Teeny yaoi, bad language, heero/wufei violence, slight angst, mini-as 3x4
hints, 1x2 at the end
Eeeps sorry for the long wait ppl, but skool was screwing me up.
Neways I'm really reeeeallly sorry cause this chapter is kinda crap, it doesn't even fit into the plot, I think I just felt like putting it there. Plus, I can't really do the other characters too well.
If you want, u can skip it all and scroll down to the last few pages cause that's prolly the only important part.
Chapter Three
"Get off him, Heero."
Quatre's voice seemed to echo in the silence.
His voice broke. "Get the fuck off him, Yuy."
Duo was too shocked to do anything, say anything, the threat to his braid forgotten. He felt a weight lift off his body, the grip on his wrists disappear. He was finally free, but Duo felt no relief.
Heero slowly rose to his feet.
Duo caught one glimpse of Heero's face, and wanted to cry. Whether it was from sadness, shock, or simply seeing that deathly cold look restored in his Hee-chan's eyes, Duo didn't know. He didn't care; he just wanted it to go away.
Duo averted his eyes.
Quatre's bright blue orbs were glistening with unshed tears, his soft features confused, yet pained. "... Duo?" He asked softly. "Don't worry, it's all over now." His voice quavered. "Heero can't touch you now."
Heero watched emotionlessly through the dark wet bangs of his hair, his expression cold. Quatre shifted, straightening his arm and aim. "Don't move Heero." He added, more softly. "How could you do this?"
Quatre's eyes filled with tears as Heero stared at him impassively. He felt so ashamed, he should have known, should have felt it in Heero. But it was too late for regrets.
"Duo? Are you hurt, Duo?"
Duo tried to speak. "H__ro wa___ __ing." He gave up, Quatre hadn't even heard the disjointed words, and his voice was too dry and raspy to be heard. He couldn't even wave his hands frantically in the air, because somewhere along the way, he'd lost the ability to move.
God Quatre, don't do anything stupid, he thought. Heero didn't do this.
Quatre clamped his teeth down on his trembling lip when Duo didn't reply. Had he misjudged Heero so badly? "I.. I'm so sorry Duo." He whispered softly. "This wasn't supposed to happen."
He'd known Duo loved Heero, and Duo was the only one Heero ever spoke a word to, as little as it was. He'd made sure they were always together, never apart. It was all his fault, and now Duo was paying for that mistake. Paying for a mistake? - God Duo had almost been raped. Quatre tasted the salty tang of blood on his tongue.
He turned to Heero. His fingers flexed around the handgun. "What were you doing, Heero?"
There was an ache in his chest. Heero's heart hurt. Was that possible? His heart didn't exist. His body was a shell for the perfect soldier, nothing more.
He shouldn't be hurting. A soldier could not afford idle things like friendship or trust. The others were useful, but the bonds forming between them compromised their worth.
Quatre's lips were moving, his eyes watering, the gun, shaking with his hand. Heero could snatch it in a second, but he allowed Quatre the illusion of control. He wasn't listening to Quatre's murmured words.
It had never occurred to him how off track he'd gotten. Fifteen years of training had produced the Perfect Soldier, the human body only a cocoon to disguise the deadly weapon inside.
Heero had been acting as though he lived. The luxuries would stop now. No more indulgence. No more emotion. No more attachment.
He felt his emotions rise in protest, but Heero clamped down coldly on what remained of his human sentiment. He felt no satisfaction when he felt the last strains of resistance from his emotions wither, and die.
"What were you doing, Heero?" Quatre.
Heero's cobalt gaze traversed the boy's face. So easily read, so vulnerable. His expressions changed constantly, from soft and compassionate to hard and determined. Now, what Heero felt, he saw reflected in Quatre's eyes. To a lesser degree, to be sure, but the cold was there.
A seed of contamination that would only grow with time.
The anger changed to a despairing plea. "Heero, answer me. Tell me I'm wrong."
Tell Quatre he was wrong? Why bother? Heero could treat this scenario as a test of Doctor J's. Would the perfect soldier cling to the relationships that every human craved, or would he shove them aside, and fire the gun? Destroy those who loved him?
"Good boy, Heero." Doctor J praised. "It was for the best, the little girl would have interfered with the mission, anyway."
"So it's true?" Quatre's voice was thick with grief and sorrow.
Heero blocked the wash of anguish from his mind. No, it did not matter that Quatre thought that he had tried to rape Duo. Quatre was the child of natural empathy, reader of hearts, prince of all compassion, and he believed Heero had tried to rape Duo.
Good.
Let him think what he wanted.
The pounding of swift feet alerted the other pilots to Wufei's approach. The chinese boy swung around the corner and skidded to a halt when he saw the standoff. His eyes flew from Quatre, to Heero, and then finally, to Duo. His black gaze smouldered as understanding dawned.
No one spoke a word. Wufei's gaze flicked back to Duo, and slid up until it fastened, dangerously hard on the other boy. There was a long, tense silence, as the others waited for him to react.
"Wufei___" Trowa spoke for the first time.
In a flash Wufei whipped out his sword and held it at the ready, facing Heero.
"You bastard," he hissed through clenched teeth. "You fucking bastard."
Duo felt so helpless, more so than he usually did as he watched the scene unfold. "Heer___" Sharp pains lanced up his throat, cutting him off. Damnit! This would screw everything up!
Wufei snarled. "I never knew you possessed no honour."
Heero's honourable! Duo wanted to shout. Why wasn't the bastard sticking up for himself? Duo tried to, managing only a rasping croak, which caused more pain than it was worth.
"You're pathetic, Yuy."
Damnit why wasn't Heero denying it? His eyes shifted from Wufei to Heero.
Oh FUCK. Heero's face was like sculpt glass, just as beautiful, and just as lifeless. No one else seemed to know, but Duo knew every glare, look or stare Heero had, and he'd given them all names too.
Duo could feel and see what Heero's mind was doing, ready to attack at any second, and annihilate all the people within a thirty-mile radius. He shuddered. He hadn't seen that look so severe since a year ago.
"You couldn't even have him without hurting him, could you?"
Shut up Wufei! He couldn't lose Heero now. What shreds of emotion Heero had shown him would never be seen again, and Duo wasn't sure if he could handle that.
Duo felt tears sting his eyes, and reflexively shut his lids.
He heard the soft footfalls of feet on the carpet coming closer, but ignored them. There was a tingling in his limbs, and it wasn't the warm, happy tingling he felt when he saw Heero.
Hands as gentle as any medic's picked up his.
Duo's eyes popped open. Wufei. Wufei?
Wufei stared into Duo's eyes with an intensity that frightened him. Words flowed from his unmoving lips, usually so animated. "Do you want me to kill him, Duo?"
Duo's heartbeat rose with panic.
"I'll kill him for you, Duo. All you have to do is ask."
Wufei really meant it. He really meant it. If Duo said the word, he would hunt Heero down until he was within the last hour of his life, if that was what it took.
Duo's eyes became frantic, but Wufei wasn't looking. Instead, he was turning Duo's arm in his hands, examining the bruises. "Jesus, Duo." He muttered. "What did he do to you?"
Duo's pulls were futile; his strength was waning considerably, and the tingling was shifting into burning, in his blood. Duo's eyes unfocused, focused, unfocused, focused____
"Duo?"
Duo moaned and arched his back off the floor as every muscle in his body constricted. His arms, legs, back, neck, even the blood stopped dead in his veins. What was happening to him? His vision blurred, making Wufei nothing more than an obscure impression in a screen of colour.
Wufei gnashed his teeth together when he saw Duo's eyes glaze. "I'll get him for this." He growled.
Quatre was rooted to the spot, his aim wavering dangerously. The impact of Heero, Duo and Wufei's emotions was taking its toll on his body, and his hands trembled as he clutched the handgun.
Wufei had stepped far beyond the line, some of those words would be forever withstanding, impossible to take back. If ever they did mend the friendship, the relationship between Heero and Wufei would be tenuous, at best.
Quatre swayed on his feet.
"Heero," he uttered softly. He was so tired. "Move.. over there."
Wufei swiftly rose from his kneel beside Duo, his hatred rising at the same speed.
He stalked up to the emotionless pilot and grabbed a handful of his shirt. He slapped the other boy on the face. "You bastard," He snarled. "What the fuck were you thinking?"
"Did you think we'd just let you get away with it?" Heero didn't respond. "Say something, you emotionless fuck!"
Heero didn't blink; his large, beautiful eyes deadpan. Wufei bowed his head as if in submission, but his soft, vicious snarl rose up to reach everyone's ears. "You disgust me." He said, his tongue thick with loathing. "To think I respected you once."
Wufei raised his hand to slap Heero again.
Heero caught Wufei's wrist in a vice-like grip, and in a second the boy was on his knees, snarling in pain. Quatre levelled his weapon in warning, but Heero ignored it. He'd been shot before.
Heero clamped his other hand down on Wufei's jaw. The boy immediately countered and latched onto Heero's wrist with his free hand, but Heero's grip only tightened. Wufei growled, unable to pull away as Heero forced his chin within inches from the ground
"Was this the same trick you used on Duo?" He snarled.
Heero dug his fingers deeper into the boy's jawbone.
"Let go of him!" Quatre cried, as if awakening from a daze.
A smirk whispered across Heero's lips. He stood, releasing Wufei so fast the boy was hurtled backwards by his own pull.
Wufei staggered backwards a few steps before he regained his balance. Heero watched vacantly, undaunted when Wufei raised his eyes and matched Heero's with a glare of his own. Heero recognized it as defence for his humiliation and felt no pleasure in Wufei's weakness. The victory had felt empty, the smirk, purely one for show.
Heero diverted his attention to Quatre as the boy took a shaky step forward.
Quatre's eyes shimmered like small, sky-blue crystals, and the angel's words were filled with emotion and despair. "Heero.. aren't you even the slightest bit sorry?"
"For what." Heero replied coldly.
Quatre trembled and bit his lip. "For hurting Duo?"
"No." He answered flatly.
Twin tears rolled down Quatre's cheeks, his voice soft when he spoke. "You must, Heero. There must be some part of you that feels regret."
There was a long pause.
"There is."
Quatre's eyes grew wide with hope, and Heero looked at Duo. Heero raised his eyes; his voice cutting like cold steel. "I regret not finishing the job."
The light in Quatre's sweet face went out.
There was a violent snarl as Wufei launched himself at Heero. Heero spun to meet Wufei inches before he hit. His arm caught Wufei in the stomach, and he was flung backwards until he hit the wall with a sharp crack, the timber splitting.
Heero turned back to Quatre, emotionless. Instead of the anger he expected, he faced mournful blue eyes.
"I'm sorry, Heero. I'm so sorry I couldn't heal you."
"Heal what." It wasn't a question.
Wufei coughed, and laughed from where he sat. Heero turned. Wufei's head ducked, as he laughed some more. When he looked up, he spoke, his voice dripping with venom. "You're right, Yuy."
His gaze slid to the other pilot. "There's nothing left to heal Quatre. Don't bother. He's already dead."
Duo's temples ached; he'd heard nothing of the continuing dialogue. The cramps had ended, but now a dull ache thrummed in his veins. His vision hadn't cleared, and nor had his mind. God, he wanted to sleep. But Duo needed to stay awake for Heero.
Heero glanced at Wufei, Duo, and slammed a wall down on his guilt. No more. He pivoted and headed for the door, leaving a ribbon of chilled air behind him. Quatre shook the handgun at him, but Heero just shoved the smaller pilot aside. The empath would never shoot one he had once called 'friend.'
Heero walked down the corridor.
"Fuck you, Yuy!" He heard Wufei call after him.
Heero kept walking.
He felt nothing.
Nothing.
When Heero had left, Quatre had slumped against the wall, his grief and exhaustion, painfully clear. He'd reached for Trowa, but the boy had already gone.
Despite Quatre's objections; Wufei had hoisted the squirming boy over his shoulder, ignoring his own pain, and carried Quatre to the door, himself.
Duo heard Wufei walk in. He could feel his voice returning, but blackness still clouded the corners of his eyes. Duo's mind felt like a puddle of goo, and it was difficult to focus on the swimming images before him.
Wufei knelt down beside Duo, wincing. Duo blinked at the three Wufeis' flanking him.
"Wu-man." Duo croaked.
All four Wufeis' scowled at him fondly. "What, baka?"
Duo whimpered as pain flared and subsided, surprised to see a flicker of concern cross Wufei's features.
"Stop acting like an onna and speak up." The Wufeis' growled.
Duo choked on a laugh. Unsure who to stare at, he looked at Left Wufei. "Ki__sama." He threw back.
Wufei grinned, something very new to him, obviously.
Something Heero would usually say chose that moment to pop into Duo's head, and Duo was amazed he had so little control that the word actually escaped his lips. "Mi_on."
"The mission?" Duo didn't answer, his strength failing. Wufei's face puckered in a frown as he thought about it. Finally, his face formed that familiar scowl. "Fuck the mission."
Duo didn't hear Wufei answer, he was already asleep.
The moment he stepped inside his room, Quatre dropped to his knees. He'd failed Duo. No. He'd failed them all.
He just hadn't believed that Heero was what he'd pretended to be. He'd known he wasn't. The pain that plagued Heero made Quatre feel for him more than any of the others. His anguish was locked inside him with such intensity that it had the capacity to destroy Quatre's mind. Were it not for Heero's ability to bar his emotions, Quatre risked coma every time Heero felt.
It hadn't occurred to him that suffering changed a person. He hadn't realised that those with the cruellest pasts, were often the cruellest of all.
The first wave of Duo's blind terror had hit Quatre with the force of a brick wall. He'd crumpled to the floor, and only with Trowa's help, gotten to his feet. His mind still throbbing with emotion that wasn't his, Quatre and Trowa had run down the hall to Duo's room.
At first, Quatre had thought he'd been mistaken, his head screaming at him that the scene before him wasn't real. He'd seen Heero pinning down Duo's body, and Duo, pleading with all his heart, for Heero to stop.
Quatre closed his eyes against the image, willing it to disappear. It faded, but it buried itself in Quatre's memory, forever preserved in his archive of pain.
Quatre put his hands over his face. A long moment passed, before he started crying. Soft, weeping sobs that no one could outside his room could hear. He yearned to be comforted by Trowa's long arms wrapping around him, soothing his pain. He longed for those sensual lips to kiss him, just once, and take all the hurt away.
God, it would have been enough to simply be near him.
Quatre's shoulders sagged.
But what was he saying? He didn't even deserve Trowa.
Trowa stared silently at Heero, evaluating what he'd seen and evaluating what he was seeing now.
Trowa had seen true panic in Duo's eyes when Wufei had spoken to him. He'd been unable to speak or move, but his emotions were alert, and sometimes, they spoke better to Trowa than Duo's mouth.
And now Heero, who stood before him, regarded Trowa with eyes so deathly cold even Trowa dared not look at them for long. It was as if a layer of his humanity had been stripped away.
"You didn't try to rape him."
There was no relief in Heero's eyes, just cold confirmation. "Yes."
Trowa nodded. "You won't tell them?"
"No."
Trowa paused. "Duo will."
"No."
"No?"
"Hn. I threatened to cut his braid."
"He'll forgive you," Trowa replied simply. Duo would.
He waited for Heero to respond, but the other boy said nothing, staring emotionlessly.
Did Heero want forgiveness? Duo had stirred emotions that Heero had been trained to lock away until death. He'd never objected at their assumptions, because he needed them to go away, to stop caring.
Heero was silent, so Trowa gave a soft, uncharacteristic sigh. "You don't understand what Duo feels for you, Heero."
Heero jerked his head up, but his face remained impassive.
"He'll forgive you, no matter what you do."
Heero automatically slowed his heartbeat to its natural pace. He was unwilling to acknowledge it, but the walls he'd set up around himself were slowly eroding at the edges. Duo, he knew, was the source of this danger, and yet he listened still.
"Duo's ill, Heero." Trowa turned around so his back was facing Heero. "If you care at all, you'll see him soon." He began walking away.
Heero blinked. Duo was ill? But their blood had been pumped with chemicals, to make them immune to all forms of illness.
Heero clenched his hands into fists as he watched Trowa's back retreat, his knuckles bloodless as he struggled between Stressed Teenager and Perfect Soldier.
The Perfect Soldier won. "What of the mission?"
Trowa pulled to halt, and slowly swivelled around. His eyes almost looked pained. "When?"
"Fifteen minutes."
Trowa's heart ached as he thought of the blond angel in his room, probably tearing himself apart with guilt.
"Will you see Duo?"
"No."
Trowa's eyes glazed slightly. I'm sorry, Little One. His lips barely moved when he spoke, "I'll be ready."
The next day...
Duo woke in the darkness. So dark.
The curtains parted and sunshine flooded the room. Duo brushed his bangs from his eyes and smiled sheepishly to himself. Whoops.
Purely out of habit, he glanced sideways to look at Heero. His eyes widened when he saw Quatre sitting there, cross-legged, on a bed of sweet sunshine, looking as innocent as you please.
"Goodmorning Duo." Quatre smiled.
Duo blinked. Heero had never, ever, allowed anyone beside himself, on his bed. He blinked again. Not that Heero owned a bed of sweet sunshine.
Still half-asleep, he asked. "Where's Heero?"
Duo watched with fascination, as Quatre's face of an angel went blank. He'd have to tell them the truth about Heero. "Heero's on a mission." The expression crumbled. "With Trowa."
Heero was on a mission? Shit! Duo scrambled out of bed, surprised to find himself clad only in boxers.
He spun around and sprinted for the door, but Quatre caught his elbow. "What's wrong, Duo?" Quatre asked, slightly frightened.
"That mission was for all five of us, Quat! Not two!"
Quatre's face paled. "But Trowa said we were only backup___"
"TROWA LIED!" Duo shouted into the astonished boy's face. He ripped himself out of Quatre's grasp, whirled around, and spun out the door, ramming his shoulder clumsily into the frame as he went.
Quatre scurried outside, and watched in horror as Duo's Deathscythe lifted up into the air. He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled. "DUO!"
But the other couldn't see him, let alone hear him. The wind forced his hair back, and whipped his clothes against his body, silencing Quatre's cries of "DUO!!!"
Quatre threw up his arms to shield his face as the wind increased, almost throwing him backwards on the dirt. "DUO!!!" He tried one last time.
He was too late. By the time the gust had died, Duo's gundam was already flying off into the sun. Quatre blinked, watching the last speck of the Deathscythe vanish. He didn't look away as he said softly. "Be careful, Duo."
Duo stared at the hole Heero had referred to as a cabin. He checked the map again. Yup, this was definitely it.
He climbed through the wilderness before him, snapping thick roots and squelching teeny plants. When he stumbled out, he turned around, only to see a long trail of squashed vegetation that clearly marked his tracks.
He looked around sheepishly, glad that Heero wasn't there to scold him. If he had been, they'd probably have spent the whole day reshaping each blade of grass until it looked exactly the same as it had, before he'd come along.
Duo swung himself up on what appeared to be the veranda, pocketing his map. He leapt over the railing and began stomping horrendously loud outside the ranch slider.
If he made enough noise, Heero would know it was Duo, and not attack him, for once.
After completing about twenty circles, Duo was getting bored, not to mention dizzy. Figuring that the two pilots weren't in, he squatted down outside the door, leaning his back against the glass.
He began dozing after a while, swatting flies and yawning. Duo became so docile he didn't notice when the glass door slid open. Duo yelped and fell backwards in surprise, equally surprised when strong olive-skinned arms caught him before he hit the floor.
Duo blinked his big violet eyes. He beamed. "Hey Hee-chan!"
Heero didn't let go. He wrapped his hand around Duo's braid and pulled his fingers down the entire length of it.
Duo's first reaction was to panic, given what had happened the last time Heero had pulled on his braid. He tensed, ready to bolt, until after a few sensual caresses, when he realised that the emotionless pilot was actually stroking it.
There were two parts of Duo that gave him amazing, sensual pleasure when they were touched. The first was his dick, and the second was his hair.
Duo closed his eyes and shuddered. "Hee-eero stop." He half-whimpered.
Heero let Duo go so fast he hit the floorboards with a loud thud. "Owww," Duo whined. Damn, he hadn't actually meant for Heero to do it.
He tried to sit up, but Heero swung a leg across his hips, so that he straddled Duo's thighs. Duo stopped in surprise, unsure what to do. Heero solved that problem when he shifted on top of Duo. Duo bit back a moan, using all his power not to arch against him. Then Heero took hold of his braid again, stroking.
"Why are you here, Duo?"
"Th-the," Duo couldn't stand it, not both areas being stimulated at the one time. "Mi-mmmphi-ssion." He moaned.
"How did you get here?"
Duo couldn't speak he was in so much ecstasy. Heero had to know, of course he knew. Bastard.
Heero slowed his hands, and a small whimper escaped Duo's throat. "How did you get here, Duo?"
Duo opened his eyes, aware that the tone of voice Heero used had changed. He still couldn't think straight, but his scrambled memory searched for an answer. "Gundam." He blurted.
The hands stopped dead, so did Duo.
Duo flinched at the hand that slammed against the floorboard beside his head.
"What did you say?"
The End of Chapter 3
Please please review, I need to know especially what I should do to this chapter cause it sounds so crap! I fink I made the guys too emotional again. But please say something nice too cause then I'll be inspired to write
Ooh and if ure wondering why duo couldn't move n stuff, I tell u in the next chapter. Don't expect any revelation :s
Expect chap 4 in min 2 days max 4
Neways, luv u all
chowchow
Eeeps sorry for the long wait ppl, but skool was screwing me up.
Neways I'm really reeeeallly sorry cause this chapter is kinda crap, it doesn't even fit into the plot, I think I just felt like putting it there. Plus, I can't really do the other characters too well.
If you want, u can skip it all and scroll down to the last few pages cause that's prolly the only important part.
Chapter Three
"Get off him, Heero."
Quatre's voice seemed to echo in the silence.
His voice broke. "Get the fuck off him, Yuy."
Duo was too shocked to do anything, say anything, the threat to his braid forgotten. He felt a weight lift off his body, the grip on his wrists disappear. He was finally free, but Duo felt no relief.
Heero slowly rose to his feet.
Duo caught one glimpse of Heero's face, and wanted to cry. Whether it was from sadness, shock, or simply seeing that deathly cold look restored in his Hee-chan's eyes, Duo didn't know. He didn't care; he just wanted it to go away.
Duo averted his eyes.
Quatre's bright blue orbs were glistening with unshed tears, his soft features confused, yet pained. "... Duo?" He asked softly. "Don't worry, it's all over now." His voice quavered. "Heero can't touch you now."
Heero watched emotionlessly through the dark wet bangs of his hair, his expression cold. Quatre shifted, straightening his arm and aim. "Don't move Heero." He added, more softly. "How could you do this?"
Quatre's eyes filled with tears as Heero stared at him impassively. He felt so ashamed, he should have known, should have felt it in Heero. But it was too late for regrets.
"Duo? Are you hurt, Duo?"
Duo tried to speak. "H__ro wa___ __ing." He gave up, Quatre hadn't even heard the disjointed words, and his voice was too dry and raspy to be heard. He couldn't even wave his hands frantically in the air, because somewhere along the way, he'd lost the ability to move.
God Quatre, don't do anything stupid, he thought. Heero didn't do this.
Quatre clamped his teeth down on his trembling lip when Duo didn't reply. Had he misjudged Heero so badly? "I.. I'm so sorry Duo." He whispered softly. "This wasn't supposed to happen."
He'd known Duo loved Heero, and Duo was the only one Heero ever spoke a word to, as little as it was. He'd made sure they were always together, never apart. It was all his fault, and now Duo was paying for that mistake. Paying for a mistake? - God Duo had almost been raped. Quatre tasted the salty tang of blood on his tongue.
He turned to Heero. His fingers flexed around the handgun. "What were you doing, Heero?"
There was an ache in his chest. Heero's heart hurt. Was that possible? His heart didn't exist. His body was a shell for the perfect soldier, nothing more.
He shouldn't be hurting. A soldier could not afford idle things like friendship or trust. The others were useful, but the bonds forming between them compromised their worth.
Quatre's lips were moving, his eyes watering, the gun, shaking with his hand. Heero could snatch it in a second, but he allowed Quatre the illusion of control. He wasn't listening to Quatre's murmured words.
It had never occurred to him how off track he'd gotten. Fifteen years of training had produced the Perfect Soldier, the human body only a cocoon to disguise the deadly weapon inside.
Heero had been acting as though he lived. The luxuries would stop now. No more indulgence. No more emotion. No more attachment.
He felt his emotions rise in protest, but Heero clamped down coldly on what remained of his human sentiment. He felt no satisfaction when he felt the last strains of resistance from his emotions wither, and die.
"What were you doing, Heero?" Quatre.
Heero's cobalt gaze traversed the boy's face. So easily read, so vulnerable. His expressions changed constantly, from soft and compassionate to hard and determined. Now, what Heero felt, he saw reflected in Quatre's eyes. To a lesser degree, to be sure, but the cold was there.
A seed of contamination that would only grow with time.
The anger changed to a despairing plea. "Heero, answer me. Tell me I'm wrong."
Tell Quatre he was wrong? Why bother? Heero could treat this scenario as a test of Doctor J's. Would the perfect soldier cling to the relationships that every human craved, or would he shove them aside, and fire the gun? Destroy those who loved him?
"Good boy, Heero." Doctor J praised. "It was for the best, the little girl would have interfered with the mission, anyway."
"So it's true?" Quatre's voice was thick with grief and sorrow.
Heero blocked the wash of anguish from his mind. No, it did not matter that Quatre thought that he had tried to rape Duo. Quatre was the child of natural empathy, reader of hearts, prince of all compassion, and he believed Heero had tried to rape Duo.
Good.
Let him think what he wanted.
The pounding of swift feet alerted the other pilots to Wufei's approach. The chinese boy swung around the corner and skidded to a halt when he saw the standoff. His eyes flew from Quatre, to Heero, and then finally, to Duo. His black gaze smouldered as understanding dawned.
No one spoke a word. Wufei's gaze flicked back to Duo, and slid up until it fastened, dangerously hard on the other boy. There was a long, tense silence, as the others waited for him to react.
"Wufei___" Trowa spoke for the first time.
In a flash Wufei whipped out his sword and held it at the ready, facing Heero.
"You bastard," he hissed through clenched teeth. "You fucking bastard."
Duo felt so helpless, more so than he usually did as he watched the scene unfold. "Heer___" Sharp pains lanced up his throat, cutting him off. Damnit! This would screw everything up!
Wufei snarled. "I never knew you possessed no honour."
Heero's honourable! Duo wanted to shout. Why wasn't the bastard sticking up for himself? Duo tried to, managing only a rasping croak, which caused more pain than it was worth.
"You're pathetic, Yuy."
Damnit why wasn't Heero denying it? His eyes shifted from Wufei to Heero.
Oh FUCK. Heero's face was like sculpt glass, just as beautiful, and just as lifeless. No one else seemed to know, but Duo knew every glare, look or stare Heero had, and he'd given them all names too.
Duo could feel and see what Heero's mind was doing, ready to attack at any second, and annihilate all the people within a thirty-mile radius. He shuddered. He hadn't seen that look so severe since a year ago.
"You couldn't even have him without hurting him, could you?"
Shut up Wufei! He couldn't lose Heero now. What shreds of emotion Heero had shown him would never be seen again, and Duo wasn't sure if he could handle that.
Duo felt tears sting his eyes, and reflexively shut his lids.
He heard the soft footfalls of feet on the carpet coming closer, but ignored them. There was a tingling in his limbs, and it wasn't the warm, happy tingling he felt when he saw Heero.
Hands as gentle as any medic's picked up his.
Duo's eyes popped open. Wufei. Wufei?
Wufei stared into Duo's eyes with an intensity that frightened him. Words flowed from his unmoving lips, usually so animated. "Do you want me to kill him, Duo?"
Duo's heartbeat rose with panic.
"I'll kill him for you, Duo. All you have to do is ask."
Wufei really meant it. He really meant it. If Duo said the word, he would hunt Heero down until he was within the last hour of his life, if that was what it took.
Duo's eyes became frantic, but Wufei wasn't looking. Instead, he was turning Duo's arm in his hands, examining the bruises. "Jesus, Duo." He muttered. "What did he do to you?"
Duo's pulls were futile; his strength was waning considerably, and the tingling was shifting into burning, in his blood. Duo's eyes unfocused, focused, unfocused, focused____
"Duo?"
Duo moaned and arched his back off the floor as every muscle in his body constricted. His arms, legs, back, neck, even the blood stopped dead in his veins. What was happening to him? His vision blurred, making Wufei nothing more than an obscure impression in a screen of colour.
Wufei gnashed his teeth together when he saw Duo's eyes glaze. "I'll get him for this." He growled.
Quatre was rooted to the spot, his aim wavering dangerously. The impact of Heero, Duo and Wufei's emotions was taking its toll on his body, and his hands trembled as he clutched the handgun.
Wufei had stepped far beyond the line, some of those words would be forever withstanding, impossible to take back. If ever they did mend the friendship, the relationship between Heero and Wufei would be tenuous, at best.
Quatre swayed on his feet.
"Heero," he uttered softly. He was so tired. "Move.. over there."
Wufei swiftly rose from his kneel beside Duo, his hatred rising at the same speed.
He stalked up to the emotionless pilot and grabbed a handful of his shirt. He slapped the other boy on the face. "You bastard," He snarled. "What the fuck were you thinking?"
"Did you think we'd just let you get away with it?" Heero didn't respond. "Say something, you emotionless fuck!"
Heero didn't blink; his large, beautiful eyes deadpan. Wufei bowed his head as if in submission, but his soft, vicious snarl rose up to reach everyone's ears. "You disgust me." He said, his tongue thick with loathing. "To think I respected you once."
Wufei raised his hand to slap Heero again.
Heero caught Wufei's wrist in a vice-like grip, and in a second the boy was on his knees, snarling in pain. Quatre levelled his weapon in warning, but Heero ignored it. He'd been shot before.
Heero clamped his other hand down on Wufei's jaw. The boy immediately countered and latched onto Heero's wrist with his free hand, but Heero's grip only tightened. Wufei growled, unable to pull away as Heero forced his chin within inches from the ground
"Was this the same trick you used on Duo?" He snarled.
Heero dug his fingers deeper into the boy's jawbone.
"Let go of him!" Quatre cried, as if awakening from a daze.
A smirk whispered across Heero's lips. He stood, releasing Wufei so fast the boy was hurtled backwards by his own pull.
Wufei staggered backwards a few steps before he regained his balance. Heero watched vacantly, undaunted when Wufei raised his eyes and matched Heero's with a glare of his own. Heero recognized it as defence for his humiliation and felt no pleasure in Wufei's weakness. The victory had felt empty, the smirk, purely one for show.
Heero diverted his attention to Quatre as the boy took a shaky step forward.
Quatre's eyes shimmered like small, sky-blue crystals, and the angel's words were filled with emotion and despair. "Heero.. aren't you even the slightest bit sorry?"
"For what." Heero replied coldly.
Quatre trembled and bit his lip. "For hurting Duo?"
"No." He answered flatly.
Twin tears rolled down Quatre's cheeks, his voice soft when he spoke. "You must, Heero. There must be some part of you that feels regret."
There was a long pause.
"There is."
Quatre's eyes grew wide with hope, and Heero looked at Duo. Heero raised his eyes; his voice cutting like cold steel. "I regret not finishing the job."
The light in Quatre's sweet face went out.
There was a violent snarl as Wufei launched himself at Heero. Heero spun to meet Wufei inches before he hit. His arm caught Wufei in the stomach, and he was flung backwards until he hit the wall with a sharp crack, the timber splitting.
Heero turned back to Quatre, emotionless. Instead of the anger he expected, he faced mournful blue eyes.
"I'm sorry, Heero. I'm so sorry I couldn't heal you."
"Heal what." It wasn't a question.
Wufei coughed, and laughed from where he sat. Heero turned. Wufei's head ducked, as he laughed some more. When he looked up, he spoke, his voice dripping with venom. "You're right, Yuy."
His gaze slid to the other pilot. "There's nothing left to heal Quatre. Don't bother. He's already dead."
Duo's temples ached; he'd heard nothing of the continuing dialogue. The cramps had ended, but now a dull ache thrummed in his veins. His vision hadn't cleared, and nor had his mind. God, he wanted to sleep. But Duo needed to stay awake for Heero.
Heero glanced at Wufei, Duo, and slammed a wall down on his guilt. No more. He pivoted and headed for the door, leaving a ribbon of chilled air behind him. Quatre shook the handgun at him, but Heero just shoved the smaller pilot aside. The empath would never shoot one he had once called 'friend.'
Heero walked down the corridor.
"Fuck you, Yuy!" He heard Wufei call after him.
Heero kept walking.
He felt nothing.
Nothing.
When Heero had left, Quatre had slumped against the wall, his grief and exhaustion, painfully clear. He'd reached for Trowa, but the boy had already gone.
Despite Quatre's objections; Wufei had hoisted the squirming boy over his shoulder, ignoring his own pain, and carried Quatre to the door, himself.
Duo heard Wufei walk in. He could feel his voice returning, but blackness still clouded the corners of his eyes. Duo's mind felt like a puddle of goo, and it was difficult to focus on the swimming images before him.
Wufei knelt down beside Duo, wincing. Duo blinked at the three Wufeis' flanking him.
"Wu-man." Duo croaked.
All four Wufeis' scowled at him fondly. "What, baka?"
Duo whimpered as pain flared and subsided, surprised to see a flicker of concern cross Wufei's features.
"Stop acting like an onna and speak up." The Wufeis' growled.
Duo choked on a laugh. Unsure who to stare at, he looked at Left Wufei. "Ki__sama." He threw back.
Wufei grinned, something very new to him, obviously.
Something Heero would usually say chose that moment to pop into Duo's head, and Duo was amazed he had so little control that the word actually escaped his lips. "Mi_on."
"The mission?" Duo didn't answer, his strength failing. Wufei's face puckered in a frown as he thought about it. Finally, his face formed that familiar scowl. "Fuck the mission."
Duo didn't hear Wufei answer, he was already asleep.
The moment he stepped inside his room, Quatre dropped to his knees. He'd failed Duo. No. He'd failed them all.
He just hadn't believed that Heero was what he'd pretended to be. He'd known he wasn't. The pain that plagued Heero made Quatre feel for him more than any of the others. His anguish was locked inside him with such intensity that it had the capacity to destroy Quatre's mind. Were it not for Heero's ability to bar his emotions, Quatre risked coma every time Heero felt.
It hadn't occurred to him that suffering changed a person. He hadn't realised that those with the cruellest pasts, were often the cruellest of all.
The first wave of Duo's blind terror had hit Quatre with the force of a brick wall. He'd crumpled to the floor, and only with Trowa's help, gotten to his feet. His mind still throbbing with emotion that wasn't his, Quatre and Trowa had run down the hall to Duo's room.
At first, Quatre had thought he'd been mistaken, his head screaming at him that the scene before him wasn't real. He'd seen Heero pinning down Duo's body, and Duo, pleading with all his heart, for Heero to stop.
Quatre closed his eyes against the image, willing it to disappear. It faded, but it buried itself in Quatre's memory, forever preserved in his archive of pain.
Quatre put his hands over his face. A long moment passed, before he started crying. Soft, weeping sobs that no one could outside his room could hear. He yearned to be comforted by Trowa's long arms wrapping around him, soothing his pain. He longed for those sensual lips to kiss him, just once, and take all the hurt away.
God, it would have been enough to simply be near him.
Quatre's shoulders sagged.
But what was he saying? He didn't even deserve Trowa.
Trowa stared silently at Heero, evaluating what he'd seen and evaluating what he was seeing now.
Trowa had seen true panic in Duo's eyes when Wufei had spoken to him. He'd been unable to speak or move, but his emotions were alert, and sometimes, they spoke better to Trowa than Duo's mouth.
And now Heero, who stood before him, regarded Trowa with eyes so deathly cold even Trowa dared not look at them for long. It was as if a layer of his humanity had been stripped away.
"You didn't try to rape him."
There was no relief in Heero's eyes, just cold confirmation. "Yes."
Trowa nodded. "You won't tell them?"
"No."
Trowa paused. "Duo will."
"No."
"No?"
"Hn. I threatened to cut his braid."
"He'll forgive you," Trowa replied simply. Duo would.
He waited for Heero to respond, but the other boy said nothing, staring emotionlessly.
Did Heero want forgiveness? Duo had stirred emotions that Heero had been trained to lock away until death. He'd never objected at their assumptions, because he needed them to go away, to stop caring.
Heero was silent, so Trowa gave a soft, uncharacteristic sigh. "You don't understand what Duo feels for you, Heero."
Heero jerked his head up, but his face remained impassive.
"He'll forgive you, no matter what you do."
Heero automatically slowed his heartbeat to its natural pace. He was unwilling to acknowledge it, but the walls he'd set up around himself were slowly eroding at the edges. Duo, he knew, was the source of this danger, and yet he listened still.
"Duo's ill, Heero." Trowa turned around so his back was facing Heero. "If you care at all, you'll see him soon." He began walking away.
Heero blinked. Duo was ill? But their blood had been pumped with chemicals, to make them immune to all forms of illness.
Heero clenched his hands into fists as he watched Trowa's back retreat, his knuckles bloodless as he struggled between Stressed Teenager and Perfect Soldier.
The Perfect Soldier won. "What of the mission?"
Trowa pulled to halt, and slowly swivelled around. His eyes almost looked pained. "When?"
"Fifteen minutes."
Trowa's heart ached as he thought of the blond angel in his room, probably tearing himself apart with guilt.
"Will you see Duo?"
"No."
Trowa's eyes glazed slightly. I'm sorry, Little One. His lips barely moved when he spoke, "I'll be ready."
The next day...
Duo woke in the darkness. So dark.
The curtains parted and sunshine flooded the room. Duo brushed his bangs from his eyes and smiled sheepishly to himself. Whoops.
Purely out of habit, he glanced sideways to look at Heero. His eyes widened when he saw Quatre sitting there, cross-legged, on a bed of sweet sunshine, looking as innocent as you please.
"Goodmorning Duo." Quatre smiled.
Duo blinked. Heero had never, ever, allowed anyone beside himself, on his bed. He blinked again. Not that Heero owned a bed of sweet sunshine.
Still half-asleep, he asked. "Where's Heero?"
Duo watched with fascination, as Quatre's face of an angel went blank. He'd have to tell them the truth about Heero. "Heero's on a mission." The expression crumbled. "With Trowa."
Heero was on a mission? Shit! Duo scrambled out of bed, surprised to find himself clad only in boxers.
He spun around and sprinted for the door, but Quatre caught his elbow. "What's wrong, Duo?" Quatre asked, slightly frightened.
"That mission was for all five of us, Quat! Not two!"
Quatre's face paled. "But Trowa said we were only backup___"
"TROWA LIED!" Duo shouted into the astonished boy's face. He ripped himself out of Quatre's grasp, whirled around, and spun out the door, ramming his shoulder clumsily into the frame as he went.
Quatre scurried outside, and watched in horror as Duo's Deathscythe lifted up into the air. He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled. "DUO!"
But the other couldn't see him, let alone hear him. The wind forced his hair back, and whipped his clothes against his body, silencing Quatre's cries of "DUO!!!"
Quatre threw up his arms to shield his face as the wind increased, almost throwing him backwards on the dirt. "DUO!!!" He tried one last time.
He was too late. By the time the gust had died, Duo's gundam was already flying off into the sun. Quatre blinked, watching the last speck of the Deathscythe vanish. He didn't look away as he said softly. "Be careful, Duo."
Duo stared at the hole Heero had referred to as a cabin. He checked the map again. Yup, this was definitely it.
He climbed through the wilderness before him, snapping thick roots and squelching teeny plants. When he stumbled out, he turned around, only to see a long trail of squashed vegetation that clearly marked his tracks.
He looked around sheepishly, glad that Heero wasn't there to scold him. If he had been, they'd probably have spent the whole day reshaping each blade of grass until it looked exactly the same as it had, before he'd come along.
Duo swung himself up on what appeared to be the veranda, pocketing his map. He leapt over the railing and began stomping horrendously loud outside the ranch slider.
If he made enough noise, Heero would know it was Duo, and not attack him, for once.
After completing about twenty circles, Duo was getting bored, not to mention dizzy. Figuring that the two pilots weren't in, he squatted down outside the door, leaning his back against the glass.
He began dozing after a while, swatting flies and yawning. Duo became so docile he didn't notice when the glass door slid open. Duo yelped and fell backwards in surprise, equally surprised when strong olive-skinned arms caught him before he hit the floor.
Duo blinked his big violet eyes. He beamed. "Hey Hee-chan!"
Heero didn't let go. He wrapped his hand around Duo's braid and pulled his fingers down the entire length of it.
Duo's first reaction was to panic, given what had happened the last time Heero had pulled on his braid. He tensed, ready to bolt, until after a few sensual caresses, when he realised that the emotionless pilot was actually stroking it.
There were two parts of Duo that gave him amazing, sensual pleasure when they were touched. The first was his dick, and the second was his hair.
Duo closed his eyes and shuddered. "Hee-eero stop." He half-whimpered.
Heero let Duo go so fast he hit the floorboards with a loud thud. "Owww," Duo whined. Damn, he hadn't actually meant for Heero to do it.
He tried to sit up, but Heero swung a leg across his hips, so that he straddled Duo's thighs. Duo stopped in surprise, unsure what to do. Heero solved that problem when he shifted on top of Duo. Duo bit back a moan, using all his power not to arch against him. Then Heero took hold of his braid again, stroking.
"Why are you here, Duo?"
"Th-the," Duo couldn't stand it, not both areas being stimulated at the one time. "Mi-mmmphi-ssion." He moaned.
"How did you get here?"
Duo couldn't speak he was in so much ecstasy. Heero had to know, of course he knew. Bastard.
Heero slowed his hands, and a small whimper escaped Duo's throat. "How did you get here, Duo?"
Duo opened his eyes, aware that the tone of voice Heero used had changed. He still couldn't think straight, but his scrambled memory searched for an answer. "Gundam." He blurted.
The hands stopped dead, so did Duo.
Duo flinched at the hand that slammed against the floorboard beside his head.
"What did you say?"
The End of Chapter 3
Please please review, I need to know especially what I should do to this chapter cause it sounds so crap! I fink I made the guys too emotional again. But please say something nice too cause then I'll be inspired to write
Ooh and if ure wondering why duo couldn't move n stuff, I tell u in the next chapter. Don't expect any revelation :s
Expect chap 4 in min 2 days max 4
Neways, luv u all
chowchow
