Note: Hey people! Sorry it took soo long to get this chapter out. If you
don't know already, fanfiction.net has been having some problems, so I
couldn't do anything, much less log on. Anyway, this is also one of those
less action-filled chapters. I think right after this one, things will
start to really pick up. I might start to do longer chapters, too. Thank
you so much for all the wonderful reviews! I don't own Gundam Wing, 1+2+1
(changed it to be more accurate). Please read and review!
Chapter Ten
Uncertainty. Once more the impish, braided baka had managed to stir an unfamiliar emotion besides the forlorn emptiness that resided in Heero's deadened soul, bypassing his defenses as if they were not there. For a moment, the perfect soldier allowed a strange tidal of emotion to crash against him helplessly. As quickly as it came, he crushed the useless feelings, forcing them out of mind. He hid his frustration all too well from the rest of the world, but the moment violet eyes searched his own, he felt somehow lost and confused.
'It doesn't matter! We are in a damn war here.' He couldn't even summon the will required to fire a withering glare at the youth that stared at him expectantly. No, Duo didn't seem oblivious now, and he knew too much about Heero somehow. 'He can't know the location of my hangar in case I need it in the future… I only hesitated before because it would slow down our progress, my progress too much.' Duo was the one who had brought these foreign feelings to him, the one that presented the greatest risk. In one swift, efficient blow, he had rendered the boy unconscious.
He had put all his previous anger and frustration into that one stroke of his arm, on some level hoping to destroy them as he did with Duo's consciousness. Cold dark-blue eyes observed the young American's fall as it seemed to happen in slow motion. For a brief instant, surprise flashed in the widened amethyst depths. Heavy lids weighed down as his legs crumpled beneath him, dragged down by gravity. A heavy thud served as evidence of the soldier's abrupt descent to the earth. The same peaceful, angelic resemblance was graced to the Japanese youth's view again, like it was at their safehouse.
Instead of the grim satisfaction Heero had anticipated to experience, a flinch of pain and guilt rippled through his control. For a long moment, he simply stared at the American; memories of the many interactions he had shared with him in such a short amount of time flashed in his mind. 'It feels like I have known him all my life, but how can that be when I have only known him for less than a day? I can remember so vividly the conversations I have had with Duo. Why does it stand out in my mind? He manages to make me speak; he wants my trust and companionship. No one has ever wanted my opinion before, much less anything else besides my abilities. Why does he then? No one has affected me this way either. I'm not exactly sure how I feel or what I want.'
The soldier part of him protested, but for once Heero ignored it; it could not be for long however. His carefully crafted façade faltered slightly in that moment because there was no danger of Duo witnessing it. 'He is still a risk! His ways of slipping past my defenses are not to be allowed as an ally or an enemy. /If you had to kill him, would you be able to?/ Anything other than yes would be the wrong answer.' Gingerly, he lifted the teenaged boy into his strong arms, trying to neglect the reaction his senses brought about, careful about the pilot's wounds. He operated quickly, eager to be relieved of the warm weight that pressed against his chest.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Darkness swirled in Duo's mind when he slowly began to regain perception on his surroundings. He could feel every pump of blood coursing, pounding in his skull that seemed like hammers slamming against his brain. The throbbing faded to a more bearable level after a few moments of lying completely still. The braided American became aware of a light breath tickling his cheek. An unknown person loomed over his weakened body. Panic and fear coiled nauseatingly in the pit of his nervous stomach. 'What the hell happened? What's going on? Who is that guy? Where's Heero?' Mustering up all the energy he possessed to act as if he was still unconscious, Duo waited for something, any opportunity for egress from his helpless state.
He suddenly felt his chest tighten, not painfully but rather firmly under some kind of pressure. If the other had noticed him awaken, they had given no indication of his or her knowledge. 'It's now or never.' The soldier's hands flew out blindly, hoping to grasp on to his apparent captor. A split second after his attempt, he felt someone's hands clamping down his wrists immovably. Still there was no pain other than his head. 'Shit… Ugh, I feel like I have a hangover or something.' Forcing one, cobalt colored eye open, it only flew shut a moment after the piercing intrusion of a brilliant blue light flooded his swirls of black.
Blue-violet instantly snapped open once more, determined to resist the sharp pain, to glare at his assaulter. His legs lashed out at the same instant, smashing against the solidity of a wall with the unmistakable feel of human flesh. He groaned at the pain caused by the action due to his healing injuries, now exposed once more. His captor swayed slightly before recovering his/her impeccable balance. 'I will not give up damn it! Heero, where the hell are you?' Any thought flashing angrily in his mind ceased to exist as dark sapphires bored intensely into brilliant, deep purple. His fury extinguished immediately in surprise and recognition. The smallest hint of concern glowed in the Prussian blue, hidden subtly in a sea of nothing. "Hee-Heero?" a tentative voice rang out in a bare whisper of disbelief.
A whirlpool emerged suddenly at the sound in the dark ocean before dispersing even faster than it came into almost impassive ice. The same confusion glinted dully somewhere in the endless depths. "Duo," the familiar, rich sound began softly, "don't do that again." With the simple warning, Heero pushed himself away from the boy.
The pulsing in his brain lessened with each pump of his heart. The braided pilot blinked several times in session after the strange encounter. 'He knocked me out—so I wouldn't know where his gundam is. He doesn't trust me still. I know it's way too much to ask and everything, stupid even, but I can't help but want him to trust me. The way he was looking at me though…' He smiled in memory. 'It was like he was worried about me. Am I hallucinating? Why should something as small as that concern me at all? Didn't I learn the first time not to care? Distancing myself from others has worked up till now. All of a sudden, being alone sounds too—lonely. I think Heero has already managed to be my friend. Maybe a person as perfect and emotionless as him won't be hurt because of Shinigami. Is he really so cold?' Doubt swelled as the teenager recalled all the time he had spent with the Japanese soldier. 'Maybe we aren't so different.'
"Oi, Heero," the familiar grin reappeared on his heart-shaped face, "where are we going?"
"New safehouse," a murmur was caught by Duo's hearing. 'Kuso… How could I reveal that information to him?'
"Cool," he nodded satisfactorily.
'I need to explain the situation to Dr. J.' His digits fished a new laptop out from a compartment he had installed in his gundam. The impassive soldier commenced his flawless typing. The silence around him made it seem harder to work, when he was so adjusted to the lively chatter that usually floated throughout the area.
Instead his captive remained deathly quiet, examining the straps that bounded him to the gundam. Duo smiled again to himself in a soft way, unlike his previous obnoxious grins. 'Maybe he isn't so cold. Maybe he does have emotions. Maybe he cares about my safety. And I for one, do not mind, nope, not one bit.'
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Replies to reviews
Sivana Yuy- Thank you so much for reviewing! I don't know how people manage to dig out my fics when it's been so long since I have updated. Yes, I will be continuing this fic until the very end. With marching band started already, it will probably take me a little longer than usual. My usual time is within a few days or so. Thanks again! I hope you'll continue reading!
Tsuki Doriimaa- Hey! Thanks a lot for giving me a review! I really appreciate people giving me feedback. Oh yes, he has to be able to get to Heero. After all, they must be together in the end! Unless people want them to be in denial even after they get together or something. That would be interesting! I don't know about the knowing each other beforehand thing. I mean that would put a very nice twist in it, but I'm not sure if that would really make much of a difference or how to do it. If you have any ideas, never hesitate to pitch them to me!
XPKoganei4XP- Wow… That's a lot of reviews! Thank you for taking time to give me all that feedback! I can't answer all of them separately, but I will just do it all in one. Hoot hoot? Interesting! Thank you for all the compliments though. Yeah, I'll be sure to have them get down on each other in a more lime-ish way… Yeah I know what you mean about getting out of school. All these people got out a week before me or something. I got out on the third of this month because of this freaky snow day we had in March. Well anyway, keep reading!
Chibi Desty Nova- Thank you so much for reviewing! It's good to know that people continue to read this fic. I'm sorry that I can't provide lemons at this point. I suck at writing them because I'm not "experienced" or creative sexually. I mean I can do ok—but you know. Anyway, thanks again!
Marie- Thank you so much for reviewing! It's great to know that people are enjoying my fic. I'm so sorry for this long delay, but ff.net has been having some issues and stuff, so I can't even post this until Friday. It will speed up; I promise!
QueSeraSera- Oh my gosh! That was so nice for you to say about my fic! Thanks a lot for reviewing! Again, I apologize for this long delay.
Atreides- Thank you so much for the review and comments! I will definitely get them together. Don't worry about that! I'll keep more angst in mind of course. I'll write until I'm done with this series at least. Then I can concentrate on other ideas. Thanks again for all those nice things you said!
SilverShinigami- Hey hun! Thanks so much for another review! You know how frustrating ff.net has been lately. Oh well, the sooner they get it fixed, the better!
Kael Wind- Thanks a lot for the review! I hope this chapter answered your question. I'll give a little preview of what I think will happen though. Heero will have to contact Dr. J of course. He'll talk to Quatre, too. They find a new safehouse, something is wrong. Ok, I don't wanna give too much away. Anyway, thanks again!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Poll in the note
Phew! Finally, I'm done with this chapter! I think this one was kinda boring also. Oh well, I promise to make up for dullness in later chapters. There will definitely be more action later on. Thanks to all of you that have continued to read. One last thing… It's the poll I was talking about. I don't know if anyone will actually tell me, but it's worth a try. Should Heero and Duo know each in the past? I have some scenes thought out if people would want that to happen. I would love to get more reviews! Ciao!
Chapter Ten
Uncertainty. Once more the impish, braided baka had managed to stir an unfamiliar emotion besides the forlorn emptiness that resided in Heero's deadened soul, bypassing his defenses as if they were not there. For a moment, the perfect soldier allowed a strange tidal of emotion to crash against him helplessly. As quickly as it came, he crushed the useless feelings, forcing them out of mind. He hid his frustration all too well from the rest of the world, but the moment violet eyes searched his own, he felt somehow lost and confused.
'It doesn't matter! We are in a damn war here.' He couldn't even summon the will required to fire a withering glare at the youth that stared at him expectantly. No, Duo didn't seem oblivious now, and he knew too much about Heero somehow. 'He can't know the location of my hangar in case I need it in the future… I only hesitated before because it would slow down our progress, my progress too much.' Duo was the one who had brought these foreign feelings to him, the one that presented the greatest risk. In one swift, efficient blow, he had rendered the boy unconscious.
He had put all his previous anger and frustration into that one stroke of his arm, on some level hoping to destroy them as he did with Duo's consciousness. Cold dark-blue eyes observed the young American's fall as it seemed to happen in slow motion. For a brief instant, surprise flashed in the widened amethyst depths. Heavy lids weighed down as his legs crumpled beneath him, dragged down by gravity. A heavy thud served as evidence of the soldier's abrupt descent to the earth. The same peaceful, angelic resemblance was graced to the Japanese youth's view again, like it was at their safehouse.
Instead of the grim satisfaction Heero had anticipated to experience, a flinch of pain and guilt rippled through his control. For a long moment, he simply stared at the American; memories of the many interactions he had shared with him in such a short amount of time flashed in his mind. 'It feels like I have known him all my life, but how can that be when I have only known him for less than a day? I can remember so vividly the conversations I have had with Duo. Why does it stand out in my mind? He manages to make me speak; he wants my trust and companionship. No one has ever wanted my opinion before, much less anything else besides my abilities. Why does he then? No one has affected me this way either. I'm not exactly sure how I feel or what I want.'
The soldier part of him protested, but for once Heero ignored it; it could not be for long however. His carefully crafted façade faltered slightly in that moment because there was no danger of Duo witnessing it. 'He is still a risk! His ways of slipping past my defenses are not to be allowed as an ally or an enemy. /If you had to kill him, would you be able to?/ Anything other than yes would be the wrong answer.' Gingerly, he lifted the teenaged boy into his strong arms, trying to neglect the reaction his senses brought about, careful about the pilot's wounds. He operated quickly, eager to be relieved of the warm weight that pressed against his chest.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Darkness swirled in Duo's mind when he slowly began to regain perception on his surroundings. He could feel every pump of blood coursing, pounding in his skull that seemed like hammers slamming against his brain. The throbbing faded to a more bearable level after a few moments of lying completely still. The braided American became aware of a light breath tickling his cheek. An unknown person loomed over his weakened body. Panic and fear coiled nauseatingly in the pit of his nervous stomach. 'What the hell happened? What's going on? Who is that guy? Where's Heero?' Mustering up all the energy he possessed to act as if he was still unconscious, Duo waited for something, any opportunity for egress from his helpless state.
He suddenly felt his chest tighten, not painfully but rather firmly under some kind of pressure. If the other had noticed him awaken, they had given no indication of his or her knowledge. 'It's now or never.' The soldier's hands flew out blindly, hoping to grasp on to his apparent captor. A split second after his attempt, he felt someone's hands clamping down his wrists immovably. Still there was no pain other than his head. 'Shit… Ugh, I feel like I have a hangover or something.' Forcing one, cobalt colored eye open, it only flew shut a moment after the piercing intrusion of a brilliant blue light flooded his swirls of black.
Blue-violet instantly snapped open once more, determined to resist the sharp pain, to glare at his assaulter. His legs lashed out at the same instant, smashing against the solidity of a wall with the unmistakable feel of human flesh. He groaned at the pain caused by the action due to his healing injuries, now exposed once more. His captor swayed slightly before recovering his/her impeccable balance. 'I will not give up damn it! Heero, where the hell are you?' Any thought flashing angrily in his mind ceased to exist as dark sapphires bored intensely into brilliant, deep purple. His fury extinguished immediately in surprise and recognition. The smallest hint of concern glowed in the Prussian blue, hidden subtly in a sea of nothing. "Hee-Heero?" a tentative voice rang out in a bare whisper of disbelief.
A whirlpool emerged suddenly at the sound in the dark ocean before dispersing even faster than it came into almost impassive ice. The same confusion glinted dully somewhere in the endless depths. "Duo," the familiar, rich sound began softly, "don't do that again." With the simple warning, Heero pushed himself away from the boy.
The pulsing in his brain lessened with each pump of his heart. The braided pilot blinked several times in session after the strange encounter. 'He knocked me out—so I wouldn't know where his gundam is. He doesn't trust me still. I know it's way too much to ask and everything, stupid even, but I can't help but want him to trust me. The way he was looking at me though…' He smiled in memory. 'It was like he was worried about me. Am I hallucinating? Why should something as small as that concern me at all? Didn't I learn the first time not to care? Distancing myself from others has worked up till now. All of a sudden, being alone sounds too—lonely. I think Heero has already managed to be my friend. Maybe a person as perfect and emotionless as him won't be hurt because of Shinigami. Is he really so cold?' Doubt swelled as the teenager recalled all the time he had spent with the Japanese soldier. 'Maybe we aren't so different.'
"Oi, Heero," the familiar grin reappeared on his heart-shaped face, "where are we going?"
"New safehouse," a murmur was caught by Duo's hearing. 'Kuso… How could I reveal that information to him?'
"Cool," he nodded satisfactorily.
'I need to explain the situation to Dr. J.' His digits fished a new laptop out from a compartment he had installed in his gundam. The impassive soldier commenced his flawless typing. The silence around him made it seem harder to work, when he was so adjusted to the lively chatter that usually floated throughout the area.
Instead his captive remained deathly quiet, examining the straps that bounded him to the gundam. Duo smiled again to himself in a soft way, unlike his previous obnoxious grins. 'Maybe he isn't so cold. Maybe he does have emotions. Maybe he cares about my safety. And I for one, do not mind, nope, not one bit.'
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Replies to reviews
Sivana Yuy- Thank you so much for reviewing! I don't know how people manage to dig out my fics when it's been so long since I have updated. Yes, I will be continuing this fic until the very end. With marching band started already, it will probably take me a little longer than usual. My usual time is within a few days or so. Thanks again! I hope you'll continue reading!
Tsuki Doriimaa- Hey! Thanks a lot for giving me a review! I really appreciate people giving me feedback. Oh yes, he has to be able to get to Heero. After all, they must be together in the end! Unless people want them to be in denial even after they get together or something. That would be interesting! I don't know about the knowing each other beforehand thing. I mean that would put a very nice twist in it, but I'm not sure if that would really make much of a difference or how to do it. If you have any ideas, never hesitate to pitch them to me!
XPKoganei4XP- Wow… That's a lot of reviews! Thank you for taking time to give me all that feedback! I can't answer all of them separately, but I will just do it all in one. Hoot hoot? Interesting! Thank you for all the compliments though. Yeah, I'll be sure to have them get down on each other in a more lime-ish way… Yeah I know what you mean about getting out of school. All these people got out a week before me or something. I got out on the third of this month because of this freaky snow day we had in March. Well anyway, keep reading!
Chibi Desty Nova- Thank you so much for reviewing! It's good to know that people continue to read this fic. I'm sorry that I can't provide lemons at this point. I suck at writing them because I'm not "experienced" or creative sexually. I mean I can do ok—but you know. Anyway, thanks again!
Marie- Thank you so much for reviewing! It's great to know that people are enjoying my fic. I'm so sorry for this long delay, but ff.net has been having some issues and stuff, so I can't even post this until Friday. It will speed up; I promise!
QueSeraSera- Oh my gosh! That was so nice for you to say about my fic! Thanks a lot for reviewing! Again, I apologize for this long delay.
Atreides- Thank you so much for the review and comments! I will definitely get them together. Don't worry about that! I'll keep more angst in mind of course. I'll write until I'm done with this series at least. Then I can concentrate on other ideas. Thanks again for all those nice things you said!
SilverShinigami- Hey hun! Thanks so much for another review! You know how frustrating ff.net has been lately. Oh well, the sooner they get it fixed, the better!
Kael Wind- Thanks a lot for the review! I hope this chapter answered your question. I'll give a little preview of what I think will happen though. Heero will have to contact Dr. J of course. He'll talk to Quatre, too. They find a new safehouse, something is wrong. Ok, I don't wanna give too much away. Anyway, thanks again!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Poll in the note
Phew! Finally, I'm done with this chapter! I think this one was kinda boring also. Oh well, I promise to make up for dullness in later chapters. There will definitely be more action later on. Thanks to all of you that have continued to read. One last thing… It's the poll I was talking about. I don't know if anyone will actually tell me, but it's worth a try. Should Heero and Duo know each in the past? I have some scenes thought out if people would want that to happen. I would love to get more reviews! Ciao!
