Hiro gently pulled off the many layers of woolen quilts and flannel
blankets that engulfed Duo's small, slumbering frame, rendering it nearly
invisible. Feeling the slight chill in the air, Duo shivered, his lashes
fluttering. They opened slowly, bringing him fully awake when he felt the
springy mattress dip under Hiro's weight as he sat on the edge of the bed,
very close to Duo. He smiled softly up at the gentle cobalt eyes.
"Mornin', Hiro." He whispered.
The storm cloud colored eyes were calm and peaceful on the surface; below laid a violent, swirling hurricane just waiting to break loose. Duo was unable to figure out why Hiro was always like this; so warm on the surface, but so troubled and cold beneath. He had asked what secrets and pains Hiro hid, but Hiro never told him. Hiro, on the other hand, seemed to know his dark secrets. Secrets he didn't know himself. His mind started to swirl as he tried to resurrect those forgotten demons, but they stayed firmly buried in the shadowy recesses. His eyes closed, and he winced with the effort. His lashes flew open when he felt the brush of a calloused palm against his warm cheek, and he gasped softly.
Hiro looked down at him in concern. The shades in those violet eyes hadn't changed. It was always a glossy amethyst, not a rich, royal purple as it had been, always changing in intensity with Duo's emotions. His eyes had lightened so much, never changing. Only a few, shallow emotions would flicker across the surface. Duo's sweet, heart shaped face was often flushed with confusion, sorrow, happiness and hope. But these feeling were fleeting and just mere shadows of the intensity with which they had been felt before. It was a daily dagger in Hiro's heart to see Duo like this. He smiled gently, reassuring Duo as the boy nuzzled against his palm. "Morning, Duo."
Duo closed his eyes as Hiro began the morning routine. He lifted up the loose, long black T-shirt to change Duo's diaper. The area there had healed: it was now flat, smooth and hairless. The angry red had faded to a pale pink coupled with white scar tissue. Now it was safe to insert a catheter, but Hiro couldn't bring himself to explain this to Duo, and didn't want any more tubing to be placed upon that soft, gently curved body. No, he decided, Duo had had more than his share of tubing and machines to last for several lifetimes. No more. Fastening the clean one, Hiro pulled Duo's shirt down then hesitated as he went to lift Duo into a sitting position to brush and braid his hair.
Duo lay a hand on his stomach and felt his shirt had been pulled down, so he knew Hiro was done changing him. After a few more seconds, when he didn't feel his warm, strong arms lifting him up, he raised his lashes to Hiro. The thick, tousled haired boy had his eyes closed and was absentmindedly rubbing one of Duo's bare legs. "Hiro?" Duo enquired gently.
Hearing that soft spoken whisper, Hiro opened his eyes and decided to do this. He had to know...he just had to. This would either make or break his heart. He knew Duo was paralyzed from the waist down, but maybe today would be different; today, maybe, the boy would feel something. It had been such a long time since Hiro had tried this, that maybe Duo's nerves could be growing back and there would be a spark, a tiny flicker, of something, anything. Hope welled within his heart, only to be dashed by the memories of the last times. But that had been months ago; Duo had improved some, but maybe not enough. Hope and wishing soared on an up and down roller coaster, causing Hiro to blink. He was unable to stifle this current rush of emotions. It was too much; they were too strong, waxing and waning furiously. Instead, he reached over and brushed his hand over Duo's eyes when he saw the boy frown slightly. "Hush. Just relax and trust me." Duo nodded. Hiro's heart clenched; Duo put faith in him so blindly, showing just how dependent the boy was.
Hiro reached over to the night stand, which was next to the head of the bed, and pulled a thin, sharp sewing needle out of the drawer. He removed Duo's thick black socks and, biting his lip, gently pricked Duo's foot. Duo didn't move. Hiro frowned, and poked him a little harder. Nothing. Feeling tears burn the back of his eyes, Hiro pushed them back and accidentally put that force used to suppress his sorrow behind his prick. The needle slipped, gashing Duo's foot open. Blood welled from the thin but deep cut and trickled down the small foot.
The warm, sticky, thick liquid falling onto his hand, which held Duo's heel, caused Hiro's head to snap up and eyes widen in horror and disbelief. He gasped softly, tears streaming freely. Hearing his soft gasp, Duo tilted his chin up. "Hiro? What's wrong? What are you doing?" Duo's strawberry lashes fluttered and Hiro whispered suddenly, desperately, fiercely, "NO!" Duo's eye movement stilled, but his lip pouted and trembled. "H-hiro?"
"It's alright, Duo. It's nothing. Hush, it's alright." He was barely able to keep his hoarse voice stable. Inside, however, it wasn't alright. He'd hurt Duo! He grasped the bleeding foot, bringing it to his chest and holding it over his heart. His head was bowed, tears spilling, his pain washing away the blood. The cold tears cut paths through the streaking blood. Hiro barely bit back a sob as his heart shattered. This had been a bad idea. A very bad idea. Hiro hadn't had control of his emotions; they had run too high, as they often had of late. He was the perfect soldier; he didn't have emotions. Then why was Duo's foot sliced and bleeding? And he couldn't feel it. He didn't even know what was happening, what Hiro had done. This was what shattered his heart and his hope. Duo couldn't feel what was happening.
Feeling a sob hitch in his throat, Hiro shook his head madly, sending his tears flying. One landed on Duo's palm, and his eyes snapped open. Shocked, wide violet eyes beheld Hiro's bent head raining tears upon his bleeding foot. "Hiro? What happened?" Hiro just shook his head, tears coming harder and shaking his body. He lowered Duo's foot and squeezed it. More blood trickled out. Duo didn't even bat an eyelash, except in extreme puzzlement and confusion. Duo couldn't see the bottom of his foot, but he saw the blood dribbling down his arm, coating his hand, and the red splattering on his white shirt, saw his small, bloody foot print on Hiro's chest. His eyes widened even further, and a shock of purple fear darkened the amethyst color, but confusion lightened it. The two shades, two emotions, conflicted wildly, battling for supremacy, caused Duo had to blink and shiver.
Hearing those words come out of Duo's full, soft lips broke the last of his restraints. "Can't you feel it? Do you feel any pain at all?" He nearly shouted at Duo, his turbulent, darkening to grey blue eyes met the shocked pale purple ones. "I- there's no pain. It can't be that bad, can it? Why is there so much blood?"
Duo's eyes suddenly clenched shut and his body started to shake. He moaned and tried to toss, only succeeding in shaking his head wildly about. One strong, forceful shadow in his mind gripped him painfully. What it was didn't make itself apparent, but one element was clear. Blood. So much of it, coating him and his surroundings. Thick, heavy, metallic blood everywhere. Blood drawn by them. "NO! NO! NO!" Duo's body shook in denial as the tried to toss off the nightmare, which wouldn't release him. Tears came freely and his breathing increased rapidly. The two mingled together, hitching in his chest and causing him to wheeze.
Hiro, seeing his distress, immediately dropped the slender foot, leaving it to bleed on the mattress and moved closer to Duo's head, grabbing him by the shoulders to stop his whip like movements. He squeezed hard and shook Duo a little roughly. Duo's fear filled eyes were thoroughly glazed over, a lost look in them. His little body stilled but was still tense as a coiled spring. "Hush, Duo, it's okay. I'm sorry. Oh, God, I'm so sorry." He reached down and pulled Duo to him, rocking him and rubbing his back as he clung to him, tears mingling with the blood on his chest and smearing onto Duo's wet face.
"H-hir-ro, m-make i-it s-st-o-p. Make it stop!" Duo gagged then screamed. Hiro gripped him fiercely, his own head bowed and his lips near Duo's ear as he whispered soothingly to him in a ragged whisper, begging and pleading. His suddenly hot tears streamed down his own face, dampening the cinnamon and honey brown hair and mingling with Duo's tears and blood. Hiro's own harsh sobs mingled with Duo's as the two clung to each other like lifelines. They were both drowning, and there was no one to save either of them. "Let me go! Leave me alone!" Duo shrieked, his loud yelp startling Hiro's swirling, clashing emotions. Duo had been so soft spoken that he had had to strain to hear every quiet word. The sudden, dramatic increase in volume had Hiro's emotions snapped off, replaced by panic and fear, which held him in a vise like grip, taking over his body and heart.
He grabbed Duo by his slender shoulders and shook him hard. His head flung back and forth like a rag doll, long, wavy hair whipping all over the place. Duo jerked, went rigid, then collapsed limply as the jarring force of Hiro's assault caused that violent shadow to be snatched back into the fog. The violent jarring of his head flinging back and forth caused his head to spin, and he felt nauseous.
Tears still streaming, heart hammering and blood pumping, Hiro brought Duo close to his chest and rubbed his back, holding him perfectly still and trying to soothe him. Duo's breath came in soft, swift little pants, but there were no tears. His eyes were closed, and he clung to Hiro, seeking reassurance, warmth, and safety, and the dark haired boy gave all he could give. Eventually, Duo's labored breathing evened out, and he rested, cat napping for about 15 or so minutes, before slowly opening his eyes ½ way.
Hiro had managed to stop his tears, but his heart was torn asunder. He hated seeing Duo like this, keeping him like this. But now wasn't the time for him to regain his memories; if Hiro could help it, he would keep the darkness away for all eternity. He couldn't stand to see Duo suffer, and he didn't want Duo to go through that hell again. The damage to Duo's soul had been done; his body and spirit had been effectively broken, and Hiro firmly believed that remembering how it had happened would shatter the fragile boy completely. Hiro couldn't allow that to happen. He had failed to protect his beloved once; he wouldn't do so again. He stroked Duo's softly rounded, lightly freckled cheek and gazed down into the partially opened, glazed eyes.
Duo's eyes were tired and confused. "Hiro, w-what h-happened?" His voice was hushed and meek.
Gentle tears of sorrow leaked out of Hiro's red rimmed eyes, and he smiled softly at Duo. Leaning forward, he planted a kiss on his forehead. "Sh. Nothing, Duo, nothing." Duo blinked and slowly raised a trembling hand to Hiro's cheek and touching a slow, cold tear. His brow furrowed in confusion, but Hiro kissed it gently, erasing the worry, then caught Duo's lowering hand in his own, bringing it to his lips and tasting the salty tinge of his own tear. As he lowered the soft, slightly chilled hand, the deep v-neck of the black tee slipped off of one fine boned shoulder to reveal darkening finger indentations, which promised to turn into hideous, painful bruises.
His eyes went shockingly wide, and his fine lower lip dropped open. Carefully, he stretched the tee's neckline all the way off of one shoulder, the moon colored flesh revealing the actions of his fear and panic. Guilt gripped his throat and urged more tears out. Hiro closed his eyes, wincing, and turned his head away, toward the bottom of the bed. Unsure of what to make of this, Duo cocked his head to one side and brought his hand half way up, hesitant to touch him. "Hiro?"
Hiro sniffed and wiped away his tears, shoving his guilt to the back of his heart with practiced ease. Having no emotions, or repressing them for so many years, had blessed Hiro with the ability to easily hide them. Although, with all the different tunes his heart had been strumming lately, it was often difficult to keep the instrument in check. Opening his eyes, he saw the splotches of drying blood on the sheets, Duo's foot, and the dried and cracking blood on his arm and shirt.
Hiro's mind instinctively clicked into what must be done. His mind mechanically calculated the steps of the mission, and he rose, leaving his emotions behind him. He lay Duo back on the pillow and brushed his bangs back before getting the medical supplies he'd need. Returning to Duo's side, he methodically cleaned the foot with aniseptic. Before he applied the healing cream across the gash, Duo's eyes caught his, and Hiro unthinkingly kissed the wound, smeared the cream, taped a big gauze square over it, and replaced Duo's sock.
He picked the shiny metal needle off of the carpet and was going to drop it in the open drawer when Duo spoke up. "It's alright, Hiro. You can, you know," He motioned with his head towards the object.
Hiro looked unwaveringly into Duo's eyes for long moments, his heart and thoughts racing like rats in a maze. How could he continue after what just happened? Yet, how could he not? He needed to know if there was any change, any improvement at all. And wasn't it better if he did this instead of taking him to Sally for medical check ups? He shook his head, wiping out the jumbled thoughts and focused on Duo's eyes, which were almost a medium purple instead of frosted plum. They were clear, bright and understanding. Hiro's lips twitched almost into a smile. Yes, he thought to himself, the old Duo was there, buried, but there. This was one of those rare moments when the real Duo would come shining through his shell, bringing hope and strength to the assassin's torn, dead heart.
Hiro's nimble fingers tightened on the needle, and he came closer to Duo's side. The boy fully relaxed into the pillows and mattress, tilting his head back and closing his eyes. Hiro gulped then pushed the pin into the very soft skin above the slim ankle. He poked his way up the slender leg and was half way up the concave stomach, about 2 inches below the sternum, when Duo flinched and gasped, his eyes flying open. Hiro smiled at the wide-eyed fear and kissed the petal soft lips until he felt him relax once more. He smiled sadly; there had been no improvement in Duo at all. He still had no feeling throughout the vast majority of his body.
The storm cloud colored eyes were calm and peaceful on the surface; below laid a violent, swirling hurricane just waiting to break loose. Duo was unable to figure out why Hiro was always like this; so warm on the surface, but so troubled and cold beneath. He had asked what secrets and pains Hiro hid, but Hiro never told him. Hiro, on the other hand, seemed to know his dark secrets. Secrets he didn't know himself. His mind started to swirl as he tried to resurrect those forgotten demons, but they stayed firmly buried in the shadowy recesses. His eyes closed, and he winced with the effort. His lashes flew open when he felt the brush of a calloused palm against his warm cheek, and he gasped softly.
Hiro looked down at him in concern. The shades in those violet eyes hadn't changed. It was always a glossy amethyst, not a rich, royal purple as it had been, always changing in intensity with Duo's emotions. His eyes had lightened so much, never changing. Only a few, shallow emotions would flicker across the surface. Duo's sweet, heart shaped face was often flushed with confusion, sorrow, happiness and hope. But these feeling were fleeting and just mere shadows of the intensity with which they had been felt before. It was a daily dagger in Hiro's heart to see Duo like this. He smiled gently, reassuring Duo as the boy nuzzled against his palm. "Morning, Duo."
Duo closed his eyes as Hiro began the morning routine. He lifted up the loose, long black T-shirt to change Duo's diaper. The area there had healed: it was now flat, smooth and hairless. The angry red had faded to a pale pink coupled with white scar tissue. Now it was safe to insert a catheter, but Hiro couldn't bring himself to explain this to Duo, and didn't want any more tubing to be placed upon that soft, gently curved body. No, he decided, Duo had had more than his share of tubing and machines to last for several lifetimes. No more. Fastening the clean one, Hiro pulled Duo's shirt down then hesitated as he went to lift Duo into a sitting position to brush and braid his hair.
Duo lay a hand on his stomach and felt his shirt had been pulled down, so he knew Hiro was done changing him. After a few more seconds, when he didn't feel his warm, strong arms lifting him up, he raised his lashes to Hiro. The thick, tousled haired boy had his eyes closed and was absentmindedly rubbing one of Duo's bare legs. "Hiro?" Duo enquired gently.
Hearing that soft spoken whisper, Hiro opened his eyes and decided to do this. He had to know...he just had to. This would either make or break his heart. He knew Duo was paralyzed from the waist down, but maybe today would be different; today, maybe, the boy would feel something. It had been such a long time since Hiro had tried this, that maybe Duo's nerves could be growing back and there would be a spark, a tiny flicker, of something, anything. Hope welled within his heart, only to be dashed by the memories of the last times. But that had been months ago; Duo had improved some, but maybe not enough. Hope and wishing soared on an up and down roller coaster, causing Hiro to blink. He was unable to stifle this current rush of emotions. It was too much; they were too strong, waxing and waning furiously. Instead, he reached over and brushed his hand over Duo's eyes when he saw the boy frown slightly. "Hush. Just relax and trust me." Duo nodded. Hiro's heart clenched; Duo put faith in him so blindly, showing just how dependent the boy was.
Hiro reached over to the night stand, which was next to the head of the bed, and pulled a thin, sharp sewing needle out of the drawer. He removed Duo's thick black socks and, biting his lip, gently pricked Duo's foot. Duo didn't move. Hiro frowned, and poked him a little harder. Nothing. Feeling tears burn the back of his eyes, Hiro pushed them back and accidentally put that force used to suppress his sorrow behind his prick. The needle slipped, gashing Duo's foot open. Blood welled from the thin but deep cut and trickled down the small foot.
The warm, sticky, thick liquid falling onto his hand, which held Duo's heel, caused Hiro's head to snap up and eyes widen in horror and disbelief. He gasped softly, tears streaming freely. Hearing his soft gasp, Duo tilted his chin up. "Hiro? What's wrong? What are you doing?" Duo's strawberry lashes fluttered and Hiro whispered suddenly, desperately, fiercely, "NO!" Duo's eye movement stilled, but his lip pouted and trembled. "H-hiro?"
"It's alright, Duo. It's nothing. Hush, it's alright." He was barely able to keep his hoarse voice stable. Inside, however, it wasn't alright. He'd hurt Duo! He grasped the bleeding foot, bringing it to his chest and holding it over his heart. His head was bowed, tears spilling, his pain washing away the blood. The cold tears cut paths through the streaking blood. Hiro barely bit back a sob as his heart shattered. This had been a bad idea. A very bad idea. Hiro hadn't had control of his emotions; they had run too high, as they often had of late. He was the perfect soldier; he didn't have emotions. Then why was Duo's foot sliced and bleeding? And he couldn't feel it. He didn't even know what was happening, what Hiro had done. This was what shattered his heart and his hope. Duo couldn't feel what was happening.
Feeling a sob hitch in his throat, Hiro shook his head madly, sending his tears flying. One landed on Duo's palm, and his eyes snapped open. Shocked, wide violet eyes beheld Hiro's bent head raining tears upon his bleeding foot. "Hiro? What happened?" Hiro just shook his head, tears coming harder and shaking his body. He lowered Duo's foot and squeezed it. More blood trickled out. Duo didn't even bat an eyelash, except in extreme puzzlement and confusion. Duo couldn't see the bottom of his foot, but he saw the blood dribbling down his arm, coating his hand, and the red splattering on his white shirt, saw his small, bloody foot print on Hiro's chest. His eyes widened even further, and a shock of purple fear darkened the amethyst color, but confusion lightened it. The two shades, two emotions, conflicted wildly, battling for supremacy, caused Duo had to blink and shiver.
Hearing those words come out of Duo's full, soft lips broke the last of his restraints. "Can't you feel it? Do you feel any pain at all?" He nearly shouted at Duo, his turbulent, darkening to grey blue eyes met the shocked pale purple ones. "I- there's no pain. It can't be that bad, can it? Why is there so much blood?"
Duo's eyes suddenly clenched shut and his body started to shake. He moaned and tried to toss, only succeeding in shaking his head wildly about. One strong, forceful shadow in his mind gripped him painfully. What it was didn't make itself apparent, but one element was clear. Blood. So much of it, coating him and his surroundings. Thick, heavy, metallic blood everywhere. Blood drawn by them. "NO! NO! NO!" Duo's body shook in denial as the tried to toss off the nightmare, which wouldn't release him. Tears came freely and his breathing increased rapidly. The two mingled together, hitching in his chest and causing him to wheeze.
Hiro, seeing his distress, immediately dropped the slender foot, leaving it to bleed on the mattress and moved closer to Duo's head, grabbing him by the shoulders to stop his whip like movements. He squeezed hard and shook Duo a little roughly. Duo's fear filled eyes were thoroughly glazed over, a lost look in them. His little body stilled but was still tense as a coiled spring. "Hush, Duo, it's okay. I'm sorry. Oh, God, I'm so sorry." He reached down and pulled Duo to him, rocking him and rubbing his back as he clung to him, tears mingling with the blood on his chest and smearing onto Duo's wet face.
"H-hir-ro, m-make i-it s-st-o-p. Make it stop!" Duo gagged then screamed. Hiro gripped him fiercely, his own head bowed and his lips near Duo's ear as he whispered soothingly to him in a ragged whisper, begging and pleading. His suddenly hot tears streamed down his own face, dampening the cinnamon and honey brown hair and mingling with Duo's tears and blood. Hiro's own harsh sobs mingled with Duo's as the two clung to each other like lifelines. They were both drowning, and there was no one to save either of them. "Let me go! Leave me alone!" Duo shrieked, his loud yelp startling Hiro's swirling, clashing emotions. Duo had been so soft spoken that he had had to strain to hear every quiet word. The sudden, dramatic increase in volume had Hiro's emotions snapped off, replaced by panic and fear, which held him in a vise like grip, taking over his body and heart.
He grabbed Duo by his slender shoulders and shook him hard. His head flung back and forth like a rag doll, long, wavy hair whipping all over the place. Duo jerked, went rigid, then collapsed limply as the jarring force of Hiro's assault caused that violent shadow to be snatched back into the fog. The violent jarring of his head flinging back and forth caused his head to spin, and he felt nauseous.
Tears still streaming, heart hammering and blood pumping, Hiro brought Duo close to his chest and rubbed his back, holding him perfectly still and trying to soothe him. Duo's breath came in soft, swift little pants, but there were no tears. His eyes were closed, and he clung to Hiro, seeking reassurance, warmth, and safety, and the dark haired boy gave all he could give. Eventually, Duo's labored breathing evened out, and he rested, cat napping for about 15 or so minutes, before slowly opening his eyes ½ way.
Hiro had managed to stop his tears, but his heart was torn asunder. He hated seeing Duo like this, keeping him like this. But now wasn't the time for him to regain his memories; if Hiro could help it, he would keep the darkness away for all eternity. He couldn't stand to see Duo suffer, and he didn't want Duo to go through that hell again. The damage to Duo's soul had been done; his body and spirit had been effectively broken, and Hiro firmly believed that remembering how it had happened would shatter the fragile boy completely. Hiro couldn't allow that to happen. He had failed to protect his beloved once; he wouldn't do so again. He stroked Duo's softly rounded, lightly freckled cheek and gazed down into the partially opened, glazed eyes.
Duo's eyes were tired and confused. "Hiro, w-what h-happened?" His voice was hushed and meek.
Gentle tears of sorrow leaked out of Hiro's red rimmed eyes, and he smiled softly at Duo. Leaning forward, he planted a kiss on his forehead. "Sh. Nothing, Duo, nothing." Duo blinked and slowly raised a trembling hand to Hiro's cheek and touching a slow, cold tear. His brow furrowed in confusion, but Hiro kissed it gently, erasing the worry, then caught Duo's lowering hand in his own, bringing it to his lips and tasting the salty tinge of his own tear. As he lowered the soft, slightly chilled hand, the deep v-neck of the black tee slipped off of one fine boned shoulder to reveal darkening finger indentations, which promised to turn into hideous, painful bruises.
His eyes went shockingly wide, and his fine lower lip dropped open. Carefully, he stretched the tee's neckline all the way off of one shoulder, the moon colored flesh revealing the actions of his fear and panic. Guilt gripped his throat and urged more tears out. Hiro closed his eyes, wincing, and turned his head away, toward the bottom of the bed. Unsure of what to make of this, Duo cocked his head to one side and brought his hand half way up, hesitant to touch him. "Hiro?"
Hiro sniffed and wiped away his tears, shoving his guilt to the back of his heart with practiced ease. Having no emotions, or repressing them for so many years, had blessed Hiro with the ability to easily hide them. Although, with all the different tunes his heart had been strumming lately, it was often difficult to keep the instrument in check. Opening his eyes, he saw the splotches of drying blood on the sheets, Duo's foot, and the dried and cracking blood on his arm and shirt.
Hiro's mind instinctively clicked into what must be done. His mind mechanically calculated the steps of the mission, and he rose, leaving his emotions behind him. He lay Duo back on the pillow and brushed his bangs back before getting the medical supplies he'd need. Returning to Duo's side, he methodically cleaned the foot with aniseptic. Before he applied the healing cream across the gash, Duo's eyes caught his, and Hiro unthinkingly kissed the wound, smeared the cream, taped a big gauze square over it, and replaced Duo's sock.
He picked the shiny metal needle off of the carpet and was going to drop it in the open drawer when Duo spoke up. "It's alright, Hiro. You can, you know," He motioned with his head towards the object.
Hiro looked unwaveringly into Duo's eyes for long moments, his heart and thoughts racing like rats in a maze. How could he continue after what just happened? Yet, how could he not? He needed to know if there was any change, any improvement at all. And wasn't it better if he did this instead of taking him to Sally for medical check ups? He shook his head, wiping out the jumbled thoughts and focused on Duo's eyes, which were almost a medium purple instead of frosted plum. They were clear, bright and understanding. Hiro's lips twitched almost into a smile. Yes, he thought to himself, the old Duo was there, buried, but there. This was one of those rare moments when the real Duo would come shining through his shell, bringing hope and strength to the assassin's torn, dead heart.
Hiro's nimble fingers tightened on the needle, and he came closer to Duo's side. The boy fully relaxed into the pillows and mattress, tilting his head back and closing his eyes. Hiro gulped then pushed the pin into the very soft skin above the slim ankle. He poked his way up the slender leg and was half way up the concave stomach, about 2 inches below the sternum, when Duo flinched and gasped, his eyes flying open. Hiro smiled at the wide-eyed fear and kissed the petal soft lips until he felt him relax once more. He smiled sadly; there had been no improvement in Duo at all. He still had no feeling throughout the vast majority of his body.