"You can't leave him there." Heero Yuy stood strong in front of Une's desk-
even hindered as he was with his single crutch, while she perspired on the
other side.
It was Monday, and memories of his visit with Wufei were vivid in his mind's eye. The other ex-pilots, with the exception of Duo who was on a mission (due back sometime today), had gone with him, and it had been a total disaster. Wufei had looked so. . . defeated, dressed in a white sweat suit, seated by the only small window in the equally small room. A room with no corners, no colors, and no life. Wufei's hair had been down. He was not allowed a hair tie. His hair had been such a personal thing during the war, and with it down he seemed incredibly vulnerable. So very young and vulnerable. There were bags under his eyes and the overlarge sweat suit made him appear thin. Quatre had broken down almost immediately after seeing him, and Trowa had to escort him out to his car. And that left Heero and Wufei alone.
Une pinched the bridge of her nose. "It's not like I can help it, Yuy! I'd take him home myself, but I kind of have a major organization to run! And Sally's too busy with her patients. She's never there anyway. Now, Quatre has offered his wealth on finding the best for Chang, and we're now working on finding a quality live-in psychologist to work with him-"
Wufei had kept his head ducked in shame the whole time Heero had sat with him. He would not speak even when Heero reached for him, and then he moved out of the way, as if he felt tainted. But the movement carried so much meaning. It spoke of his broken pride, his lost dignity, his shame. It spoke of his want to die. Heero had thought nothing could break the Dragon.
"I'll take him."
Une looked at him sharply. "What?" The single word was flat, and not a question, but more of a demand for explanation.
"I have six weeks medical leave. Chang would feel more at ease in the presence of a comrade and I am well capable of handling him should anything happen. Because I have a previous background with him, I will be able to decide whether he really is a danger to himself and the frequency of his- fits. I will be able to fully analyze his capabilities."
"That's quite a speech, Yuy. I have to agree; you have some good points." She folded her hands crisply in front of her. "And I have to admit, I don't like the idea of him in an institute. However, he will need to attend therapy."
Heero nodded, and, after a moment's hesitation, smiled slightly. He hadn't expected to win her over so easily when the idea had popped into his head.
Une continued to speak. "I'll sign his release forms. If there are any problems, don't be afraid-"
And suddenly Duo Maxwell was in the room. "Une-chan! Guess who brought presents!" And then he noticed Heero. "Heero-buddy! How are ya? Long time no see! Oh, was I interrupting something?"
Une glared at him for a minute, before smiling. "Not really Maxwell. Like I was saying Heero, just flash your badge around a little and you should be all set."
"Understood." Heero turned to leave, but was semi-accosted by Duo.
"We'll catch up later right? I gotta write up a mission report now or she'll have a cow," he jabbed his thumb over his shoulder at Une, who glared back, "Go out for drinks or something?" He almost seemed. . . desperate to see Heero.
"Hn." Duo was a good friend, Heero's first. He never stopped pushing for them to do things together. "Drinks are probably not a good thing, but I might need your help later. I'll call."
Duo smiled cheerily. "Kay, sure thing! See ya!" But his smile didn't reach his eyes. In fact, they told a different tale altogether.
Heero closed the door behind him and leaned against the wall next to it, putting as little weight on the crutch as possible. It was obvious that something was bothering Duo, but they were unlikely to get any private time later.
Une and Duo were talking together in low voices before Heero heard Une yell "Maxwell!" and then there was laughter.
The door opened again and Duo strolled out nonchalantly, his pack slung over his shoulder. He glanced at Heero curiously, but continued to walk down the hall to his office. Heero followed him silently, hobbling just a little, and Duo looked back at him every now and then. They turned two familiar corners and climbed one stairway before Duo stopped in front of his office door.
"I thought you had something important to do. It sure seemed like it when I barged into Une's office."
Heero smiled that strange half-smile of his. "I do. But you're important too, Duo."
Duo turned and smiled a real-and terrifically beautiful-smile. And then he lunged at Heero, throwing his arms around his neck and burying his face in his shoulder. "God, Heero, you're the best friend a guy could have."
Heero abandoned his crutch for the moment, leaving it precariously balanced against his side, and wrapped both his arms around the other boy's waist, squeezing tightly for a minute. Then he relaxed some, and released one arm to open the door to Duo's office and handle his crutch, before backing his smaller companion into the room.
"Now is that because I come with benefits or for some other reason?" he said as he closed the door behind him and leaned his crutch on the wall.
"Y'know," Duo said chuckling slightly, and then sniffing, "Sometimes ya say the sweetest things, and then you pop out with that crazy humor of yours. No wonder you were able to seduce me." He choked on a sob.
"I believe you were the one to seduce me." Heero murmured, and maneuvered Duo to the small couch next to his desk. "Tell me what happened."
He sat down and Duo very nearly collapsed right on to him, shaking like a leaf.
"I killed them! They never had a chance." He sobbed.
Heero simply hugged him close and let him continue.
"There were-two kids staying there, some officer's kids or something. I was supposed to. . to blow away the terrorists' suits." It hadn't been all that long since they themselves had been terrorists. That nightmare had been an eternity, and still lived in the young pilots' hearts. "There wasn't supposed to be anyone in the hangar," he cried, "Everyone was supposed to be in the bunkers and the guards were changing. I set-set the charges, and pressed the detonator, and I saw them through the window- before they were blown to pieces. . ." He sobbed loudly into Heero's shirt, two folds of it clenched in his pale fists. "God, Heero. . ."
They stayed like that for a few minutes, before there was one final sniff from Duo and one last wiping of eyes on Heero's dark blue t-shirt. "Jesus. . ."
"Are you going to be okay?" Heero's hand smoothed Duo's bangs back, tucking stray bits of hair back into his braid.
"Yeah, I guess. You'd better get going though, or Une's gonna have a cow." Duo released Heero and sat up, scrubbing a little at his eyes.
Heero straightened and ran a hand through his hair, a habit that made his hair sweep backwards a bit, curling behind his ears while his thick bangs still fell in front of his eyes, hiding his sharp features and obscuring his face. He nodded.
"Yeah, well then."
"I'll call you later." Heero stood up from the couch and began a methodical hop-skip (as he had been ordered by Lady Une not to even dare -touch- his injured leg) towards his crutch, which was still leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the room. Duo found this immensely amusing to watch, until he sprang from the couch and bolted across the room to get the crutch before his friend. He held it disarmingly with both hands, a charming, wide, and not entirely real-but not entirely fake-smile on his face, offering it to Heero. The other snatched it with a scowl on his face. If Duo was going to get the blasted useless -stick- for him, he could have at least done so before he had begun the embarrassing trip to the other side of the room.
But then Duo threw his arms around his neck and pressed his lips to his, having to stand on tiptoe to reach. Heero lost his scowl and grinned into it, his free arm automatically wrapping tightly around the smaller boy's thin waist. When their mouths separated, Heero chuckled and squeezed Duo meaningfully.
"You need to eat more."
"What?! That's all you have to say?" he shrilled loudly in mock-anger.
"Well, it's true." Heero pinched the slim waist beneath his hand. He laughed as it jumped and Duo yelped. He was only able to laugh like this around Duo. He smiled indulgently and held him close, letting himself fade away from life for a minute and enjoy his friend's presence, as Duo squirmed and wiggled, trying vainly to get out of his grasp.
"Ow! You -beast-! That -hurt-!"
But then Heero was gone, hobbling down the hallway, quite disgusted with his current mode of transportation. After checking if anyone was looking, which they weren't, he hefted his crutch and ran the rest of the way.
-----
Woo! Look at that! I finally posted a chapter of -something-!!! I'll try to get the next chapter of Untitled out soon.
It was Monday, and memories of his visit with Wufei were vivid in his mind's eye. The other ex-pilots, with the exception of Duo who was on a mission (due back sometime today), had gone with him, and it had been a total disaster. Wufei had looked so. . . defeated, dressed in a white sweat suit, seated by the only small window in the equally small room. A room with no corners, no colors, and no life. Wufei's hair had been down. He was not allowed a hair tie. His hair had been such a personal thing during the war, and with it down he seemed incredibly vulnerable. So very young and vulnerable. There were bags under his eyes and the overlarge sweat suit made him appear thin. Quatre had broken down almost immediately after seeing him, and Trowa had to escort him out to his car. And that left Heero and Wufei alone.
Une pinched the bridge of her nose. "It's not like I can help it, Yuy! I'd take him home myself, but I kind of have a major organization to run! And Sally's too busy with her patients. She's never there anyway. Now, Quatre has offered his wealth on finding the best for Chang, and we're now working on finding a quality live-in psychologist to work with him-"
Wufei had kept his head ducked in shame the whole time Heero had sat with him. He would not speak even when Heero reached for him, and then he moved out of the way, as if he felt tainted. But the movement carried so much meaning. It spoke of his broken pride, his lost dignity, his shame. It spoke of his want to die. Heero had thought nothing could break the Dragon.
"I'll take him."
Une looked at him sharply. "What?" The single word was flat, and not a question, but more of a demand for explanation.
"I have six weeks medical leave. Chang would feel more at ease in the presence of a comrade and I am well capable of handling him should anything happen. Because I have a previous background with him, I will be able to decide whether he really is a danger to himself and the frequency of his- fits. I will be able to fully analyze his capabilities."
"That's quite a speech, Yuy. I have to agree; you have some good points." She folded her hands crisply in front of her. "And I have to admit, I don't like the idea of him in an institute. However, he will need to attend therapy."
Heero nodded, and, after a moment's hesitation, smiled slightly. He hadn't expected to win her over so easily when the idea had popped into his head.
Une continued to speak. "I'll sign his release forms. If there are any problems, don't be afraid-"
And suddenly Duo Maxwell was in the room. "Une-chan! Guess who brought presents!" And then he noticed Heero. "Heero-buddy! How are ya? Long time no see! Oh, was I interrupting something?"
Une glared at him for a minute, before smiling. "Not really Maxwell. Like I was saying Heero, just flash your badge around a little and you should be all set."
"Understood." Heero turned to leave, but was semi-accosted by Duo.
"We'll catch up later right? I gotta write up a mission report now or she'll have a cow," he jabbed his thumb over his shoulder at Une, who glared back, "Go out for drinks or something?" He almost seemed. . . desperate to see Heero.
"Hn." Duo was a good friend, Heero's first. He never stopped pushing for them to do things together. "Drinks are probably not a good thing, but I might need your help later. I'll call."
Duo smiled cheerily. "Kay, sure thing! See ya!" But his smile didn't reach his eyes. In fact, they told a different tale altogether.
Heero closed the door behind him and leaned against the wall next to it, putting as little weight on the crutch as possible. It was obvious that something was bothering Duo, but they were unlikely to get any private time later.
Une and Duo were talking together in low voices before Heero heard Une yell "Maxwell!" and then there was laughter.
The door opened again and Duo strolled out nonchalantly, his pack slung over his shoulder. He glanced at Heero curiously, but continued to walk down the hall to his office. Heero followed him silently, hobbling just a little, and Duo looked back at him every now and then. They turned two familiar corners and climbed one stairway before Duo stopped in front of his office door.
"I thought you had something important to do. It sure seemed like it when I barged into Une's office."
Heero smiled that strange half-smile of his. "I do. But you're important too, Duo."
Duo turned and smiled a real-and terrifically beautiful-smile. And then he lunged at Heero, throwing his arms around his neck and burying his face in his shoulder. "God, Heero, you're the best friend a guy could have."
Heero abandoned his crutch for the moment, leaving it precariously balanced against his side, and wrapped both his arms around the other boy's waist, squeezing tightly for a minute. Then he relaxed some, and released one arm to open the door to Duo's office and handle his crutch, before backing his smaller companion into the room.
"Now is that because I come with benefits or for some other reason?" he said as he closed the door behind him and leaned his crutch on the wall.
"Y'know," Duo said chuckling slightly, and then sniffing, "Sometimes ya say the sweetest things, and then you pop out with that crazy humor of yours. No wonder you were able to seduce me." He choked on a sob.
"I believe you were the one to seduce me." Heero murmured, and maneuvered Duo to the small couch next to his desk. "Tell me what happened."
He sat down and Duo very nearly collapsed right on to him, shaking like a leaf.
"I killed them! They never had a chance." He sobbed.
Heero simply hugged him close and let him continue.
"There were-two kids staying there, some officer's kids or something. I was supposed to. . to blow away the terrorists' suits." It hadn't been all that long since they themselves had been terrorists. That nightmare had been an eternity, and still lived in the young pilots' hearts. "There wasn't supposed to be anyone in the hangar," he cried, "Everyone was supposed to be in the bunkers and the guards were changing. I set-set the charges, and pressed the detonator, and I saw them through the window- before they were blown to pieces. . ." He sobbed loudly into Heero's shirt, two folds of it clenched in his pale fists. "God, Heero. . ."
They stayed like that for a few minutes, before there was one final sniff from Duo and one last wiping of eyes on Heero's dark blue t-shirt. "Jesus. . ."
"Are you going to be okay?" Heero's hand smoothed Duo's bangs back, tucking stray bits of hair back into his braid.
"Yeah, I guess. You'd better get going though, or Une's gonna have a cow." Duo released Heero and sat up, scrubbing a little at his eyes.
Heero straightened and ran a hand through his hair, a habit that made his hair sweep backwards a bit, curling behind his ears while his thick bangs still fell in front of his eyes, hiding his sharp features and obscuring his face. He nodded.
"Yeah, well then."
"I'll call you later." Heero stood up from the couch and began a methodical hop-skip (as he had been ordered by Lady Une not to even dare -touch- his injured leg) towards his crutch, which was still leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the room. Duo found this immensely amusing to watch, until he sprang from the couch and bolted across the room to get the crutch before his friend. He held it disarmingly with both hands, a charming, wide, and not entirely real-but not entirely fake-smile on his face, offering it to Heero. The other snatched it with a scowl on his face. If Duo was going to get the blasted useless -stick- for him, he could have at least done so before he had begun the embarrassing trip to the other side of the room.
But then Duo threw his arms around his neck and pressed his lips to his, having to stand on tiptoe to reach. Heero lost his scowl and grinned into it, his free arm automatically wrapping tightly around the smaller boy's thin waist. When their mouths separated, Heero chuckled and squeezed Duo meaningfully.
"You need to eat more."
"What?! That's all you have to say?" he shrilled loudly in mock-anger.
"Well, it's true." Heero pinched the slim waist beneath his hand. He laughed as it jumped and Duo yelped. He was only able to laugh like this around Duo. He smiled indulgently and held him close, letting himself fade away from life for a minute and enjoy his friend's presence, as Duo squirmed and wiggled, trying vainly to get out of his grasp.
"Ow! You -beast-! That -hurt-!"
But then Heero was gone, hobbling down the hallway, quite disgusted with his current mode of transportation. After checking if anyone was looking, which they weren't, he hefted his crutch and ran the rest of the way.
-----
Woo! Look at that! I finally posted a chapter of -something-!!! I'll try to get the next chapter of Untitled out soon.