10: Shrouded in Darkness lies the truth
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Heero sat on the hospital bed with a breathing mask attacked to his face, he breathed slowly in and out keeping his eyes closed not sure if it was completely safe to open them in spite of everything that had happened to him.
Thoughts of Jin and his double cross still lingered heavily in his mind as he felt the painful stinging that resided in his lungs beginning to dissipate at a manageable pace. He turned his head to the left sensing Sally beside him, but dared not to speak while the breathing mask was still over his mouth.
Duo stared at his comrade with concern, though he rather eat a stale steak than tell the silent Preventer that. He glanced at Sally who was dabbing the sides of Heero eyes with a medication to ensure his reopening of his eyes would be a painless one. The braided Preventer sighed in dismay and began to scratch the back of his neck.
"So, what's up Doc? Is he all right?" He asked out of the blue, trying his best to sound unconcerned. Sally turned to the American with a smile, as she left Heero's side to check his vital signs displayed on the observation screen. His lungs appeared to be free of any toxins of smoke and the smoke itself.
She reached over to the Japanese teen, tucking her fingers underneath the elastic band pulling the mask over Heero's head placing it on the side upon the bed. "It's all right Heero, you can open your eyes now," Sally informed him calmly. "Your lungs seemed to be free of any harmful toxins and smoke."
Heero grunted slowly opening his eyes, awaiting for his senses to alert him of any pain as he tried to focus on the tall blurry figure he knew as Duo, sun spots appeared frequently as his vision became clearer and brighter until finally he could properly see Duo and his surrounding area as he should. He grunted his thanks to Sally with a brief nod before turning his attention to his partner with his trademark glare.
Duo stepped back a bit wondering what he had done this time. He watched Heero shift his eyes toward Sally with a gentle bob of his head toward the door. Sally understood what he meant and left the room with a brisk step in her pace.
Duo watched Sally's retreating figure before turning his head toward Heero who looked more than pleased to say the least. "What now?" Duo complained placing a hand on his head. Heero continued to glare at him but decided to at least acknowledge Duo's question and answer him.
"You let the kid get away, Duo," He said flatly, clearly disappointed. "I would've been fine." Duo scoffed at his friend's comment biting the side of his lip. "No, you wouldn't have. Correct if I'm wrong, but you looked like you were about to die of suffocation buddy!" Duo snapped. "I don't get you at all Heero."
"He is helping the rebel's you baka!" Heero said with contempt in his voice. Duo blinked at him in disbelief, unsure whether to believe Heero's story or not. He knew the Japanese Preventer didn't like Jin but he would never make something up in spite of his hate, Heero never told a lie in his life . . . or so Duo thought.
"I highly doubt that Jin is helping the rebel's Heero. And even if he is, you don't have----." Duo was stopped in mid-sentence when Heero unveiled a disk concealed with a case from inside of his jacket. "— Proof," He finished lamely taking the disk from Heero's grasp. Duo stared at it confusion was written all over his face before his eyes shifted to Heero.
"I took it off of Jin when he joined us at the table," Heero explained. "It probably has some information on our mission to the Corsica base and where the ringleader of this entire situation is located." Duo sighed closing his eyes in disbelief, it was indeed a CD of Jin's, his name was written across the CD itself which rattled him even more to the point of mistrust.
He glanced at Heero who did not wear a triumphant smile like he expected him to but an almost sorry expression gleamed in his eyes while his face kept up the emotionless mask, he sighed handing the CD back to his comrade almost in a robotic motion. Heero removed it from Duo's grasp gingerly with a frown of confusion as he watched the braided ex-pilot make his way toward the door.
"I'm not lying Duo. But you know that, right?" He asked concerned. Duo stopped halfway out of the door placing his hand on the door knob his eyes diverted toward the ground his heart pounded against his chest like a drum before he answered. He turned to Heero with a sarcastic smile.
"I know," Duo grunted truthfully. "That's the part that hurts the most." Heero's eyes widened in surprised as he continued to stare at his friend. "I'll see you later Heero," Duo muttered, stepping out of the room closing the door behind him.
"Duo—" Heero extended a hand to stop his friend but the door had closed abruptly before his words could reach the American Preventer. Heero stared down at the CD wondering if he should have told Duo that Jin was working for the rebel's if he was going to react like that.
He sighed hopping down from the bed he grabbed his jacket and proceeded to try to try and find Trowa, when the green-eyed Preventer poked his head into the room with a wondering gaze, Heero cocked an eyebrow at him in question. "What?" He asked bluntly.
Trowa gestured to the outside with his thumb. "That Eriol guy is awake. He's ready to tell what happened on his mission whatever it was," Trowa explained before retreating down the hall leaving the door ajar. Heero sighed pulling his jacket over his arms jogging out of the room with haste.
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Hilde laid on the bed staring up at the wall with disdain as she kicked her legs against the side of the bed lazily wondering when Duo was going to realize she was missing and come to her mission.... Not that she needed him to rescue her; She was quiet competent when it came to situations like this.
The former OZ did train her for situations such as these incase it were ever to come about upon her. Hilde turned her head to the left staring at Relena with wondering eyes examining her posture.
The honey-blonde's head rested upon the window pane her blue eyes stared into the star-filed sky above and beyond them fondly with an adoring twinkle, her hands rested upon her lap, her legs resided underneath her and despite the dirt smudges on the once a pristine white suite that Relena wore it seemed to glow brighter than before.
Hilde murmured something under her breath as she returned to staring at the ceiling when the sound of the door opening caught her attention. Both girls rose from their place with caution as the man named Stanley and a nameless face they had never seen came forward with mirth spreading across their faces with guns in hand. Relena frowned at them with not a look of haltered but pity. Stanley smirked at her revealing a pair of handcuffs with a sense of pride in his job.
Hilde sneered at the other man as Stanley threw him the pair of handcuffs, the man grinned devilishly as he approached Hilde. The German teenager did not move an inch knowing what would happen if she tired to jump one of them. The nameless face of a man grabbed her right wrist placing one part of the cuffs onto it before repeating the same thing on her left locking it in place making sure it was on correctly. Hilde stared at the cuffs with resentment; her wrists were small and handcuffs would usually slide right off them if she put enough force behind it.
Stanley pushed Relena forward the Government official moved forward toward the door with little resistance, Hilde followed after her barely dodging the nudge of the man's gun he planned on using against her back. The man frowned while Stanley chuckled in amusement his eyes never leaving the two women's back in front of him.
Relena looked to Hilde; she could feel the sense of helplessness Hilde was feeling at the exact moment wishing she could comfort her friend but decided to keep walking onward to wherever these men were directing them to. The trio continued through the musty hallways and corridors until they reached a flight of winding stairs winding upward to someplace they had never been.
Hilde and Relena stared each other with worried glances before the barrel of a gun was pressed against Relena's shoulder blade. She grunted in pain stumbling forward almost falling to the ground but was caught by Stanley, Relena gave him a heated stare before yanking her waist away from the man making her way up the stairs.
Hilde walked up after with a growing concern for the well-being of her friend when the two perverts were around them. She began to believe that she did indeed need rescuing from Duo Maxwell. Hilde growled under her breath in the ever growing rage that bubbled inside her as she caught up with Relena finally.
Relena turned to Hilde with a warm smile despite what happened. "Don't worry Hilde, they can't hurt us. Not until Phareil says so," Relena said hoping it would reassure her friend. Hilde worse than she had previously but managed to give Relena a knowing glance while hiding her true feelings within her.
Once they had made it to the top of the stairs The German began to realize they stood before a roof entrance. "This is not good . . . ," Hilde grumbled miserably. Relena nodded in agreement just as Stanley and the other man came up from behind them and shoved them toward the door roughly.
The two girls stumbled toward the door slamming against it causing it rip from its hinges without warning, Hilde and Relena let out screams of surprise and horror as they went down with the rusty door onto the ground with a painful thud. Stanley sighed making his way over to them, he lifted them off the ground before they could calm their nerves dragging them toward a helicopter where Phareil resided in the back of the pilot's seat with a wicked grin.
Hilde examined their surrounding area: The roof was covered with rebel soldiers armed to the teeth with guns and other essential weapons, below she could her faint shouts and objects clanging against each other before she was thrown into the helicopter followed by Relena who tried her best to keep her hands from coming in contact with the rotors of the helicopter. Phareil looked down at the two of them with a smile. "Enjoying the hospitality?" She asked sweetly batting her eyelashes.
"Would like me to show just how much I'm enjoying your so-called hospitality?" Hilde sneered, rolling up her sleeve. Phareil laughed throwing her back as the helicopter began to rise from the ground, Relena held the German girl back giving her a scolding glance.
Hilde mumbled before placing herself in the chair correctly with her arms folded across her chest and her eyes firmly placed before the helicopter's window staring out into the space as she tried to calm herself down. Relena placed herself beside Hilde looking out the window on her right.
Heero....
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Jin traveled down the winding parking lot of the Preventers HQ, his hands gripped the handles of the Japanese Suzuki Motorcycle with his hood over his head obscuring his face. His teeth grinded against each other angrily as he leaned over to make a tight turn, he had lost the disk to Heero due to his incompetence and arrogance. His boss wasn't going to be happen about this.
He was beginning to wonder if his confidence was the next best thing for Heero to wound severely or if he would even make out of this parking lot attached to the one place he feared the most? "Is this life worth living anymore? Or am just wasted space needing to be forgotten and eliminated?" He wondered aloud, watching the winding walls of the parking lot carefully.
No answer was given to him not that he expected one to ever come to him but he felt as though some higher power would answer his question to ease the ache in his heart that never seemed to leave him, not since he awoke alone and chilled to the bone on that faithful day.
Jin's mood suddenly changed from somber and pity to anger, and frustration, he removed one hand from the handle of the motorcycle and slapped himself hard on the face. It was a feat he could easily pull of without losing balance on the machine he rode upon.
"Ouch," He grumbled wearily, rounding yet another corner. Jin was ready to shift to top speed for the heck of it when he noticed there was a jeep parked in the middle of the road, completely blocking his path. In one panicked motion he squeezed the handle bars hitting breaks abruptly, the spinning wheels ceased their rounding motion halting into a complete freeze skidding across the concrete as if were upon ice instead of the stony structure below it's hard rubber.
Jin gritted his teeth in horror as the motorcycle got closer and closer to the Jeep until he used his body strength to jerk the two-wheeled machine sideways causing it to stop abruptly. He was jerked to the side almost falling off but managed to keep a firm grip on the handle bars and his feet and legs firm in their place.
He stared into the passengers side window in confusion as his heart rate began to pick up tremendously, the sound of his heart pumping blood blocked out all sound from his ears.
Not knowing what else to do, Jin hopped off the bike to investigate the abandoned car for any clues as to who owned it or why they left it here when a familiar figure popped up from behind the car wearing a sour expression. Jin's onyx blue eyes widened in surprise he took a step back in nervousness as he stared into the seemingly dull coalbolt blue eyes.
"Where ya headed off to Jin?" Duo's voice startled the young soul into a deeper fear than he ever thought possible. Jin grunted placing his fists upon his hips with a cocky smile trying to appear as calm as he could but he found this to be extremely hard to do around the braided-teenager in front of him. "N-nowhere, I just thought I might take a ride around the parking lot is all. No harm done," He said nervously making his way back over to the motorcycle.
Duo smirked shaking his head. "I guess not," He sighed placing his arms behind his back casually. "But if I recall correctly, eleven-year-olds can't ride motorcycles until they're older. It's not like a simple bike you know."
Jin stopped dead in his tracks the feeling of fear washing over him in one swift movement as if the emotion were attached to Duo's words, he turned to meet the coalbolt eyes once again but he did not see cold and angry, instead he saw the image of a hurt little Orphan boy standing in front of him, his face smudged with dirt and wet with rain. "You're a War Orphan too, aren't you, Duo?" He asked quietly staring at his feet.
Duo's eyes widened in confusion. That question had come out of nowhere, that much was certain to the braided Shinigami. Despite this he decided there was no harm in answering the boy's question.
"Hai. That I am," He mumbled. "But compared to me you got off easy. I lived in Hell." Jin scoffed doubting his explanation of how he came to be the Orphan that he was now even reached Duo's ears. There was an awkward silence between the two, Jin figured Heero had told Duo everything he figured about him including the disk, his palms began to sweat despite the chilling breeze that traveled through the lot.
Duo's sigh napped Jin out of his ridged position causing him to jump. Duo smirked at his obvious fear and nervousness leaning back away from the car. "I know what your up to Jin, Heero told me everything," He began sternly, his coalbolt blue eyes burned with a certain impishness that made Jin's mind race with questions of the whereabouts of the other Gundam pilots and/or Preventers.
Duo smirked. "But I'm going to let you go. I believe you're a good kid and, you won't do anything stupid like, make an alliance with the rebel's, if you know what I mean." The 16-year-old winked at him playfully. "Heero can jump the gun sometimes."
Jin smile wearily with a nod. If only he knew...
Duo hopped into the jeep placing himself in the drivers seat that resided on the right and stared the car, Jin watched him steer the Jeep out of the middle of the parking lot road parking it onto the side against the wall before climbing out of the Jeep with a more sober expression. Duo jerked his thumb to the remainder of the winding road before Jin with a small smile.
"Go ahead. Get outa here before I change my mind," He warned cocking an eyebrow. Jin stared at him for a moment trying to figure Duo's true motive but he couldn't seem to penetrate the man's expression. Not by a long shot.
After a while he smiled and nodded, rushing back to the Suzuki motorcycle in a hurry, he threw his leg over the motorcycle placing himself on the seat before staring the up the engine. He looked up to Duo with a wicked smile as he the motorcycle took off down the snakelike path before him.
Maxwell grumbled something incoherently watching the chipper expression [from what he could see] on Jin's face vanish from sight along with him as he rounded another corner down further into the parking lot. Duo looked up at the worn and cracked ceiling wondering how on earth did Une or the government keep this place up and running when a hand came out of nowhere and grabbed him by the shoulder.
Duo felt as though he would die of a fatal heart attack before realizing who just who it was behind him. The Amercian scowled at him wanting to punch him in the gut for scaring him half-to-death. "Sheez!" He breathed in relief placing a hand over his chest. "Did you put that honing beacon on the motorcycle Wufei?" Duo grumbled trying not to make light of the situation.
The Chinese preventer nodded halfheartedly before gesturing toward the jeep. "Trowa just called.... He says Une wants us to report to Eriol Wheeler's room before she fires us," Wufei explained coolly. He paused giving Duo an almost sympathetic look, Duo cocked an eyebrow at him curiously.
"I didn't know you were an Orphan, Maxwell," Wufei grumbled feeling out of character. Duo sighed looking skyward making his way over to the door of the jeep. "Yeah well, its something I wanna forget... but not completely if you know what I mean," He mumbled opening the door and letting himself in.
Wufei nodded knowing how he felt as he jumped into the passengers seat from the back of the vehicle with the grace of a feline, Duo looked to the Chinese preventer and grinned acting as if the conversation they had never happened at all.
"Well, let's go before the wrath of Une rains down upon us," He joked putting the jeep into reverse. Wufei sighed sitting back in his seat watching his friend with a curious gaze. He had to admit Duo was quiet the actor, but he wonder how long it would before his defenses were knocked down completely?
Oi, quit thinking like a sympathetic baka Wufei and concentrate on the now not the future! His mind scolded him causing Wufei to flinch. Duo looked at the Chinese teenager for a brief moment as the world passed them by outside.
"Somethin' botherin' you Wufers?" He asked cocking an eyebrow before returning his gaze to the road in front of him. "No. Nothing," Wufei grumbled slumping in his seat. Duo chuckled. "You know you shouldn't do that..., bad things are bound to happen in a jeep."
Wufei turned and gave the American a glare, Duo hushed up and continued up the parking lot.
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Inside the bedridden Eriol Wheelers hospital room where the three Gundam pilots, Sally and Une awaited Duo and Wufei's appearance. Heero resided behind Quatre in the shadows up against the cold blue wall, Trowa stood on the opposite side of Heero (the left) in the exact same posture except his head his bowed and his eyes are closed the Latin American had blocked all sounds out and listened only for Duo's talking or he and Wufei's familiar footsteps outside the door making their way toward them.
Quatre stood in front of Eriol's bed with his hand wrapped around the metal bar in deep thought as he stared down at the yellow sheets upon the hospital bed intently, while Une and Sally stood next to each other only a few feet away from Eriol's temporary bed.
The silence seemed to be foreboding and uncomfortable as Une watched the bedridden Preventer inhale deeply on his cigarette when the sound of the chain that laid against Trowa's hip attached to his wallet jingled causing Heero to look up in question. Trowa opened one eye shifting it toward the door slowly.
"They're here," He said in a unusual tone of voice. Heero turned to the door just as it opened, Duo came leaping through the doorway with an ice-cream cone in his hand and his mouth against the chocolate ice-cream as he came up to the bed, no sooner than Duo had entered Wufei came in with an annoyed expression that explained itself literally as he joined the American at the bed.
Une looked up snapping herself out the trance she had put herself in and cleared her throat in preparation for speaking. "Eriol, I do believe its time you told us what happened. Everyone is present and accounted for," Une said firmly. The man with amber colored eyes, brown hair, pale skin, and an average height looked up at his superior with a nervous look about him. He nodded quickly before he began his story.
"I had just dropped off my partner Richard and was headed back here to report that we had completed our mission on escorting a wealthy senator, Gabrielle Shore back to her hotel suite with no problems whatsoever when these two girls pulled me over. I recognized the blonde as The vice foreign minister Darlain.... otherwise know as Queen Relena, but I didn't know who the funny looking aquamarine eyed girl, I figured she lived around in the small neighborhood I happened to ride into," Eriol began putting out his cigarette on the palm of his hand. He winced slightly before returning his story.
"The vice foreign minister ask me to head for one of those fancy restaurants called the Modern Rizzo. I did as was told and took them to the that Rizzo place. They payed me well, but I didn't leave just then. I stuck around knowing something as bound to happen since this girl was indeed a government official after all. When they came out after eating, they were surprised to find me still there. I gave them a lift." He paused looking upward before continuing.
"I overheard the conversation the VFM was having on her cell phone talking to some guy named Heero who probably told them to head to the Preventers HQ ironically I was headed that was so I didn't complain, but as we were making our jolly way down the road my taxi is suddenly ambushed by a horde of bluets that hit one of those girls," Eriol sighed taking a deep breath never noticing the angry look that Heero was giving him.
"Anyways, my taxi spun out of control and I crashed knocking myself out in the process. Now this may seem a bit far fetched but, when I awoke Miss Relena and her friend weren't in the back of the car anymore. I got out searched around for them as much as I could before noticing a small trail of blood and tire tracks indicating whomever attacked us made a hasty retreat, I think they were kidnapped. I don't remember anything afterward just waking up to the (sigh) beautiful face of Jennie." Eriol grinned devilishly at the thought of his sweetheart but was ripped out of his daydream thoughts by Duo who yanked upward by his hospital gown's collar like a wild man.
"You think they were kidnapped?! How could you be so damn careless!!! They were kidnapped!!!" Duo shouted unable to control the sudden rage that had welled up inside him. Eriol was dumbstruck with fear as stared into the wild eyes of Preventer in front of him, his mouth quivered as he searched for a suitable answer for his interrogator but could find none. He shook his head quickly as Duo's grip tightened on his collar.
"Do even know who attacked you?!" The American shouted louder as he heart pounded harder and harder. How could he have let this happen?! Eriol remained silent as he mentally prayed that someone would pull the wild man off him and soon. "SPEAK U---!!" Duo was cut off in mid-sentence when Heero grabbed him behind pulling him off the Eriol dragging him off toward the door.
"Let go of me Yuy!" He shouted kicking trying to hit his partner. Heero was phased by the American's protest or the first time use of his last name, he grabbed the door knob and swung the door open dragging the enraged Duo out of the room only to drag him into another, it was empty void of human presence and hopefully would keep his friend from bolting while he tried to calm him down.
Heero turned his back to door and with one swift movement he removed his grip of Duo letting the salvage dealer stumble toward the wall slamming against it. Heero folded his arms across his chest awaiting Duo's turn to face him but the braided baka remained against the wall his back faced Heero still, the Japanese boy's eyebrows narrowed dangerously lower than usual as he stepped forward a bit to lessen the space between them.
After another moment of silence Heero spoke. "There wasn't a need for that," He said quietly but all the same sternly. Duo did not move he kept his forehead pressed against the cold wall as he felt his trembling body stiffen at the harshness in Heero's voice. Duo bit down on his bottom lip in frustration. "Maybe not. But---." Duo shut his mouth before anything stupid could rise from his throat.
Heero sighed kicking a small pebble across the ground idly wishing he had never ordered Relena to come out the house in the first place. The worry in his mind began to patronize him but he ignored the patriotism and continued on talking.
"Why are you so upset Duo? Is it because your worried about Hilde?" He asked hoping he would get somewhere with that question. Duo tensed up closing his eyes before answering his question. "Yeah," Duo replied. He needed to be more mysterious like Heero, but then again even Heero was easy to figure out even if he objected to ever thinking about whatever you asked him, he liked fooling around with the Japanese preventer.
Heero rolled his eyes, Duo was easy to figure out it was a shame. "I figured," Heero said lamely. "But that's no reason to blame it on Eriol. He couldn't have know this sort of thing would happen so suddenly, and you couldn't either. So why don't you stop beating yourself up about it, help us out, and not blame Eriol for their kidnapping."
A smile appeared on the braided teen's face. "What about you?" Duo asked turning his side against the wall shifting his head toward Heero who wore a surprised look on his face. "Are you worried about Relena?" Heero grunted in annoyance indicating he was not expecting that question to ever come up in this conversation ... ever.
Heero looked at his friend with little indifference in his face. "Hai," He grumbled scratching under his chin. Duo look as if he were going to faint; Heero had actually agreed with him, with no objections! Heero glared at him wanting to kick him so badly but knew better to keep his temper in check unless completely necessary.
"If your done throwing a rampage, then come with me. Our hour is up and we've gotta get going to Corsica base," Heero said with a scowl turning his back to Duo. Duo sighed noticing that the wild beating in his heart had not ceased despite the calm residing within, he could feel as though something bad were about to happen but didn't want to jump the gun just yet. Shaking his head clear of the thought he rushed after Heero slipping through the small space of the door just as it was about to close.
"Oi, Heero wait up!" Duo cried rushing down the hallway after him. He stared at Heero's posture strangly; Heero appeared to be stomping, his arms straight at his side, his shoulders were straight and in alinement with his body and he seemed for determined for some strange reason. Duo rushed passed the hospital room just as Trowa, Wufei, Quatre and the two older preventers [Sally and Une] came striding out of the room with pondering looks.
Quatre raised a hand in the braided-preventer's direction. "Duo where are you going?!" He cried in surprise. Duo turned around running backward with a grin on his face. "We're headin' out to Corsica, we'll see you later Q-man!" Duo shouted turning around continuing his persuit on Heero. Quatre wasted no time, he rushed after the two Trowa and Wufei followed behind him hastily. Une sighed placing a hand over her forehead thanking God she didn't have to remind them of their mission.
Heero looked behind him to check if his comrade was following him when he was bombarded by Duo's arm wrapping itself around his neck in a playful he had seen several men do when he was in the Gabriel institute after crashing to earth so he did not bother to remove Duo's arm from around his neck.
He glanced at his smiling friend in annoyance as he dragged him slightly across the ground. "Who's driving this time?" Duo asked cheerfully swinging the keys in front of Heero's face. The Japanese teen's mouth formed a thin barely visible line before he snatched the keys out the Amercian's hands, Duo's mouth hung open in disappointment but didn't try to snatch the keys back. "Man, your such a killjoy Heero," He grumbled irritably narrowing his eyes.
Heero smirked a little bobing his head side to side as if to slightly agree. "I don't like the way you drive," Heero replied removing Duo's arm from around his neck since he was hindering his walking. "Its not very safe." Duo snorted in objection bitting the side of his lip, shoving his hands into his pockets.
He drives a lot faster than I do..., but maybe's he worried I'll go over the speed limit trying to Corsica because of Hilde's kidnapping.... worrywort. Duo thought rolling his eyes as Trowa and the others came up beside him. The green eyed circus performer look to the braided preventer in question. "So who's driving?" Trowa asked casually.
Duo sighed jerking a thumb toward the silent preventer. Trowa nodded shifting his gaze toward the American his mood changing suddenly. "Quite a seen you made back there," He began. "You alright?" Duo nodded ferently hoping he wouldn't have to discuss it with Dr. Barton (^ ^).
Trowa nodded knowing his friend was probably feeling a bit embarrassed by being reminded of his sudden temper tantrum. Best to just drop it. Trowa thought yawning. Wufei and Quatre remained behind the Latin Amercian as they made they're way to the parking lot.
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