wondered if her face was giving her away. She opened her mouth. Quatre, his eyes full of concern, said, "Is anything wrong?" She stopped, wanting to scream, yes everything is wrong! It's happening too fast and I can't stop it! Her head pounded.
Suddenly her ears registered noise from down the street. Sounds of drunken men, curses, muttered words, shuffling feet. "—it was a girl, was it? Bitch, what did she do to him? Poison him?" More mutterings.
"—maroon hair, blue eyes, black outfit— " Sounds of anger.
"Thanks man, we owe you one." Someone walked away.
"She's in there? Let's go—"
Xiran turned sharply towards the door, her eyes wide, as Trowa, closest to her, saw a dark red stain soaking through her shirt. He quietly raised the alarm. Duo was suddenly next to her, asking questions, his words loud in her ears. She ignored him, her focus on the approaching sounds, and suddenly saw fifteen odd men coming through the door, huge and angry. She took a quick step back, silently cursing herself, and a sudden surge of weakness clouded her mind. She almost fell, narrowly catching herself on the table, and sensed Duo around her, holding her up. A dozen swear words flashed though her mind, and she muttered to an anxious Duo, "I'm sorry…" Xiran forced herself to stand up and took a step away, to get away somehow before Darus' friends reached them. She almost passed out again. She thought, I'm too weak! I should have waited—but there was no time. Now all of the pilots were standing up, as one of the gang in the front pointed an accusing finger at her saying, "There she is! She's the one who killed Darus!"
All of the Gundam pilots turned to her, but there was no time to explain. She gritted her teeth, "It's not what you thi— " Just then the group pushed its way into the bar, and began a huge forward rush, smashing nearly everyone and everything in their path.
Heero said, "Run for the side exit!" and took the lead, as usual. The men behind them came with surprising speed, half drunk and raging like psychopaths.
They ran.
Xiran blocked out the pain and raced to the side exit, Duo helping her along. Heero hit the door and it flew open, spilling them all onto darkness of the alley. Xiran had a glimpse of moldering trash and a dumpster or two, grey beneath the dark sky, before the first of Darus' men reached the door. To her surprise, he drew a weapon out of his jacket. He bellowed something to his friends, and raised it, a black handgun.
"Scatter!" she yelled up the alley. For the first time, she saw their fighting skills in action, and they all immediately darted to the side, or rolled, or leaped behind a dumpster. A shot echoed down the alley, relatively quiet. Silencers, she thought, as Heero fell back and yelled, "Who's got the closest car?"
"Me!" Duo shouted, and sprinted ahead, braid flying. Heero was suddenly beside her, and he urged her on. Another two shots assaulted their ears. One ricocheted off the wall near Quatre. Xiran's face went hard, and she reached down, turned, and fired two bullets at the mass of men running at them. Heero's blue eyes revealed nothing, but he backed off, still watching her. She ran on, realizing that those were not killing shots, but that they were enough to hold them off. She fired several more randomly, hearing the men scuffle and go for cover. Then suddenly they were on the street, and Duo was behind the wheel of a large black truck. Trowa, Quatre, and Wufei piled in the back, and Heero in the front seat facing the alley, while Xiran paused to reload. She slammed the magazine home, and for a moment locked eyes with Heero. Then she flipped it and handed it to him, handle forward.
She found herself abruptly in Wufei's lap as he pulled her inside and shut the door. At the same time Duo pulled away from the curb, tires screaming. Several shots exploded outside the truck, and Duo swerved, narrowly missing some parked cars. Moments later the sounds stopped, as they left the men in the dust.
Xiran relaxed slightly, and the pain cluttered her brain again. She realized she was probably making a mess on Wufei…but there was nowhere else to move. Then things were coming duller, slower, and her mind felt far away. Xiran realized with some distaste that she was about to pass out completely, and thought, not again, as Wufei leaned over her and said something to her, watching her with his brown eyes. She sluggishly tried to move, but failed, and could say nothing. Then she felt her eyes close of their own accord, thought, oh dammit, and fell into blackness.
Wufei shook her, and then said, "She's out." Duo glanced at him in the rearview mirror. "Come again?"
Wufei glared. "She's unconscious!"
"Oh."
There was silence. Heero slowly ran his fingers over the gun in his hands. Duo drove, jerkily avoiding trashcans. Wufei sat uncomfortably with a very much unwanted unconscious girl in his lap, and Quatre and Trowa both looked rather blank. The silence lengthened. Then Duo slowed, turned and spoke for them all.
"Now what are we going to do?"
END
You would not believe how long this one took me! Dialogue is one of my major weaknesses, and it's a hell of a lot harder with chars that aren't yours. Xiran helps to keep me sane. At least I know what she's thinking 24/7…
Xiran noticed the Asian boy looking at her, his face unreadable in the dull lights, and his brown eyes dark. For a moment, their eyes caught each other's gaze in fierce electricity. They both looked away, Xiran back to the bar and him back to his friends.
That must be Wufei, Xiran thought. Considering the situation, she absently rolled her shot glass in her fingers. Now that she had them at her fingertips, how was she going to make contact?
She stared hard at a dark groove in the bar counter, as if it could tell her what to do, and pondered what she could say. Suddenly there was a light tap on her right shoulder. She turned, a little sharply, to regard the grinning face of the braided young man, who was standing just behind her. He scratched his head a little sheepishly. "Yah hi, me and my friends over there, we saw the whole little episode and we were sorta wondering if you were okay, you know, if the guy had hurt you or anything…though I'm sure you can take care of yourself…" There was a slight uncomfortable pause. "Oh, and my name's Duo Maxwell, in case you were wondering." His hair scratching hand came down and extended itself towards her, as his blue violet eyes opened wide and focused on her face.
Duo. Pilot of the Deathscythe Hell.
For a moment she was unsure which emotion she should bring to the surface. Ignoring her better judgment she let a smile dawn on her face. Xiran took his hand in a sure grip and shook it, slipping off her stool to greet him properly.
"I'm Xiran. Xiran Ki'Era. I thank you very much for caring about me, but I'm fine, really." Inwardly she cringed at her own stupidity, but ploughed onward. "It's great to meet you. I had almost given up hope of people looking out for each other in this day and age."
"Yah well, I guess not everyone's as special as I am," he said, grinning good-naturedly.
Xiran smothered a laugh. "No, I don't think anyone's quite like you, Duo."
He chuckled, throwing a glance back at his table, and said, "That's what Wufei says too, though his answer is usually a little more sarcastic."
She also looked to where Wufei sat, elbows forward on the table, and raised an eyebrow.
"Is that so?"
Looking a little embarrassed, he said, "Well, sure, and he's really a nice guy besides all that…"
Xiran assured him with a quick smile, and said easily, "I believe you, don't worry about it. Well, I still think you all deserve a round of something for having the courtesy to care about a lone girl in a bar."
Duo perked up immediately, and after a couple of moments of deliberation, decided on key lime Jell-O. She agreed, saying, "Gelatin it is. I'll get the waiter to send it over to the table."
"Well…allright. If you* insist.*"
Xiran thought in amusement, you are so priceless Duo Maxwell. The expressions on your face are worth a thousand desserts. She said firmly, "I do."
After this short exchange, Duo fairly bounced back to the table, with Xiran in tow. She introduced herself to a gently smiling Quatre, and then to a silent, expressionless Wufei. His grip was firm when she shook his hand, but his expression did not change at all, even in the face of her warm smile. Obviously it took more than a handshake and a dessert to thaw him. Wufei, your reputation precedes you, she thought a bit dryly.
Duo slid in beside Quatre, and invited her to sit as well. Then he turned to a slightly surprised Wufei, and said, "Hey guys, this lady is going to buy us a round of Jell-O for our heroics! So be nice." This last part he directed specifically at Wufei, who crossed his arms and gave him a thinly veiled glare.
Xiran almosts laughed again, but managed to turn it into an odd sounding cough as she raised her hand to call the waitress over.
[Wufei]
He didn't want to be here. It almost stirred too many painful memories to be around them, but it was still good to get together. He had hoped for a fairly serious night of planning and conversation, but somehow they had managed to get mixed up in this mess with the maroon haired girl. It had started out all right--she had looked like she was being threatened by a huge man at the bar (who was probably a redneck from a satanic football cult in the wilderness) and they had thought to intervene. Instead, she had taken care of the problem herself, which had been very surprising. Duo, of course, had gotten it into his head that they should check up on her to see if she was okay. Wufei thought privately that Duo thought she was hot and just wanted to flirt with her, but he didn't say anything.
Much to Wufei's annoyance, after verifying that she was fine, Duo had brought the girl back to the table, where she would be sure to disrupt any chance of serious talk. There was no chance of conversational distractions now, at least until the others came.
Duo was now chattering to the girl, who either enjoyed it or didn't have the heart to say no. Either way, Wufei couldn't tell. And he didn't care. Now Duo wouldn't babble to him, and he could bide his time and wait for the others. At least they could appreciate the value of SILENCE.
Wufei spent several minutes staring at the ceiling and counting the beams in the rafters before grudgingly deciding that he might as well make an effort to get to know her, since she was going to be sticking around for the rest of the night. He uncrossed his arms and leaned forward into the yellowish light.
She was talking with Quatre about some mindless topic, probably about something on the fashion runways… Wufei cringed inwardly as he thought that last sentence. He didn't really mean to be so hard on Quatre…or Duo, but--
"—so what do you think, Wufei?"
He looked up quickly. "About what?"
"About space exploration and colonizing other planets."
"Oh…" Wufei paused and let his mind race along the pathways of interstellar space exploration. He considered asking why they were thinking of that, then decided against it. He didn't want to know. He sifted through more information in his brain, then said slowly, "Well, the subject is vague so I can't give a really precise answer, but I think this: it works on the same principle as the rebellion of the colonies and the earth's corruption. The greater power would seek to dominate the weaker one. The original inhabitants, if they had lesser intellect, would in all likelihood be enslaved and the earth would take advantage of their helplessness. They would be overpowered and their rights revoked. Eventually this would lead to resistance movements, and loss of life. Reform groups or rebellious alliances from the earth's side would also join in the fight, and once more we would have war, on technological, moral, and personal levels. If the situation were reversed, then humanity would be in a serious rut. So, no, I don't support colonization, for many reasons."
The girl stared at him intently while he was saying this, and leaned forward, eyes glittering. The others looked at little speechless.
"That's true, Wufei. War is an endless possibility for the human race, and is deeply rooted in our history and actions. However long we hold peace, it always seems to come crashing down in the end. Whether it be because of natural resources, politics, or moral atrocities, we can't seem to escape it. It always rises, and we rise to meet it…like we want to fight." She smiled a little shyly and turned to the others. "Of course this is a really, really depressing topic to be having at a bar downtown, and it seems both me and Wufei are a little pessimistic." She chuckled softly. Wufei gave a little shrug. Across the table, Duo grinned and stretched.
"Yeah, but that's Wufei all the time."
"Shut-up Maxwell. And stop playing with the salt and pepper packets. That glass of water looks truly disgusting."
"Okay mother." He stared calmly at Wufei and reached across the table towards the sugar packets.
Quatre gave them both looks and smoothly but pointedly moved the basket of packets to the far side of the table. He turned to Xiran, who looked a little embarrassed, and said loudly, "So anyways…"
They easily began another line of conversation that seemed to be focusing around Duo's near obsession with food and Quatre's abilities to prepare it. Wufei said nearly nothing, since he didn't want to even think of the problems that would arise if he mentioned sushi and 'those squishy fish-egg things'.
He noticed that Xiran didn't say much either, but shrugged it off and amused himself with thoughts of getting Duo really drunk. The thought of alcohol made him clench his hands in his lap. He almost wanted the freedom of it, to know absolutely nothing for several hours, but knew he could never forgive himself if he let it happen. Yet he really didn't want to think right now, about anything. Unfortunately, this was made especially difficult with a member of the opposite sex sitting across from him. Why did everything remind him of Sally? Wufei sighed.
1 *Just let this be over soon…*
[Xiran]
She saw Wufei unconsciously run a hand through his hair, and thought he looked pained. The expression vanished almost immediately, but she was sure it had been there. She wondered about the cause of it for a time, but soon gave up. He was too closed off.
The talk of food had begun to make her nervous, and she was hoping the others hadn't noticed her lack of participation. It made her uneasy, but it was at least something that could occupy them for some time and give her a chance to organize her thoughts.
She found herself staring outside the window, beyond at the vague yellow collage of reflected light, and into the darkness. It pressed up against the glass, tinged with grey from the streetlights and blue from the sliver of moon. She didn't notice when her smile faded from her face. She became lost in her own musings.
The night…full of possibilities, and illusions, and certainties…
Abruptly she sensed something amiss. She blinked. Then she sharply turned her head and raised her eyes to meet a cold blue gaze. A young man stood silently next to the table, his hands nonchalantly in the pockets of his black coat. His face was blank.
Xiran didn't move. She just kept the deadlock, staring into his face. She wasn't sure if it was a challenge or not, but it didn't seem to matter. The blue of his gaze burned into her. His face was strong, and his hair dark brown and thick. Like the others, he was young, but something in his eyes betrayed experiences that were older than his years. She felt a sudden bitterness rise in her throat.
"—him?"
She realized that the others were looking at her, and that a question had been asked, but she had no idea what it was. She tore her gaze from the cold one's face and looked at Duo for help. He was just looking at her.
"What?"
Quatre glanced at the stranger, and back to her. He said politely, "I just asked if you knew him. You were looking at each other like you had met before."
She paused. "Well, no. I haven't. I don't even know what his name is…"
"Heero Yuy," the stranger said for the first time. "My name is Heero Yuy."
Yes, she thought. I will remember. Yuy, the leader, Yuy, the pilot of the Gundam ZERO and master of the ZERO system, Yuy the cold soldier with iron determination. The one who had a death-wish…who showed no emotion at all. Xiran slowly extended her hand, her eyes on his face again. For a moment he did nothing, then he silently removed his hands from his pockets. His hand clasped hers for a moment in the handshake, cool, with a little bit of pressure, completely neutral. Hers was the same. She introduced herself as their palms parted, and he gave her a nod of acknowledgement.
Duo, grinning widely at Heero's silence, said loudly, "He's just so talkative, isn't he, Xiran?"
Heero, obviously used to such jabs, simply gave him a look that said, oh shut up.
"Stop making her uncomfortable, Duo," Quatre said easily, and turned to her. "You don't have to answer that."
"Naw. Me and Xi here are buddies! She knows I'm just kidding." Duo laughed and threw an arm around her. He whispered loudly in her ear, "He's really a soft squishy teddy bear underneath, you know, you just have to get past his emotional constipation."
Heero, who was in the process of removing his coat, paused and shot him a look. "I heard that."
Duo feigned innocence. "What did I say?" he asked, with a bewildered expression on his face.
Heero did not bother to reply.
Duo gave Xiran a look of suffering. "Do you see what I have to deal with around here?"
She sputtered, "Well, I…" and Quatre leaped in for her. "I'd advise you to stop that, Duo. She may cancel your Jell-O order."
Duo fell over as if struck. "No," he gasped, putting a hand over his heart. "She wouldn't do that to me! She likes me too much." He shot her the look of a mistreated puppy, his eyes huge. Xiran was caught between laughing and being so nervous she couldn't say anything at all. Finally she managed to say, "Of course I wouldn't, Duo… unless you started playing with the packets again."
He beamed and gave her a mock salute. "Consider the packets safe!"
During this exchange, one of Heero's eyebrows had shot up. She saw Wufei wordlessly point across the table at the dirtied glass, which still had pieces of disintegrating paper and pepper floating in it. Heero gave Duo a look, then sighed, shaking his head. Duo grinned good naturedly and said, "Whaaat?" knowing full well what Heero was sighing about. Xiran couldn't help but chuckle.
"You know what, Duo? I'd really hate to see you high," she told him. She heard what may have been a soft laugh from the other side of the table, but couldn't figure out who it had been. Duo laughed too and put a hand on his head. "Yah well, I don't think anyone else here wants to experience that either." Heero looked up. "I second that," he said, a shadow of a smile playing over his face. Xiran smiled too. Being around someone as…charismatic as Duo was, in a colossal understatement, interesting. He seemed to bring out the best in the rest of the group as well, including her. It was very different.
Her gaze moved over the group, memorizing them, impressing them into her memory. She would probably not see them like this again, acting so natural and unguarded. As she watched, Duo nonchalantly formed a spitball with a bit of his napkin and rolled it in some leftover salt on the table. His gaze flicked to Wufei as he did this, obviously considering him a prime target. Wufei, of course, having noticed the spitball preparations, gave him a glare that would have killed a basilisk. Duo stopped in the act of raising his arm above his head to supposedly rearrange his braid. He smiled widely. Wufei fairly emanated 'I will kill you if you do that' vibes, and his eyes burned two holes in Duo's face. Duo was still grinning, the spitball in hand. Xiran felt sure he would throw it, just to piss Wufei off, and hoped that Duo either had several allies or that he could run really fast. Quatre was watching with a sort of helpless, amused smile on his face. He turned and gave her a shrug, as if to say, 'what can you do?' . Heero, completely ignoring the whole affair, was apparently absorbed in the choice of beverages on a wall sign. Very well then. It was up to her to do something. Hopefully Wufei wouldn't rise up and kill her with his dinner plate.
Xiran quickly gave Duo's braid a tug and gestured vaguely in the direction of the kitchen doors. "Hey look, is that the waitress? Does she have the gelatin?" Duo immediately lost interest in Wufei and turned towards the doors. Xiran leaned back and grinned. "Sucker." Duo turned back with a completely innocent grin in place on his face. "Oh yeah?" Moving fast, his arm a blur, he whipped the spitball at her head.
She ducked and deftly caught the spitball in midair as it passed towards Wufei's side of the table, greatly amused to see his triumphant expression slip off his face. She quickly turned and flicked it back at Duo, who ducked almost under the table. Then she pinned him there while he wriggled, and delicately wiped the drool off her hand onto his shirt, with a very serious, "Yuck."
There was a muffled gah noise and a bit of a thump. A moment later she sat up again—without Duo. A foolish look of surprise was on her face, but it didn't have much time to register. Quatre started, "Where— " and her mouth opened to respond, but with a small noise, she was yanked downwards and out of sight. Beneath the table, there was the sound of muffled laughter. Heero and Wufei calmly glanced at each other, as Quatre covered his face with his hand.
Heero paused to regard the overhead lamps. "We could pretend we don't know them," he said mildly.
Wufei nodded his head. "Good idea."
They suddenly found the overhead beams to be extremely interesting.
"I wonder what they're doing under there," Quatre mused, several minutes later. Wufei and Heero stopped in the process of identifying drunks who would likely become criminals, and gave him two blank stares. "I really don't think we want to know," Heero told him.
"No, no we don't." Wufei confirmed. They resumed their game. Quatre sighed. "Well I wish they'd at least be quick about it," he muttered.
In the crowded space beneath the table, it was warm and semi-dark and rather dirty. But its two inhabitants weren't noticing, considering they were in the process of having a laughing fit so hard they could barely breathe. Xiran's mouth hurt from laughing and her stomach was beginning to ache but she couldn't stop. Every time she even looked in Duo's direction she started laughing again. He was just so funny.
Near her and practically sitting on one of her legs was Duo, who was also having near convulsions of laughter and holding his sides.
A couple of minutes later they had quieted down enough to form actual sentences, but still gasped for breath. Xiran relaxed her aching stomach and leaned against the bench where she was supposed to be sitting. She was grinning and her dark eyes seemed totally clear. She poked Duo, who was chortling in the corner. "Hey. Do you even know what we were laughing about? Because I have no idea." At this she started laughing again, and covered her face with her hand. Duo scooted over to where she was and laughed right along with her, shaking his head. "No, I have no idea whatsoever! But it sure was funny wasn't it?"
"Well, obviously!" She told him. They sat back, rather tired out, and after a while, Duo commented, "Wufei's probably making his 'I so don't know them face'…"
Xiran nodded. "Oh, definitely." Then she laughed, "And we are what, four years old?" They both erupted into mirth yet again. Duo ran a hand through his tousled hair, fixing her with his violet eyes.
"Okay we're going to go up now so try to be normal, even though that may be hard for you…"
Xiran snorted. "Oh yes, we all know how easy it is for you to be normal..."
"This is normal, baby."
"Aren't you just the epitome of the average teen."
"And don't you forget it."
They emerged from the darkness of the table, hair a little out of place, and idiotic grins on their faces. Wufei fixed them with a penetrating look. Heero's gaze moved from one to the other, before settling on Duo, who grinned impishly, his face revealing nothing. Quatre quietly elbowed Duo in the ribs, still smiling normally. Duo stretched and leaned back. "Well I'm feeling a little worn out now, aren't you?" He said to her, his eyes dancing. Xiran paused a moment before grasping the implications of what he was saying. She put a hand to her face as if in fatigue. "Oh yes, I feel as if I've run a mile. You know how hard that sort of thing is on a girl." Wufei's eyes were a little wider now, and Heero had his entire attention on them. Quatre was a bit speechless. Duo let the silence go on for a while. Finally he burst out in laughter. "You guys are so gullible!" Heero shook his head. Wufei looked quite annoyed and Quatre looked really relieved. They all seemed to relax. Heero reminded Duo that he had left his hat at his place, and taking it out of his coat, tossed it to him. "Hey thanks," Duo said, plopping it on his head.
During this short exchange, Xiran glanced at the clock.
Where was the last one?
[Wufei]
He was not amused. Definitely not amused. How could Duo lead them on like that? Then again, that was his nature, to confound, amuse, and eventually annoy. Wufei sighed. Sally would have--Damn it! Why couldn't his thoughts leave him alone for a moment? He sat back in disgust, focusing on calming himself and thinking of the wonderful silence back at his apartment.
After several minutes of subtle meditation, Wufei once again opened his ears to the conversation flowing around him.
Xiran and Duo were chattering away at each other, and it was obvious she felt very comfortable in his presence. The waitress brought the Jell-O bowls and set them on the table with an amused smile, their contents jiggling merrily beneath the whipped cream. Duo and Xiran stopped their conversation abruptly as the wiggling masses were set before their eyes, and quickly dug in. Duo wolfed his down like he was inhaling it, only stopping a few times when Xiran poked his spoon on the way to his mouth, causing the greenish square to topple off and splat into the table. This always caused a great amount of teasing and light insults, especially when they would scrabble for the runaway gob with their forks, the metallic sliding of the utensils chattering. In a matter of minutes Duo's bowl was empty and meticulously scraped clean of every tiny piece of lime, and he was eyeing her bowl rather mischievously.
Wufei could see what was coming next. He saw Xiran glance sideways at Duo's vacant bowl, and then at his innocently grinning face, her eyes narrowing in sudden understanding. Just as his fork was inching towards her inviting green Jell-O cubes, she turned to him in sudden seriousness, and said with a perfectly straight face,
"Touch my Jell-O, and I'll eat your hat."
Duo threw back his head and roared with laughter, prompting amused smiles from even the silent ones, as Xiran grinned from behind her hand. Her shoulders shook with suppressed giggles.
Wufei thought, you two are crazy. Then he considered her more closely. Xiran was relaxed, almost shy, yet seemed sometimes as controlled as Heero. She seemed real to him as she was now, and he couldn't sense any acting in her actions, but he had seen her take down a man two times her size and four times her weight with the same emotion one would have swatting a fly. There was definitely more to her than met the eye. Wufei thought to himself, I'll keep my attention on her and watch for any inconsistencies.
Wufei leaned back into the shadows and watched expressions chase across her face as Duo challenged her to a thumb war over Quatre's leftovers. To his left there was a small sound from Quatre, who was looking at something beyond the booth, over his shoulder. His eyes traveled quickly to the silent figure standing next to the table, his hands in his pockets. The faint scent of cotton candy and animals wafted past his nose as he recognized the characteristic silence. Wufei also saw a green eye past the light brown hair that almost always covered Trowa's face. Wufei acknowledged him with a slight nod of his head, and gestured for him to sit down. Trowa smoothly cast a glance at Xiran as he settled down, passing Wufei a curious look shortly afterwards. Wufei shrugged. He rolled his eyes in Duo's direction. *His idea.*
Trowa gave an almost imperceptible nod. At this point the conversation had paused, as the rest of the pilots acknowledged Trowa's presence. Their greetings were warm, and relaxed, the words of people who know each other well. Wufei noticed Xiran's dark gaze on them all, and felt uneasy at being unable to read her. He thought he saw a flicker of pain in her eyes…but it may have been a trick of the light.
[Xiran]
At the same time, she was thinking, now they are all here.
Still she hesitated. She could not open her mouth. Her hands tightened in her lap as she sat and watched them talk. They knew each other so well.
They had their individual traits, and their opposing personalities, but still, they seemed like a unit. No, something more personal, like a family. Or what she supposed a family should be like. They had faced the war like this, and it had drawn them together. Her experiences could not come close to rivaling theirs. She had nothing in common, nothing to compare with them. Yet they had taken her in so easily, without any provocation. Why?
The conversation flowed around her like a rock in a stream, as they talked beneath the dull yellow glow of the lamps, and suddenly she felt hollow. She thought, I will never be like them.
[Wufei]
He had been watching her since Trowa arrived. She had not said much, not even to Duo, and seemed to have retreated to her earlier shyness. He wondered idly when they were going to get rid of her and start what they had come here to start. He drummed his fingers on the table and ignored Quatre's polite attempts at conversation. Letting his concentration slip away, he stared off into the grey outside the window. He thought about space and how he'd like to pilot something again, even though nothing would ever compare to Nataku. Immediately he blinked the bar back into focus, not letting his imagination get the best of him. He almost never thought of Nataku at all anymore…but he liked it better that way.
Just then Xiran leaned forward and added something to the stupid conversation they were having,(something far beneath his notice-- the Miss Galaxy Pageant) and her eyes flashed blue. Dammit! Why couldn't she just go away and bother another bunch of people? Why did she have to sit there and remind him of Sally and—stop it. She had suddenly turned and glanced at him, her eyes unreadable. Wufei rearranged his face.
With a long, slow blink, she returned her attention to the rest of them. Wufei thought, stupid, stupid, why can't you just leave me alone… and abruptly saw the first sign of tension in her face. There was weariness too, he noticed suddenly, and her next smile looked forced. Maybe slapping that hulk around took more out of her than I thought, he mused. She leaned forward into the conversation again, and said something feministic, and after a brief retort from Duo, said something about the way men ran the world, and about war. Wufei noted that those remarks were very leading, and wondered if it had been she that had begun the earlier conversation about colonization. He snapped to attention.
"—at least most women don't have pissing contests over trivial things."
"Yah but most of them don't have any fun either."
"I'm sure you've had your share of parties Duo."
"You bet…"
"And you probably scared the people so badly they decided to run away…"
"Hey--!"
"I'd say that's a remarkably astute assumption," Heero said, with a sly look in Duo's direction.
"Oh sure, take *her* part…just don't start getting all pacifist on me now…"
"I'll get right on that."
"Are you mocking me?"
"No."
"Yes you are."
"No, really, I'm not."
"Liar."
"It's on my priorities list."
"Shut up."
Xiran smiled at them. "Okay, Duo, okay. You've won," she said in defeated tone. "We all know Trowa here's the real party animal." Even Wufei had to smile at that one, and Duo laughed loudly and clapped her on the back, saying, "Oh so true, so true…" Wufei vaguely noticed that she was putting them all off guard, but he was suddenly totally focused on her. Just as Duo had hit her shoulder, her face had tensed ever so slightly, and her eyes had clouded, as if it had hurt her. After a few moments he passed it off as his own overreaction, but several minutes later, she left the table quickly, claiming she had to go to the ladies' room. Almost immediately, he knew something was wrong.
[Xiran]
Xiran closed the door of the bathroom stall and sat down on the toilet seat. She absently wiped at the green semicircle with the toilet paper, hoping it wouldn't get something on her pants. She put her face in her hands. She sat like that for several minutes, thinking, and at the same time noting the hideous lime green colour of the bathroom's décor. The air freshener was lime too, how truly disgusting.
Wincing slightly, she touched her shoulder, and thought about infection and disease. She felt a little lightheaded. She cursed herself. Why did you take so long with the group of them? You could have said something sooner.
I don't want to ruin what they have built for themselves.
Yes, but this isn't just about them, its about everyone. She thought in sudden despair, I can't do this alone, and stood up. The world spun, and the nasty greens blended together. Xiran put a hand to her face.
Make a decision.
Outside the bar, in the cool twilight, a group of men stopped beneath a streetlight. They laughed loudly and obnoxiously and passed a bottle around, finally smashing it on the ground as it completed the round from one to fifteen. They made their way towards the bar called…something they couldn't remember, but they knew it well. With a little effort they turned the corner onto the street, one of their members almost stumbling into the road, and become suddenly confused by flashing red lights. A police car and ambulance were parked in the middle of the road, blocking it. Attracted by the thought of an accident and some gore, they eagerly pressed forward. Someone, or what once was someone, was being loaded into the ambulance. It was not too recognizable anymore. Then one of the less intoxicated members stepped forward, squinting in the red lights, and narrowing his eyes. All of a sudden his face blanched, and he stepped back, saying, "Darus? It's Darus?" The others crowded forward, asking questions of the policeman who appeared from inside his car, looking wary. He told them minor details of the accident, and responded curtly to the snarls of 'who did it?'
"The police are in the process of investigating this accident," he told them. "We have yet to go to the bar he was last seen in."
[Wufei]
Wufei leaned across the table. "We have to get down to business," he said, "We have to ditch Xiran and get out of here." Heero and Trowa looked up at him with their annoyingly expressionless faces. Heero nodded slowly. "You're right." He glanced over at Duo and silenced his protest with a look. Duo sighed. "Allright."
Wufei leaned back and glanced in the direction of the bathroom. "It's time."
[Xiran]
Xiran exited the bathroom and returned to the table, her hands stiffly clenched at her sides. She noticed that they were all looking at her, and wondered if her face was giving her away. She opened her mouth. Quatre, his eyes full of concern, said, "Is anything wrong?" She stopped, wanting to scream, yes everything is wrong! It's happening too fast and I can't stop it! Her head pounded.
Suddenly her ears registered noise from down the street. Sounds of drunken men, curses, muttered words, shuffling feet. "—it was a girl, was it? Bitch, what did she do to him? Poison him?" More mutterings.
"—maroon hair, blue eyes, black outfit— " Sounds of anger.
"Thanks man, we owe you one." Someone walked away.
"She's in there? Let's go—"
Xiran turned sharply towards the door, her eyes wide, as Trowa, closest to her, saw a dark red stain soaking through her shirt. He quietly raised the alarm. Duo was suddenly next to her, asking questions, his words loud in her ears. She ignored him, her focus on the approaching sounds, and suddenly saw fifteen odd men coming through the door, huge and angry. She took a quick step back, silently cursing herself, and a sudden surge of weakness clouded her mind. She almost fell, narrowly catching herself on the table, and sensed Duo around her, holding her up. A dozen swear words flashed though her mind, and she muttered to an anxious Duo, "I'm sorry…" Xiran forced herself to stand up and took a step away, to get away somehow before Darus' friends reached them. She almost passed out again. She thought, I'm too weak! I should have waited—but there was no time. Now all of the pilots were standing up, as one of the gang in the front pointed an accusing finger at her saying, "There she is! She's the one who killed Darus!"
All of the Gundam pilots turned to her, but there was no time to explain. She gritted her teeth, "It's not what you thi— " Just then the group pushed its way into the bar, and began a huge forward rush, smashing nearly everyone and everything in their path.
Heero said, "Run for the side exit!" and took the lead, as usual. The men behind them came with surprising speed, half drunk and raging like psychopaths.
They ran.
Xiran blocked out the pain and raced to the side exit, Duo helping her along. Heero hit the door and it flew open, spilling them all onto darkness of the alley. Xiran had a glimpse of moldering trash and a dumpster or two, grey beneath the dark sky, before the first of Darus' men reached the door. To her surprise, he drew a weapon out of his jacket. He bellowed something to his friends, and raised it, a black handgun.
"Scatter!" she yelled up the alley. For the first time, she saw their fighting skills in action, and they all immediately darted to the side, or rolled, or leaped behind a dumpster. A shot echoed down the alley, relatively quiet. Silencers, she thought, as Heero fell back and yelled, "Who's got the closest car?"
"Me!" Duo shouted, and sprinted ahead, braid flying. Heero was suddenly beside her, and he urged her on. Another two shots assaulted their ears. One ricocheted off the wall near Quatre. Xiran's face went hard, and she reached down, turned, and fired two bullets at the mass of men running at them. Heero's blue eyes revealed nothing, but he backed off, still watching her. She ran on, realizing that those were not killing shots, but that they were enough to hold them off. She fired several more randomly, hearing the men scuffle and go for cover. Then suddenly they were on the street, and Duo was behind the wheel of a large black truck. Trowa, Quatre, and Wufei piled in the back, and Heero in the front seat facing the alley, while Xiran paused to reload. She slammed the magazine home, and for a moment locked eyes with Heero. Then she flipped it and handed it to him, handle forward.
She found herself abruptly in Wufei's lap as he pulled her inside and shut the door. At the same time Duo pulled away from the curb, tires screaming. Several shots exploded outside the truck, and Duo swerved, narrowly missing some parked cars. Moments later the sounds stopped, as they left the men in the dust.
Xiran relaxed slightly, and the pain cluttered her brain again. She realized she was probably making a mess on Wufei…but there was nowhere else to move. Then things were coming duller, slower, and her mind felt far away. Xiran realized with some distaste that she was about to pass out completely, and thought, not again, as Wufei leaned over her and said something to her, watching her with his brown eyes. She sluggishly tried to move, but failed, and could say nothing. Then she felt her eyes close of their own accord, thought, oh dammit, and fell into blackness.
Wufei shook her, and then said, "She's out." Duo glanced at him in the rearview mirror. "Come again?"
Wufei glared. "She's unconscious!"
"Oh."
There was silence. Heero slowly ran his fingers over the gun in his hands. Duo drove, jerkily avoiding trashcans. Wufei sat uncomfortably with a very much unwanted unconscious girl in his lap, and Quatre and Trowa both looked rather blank. The silence lengthened. Then Duo slowed, turned and spoke for them all.
"Now what are we going to do?"
END
You would not believe how long this one took me! Dialogue is one of my major weaknesses, and it's a hell of a lot harder with chars that aren't yours. Xiran helps to keep me sane. At least I know what she's thinking 24/7…