Afterimages
Part 4
By Mieren
Author's note: (I don't usually put these here, but this time I think it's necessary.)
Warning! This is very dark and disturbed, even by my standards. Contains graphic violence, rape and death. This is YAOI (if you don't know, don't ask, just run now). If you're not comfortable with it, don't read! I'm not responsible for any nightmares or bouts of nausea related to reading this. Suing me will only get you a headache. (I'm a student. I own nothing.) Any and all flames will be laughed at, printed and used to wipe my butt. So there.
* * *
Following his initial relief at his safety from the deceased Japanese pilot, Duo began to withdraw from sanity, his tentative hold on reality slipping. Sally finally had to stop his friends from visiting when he continued to react increasingly badly to their presence. Despite constant reassurances that no one would hurt him again, he had lost all trust in humanity, set on believing that he would be betrayed again.
Sally was honestly stumped. He was physically healthy enough to leave, but he was an emotional wreck. Even had he still been mentally stable, he had nowhere to go home to, his apartment still taped off by the police. It had taken Quatre's social standing to strong-arm the police into allowing them to go claim all of the American's possessions.
The frazzled doctor watched as Duo frightened another nurse out of the room, his aim still amazingly good. A clock shattered against the doorframe. She made a mental note not to let him have access to any more alarm clocks. Three nurses, one doctor, five residents and two janitors had been knocked unconscious by the various items he had thrown. Sally couldn't help but note wryly that Wufei was the only person he hadn't tried to pulverize. After the Chinese pilot had been pegged by a large book, a twenty-minute rant had ensued, leaving both Duo and the entire hospital staff in something of a state of shock. Since then, no one had bothered the raven-haired teen.
Deciding that there was no other way, Sally stopped Wufei before he could visit the troubled American. Like every day, he had come to see the untrusting brunette, and she expected him to get flustered and leave before too long. Duo was being exceptionally violent, refusing to let the nurses in with his meal, something that he normally tolerated. Wufei frowned at her slightly at the interruption but waited silently for her to speak.
After making her request, she wondered if it hadn't been a mistake to ask him. With his eyes blazing and jaw clenched, he looked suspiciously like he was going to go off on another tirade about injustice, a muscle in his cheek twitching wildly. Visiting the American was one thing, but what she had requested was entirely another. She was about to retract her request when the indignant expression softened and he nodded tersely.
Shocked that he had actually conceded, she could only watch open-mouthed as he moved past her to go to the American's room. The moment he opened the door, he was accosted with a bedpan from a certain paranoid brunette. The twitch in Wufei's cheek returned.
"Maxwell!"
* * *
Wufei glared over his shoulder, knowing perfectly well that the silent form being pulled behind him couldn't see it. He was honestly considering throwing another temper tantrum. For some reason, he was the only person that Duo wouldn't openly attack or try to escape from. Unfortunately, the brunette seemed to be terrified of him. Whenever Wufei was around him, he became perfectly passive, making no move to defend himself. He barely dared to breathe when the Chinese pilot was in the same room with him. Wufei suspected that his occasional tirades had frightened the unstable American.
Sighing, he led the trembling teen into his house, wondering why he had agreed to Sally's request that he allow the American to move in with him. The Preventers had given him a long paid leave of absence while he helped his friend. He had all the time in the world to work with his friend, but was still unsure if he would be able to help.
He released Duo's wrist for a moment to open the door to his small house. Duo immediately folded his arms protectively across his chest, shrinking in on himself slightly. Frowning, Wufei grabbed his wrist again, clenching his jaw when the other boy flinched at the contact. Although he was obviously afraid, Duo made no move to reclaim his wrist or defend himself, even though he clearly expected to be hit for something.
Grumbling silently, he led the strangely silent brunette around the house, calmly showing him where everything was. He finally showed the American the small guest room he had fixed up, leading him around to familiarize the other boy with the layout of the room, showing him where all of his possessions were stored so he didn't have to search fruitlessly for anything. Luckily, the room had a small bathroom attached. Wufei honestly didn't think that Duo would be comfortable with having to share a bathroom yet.
Sighing at the lack of response, Wufei led him to the bed and pushed him to a sitting position, telling him that he'd come back when he had dinner ready. Duo remained silent. His only response was a dull scanning of the room, his vacant violet eyes tracing afterimages that only he could see.
* * *
When Wufei returned, he expected the American to be doing something. Fiddling with his hair, listening to the radio, covering the walls with shaving cream. Something. Anything. What he found was the brunette sitting exactly where he had left him, shivering as though he was afraid to move a muscle. Which, Wufei concluded, he probably was.
Sighing, Wufei took his wrist, pulling the silent figure to his feet and leading him from the room. It was in a state of wonder that he noticed how lethargically the slight boy followed him, completely uncaring. There was no blind feeling for objects, no searching out possible footings. Wufei could have walked him into a wall or down a flight of stairs and the American wouldn't have known until it was too late.
Inexplicably feeling guilty, he led the brunette to a chair, placing a plate of food in front of him and pushing a fork into the limp fingers. When he took his own seat, the American still hadn't moved. Worried that he may have to feed Duo, he watched anxiously for a few minutes, wondering silently just how badly the American feared him. Several minutes passed without movement.
He was about to take the fork back from the unmoving form when Duo finally moved. His left hand trailed across the table gingerly, his fingers tracing the edge of the plate. He deftly moved his fork, scooping up the food on the plate with surprising ease. Breathing out heavily in relief, Wufei started in on his own meal, wondering mutely if he would be able to help his friend.
* * *
After two weeks, Wufei was ready to rip his hair out in frustration. Duo still refused to speak or do anything on his own unless he was specifically led to it. He felt helpless, unable to do anything for the distraught brunette. Even after all the time Wufei had spent with him, Duo still flinched and shied away from him whenever he came within ten feet of him. He was almost ready to give up and pass the American off to Quatre when the answer came to him without warning, found abandoned in a small box in a parking lot.
Hoping that he had made the right decision, he walked quickly into his house with something clutched to his chest. Duo was sitting on the couch, exactly where Wufei had left him before going out to do a few errands. Undaunted, Wufei walked calmly up to him, depositing his burden in the American's lap.
Duo jerked, but made no move to pick up what had been dropped on him. He would have remained perfectly still, but his attention was caught by an irritated movement in his lap and a demanding mew. Violet eyes widened. Hands trembling slightly, he reached to the small weight on his legs, fingers curling around a small fuzzy form that wriggled in his grasp and mewed again sleepily. Refusing to remain in his hands, the kitten squirmed its way free. Once free of his grasp, it ran up Duo's shirt to sit on his shoulder, batting absently at his loose hair.
Blinking, Duo reached for the tiny wiggling form, only to have it dart out of his reach again, moving to his other shoulder. Before he could try to grab it again, it decided that his ear was the perfect pacifier, gathering up his earlobe in a tiny fanged mouth and sucking nosily. Looking shocked, Duo turned his gaze to the general area where Wufei was standing, watching interestedly.
"Wufei?" he asked softly.
Wufei nearly jumped out of his skin, a wide grin spreading across his face. That was the first time Duo had spoken voluntarily since dismantling the hospital equipment. Relieved that he had finally found something to pull his friend out of his shock, he chuckled softly and leaned against the wall, knowing better than to crowd the brunette.
"She reminded me of you," he answered, smirking. "She's solid black, overly hyper and completely insane. I named her Baka."
Violet eyes flashed. Duo opened his mouth to protest when he noticed that the tiny kitten was still sucking on his ear. He pouted slightly.
"I'm not calling her that," he muttered, pulling the kitten off his shoulder and placing her back in his lap. Immediately, the little ball of fuzz ran right back up to his shoulder and began attacking his hair with a passion. His attempt to reclaim the kitten from his shoulders resulted with the kitten on the top of his head, tangled in his hair. He made a face.
"Really?" Wufei drawled, smiling when he saw Duo pout. "Then what would you name her?" Duo didn't even pause before responding.
"Shini."
How did I know you'd pick that name? Wufei wondered silently. He grunted softly to get Duo's attention. "Whatever. It's your job to take care of Baka." Duo scowled.
"Shini," he countered.
"Whatever," Wufei said again. "The litter is in your closet. The litter box is in the corner of your room nearest the window. Baka's food is in the pantry, left side, bottom shelf."
Duo scowled at him at his insistence of using the wrong name for his new pet. The brunette finally snorted and proceeded to ignore him, captivated by the wiggly black form that was crawling all over him. It was painfully obvious that the American had never had a pet before. Wufei smiled to himself and left the room.
To Be Continued…
Sorry it's short, the next section should be longer. Sorry about the massive delay too. Problems here, you know. First, there were finals. Then I had to move. While moving, my computer was damaged badly. I lost everything. I'm still trying to get the bloody thing working. It'll be awhile before I do. I'm trying though, I swear. More coming as soon as the evil computer is running again. R&R!!
