Bet you all thought I'd stopped writing this…

Absolute Zero

Continued

8. Wandering Dragon

          Loneliness – one of the worst states of being imaginable. To be alone in the darkness, crawling blindly, feeling around for anything to guide you and finding nothing is a horrid experience. It is terrible to have no one. It is far worse not to have yourself. The nameless boy, the boy without Identity, looked about himself, wondering where, who, what, why, how – just wondering. He gazed upon his own body and the black clouds lifted a little. 'I am human.' Now he knew that much about himself. 'I am… a human male.' Still more the clouds lifted. Muffled voices buzzed in his ears, becoming more distinct and clear as he rose from his dream back into reality. 'I am…awake.' And since he was awake, he was more self aware and could feel pressure at the back of his head. Gently he reached back, trying to avoid causing more pain. His fingers brushed against a knot, a ball, some hard thing… He pulled and the formation slid along something and came off. Further examination found it to be a ring made of an elastic material. Soft black hair fell around his face as he discarded the rubber band. That felt better. Now what of those voices? His balance wavered dangerously as he stood and he became dizzy. Bracing himself against the wall, he made his way toward the general direction of the voices. After a while he reached a room in which three boys were gathered around a table, speaking. Staying carefully hidden behind a wall he listened.

          "I know we need to get him back Duo, but for now there isn't much we can do. So let's just look at what I've decoded from Heero's writing on the wall. It might help us restore him to normal. Don't you agree that it would be easier to rescue him if he could think and defend himself?" Muffled grumbling came after the words.

          "Here, this is what I have so far. Some of the elements of this segment draw on things that aren't there so I had to program those parts in myself, as best I could. I don't know if it's what I did or just the way this segment is, but this is what I get when I try to run the program." The boy leaned forward enough to let one eye perceive what was on the computer screen. Graphs, scripts, and other images flashed, not seeming to follow any logical or coherent order.

          "What is it??" A boy with an exceptionally long braid asked.

          "Well…I'm not entirely sure…" The blonde nibbled his lip.

          "I know what it is." the third one spoke up quietly. "I saw the same thing when I tried to start Wing Zero."

          "Are you sure, Trowa?" The third boy nodded in response to the question.

          "It's part of the ZERO system."

          "But how would Heero memorize the code of the system? It doesn't show anywhere in the start up. I guess he might have looked at it before but even then…there's no way anybody could memorize the exact order of a bunch of ones and zeros!"

          "Heero isn't just anybody, anymore."

          "I don't know, Trowa. I think Duo's right. He couldn't have just memorized that sequence…but maybe…maybe it was imprinted into his mind."

          "Imprinted? How do you mean?"

          "Yeah Quatre, you're makin' it sound like…I dunno, like saving somethin' to a disk."

          "Maybe that is what it's like. Maybe that's what happened."

          "Quatre…are you saying that Heero has part of the ZERO system actually downloaded into his brain?"

          "Well…maybe…um…I don't know. I guess it does sound silly."

          "Maybe, maybe not…I mean, brains are just a bunch of networks like computers, right? They use electricity for communication too. It might actually be possible to program a brain like installing uh…certain things onto a computer."

          "Certain things…Duo, you wouldn't happen to know anything about that bill -."

          "You're right, Duo. Brains can be programmed. By conditioning, teaching, and even…even electro convulsive shock therapy." Silence followed this statement. The boy was unsure, but he thought something extremely important had just been said.

          "Heero was electrocuted…the electricity flowing through him could have acted as electro convulsive shock therapy."

          "Except because ZERO would have still been communicating to his brain, that's what was laid down."

          "This all sounds a little crazy…"

          "But it could account for Heero's memory loss, as well. And it makes sense that some abilities like speaking would come back as his brain adapted to the new neuron networks there. I don't think it's at all as far-fetched as it sounds. If it is true, however…" The blonde shook his head as he spoke. "Then Heero has been on ZERO this entire time. There's no telling how warped his perception of the world is now." After a while, the long-haired boy spoke.

          "Alright, let's say it is the ZERO system. How are we supposed to get rid of it and put him back to normal?"

          "I guess we'd have to download it out of his brain, somehow."

          "Heero's not a computer, you know. We can't just click his mouse a few times and make him upload! And we sure as hell can't just press control, alt, and delete and restart him. So then what are we supposed to do?! Last time I checked, no one had a way of downloading brain pathways."

          "We'll think of something, Duo." the green-eyed boy said calmly. "For now, getting mad isn't going to help anything." Duo, as the boy now assumed to be his name, sat back in his chair and sighed, frustrated. The blonde one, Quatre, also sighed.

          "I wonder if Wufei is awake yet…" he murmured absently.

          "Hope he's okay…the last thing we need is two pilots out of commission."

          "Maybe we should have taken him to the hospital."

          "We can't afford to be seen so much. He'll be fine."

          "Besides, he never would've forgiven us if he woke up in a hospital bed." Duo laughed quietly at his own comment. 'Who are they talking about?' the boy wondered. 'Are they talking about…me? Am I this Wufei person?'

          "I guess I'll go check on him." Duo stood and started towards the very doorway the nameless boy was hiding behind. In a panic he looked for somewhere to hide but it was only a few seconds before Duo had entered the room and was looking straight at him.

          "Hey Wufei, you're up!!" Before he knew what was happening, he was caught in a rather tight hug. 'Well an enemy wouldn't hug me…he must be a friend but who is he?' Hesitantly he began to raise his arms, intending to return the hug in hopes that it was the correct thing to do. Duo pulled away before he could do anything, however, and the two of them stood there giving each other puzzled looks.

          "What, no swearing? No 'Damn it, Maxwell, get off of me'? And why is your hair down?"

          "I…" He paused, took a moment to analyze the sound of his own voice. "I…" He took note of the vibrations in his throat where his Adam's apple was. "I…aye…ah-ye…" Noticing the stare Duo was giving him, he quickly finished. "I untied it."

          "Are you okay?" Wufei nodded. After a moment, Duo lifted a hand to feel Wufei's forehead, expecting the Asian teen to draw away immediately. Instead, he stood there quietly and patiently as Duo reached forward. In wonderment, Wufei scrutinized the sensation of Duo's hand on his head. He observed that it was soft yet not delicate, as Duo, like the other pilots, used his hands for hard labor and for piloting. Some part of his mind set before him an image of Duo brushing hair from his eyes and reassuring him that he would not be alone in his darkness for long. Unbeknownst to him, his mouth had opened slightly as he'd been daydreaming. Only when Duo raised an eyebrow and waved a hand in front of his eyes did he realize and press his lips into a thin line. His eyes locked on his hands as his thumbs, seemingly with minds of their own, fought one another, a contest of which appendage could distract his mind more from what it had just been thinking. Quatre stepped into the room.

          "What's going on, Duo? Is he okay?"

          "I don't know. He said he's okay but he's actin' funny…"

          "Do you want to lie down for a bit more, Wufei? We have a little time to spare, I think." Wufei shook his head.

          "Why so quiet, Wu-man? Speak up some! Come on, yell at us, tell us how you're fine and make us stop babying you!" He hesitated.

          "I'm fine…so stop babying me." Duo didn't buy it for a second. Wufei hadn't thought he would.

          "Wufei…what's wrong with you?" What was he supposed to say? The words were simple: I don't remember you. But the action, actually saying those words seemed too complex for his mind to handle. And what if this Duo person turned out to be more than just a friend? He didn't really want to hurt his feelings by telling him he had no idea who he was, especially if they were brothers or…perhaps…maybe… His face turned red with embarrassment but his lips turned upward just a bit. Duo leaned down, trying to get a good look at his face.

          "Are you smiling??"

          "Duo, please be serious. Wufei, if something is wrong, you can tell us. We're your friends." There was a long pause and then finally,

          "I…can't remember anything."

***

          Heero…Heero, wake up. Wake up. Hey…!

          "Hey! Hey, wake up ya stupid kid!!" Heero felt a sharp pain in his side. He opened his eyes in just enough time to see a boot moving away from him, taking its place once again to help balance the body it was attached to. In a daze he laid where he was, not really realizing he had been kicked. Nor did he realize that his limbs were tied – his wrists with cuffs, his legs with regular rope – and that he could not move. Since he did not have a desire to move, he went on not knowing it.

          "Come on, we're almost to the base and I'm not carrying you again." The OZ soldier nudged Heero with his foot. Heero looked up at him. "Hey…s-stop looking at me like that." And Heero received another kick. "Damn creepy kid…" Hesitantly, the soldier knelt beside Heero and examined him. "Y'know, you got a young, innocent face. Don't even really look like a boy that much…kinda like a girl with a short hair cut." He enjoyed a good laugh at his own comment while Heero watched, bewildered. "I don't know why they made such a big deal about you. I bet you couldn't squash a dead fly. I've kicked you twice and you don't look like you even know it!" After laughing a bit more, the soldier, who was not much older than Heero, reached out and brushed a bit of the Japanese teen's still rigid hair out of his face.

          "Man, you really do look like a girl…" The door opened and another soldier leaned into the room.

          "Hey, we're docked. Bring the kid. Hey, what are you doing over there??"

          "Give me a minute, would you? I'm feeling a little lonely." A sick and twisted grin spread across his face. The other soldier only sighed and rolled his eyes.

          "Just don't take forever, okay? I don't want this delivery to be too late." With that said, he left, closing the door firmly. Heero felt himself being lifted into a sitting position, and though he hated the contact, did not resist. He had no idea of what was about to come and the tranquilizer still lingering in his system wasn't helping his awareness at all. In wonder, he watched as the soldier untied the rope around his legs. Nothing was covering his feet and the harsh cold of the metallic floor bit into the sensitive flesh as the bottoms of his feet came to rest on it. Even more skin was exposed to the cold floor as his shorts and underwear were removed.

          "Look at that – staying quiet, just like a good little boy. I promise you'll like this." The sound of clinking and rustling reached Heero's ears. He felt a small pressure at the base of his spine.

          "Heero, wake up. Why are you letting him do this?"

          "I don't know what he's doing to me, Little Boy. I don't know what he's doing to me." His eyes widened as the pressure grew. Breath rushed hotly from his nostrils, denoting his surprise and discomfort.

          "Kill him, Heero. Don't let him defile you this way."

          "But-"

          "Look into his eyes. That will make him stop."

          "Right, I forgot about that. Thank you, Little Boy. You have the best ideas."

          "Go on, it will be fun to play with him." The soldier looked up at Heero's face in surprise as a soft sound reached his ears, something between a grunt and a whimper. The young face was flushed, his mind overloaded with the multiple sensations.

          "So, you do like this…" His own eyes began to widen in disbelief as the rich brown hair he had earlier brushed aside now began to stand high on the boy's head. Electricity crackled around him.

          "Wh-what the hell?!" As a new pressure began to build inside him, deep within his lower half, he lifted his hands and took the soldier's chin in them, ensuring that eye contact would be made. Instantly the man was paralyzed with fear, frozen in the knowledge that those eyes, ridiculously blue, shining with false innocence, those eyes would be the last thing he saw. Heero's lips shaped themselves into a cruel smile.

          "Die." In an explosion of pain, power, and pleasure, the man was gone. Intoxicated, Heero bathed himself in the still warm flesh raining down around him. Laughing, he tasted the blood dripping from the ceiling onto his face. 'I didn't know killing could feel like this…' He rolled onto his side slowly and relaxed, still smiling from the experience and paying no mind to the bodily fluids being soaked up by the front of his shirt. Even the soldiers rushing in around him, trying to subdue him despite his calmness, could not tear him from his reverie. 'We have to kill more, Little Boy.' The soldiers exchanged questioning glances as Heero spoke.

          "Yes, Heero…a lot more." Not one soldier's spine remained unshaken as the Wing pilot's soft, child-like laughter echoed through the hollow, dead metal of the ship. It was like hearing Death only two steps behind.

***

          "So, you don't remember anything? Not even us?" Wufei shook his head. "What about Heero? Do you remember him? Do you remember what happened to him?" Again Wufei shook his head.

          "The name isn't even familiar."

          "I suppose, then, that you don't remember how to pilot your gundam?" Trowa watched Wufei carefully after posing the question. Wufei made a face.

          "What's a gundam?" Duo sighed and let his head drop onto the table after Wufei spoke. After thoroughly pondering the action, Wufei patted Duo's back.

          "It'll be okay…" Surprised, the American teen looked up at him. Wufei pulled his hand back.

          "Sorry…" he mumbled.

          "Nah, it's okay, I guess. It's just weird. Usually if you ever touch me it's because you're punching me or something." Wufei frowned inwardly.

          "So…I guess you and I didn't have the greatest of relationships."

          "Relationship…?" Realizing what he had said he blushed and quickly tried to give it a new meaning.

          "Well yes…obviously we know each other…or at least you know me… so we must have had some kind of…relation to each other."

          "Yeah, I guess you could call it a love-hate relationship." Duo laughed and in relief, Wufei laughed quietly along with him.

          "Well," Quatre began. "This may not be as bad a set back as we first thought it would be. I mean, we don't need to take the gundams for this anyway, at least, not all of them. So Wufei can still come with us and help get Heero back." Trowa nodded in agreement.

          "Yes, Wufei might still be able to use his fighting abilities, though on an almost purely subconscious level."

          "Fighting…abilities?"

          "Yeah, you know kung fu or karate or something." Duo interjected. "Plus you have a sword that you always threaten to cut off my braid with…" Without knowing it, Wufei widened his eyes in surprise and slight offense.

          "Why would anyone want to cut off something so…" But he stopped himself from complimenting the braid. From complimenting Duo. Clearly their relationship was purely professional and very limited. He would not do anything to breach that if he could help it. The subsequent awkward silence was broken by Trowa's calm voice.

          "Usually, amnesia doesn't affect memories more than at least ten years ago," he stated. "So perhaps you still remember those fighting techniques on a subconscious level. In fact, for that very same reason, I think your memories have been suppressed, not erased entirely. But you need a sort of "trigger" to overcome whatever is suppressing them and access them."

          "So you're saying…that if I'm in a situation like one I was in when I learned them…then I'll remember them?"

          "Not exactly. It would be as though the memory jumped to the surface so you could use it for self-preservation. It most likely wouldn't be a conscious decision, more like a reflex, and you most likely wouldn't remember how you did it or what exactly you did after it had happened."

          "But," Quatre chimed. "That can still be useful. At least you won't be completely helpless if you get attacked." The comment wasn't terribly reassuring, but at least he had tried. Wufei's brown eyes studied his feet. These people needed him. For what, he didn't know. But he knew that they needed him, had been counting on him, and whatever he had done to lose his memories, however he had lost those memories, the loss of those memories rendered him useless to them. He had let them down. He had failed them. Had failed to help them…to help himself…to help him…to help her…her, like him, full of pride, like him, but pride of a different kind, a warrior's pride, a fighter's pride. Her pride hadn't been enough…and he hadn't been enough…hadn't been there to…save her? To…help her? Who was this…this girl, this woman, this…this…Mei…Mei…Who is she? Oh…who is she… damn it who is she, oh damn it who, who? Oh…damn it, I just feel-

          "So damn weak…" He blinked. The words had forced their way out of his mouth. He hadn't intended… He didn't know what they meant. Why did he suddenly feel so angry? It was passing now, fading now. He shook his head to clear it. The others were looking at him. They watched, questioning, wondering if he would explain his comment.

          "That sounded more like the Wufei I know!" Duo thumped Wufei – not Wufei, the person wearing Wufei's face – on the back. The boy shook his head. 'Is that me? That anger…that feeling of…is that really me? Is that who I am? I don't…I don't want to be that way…I don't want that to be me. Afraid of emotion? Afraid to show emotion? Afraid to cry? But willing to jump right into death, to die, to kill, and be killed, and kill or be killed, an animal? Full of hate? Full of sadness? Guilt? Is that me? What horrible things have I done in my life? What horrible things have I done that I have to feel that guilt, that pain, that I have to bear that burden? What horrible things have I done, still a child, to carry such weight, and feel I have to curse myself, call myself weak, for desiring for even a moment to be free of that burden, for remembering that I am still young and that someone so young should not have to bear so much responsibility so soon? What have I done? What have I done??'

***

Brown eyes turned left, surveying the land. It was a grassy field. The flowers had just begun to bloom. It was spring, it was warm. It was nice. The eyes turned right and took in the blue sky, dotted sporadically with a few clouds here and there. The eyes turned and met another blue, a deeper blue, much more blue than the sky. Bluer even than the ocean, it seemed, and as deep, deeper than the ocean as well. Vision drew back some to perceive the entire being. It was another boy, muscular, short, chocolaty hair, messy hair… Heero…

          "Wufei…" The boy's brown eyes widened slightly. He heard his voice.

          "What?" Heero moved closer, something of an expression forming on his face.

          "You can hear me?" The boy felt his own face twist into a look of annoyance, though he did not will it.

          "Of course I can hear you. You're standing right here talking to me, aren't you? Be serious, Yuy." Now it was Heero's turn to look annoyed as he stopped within arm's reach of the boy.

          "No, I'm not standing right here. And neither are you. You're dreaming."

          "I don't…dream about boys…" Clouds began to roll in. Thunder rippled softly above them.

          "Listen to me. You're going to wake up soon."

          "I'm not dreaming, damn it! If I was dreaming, I'd know. Everything here is too realistic to be a dream." His body bent, his hand plucked some grass and his nose sniffed it. It smelled like grass. It felt like grass. It was grass. Real grass.

          "Fine, you don't need to believe me, just listen." His next words were drowned out by the thunder, now louder than before. His brown eyes watched Heero's face contort in frustration and anger. Heero knew that the boy couldn't hear him anymore. His brown eyes blinked, his face frowned in shock as around him the field melted away, swallowed by darkness, light enough only for him to see Heero as he sat, frustrated, pissed, trapped…

          "What is this place?!" His mouth demanded. Heero didn't bother to reply. The thunderous echo of his name being called would nullify the words and he knew it. He would just have to wait until Wufei was asleep again. Then he could try again…then he could try…but…but would he be asleep at the same time too?

          "Wufei, wake up!" Wufei woke to the sound of Duo calling him and shaking him and Quatre pleading with him not to shake him like that, you'll break his neck, and Trowa asking if maybe they should take him to the hospital after all but no, he was awake now, never mind…

          "What happened?" He sat up and rubbed his head.
          "Aw man, you scared us! You started breathin' all hard and you just passed out!" 'So I was dreaming…'

          "I saw him…"

          "You saw who?"

          "Heero…I saw him in my dream. He was trying to tell me something."

          "So you remember who Heero is now?" Trowa asked, kneeling by Wufei.

          "No…I don't know how but his name just…came to me. I still have no idea who he is…or how I know him…" Duo helped him up.

          "So, what was he tryin' to tell you?" Wufei lowered his head a little, thinking.

          "At first he was trying to convince me that I was dreaming…but then I couldn't hear what he was saying…I think I was hearing you. You…Duo I mean…trying to wake me up…"

          "Oops, I guess…oh well. So you didn't get anything, huh? Damn…"

          "It was just a dream, Duo. It probably wasn't really Heero trying to talk to him."
          "But if it was…then I made him miss something important." Quatre patted Duo reassuringly.

          "Don't worry, Duo." he said. "We'll find Heero and get him back." He sighed after speaking. "For now, though, maybe it's just best if we all go to bed. It's late and we're not going to be able to think straight if we're tired."

          "Yeah…Well, night all! C'mon Wufei, I'll show you where your room is." Wufei followed Duo quietly, still mulling the dream over in his mind. The dream…if it had been a dream, that is… It had seemed so real. But why would Heero try to contact him and not the others? Did he have a better friendship with this other boy? Or was it perhaps that Heero couldn't contact the others?

          "This is my room, here…and yours is in that door right there. See? Only one room down from mine. So I'm close by if ya need anything, okay?" Duo laughed. "It feels really weird talking to you like I'm your nurse or something. I'm so used to you telling me how you don't need anyone's help any stuff like that." He turned to see chestnut eyes staring into his own. They looked soft, very unusual for Wufei's eyes. They must have been standing close…he'd never really had cause to notice that Wufei's eyes really were brown, not black. Not little pieces of hard coal…watery… like little porcelain cups holding tea. Wufei turned away.

          "Sorry, I didn't mean to stare. I was thinking."

          "About what?"

          "The dream I had. I…was just wondering…I don't know. Never mind, it isn't important." That was the moment to go to his room. But Duo was still standing there. He couldn't just brush past the boy and go on, that would be rude. But perhaps that was what Duo expected. He had no way of knowing… The two ended up staring at each other, one wondering why even the simplest decision was troubling him so, the other wondering what was wrong with the boy standing in front of him.

          "You're sure you're okay?"

          "Yes." Wufei nodded. Silence. Stillness of the air, quiet, awkward pause… Awkward only for one, the faceless boy who'd lost his identity, who was unsure of his feelings… His mind played over and over a scene as though from a movie, one in which he and Duo leaned in… But the scene never finished. It would only restart before any sort of contact was made between the two people in it. It would play then begin again without finishing, play then begin again, play, start over, play, play like his mind was playing with him, toying with him, confusing him, this was confusing him, he was confused, he was disoriented, he didn't know which way was up, which way, which way was the right way, left way, wrong way, it was wrong to think such a thing about Duo, about any boy, it was wrong, it wasn't the way, he had lost his way…

          "Well, goodnight! Sleep tight. Don't let the bed-bugs bite." The fading sensation of a congenial pat on the shoulder was all Duo left behind as he walked into his room and closed the door. Wufei let out the breath he hadn't known he was holding and found that he was panting. His heart was racing. He'd nearly caused himself to faint a second time. After a brief pause to let himself calm down, he started towards his room, the only way he was sure of anymore.

          "I should stop thinking so much."

***

          Footsteps echoed through the black fog. He stopped, halted, looked down at his bare feet, then continued walking. Finally, he came upon the person he'd been looking for. A child was with him. The child gazed at him curiously, holding a small green ball.

          "Who's that, Heero?"

          "No one." Heero crossed the small space between them. Wufei leaned to look around him, to catch one more glimpse at the child, but the boy was gone.

          "You must be asleep again. I haven't woken up since last time."

          "Who…who are you?" The Prussian eyes blinked.

          "Heero…it's me, Heero." Now the brown eyes blinked.

          "It was that boy you saw. He tried to get me to kill you. I stopped at the last minute and it must have only affected your memories."

          "What was it supposed to do??"

          "…Shut off your brain…" Wufei retreated a step.

          "I'm not going to kill you, Wufei. I need a favor." The Chinese teen pondered this. If it was only a dream, it couldn't hurt…a dream. Yes, this was a dream. He could do anything he wanted…and there would be no consequences. He could test his feelings…explore what he had been thinking when he had been talking to Duo in the hallway…Duo… Slowly the image appeared before him.

          "Wufei, I need you to listen to me." Heero glanced at the dream image of Duo. "I just need this one thing and then you can go back to dreaming whatever you want."

          "I don't dream about boys. I don't…I'm not like that…I'm just confused right now." His eyes turned back to Heero as the frustrated pilot shook him.

          "Listen to me! I need your body."

          "My body…? I…I don't think I go that way…"

          "I don't mean… Just let me borrow it."

          "Well since it's only a dream, I suppose you can…"

          Wufei's eyes snapped open in the darkness. His thigh and side muscles tightened, bending his spine so he was sitting upright. Like a rabbit afraid to emerge from its burrow he looked around. There was no one else in the room. After sliding quietly from the bed, he ventured to the mirror on the distant wall. Yes, that was Wufei's face. He had control of his body. But he wouldn't have it for long. Quickly he made his way, or Wufei's way, or the body's way, he made way for Duo's room and entered. Duo was asleep, one leg hanging off one side of the bed, one arm hanging off the other.

          "Hn…" He hated for Duo to be the one he had to try to convince. However, Duo's room was closest, and there was no time to spare. Roughly he grabbed Duo and shook, keen awareness of time constraints dwarfing thoughts of courtesy.

          "Huh – w-what the hell? Wufei??" Duo blinked groggily.

          "It's Heero. I'm still alive. They're holding me on one of OZ's mobile bases."

          "Huh? What are you talkin' about, Wufei?"

          "I'm not Wufei, I'm Heero. My mind has been compromised. I barely remember anything…I've been hallucinating… I can't function like this." Duo stared up with wide eyes.

          "Heero??? Whoa, how are you -?"

          "I don't have time to explain. I've been killing people needlessly and when they wake me, it's going to happen again. And if you don't get here soon, I doubt I'll recognize any of you at all, much less as people who aren't my enemies. My mind is fading quickly…I can't even hold onto Wufei's memories…I can't remember your name…" He blinked and his expression softened somewhat. "I can't remember you…Duo…I'm sorry…" Duo shook his head, tossing his messy bangs to and fro.

          "You don't have to apologize, Heero, just…tell me what you need me to do! Heero??" The tea cups blinked at him.

          "No, I'm not Heero…" Half asleep, the nameless boy, the boy who would look into a mirror and see nothing, gently fell onto the cushion of Duo's bed. "I'm not Heero, but I don't know who I am." His eyes closed completely, giving way to sleep. Somehow his fingers found the end of Duo's braid and they, like the fingers of a newborn who knows only the safety its mother provides, closed around the soft hair.

          "Am I still dreaming…?" he murmured, just before slumber overtook him. Duo stared, wondering, wandering with his mind. He spoke as he lay down to reach back into his own dreams.

          "Yeah."


***

Shounen-ai anyone? But that's all, I mean it. This isn't a romance fic. I dunno there might be more later. Anyway, upon engaging in a course in Psychology, I learned that people can become autistic and that I was previously misinformed. But in order for this to be accurate, I will have to say that Heero is autistic, bipolar, has illusionary schizophrenia and is homicidal.