Gundams With Wings

Part Seven
By Lady AngelFiren

PART SEVEN

"Speech"
/Thoughts/
{Telepathy}

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Duo awoke to an empty bed. The sun was setting out the window, which was open to the proximity of evening.
"I slept the whole day?" he wondered aloud, flicking on the bedside lamp with his mind. The soft light illuminated his dorm, boring and normal, off-white walls, a desk and a little dresser, a tiny bathroom, not much else.
/Where's Heero I wonder,/ he thought, /Hmm, I bet I could find him with my mind!/
Duo closed his eyes and let his consciousness seep around the dorm and out into the hall to Heero's room. He saw the boy sitting at his desk reading something off the screen of his laptop. Heero turned, looking directly at the place where Duo's consciousness hovered. A strange look crossed his face and Duo felt Heero's mind probing him, soaring around the room, touching everything and then concentrating on the blink of energy that was Duo.
{Duo, how long have you been watching me?} came Heero's voice directly into his mind.
{I just got here, I wanted to find you. I'm not really sure how I did this though, or how to get back to myself. Li'll help?}
Heero withdrew from Duo and pulled back into himself. He rose and walked into the Shiningami pilot's room. Duo followed. He saw his own body, slouched on the bed, eyes shut as if he were asleep sitting up. Heero shook the body's shoulder and Duo heard a rushing, saw flashes of colour and slammed forcefully into his form, opening his eyes.
"Cool," he smiled, "Didn't know I could do that."
{Me neither, although I did it already and you never suspected a thing.}
"Hey, no spy games! Anyway, we have to get going, don't we?"
{Yes, you have half an hour. We're to be picked up at the edge of the school property by the driveway. So we'll be ready for then. Oh, and bring something warm, we're going to Canada.}
"Ok," Duo smiled happily, taking Heero's mouth in his own and sucking teasingly at one lip as he ran his hands along Heero's back under his shirt.
{Duo, we only have half and hour, and besides, we're not alone, Quatre came to see if we were ready.}
Duo hadn't even sensed the other boy's consciousness, but now that he looked for it he was able to feel the Arabian's golden aura pulsing there.
{Yes Quatre, we're almost ready, we'll meet you out there alright?}
{Alright, sorry to interrupt you guys, next time I'll use the door.} The golden presence evaporated abruptly, leaving the pair alone once more.
{You should pack a bag Tenshi-chan,} Heero urged.
"Right." Duo agreed and TK'd several items from around the room into a worn black duffel bag. He pulled his hat from its place on his bedpost and pulled it on. "There! All read-"
*FLASH!
Black car, the same one he'd seen earlier, purple twilight, Heero's silvery-blue power lancing through the air, and blood, his blood everywhere. Pain in his body, a beautiful spray of red erupting from his chest.
Very fine grained wood, polished like a floor, the corner of a thick rug, and then blackness enveloping him completely as he heard his own heart slow and then stop and everything was dark, a thin trail of red tracing through the blackness.
*FLASH!*
{Duo, wake up!}
Duo groggily opened his eyes, disoriented from the premonition.
"Heero? What's going on?" he asked quietly. The image of the floor coming closer and his own blood everywhere was still pulsing strong in his head, but he forced himself to get to his feet and look Heero in the eyes.
{You passed out. Was it another vision? Are you Ok? What did you see?} The Japanese boy's tone was very concerned, and he held Duo tightly to him, unwilling to let go, even when Duo tried to squirm from his strong embrace.
"It was the same as before, I saw a car, and then lots of blood, my own blood. Then I heard my heartbeat get really slow, and I was dead, just like last time. I think this is gonna happen soon. Hee-chan I'm scared. I don't want to die anymore now than I did before! Why is this happening?"
Duo leaned into Heero, close to tears but refusing to breakdown like he had in the forest. Enough was enough. He'd just have to tough it out. This was his job, and getting killed was part of that job. If it was gonna happen then it was inevitable. He'd just make the best of what time he had left. But it wasn't that easy. Still, Duo shoved the miserable foreboding and forced himself to concentrate.
"Let's go, no point in worrying about it until it happens. We're gonna be late." With this he grabbed his bag and professionally avoided taking the warm hand he so desperately needed for comfort, walking out the door stiffly and shutting it behind them both as they left the school.

------

Outside everyone was waiting for the pair to arrive. Wufei had been "briefed" about their new abilities and their new status as a couple. He wasn't the least bit phased by any of it except for one thing.
"Heero's a healer?" his face grew skeptical as he surveyed Quatre and Trowa who nodded simultaneously.
{Yes,} Quatre answered, {And a very strong healer at that. He fixed Duo's broken wing in moments, and wasn't even weary afterwards. Do you know how much power it takes to do that? A lot, and he did it, no problem! I'm delighted to see how much he cares for Duo that he would give that much so selflessly.}
The little blond was obviously impressed with Heero's actions, and Wufei accepted this, comforted to know that their team would be that much stronger if it were able to rejuvenate itself with little effort. And Duo's gift sounded…interesting. He was kind of afraid to think of what could happen if the Deathscythe pilot got really angry, but otherwise it aslo sounded quite useful. Together they could launch flaming projectiles at enemies, yes, they were much stronger now.
"Wu-man!" Duo's cheerful voice fluttered over as the pair approached. He turned to his comrades, a smug, Wufei-ish look on his face.
"Maxwell, Yuy," he acknowledged.
"Alright, lets decide how we're going to do this once we get there. I don't think anything's going to happen at all on this mission, I just have that feeling, like we're being put out of the game for awhile, to be completely honest. I think we're going to end up bored out of our minds, watering Relena's plants or something for however long this is going on. We're going to be in the middle of nowhere I bet, and we'll just be bored. I don't know what game the Doctors and her are playing, but I'm suspicious, although I am looking forward to a nice little break. I don't really have much else to say, just be on guard I guess. What do you think?" Quatre was accustomed to leading the group with tactics and approaches for missions. Everyone generally expected him to take charge, and once an assignment was to be carried out they gave him their undivided attention. Tonight, all the pilots seemed to be under the same impression as Quatre and Duo; this was just one of Relena's games to get to Heero, and it wouldn't be anything really important.

The transport arrived then. It turned out to be a classy black stretch limo, and when Duo opened the door in a gentlemanly manner for Heero, he was horrified to find Relena PeaceCraft herself waiting to greet the Japanese boy.
{I think I'm starting to believe in karma,} he commented sarcastically to all but the blue-eyed pacifist who literally pounced on him from inside the vehicle.
"HEERO-CHAN!!!" she squealed in an inhuman pitch.
"Relena." The Wing Zero pilot practically spat. Duo swore he could hear Heero's teeth grinding together. He was already angry that she was here, but using -chan on the end of his name had him thoroughly pissed. Nobody but Duo called him Hee-chan or anything akin to the name. Using all of his strength to keep from pulling out his gun and shooting her, he stepped out of the way of her animalian pounce ans she fell from the car, flat on her face.
"Owwww! Heee~eero, help me!" once again, the tone was earsplitting, and a shiver passed through the group of pilots. They were trained for almost any hostile situation imaginable, but none of them had yet figured out how to deal with Relena.
"No." the short-haired pilot replied flatly. He was concentrating on not laughing out loud at her.
She took her sweet time getting up, moaning and whining about how much pain she was in.
/Hmm, I wonder how many bullets it'll take to teach her about pain…/ he thought glancing over at Duo.
The braided pilot was doing anything but holding back his torrents of hysterical giggles at the fallen girl. Nearly unable to breathe, he was doubled over in a successful effort to piss off the wheat-haired girl even further.
"Heee~ero! Your stupid friend is *laughing* at me! Make him stop!" To emphasize her point, she grabbed his arm and clung onto him, not unlike his spandex shorts in the manner that she attempted to be as close to him as humanly possible.
"Get off of me Relena," Heero said. He was clearly disgusted, cringing visibly. He made a rather bold decision at that moment, and pulled out of her suffocating grasp. "Do not talk to Duo like that, he's not my 'stupid friend', he's my boyfriend. So quit following me around, I'm taken." With a satisfied look, the Japanese boy freed himself entirely of her clutches and want over to Duo, taking him by the waist and pulling him close.
Duo seemed surprised, although definitely not angry at Heero's words, his actions, and his unauthorized confession, but Relena went off the deep end.
At first she said nothing, staring wide-eyed, mouth open at the pair, funny gasping sounds coming from her throat. Then her brow furrowed daarlky and she pointed an accusing finger at Duo. Even Heero was a little surprised at what came out of her mouth.
"YOU! You little pervert! You turned *my* Heero GAY? How dare you, you stupid faggot! Leave him alone, he's *MINE!!*"
Before Duo had a chance to say anything, Heero 'pathed to him, Play along Duo. Let's get her really mad. Then we can shoot her in self-defense or something.
The Deathscythe pilot was very surprised at how well the cobalt-eyed boy was handling this, but smiled maliciously in agreement. He pulled a most dramatic expression.
"Relena, how did you guess? I can't believe you foiled my plan. Is it that obvious? Yes, I admit it. I cooked him dinner one night and I put something in his food to make him gay. I confess, Heero couldn't resist me after that, so I guess I turned him into a fag, like me." Duo smiled, waiting for the effect.
He wasn't shooting for a fistfight (as much as he'd like to take her out) with the girl, so he figured he'd give her the eal truth right away. But he was not going to be nice about it. "Relena, you stupid bitch! Heero's gay 'cause he was born that way, ok? I didn't do anything to him. If you're actuallu dumb enough to believe I did, then go make friends with a rock, or something else on your level of thinking. If you can't accept that your beloved Heero does *not* love you back then that's fine, I don't care. But really, grow up. Don't blame it on me."
Relena didn't say anything. She just gestured to the car and the G-boys piled in. She climbed in after them, shutting the door and signaling to Pagan, her driver, to get going.

------

There were six seats in the car, three facing forwards and three facing back. Duo seated himself in the center on one side, Heero on his right, Wufei on his left. Relena took the seat across from the Chinese youth, Trowa beside her, Quatre on his left.
There was a tense, uneasy energy circling about the enclosed, dark little room formed by the car. Duo fiddled with the end of his braid until Heero took his hands and held them firmly but gently down. Quatre leaned on Trowa, and the unibanged boy inched closer to him, getting as far from Relena as possible. The PeaceCraft girl sat, staring silently at Heero and Duo's hands, a stoic impression on her face.
/She almost looks like Yuy, stupid onna,/ Wufei thought. He snorted in attempt to subdue a laugh. The broken silence devoured the tension in the air, and Duo smiled cheekily, bringing Relena's blue gaze to his own laughing violet eyes.
"So Relena," he began casually, "What are we all here for? We were informed that there was a danger to some documents at your estate, and that you would be leaving. Is this still so?"
The long-haired blond was not accustomed to being questioned in such a direct manner, with no honourifics or even a polite tone. And by the pervert Maxwell!
"You will respect me, faggot!" I won't talk to any of you but Heero-chan, especially not *you!*" she looked directly at him, hatred and malice burning in her eyes.
"Grouch!" Duo retorted, tipping his nose up and away from her in a haughty gesture.
"You are all acting like children!" came Wufei's annoyed tone, cutting off any further immaturity from either party.
"Onna, we have our orders. It does not take five specially trained soldiers to housekeep for you while you are off promoting your cause. Do you have a reason for dragging us here or not? I really hope you do. Now what is it?" the Chinese pilot was clearly in no temperment to deal with arguments. He expected an upfront answer from the wheat-haired girl, and would stand for nothing less.
"Hee~ero!" she whined for no reason, awaiting acknowledgement.
"What Relena. Like Chang said, we are not house-sitters. Now tell us why the *fuck* we're here." The Japanese pilot was barely able to control his anger, and being the empath who could send emotion, it was contagious. Everyone in the car seemed ready to explode. Heero closed his eyes, silently willing the tension away. He took a deep breath, consciously relaxing himself and pushing what serenity he could gather into Duo and Relena.
It seemed to work. The fiery anger evaporated from the Shinigami pilot's eye's, and Relena stopped fidgeting with the pleats in her skirt. Apperently the young pacifist was very susceptible to Heero's emotional manipulations.
{Thanks Hee-chan,} Duo 'pathed appreciatively. He inched closer to the cobalt-eyed empath, squeezing his hand a little.
{Are you calm now Duo?}
{Yes, why don't you try to talk to her civilly? I don't think she'll even hear anyone else.}
{Alright.}"Relena, what is the plan?"
"Well, I'm going to the colonies," she began, "And The Doctor, Mr. J, owed me a little favour, so I'm taking advantage of it by having you all protect my computer files, as well as the estate. I have given my servants all a holiday, so you'll be the only ones there. Also, this particular estate houses some precious artifacts that have been subject to a little too much public attention. Everyone thinks the place will be empty, so I'm almost positive tha they will be in danger. Heero, will you and your friends stay?" She gave him a longing look.
"We have to, orders," he replied, firmly ending the conversation, not showing what he thought of the mission either way.
[This is dumb,} Duo commented, but he seemed determined to act more mature after Wufei and Heero's outburst, so he leaned his head on the other boy's shoulder and closed his eyes.
Heero sent out more of the sleepy calm to everyone in the vehicle (excluding Pagan) and they all either drifted off in slumber or remained silent for the remainder of the ride.
Eventually they ended up at an airport, where they caught a public flight to Canada (apparently Relena had given her private flight staff time off as well).
It was an uneventful trip, and they ended up in Toronto, where they took a small, rickety plane to the colder northern region of the country.

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END PART SEVEN

on to part eight~

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