AN: Although I don't mind the lack of reviews I would like to take this moment to thank AnimeGirl8 for her reviews, they are read and appreciated. Sorry for the late posting, quick edit was being added and I couldn't upload… however it was worth the late update to now have that tool.
Companions of a kind – Interludes of a year part 1
245 days until discovery –
"They left me here all alone again!" Duo complained to the main computer. "And it might be days like the last one before they come back... what in the hell am I supposed to do?" Duo asked the computer, as if it was all the computers fault.
Setting up the trading had been fairly tricky but fast. Every planet had seen the benefits of trade with one another but Quatre's instance to keep the Companion natural seemed to be the only thing the planets trusted. Magic became the only way the Companion could transport sprit, heat and cold. But to magic users those things were like transporting materials.
"What about this Gundanium I was reading about," Duo mumbled to his self. "Darlin bring up the info on Gundamium if you would," Duo addressed the computer. A moment later the info was once again on the screen. Duo skimmed it, he had already read it three times, and once again was left on indecision. He had tried to replicate the super strong metal but the computer had been unable to comply, because it was illegal so he wanted to ask Cassandra. But she was still bottled up in that stupid room... actually Duo would be ok if she stayed there for the rest of her life. He was still jealous of the connection she had with Heero.
"I'm gona do it this time," Duo stated as he stood up. "Wish me luck darling." The computer didn't respond as Duo marched his way to the room Cassandra was in. He raised his hand to knock on the door, but it slid opened. Cassandra already knew that he was there.
"Ah, hi," Duo said cheerfully.
"Gundamium is extremely hard to refine," Cassandra stated. Duo blinked and looked around the room. He couldn't see much it was dark, Cassandra's pasty skin stuck out where the light from the hall bounced off it.
"The replicator doesn't just make thing appear, it keeps the materials in their most bass form and them combines to create what is asked for. Find bay five and a half," Cassandra stated. Duo started to take a breath to ask more questions but before he could something pushed him out of the room and the doors hissed shut. Duo shivered. Cassandra gave him the creeps.
"Fine then, I'll just find this bay five and a half," Duo said to the door. The entrance to the bay's were on the bottom level, although most of them expanded up to the fourth level. Cassandra's personal room, which hadn't been opened for god knows how long were the only quarters on the bottom level. And engineering spanned four stories which started at the bottom with what Heero had said was the warp core, which gave the ship its power.
Heero spent most of his time on one of those floors; he had even made himself an advanced mini computer that was directly connected to the main computer. Damn Heero the man was always on the computer, unless Quatre was giving his orders or Cassandra was speaking to him through telepathy.
The labs were on the second level. This included the room Cassandra had locked herself in, the medical bay, which Quatre had made his second home and several science rooms which Trowa had taken over and every once and a while one could hear explosions from.
Trowa had become the weapons expert of the ship. There wasn't a weapon, magical or technological, that Trowa could not perfectly manipulate. And they had added several magical weapons to the Companion's arsenal.
The third level was the rest of the personal quarters and personal space. Heero and Trowa still shared the same room as well as Duo and Quatre while Wufei took his own room, the last empty personal quarters on the ship. This level also had the mess hall, a few large work out rooms, and a garden/library room that Wufei had made his home (and greatly expanded), and two strange dusty rooms. They were dark, with seemingly no lights. Black grids covered all sides of the room and as far as everyone on the ship could tell they served no purpose so were never touched.
The fourth level contained the most important rooms to the ship. The top of engineering was most of the control panels and directly connected to the bridge and the transporter controls and hanger; Cassandra had set the ship up to be able to be run by one. Wufei's plans had not changed that but had mad it more accessible to be run by five, which also made it more efficient. There was supposed to be some one on the bridge at all time and there was except when Duo was left alone and the ship was powered down. Then Duo would get board and he modified a triquarter to alert him to any activity on the bridge so he could explore, as he was doing now.
Duo stopped at bay four and very slowly walked to bay five, dragging his hand along the wall. It was smooth, not cracks to control panels no nothing. Duo wrinkled his nose and turned, leaning back against the door with a grunt.
"It's got to be a riddle then," Duo said to himself. "Find bay five and a half... that's not a fucking riddle! But what about the other side..." Duo started toward the other side. He ran his hands over the wall and scanned it with a triquarter.
"Yes! Gundamium!" Duo yelled when the triquarter finished its scan; there was a compartment behind the wall. "But how to get to it?" Duo asked himself. After another half an hour of searching with no results Duo finally yelled at the wall pulled out his staff. A loud explosion later Duo walked into the room via the hole in the wall. His eyes popped as he looked at the compartment and all of the stuff in it. Metals, wires, tools, gears, computers everything anyone could ever need to build a ship.
"Duo you have hit the jack pot my friend!" Duo exclaimed to himself as he ran around familiarizing himself with everything in the room. Duo grinned to himself and put his staff off to the side, his hands began flying over the computer an idea for a project coming to his mind.
242 days until discovery –
"Duo is not at the helm," Heero dead panned. Quatre wrinkled his nose and Heero saw his mental crystal glow with use.
"He's not answering, he must not be touching his staff... you did make him a holster," Quatre confirmed. Heero nodded although the question really didn't deserve recognition.
"I'll return to the ship and work the transporter," Heero dead panned. It still took 45 minutes for him to get through 05's heavy gravity and maneuver into the shuttle bay alone. As he walked to the elevator to get to the top floor, Heero noticed several bits and pieces of what looked like the ships walls.
Heero pulled out a knife in his right hand, leaving his left free to whiled staff power if necessary. His feet barely made a sound on the metal floor as he found the source of the mess. A giant hole in the wall, Heero flipped over his knife into a defensive position ready for an attacker.
He was quick and quiet as he slipped into the hole in the wall, and stayed quite as he was meet with the sight off all the building supplies and equipment. He turned just as Duo popped up, a ball of fire white hot in his hand.
"Hey Heero, how did you get here?" Duo yelled as the fire dissipated. Heero blinked at the giant machine Duo was working on before his eyes surveyed the rest of the room. Messy and full but Duo was the only living thing in it.
//Explination// Heero asked Cassandra.
//Shuttle building room, Gundanium and everything else anyone would need to build what ever they wanted. Duo found it three days ago, has only been out twice// Cassandra stated before she cut out. Heero narrowed his eyes, Duo was scowling at him.
"Have a good chat?" Duo asked icily. Heero stopped scowling in confusion before remembering the reason he was back on the ship.
"Trasporters do not work on their own," Heero dead panned before he left. He heard Duo's soft foot falls as he ran to catch up.
"Hey, don't change the subject," Duo said, his voice still icy. "How is Ass-andra doing? Do you have a date worked out later? Or are the two of you scheming to take over the ship?" His voice had taken on hints of anger with the ice.
Heero blinked, trying to understand why Duo was angry at him or why he would think Cassandra would try to take over her own ship. Or why Duo would think that Heero would date the woman... or any woman for that matter.
"I don't understand," Heero dead panned. The elevator doors finally opened and closed. In a flash they were on the top floor. "Cassandra would not take over her own ship nor would I date her. She is in the middle of an important project, as well as refining Gundamium."
"WHAT?" Duo screeched. Heero moved his hand to the trasporters controls and contacted Quatre.
//Are you ready to energize?// He questioned.
//Yes, what took you so long?// Quatre asked back.
//Duo found something interesting// Heero stated as he started the energizing process. //Once the compartments are filled I will target your staffs//
//Roger// Quatre responded.
"Heero," Duo questioned once Heero's white crystal of mind had stopped glowing.
"Hn," Heero acknowledge.
"Why is Cassandra refining Gundanium?" Duo asked. Heero looked into Duo's wide purple orbs. His eyes traced the lines around them and memorized their exact pattern and color. Duo was unbelievably sexy, especially in those leathers he insisted on wearing. But those cloths were not as tight as they had been when Heero left and dark bags hung under Duo's eyes.
"Because you asked for it," Heero stated. All sorts of emotions flew through Duo's eyes before he broke contact. Heero didn't understand Duo, but a small part of him wanted to. But Duo would never want that kind of contact, he had Quatre and that was that. Heero's carefully place controls set them selves as his training buried the emotions that were trying to make them selves known. The quiet suddenly became awkward, Duo's silence felt wrong.
"Meet me in the mess hall in ten minutes, you must eat," Heero dead panned as he turned back to the controls. The three still on the planet were waiting to beam up. Heero felt more than heard Duo leave as he beamed the three up, they appeared on the platform in front of him, unlike the refined heat which had been beamed directly to the cargo holds.
"Where's Duo?" Quatre questioned.
"Mess hall," Heero stated. Although he didn't know for sure that his orders had been followed he was almost positive.
"Good idea. If everything is secure than we can all meet down there and eat," Quatre said cheerfully. Heero gave Quatre sine that it was and the four headed down to the mess hall. Duo's face brightened as Heero entered and then slightly lessened at the sight of Quatre... no that was Heero's imagination, it had to be. Duo and Quatre were together and that is the way it went.
"Cat! You won't believe what I found!" Duo said as he launched in to an explanation of the room and a very long and dramatic version of how he found it. Finally he caught them up the present. "So now I'm working with Gundanium to build my own fighter! It's going to be a combination of magic and technology."
"Do you have it planed out already?" Wufei asked, genuinely interested.
"Yes I do," Duo said proudly. "And I have already started building some of the parts. Oh and get this, Heero told me today that any parts I need Cassandra will get for me. Cuz things like Gundanium can't be replicated," Duo said and nodded.
Heero followed Duo and the rest down to the lowest level to look at the parts he had built and the design.
"Well, this is a good idea but you will be hyper extending the left leg unless you move it up, and with Dernacum as the explosive in the arm shot could blow off your arm," Trowa stated. "It would be more efficient to leave them either filled in or with Venius in small doses."
"Trowa, I didn't know that you cared!" Duo said in false drama. "Hey if I could get all of your impute in each area than we could design the ultimate weapon! Will Cassandra get us enough supplies to build five of them?" Duo suddenly asked, giving Heero puppy dog eyes. Heero's face didn't change although his insides tried to melt, failed but tried.
//Yes, after I approve the schematics// Cassandra stated in Heero's mind.
"Once she has approved the schematic," Heero passed on. Duo jumped for joy, almost dumping over his tray of food. Trowa even looked excited for him as Wufei started giving his impute.
It took three days for the Gundanium fighters to be approved by Cassandra, and in the end although the basics for each one were similar they were going to be very different. And Duo was forced to agree that he would not work on his Gundam, as they were being called, 24/7. That he would take eating, sleeping and bridge duty breaks.
201 days until discovery –
"Trowa, will you hold this," Quatre grunted as he pushed on two parts of his Gundam that he needed to weld together. The welder was just out of reach and he needed two hands to use it.
"Here," Trowa said as he slipped up behind Quatre, his staff now in one hand. His fire crystal glowed on his staff and he formed the intense heat needed to weld the parts together in his palm. Quatre was thankful Trowa was at his back; both his face and nether regions were reacting to Trowa's body so close behind him.
Trowa was done welding all too soon and went back to his work on the wiring in one of his Gundam's arms. Quatre wished that he had fire magic for a moment and then looked to see if he needed to do more welding, but alas he could handle the rest of the leg he was working on himself. With a sie he got down to it.
When it was nearing his time for bridge duty Quatre took up his staff and headed for the bridge. It was time he talked to some one about this crush. He had had it from the moment he set eyes on Trowa's tall form but the man expressed no interest in him. Duo was waiting for him and was immediately concerned when Quatre walked in.
"Q-chan, what's wrong," Duo asked. His voice carried concern for his friend.
"Duo... do you have a sexual preference?" Quatre asked. He had decided to make sure Duo wasn't homophobic before he tried to get comfort out of his braided friend.
"Well, I consider myself bie. But truthfully I've never had a relationship, being a demon thrown out of town and all," Duo stated sheepishly. Quatre nodded, too stuck in his own dilemma to react.
"I need to talk to some one about this," Quatre stated as he tried to get up the nerve to talk to Duo.
"You have a major crush on Trowa?" Duo asked playfully. Quatre went beat red and sunk into one of the bridges big padded chairs.
"How did you know?" Quatre squeaked once he had calmed down enough to make a sound.
"It's obvious. You spend a lot of time with him, and you're always doing things for him and you have even dropped some subtle hints. Only a blind man wouldn't notice," Duo said, also taking a seat across from Quatre.
"It can't be that obvious sense you seem to be the only one seeing it," Quatre mumbled. Duo's laugh was ironic and Quatre immediately picked up the feeling. "What's so ironic?"
"Well, sense you're telling me I might was well tell you. I really want to get into Heero's pants, but the man doesn't pick up on a thing... and I think he's into either you or Cassandra or both," Duo said. His voice was teasing but Quatre could sense the pain behind his words.
"Oh Duo," Quatre said as he stood and embraced his friend. Duo hugged Quatre back and closed his eyes but Quatre suddenly stiffed and moved away from Duo, which in turn made Duo open his eyes. Movement at the door caught his attention as Heero's form turned to leave.
"Shit, it's not what it looks like..." Duo started but Heero was long gone. Quatre bit his lip as Duo sunk back into a chair. "Oh and I always seem to say the wrong thing when I'm around Heero. And he consistently comes in to rooms at the worst possible moments," Duo bitterly added.
"But Duo, I felt hurt from Heero when he came around," Quatre said. "He has to feel something for you to be hurt," Quatre added, his voice perking up a little.
"Ya, he's probably jealous of me for being with you," Duo said his voice almost defeated. Quatre blinked. Heero liked him?
"Duo, what makes you think that?" Quatre asked.
"Well he always says things like, Quatre would worry. Or his god damn logic," Duo said.
"Duo I really don't think Heero has any feelings for me," Quatre said. "My empathy has never picked up anything but respect from him."
"Really? What about Cassandra?" Duo asked, his voice gaining hope.
"Honestly, I don't know about Cassandra. When ever they are communicating it is blocked from me completely. But when ever she is mentioned Heero's emotions are blank," Quatre said, trying to be helpful. Duo sunk down in the seat after a few moments he looked up.
"So why don't you just scope out Trowa with your empathy?" Duo asked.
"Trowa shows more on his face than he will admit to him self. I always have to actually pry to get a sense of his emotions and I don't want to start a relationship like that," Quatre quietly stated. The two fell into silence and Quatre looked out the front of the ship. The stars were slowly moving around them as their next planet came closer and closer, the next day they would be landing on 02 to trade the heat for cold. Duo's laugh brought him back to reality.
"I have spent most of my time thinking that Heero wouldn't give me a thought because he was stuck on you... I should have just asked you earlier," Duo stated. "I think you should ask Trowa. He's always so protective of you and he supports every decision you make, it could be that that it the only way that he knows how to communicate his feelings."
"But, what if that's wrong! And he really is just being protective of me because I am important or agreeing because it is also his opinion," Quatre voiced.
"Than at least you will know the truth and not be stuck on it," Duo said.
"Than you have to do it too, no hypocrites," Quatre said, his eyes lighting at the idea. Duo tried to shrink into his chair.
"Well, I'd rather live believing that I have a chance," Duo stated quietly. As long as I can just be around him, although it is driving me insane, it should be enough," Duo said more bodily. "Now I am off duty and want to go work on Deathscythe, besides Heero will be working on Wing at the same time," Duo puffed up.
Quatre laughed as he watched Duo's retreating form. At least now he had someone to share his frustrations with; a person who also had the same trouble.
113 days until discovery –
"Maxwell!" Wufei shouted as he began scrubbing the bright offensive substance off his Gundam.
"Chang!" Duo yelled back in mock anger. Wufei's eyes bugged and in a flash his katana was in hand and Duo was running for his life.
"Chill out Fei, it was just a joke not harm done," Duo yelled behind him as he bolted away, not really paying attention to where he was going.
"Just a joke! How dare you defile Nataku with your dirty vile hands! Come back here and fight me like a man," Wufei yelled forward. Wufei slowed down as Duo skidded around a corner before making the same quick turn.
"Give me a break, pudding washes off just fine, and Nataku really needed some facial hair," Duo laughed.
"Maxwell!" Wufei yelled again unable to think of anything more intelligent over his anger. Wufei suddenly slid to a halt as Duo's form slipped around a corner and Wufei registered where he was. Engineering... Heero's domain. Wufei peeled his eyes and looked around for the soldier.
Heero was dangerous. He didn't like to be touched, and had nearly killed almost everyone on the ship as they were getting used to it. His muscles were beyond trained; they were conditioned to react in one way and one way only. Any touch not in his control was bad and there for stopped and punished.
"Heero, oh Heero I'm so glad you're here. Wufei is trying to kill me with his Katana again," Duo complained from above. Wufei looked up. Heero was on the second floor and Duo had used his monkey like climbing skills to easily scale the nets and latter's that Heero had put up to more easily get around than the lifts.
"Baka," Wufei barely heard Heero's response. He was facing into his computer terminals working on something and Duo had placed the deadly magic wheeler right in between them... although Duo was keeping his distance as well.
"This isn't over Maxwell!" Wufei yelled up. He turned to go work on his Gundam again and didn't listen to Duo's baiting of 'I know Chang!'
The braided youth had become impossible the last few weeks. The Gundams were getting closer to completion, it would probably be another few weeks and then they could start test flying and then sparring. And Wufei attributed his antics to exactly that, anticipation.
Wufei walked into bay five and a half, still mumbling about injustices and the rest. They had created a door in the wall and cleaned up Duo's explosion. He looked up just in time to see Trowa remove his hand from Quatre's waist and the two move apart, a slight pink to Quatre's face.
Wufei narrowed his eyes and stopped mumbling to himself as he studied the two. Quatre and Trowa, they had been slowly getting closer sense the beginning... were they a couple now? Wufei stopped starring and went back to Nataku, he didn't want to think about it. What Quatre and Trowa did was there business and it didn't concern him. Although Wufei was most defiantly straight he wasn't narrow, he just didn't like to think about those kinds of things too much.
"Nataku, what have I gotten myself into?" Wufei quietly asked his Gundam. It was coming along. Most of the major wiring was done and now he was connecting it all to the cock pit as he attached the peaces. His Gundam was a little more difficult sense he chose to put a flame thrower in one of the arms which put the Gundam off balance but he was compensating and his Gundam would work smoothly.
96 days until discovery –
Heero softly grunted as his leg turned over for a side kick before coming down in an elbow smash. His body flowed like water as it easily remembered its years of patterns and martial arts training. He had stripped down to a pair of black gie pants that he had replicated, and that was it.
His daily workouts had become a consistent heaven from the madness that seemed to surround his new life with people. Heero didn't mind Trowa or Wufei. On occasion Wufei would bother Heero when he started talking about religion and philosophy... Heero had no interest in those subjects.
It was Duo primarily who rattled his carefully constructed barriers. The braided baka constantly tested his control on both his physical and emotional self. Duo seemed to think it was a game – to see how close he could get to Heero before Heero would react. But to Heero, it was unnerving... especially the first time Duo had gotten so close as to touch him.
Quatre had given both Heero and Duo cleaning duty for the next two weeks; Heero for breaking Duo's arm in half and Duo for provoking him. Heero brought his leg down hard in an ax kick before spinning around into a 360 hook kick followed with a combination crescent kick.
"Wow, that's beautiful!" Duo's voice interrupted Heero's concentration. Heero turned to Duo and gave him a death glare promising future injuries. "Jeez chill out man," Duo said as he walked into the room ignoring the danger. The door hissed shut behind him and Heero suddenly realized that Duo had stripped down to just gei pants as well.
"Duo?" Heero quested. No-longer angry but confused. Duo had his back to Heero and his mouth began babbling.
"Well I was raised in an orphanage and I got into a lot of fights but I only learned cuz if you don't learn you get hit. And there were all the kids to protect and my honor, which was shit anyway, but anyway I really wanted to learn a formal way to fight and I asked some of the mages that knew how but they all told me that I would not use it for good so they wouldn't teach me..."
"Duo," Heero snapped. His one haven had been invaded by a babbling idiot. "Are you trying to ask me to teach you martial arts?"
"Yes," Duo stated. He turned to Heero, the light end of a blush viable on his face. Heero raked his hand through his hair. Why couldn't Duo have just asked him?
"Just ask me if you want something. Are you warm?" Heero dead panned. His face and voice in more control than his inner anger. Duo's eyes became big a watery and he clasped his hands in front of his chest.
"In more ways than one!" Duo said cheerfully as he literally bounced over to Heero. Heero shook his head, how was it possible to be warm more than just physically?
"Fine," Heero said, choosing not to voice his question. "Than you must stretch out first, just follow my lead," Heero dead panned. He sad down and put his legs in front of him, easily folding him self in half to stretch his leg muscles. Heero turned his head to look at Duo; he was surprised that Duo was just as limber as him. Heero watched Duo perform several basic kicks and punches. Correcting him where he needed it, but it was little nit picky details.
"You are sure you have no training?" Heero asked. Duo nodded, still holding up his leg in chamber position like Heero had told him to do. Heero studied Duo's form for a moment; Duo had been holding the chamber for almost a minute with out even wiggling from imbalance, his kicks where high and executed exactly how Heero explained them to him.
Suddenly Duo tiled and Heero instinctively reached out to stop the baka from falling. Duo barely caught himself and ended up putting his entire weight onto Heero, his foot cramping and giving out before he could put his chambered leg down. Heero felt Duo's weight in his arms. Duo was not light but he was not heavy, Heero suddenly felt a warmth in his stomach, his emotions once again trying to take over his mind.
Heero looked for a focus to help him burry his emotions and his cobalt blue met with bright purple. Heero couldn't break away as those eyes seemed to take over his sight, feeding the emotional side of his inner fight. Heero felt Duo's body seem to come closer to him and suddenly the purple eyes were the only thing in his vision as warm lips lightly brushed his own.
Heero's mind couldn't handle the emotions his heart and hormones were sending him and his muscles took over. The next thing Heero knew he was standing alone, Duo's body weight was gone. Heero looked at the wall, a small dent was in it and his eyes slowly moved to the ground where Duo's unconscious form lay.
"Duo?" Heero question. He immediately growled at himself for even speaking. Duo was unconscious, no one, especially Duo, could lay that still. Heero double checked that his emotions were banished back to where they belonged before walking over to the unconscious boy.
Heero checked for a pulse, it was strong and steady. But Duo already had a bruise starting on one of his shoulder and back, the back of his head must have been slammed against the wall. Heero scooped Duo up into his arms and quickly walked to the infirmary.
Quatre face paled as Heero lay Duo on one of the beds.
"What happened?" Quatre asked. He looked accusingly at Heero. Heero kept his face blank.
"Duo made contact at high speed with a wall, I believe that he hit his shoulder, back and head," Heero dead panned.
"You believe, Heero you pushed him into the wall," Quatre stated angrily. Heero felt those emotions try to sneak back up on him. Most he couldn't even identify as he fought and conquered them. "Heero, are you ok?" Quatre asked, the anger gone from his voice. Heero nodded and turned to leave.
"Heero, don't lie to me," Quatre stated, his voice hurt. Heero turned his face blank.
"Duo tried to kiss me, and my mind checked out and my muscles took control. I can not remember what I did, all I remember is being kissed and the Duo lying on the floor," Heero said quietly. His moved his hand up to his lips and touched them, as if they held the answer he was looking for. "I told Duo not to come around me, maybe he will listen now," Heero dead panned. He turned and walked quickly out of the room before Quatre could use any more of his empathy to influence his carefully placed controls.
Heero growled to him self and took a quick shower. He easily went into the Gundam room, Trowa was quietly working and only nodded to Heero before going back to what he was doing. Heero quickly engrossed himself in Wing, he absently went over Wing's plans once again with Cassandra. She was like him, emotionless and logic driven, it was good to get his mind off emotions.
93 days until discovery –
Trowa watched as Duo, dressed in only gei pants, walked into Heero's workout session. He was surprised when he felt arms go around his waist.
"Duo and I talked about it and he is going to pretend that nothing happened," Quatre said, muffled by Trowa's top. Trowa set his arms over Quatre's arms.
"And what is happening now?" He asked quietly.
"Heero is his normal blank self and Duo is still full of emotion turmoil. But it looks like Heero is going to let him stay this time, although I bet he isn't going to work Duo too hard just incase," Quatre said as he giggled.
"Was that the right advice?" Trowa asked, speaking about Duo's choice to ignore the entire thing.
"Trowa! I would never give anyone that advice. I told him to confront Heero about it. Sense Heero obviously didn't object to the kiss and was worried about Duo," Quatre hiss angrily. Trowa's gut sunk.
"I'm sorry, I didn't think that you did give out that advice," Trowa apologized.
"I'm sorry I snapped, I'm just picking up Heero and Duo's emotions, lets go to a quieter area of the ship," Quatre asked as he moved to Trowa's side. Trowa put his arm around Quatre's shoulders, letting his hand squeeze the blonds shoulder. Quatre snuggled into the embrace and the two walked toward the garden/library area. Wufei was on bridge duty so the room was empty and quiet.
The two say with dimmed lights on one of the rich brown couches. Quatre opened his mouth to ask a question, but Trowa's mouth was on his own before Quatre could speak. Trowa kissed his passionately and deep, his hands moving to explore Quatre's back and sides. Trowa's hands moved down lower but before they could get anywhere Quatre broke the kiss, gasping for air.
"Trowa," Quatre said, his voice was lower than normal and gruff. Trowa looked down at Quatre's crystal blue orbs, they were tired and confused. Without warring Quatre lifted his other hand and moved Trowa's bangs away from his other eye. As if hit Trowa flinched back, letting his bangs fall back into place; his emotions reflecting his actions.
"Don't, please," Trowa said, not moving closer to Quatre. Trowa looked at the blond, who he had trusted, the pain in his chest was hurt... the hurt he had been afraid of. It had taken Quatre months to help Trowa get over his fear and trying having a relation ship. As of yet they had done nothing but kiss and go on 'dates' where they each did nice things for each other. But Trowa had still started to invest his emotions in the situation and it hurt that Quatre would betray his wishes by trying to look at the eye Trowa had asked him not to ask about.
"Trowa, you can trust me," Quatre said, trying not to cry. Despite his efforts his voice cracked slightly. "I won't hurt you... I was just curious. Please I won't try again," Quatre almost begged. Trowa looked into Quatre's eyes and was surprised by what he saw there, emotions off all kinds were flying around, hurt, anger, humiliation, pain...
"Trowa, there are too many," Quatre said. Suddenly Trowa realized what was going on. Quatre was not him self, his empathy was over riding his senses. Trowa suddenly realized that he could loose his friend – the first person who cared about him and just wasn't trying to use him – and put his arms around Quatre.
The blond curled up into his lap and cried him self to sleep, Trowa was at a loss of what to do so he chose to hold Quatre. The blond had to fight his own battles.
93 days until discovery –
Duo was positively distraught when he came to relieve Wufei of Bridge duty. Not only did he smell like a gym and was sprouting sever impressive bruises on his chest but he barely managed to babble something about Quatre in Wufei's sanctuary and then yell at Wufei asking him why he wasn't going to check it out.
Wufei had taken the not so subtle hint and quickly headed out. With in a moment, in record time, he was in his sanctuary and starring at the two on the couch. Trowa was sitting with Quatre curled in his lap, his pants soaked with the boy's tears. It took Wufei less than a second to see that Quatre was emotionally over loaded. "Trowa, I need you to leave. Quatre needs some time away from you," Wufei said icily. Trowa nodded his stoic face show nothing of what he was thinking. Wufei watched his back as he walked out of the room and trough the sliding doors.
With the room cleared out Wufei quickly made a mind shield around him self and Quatre. He easily sat on the floor, legs crossed and waited for the blond to come around. It didn't take long for Quatre's tired mind to wake up from his over load.
"Wufei, where's Trowa... I messed up..." Quatre said, trying to hold back tears.
"Quatre, you must stop trying to help people with their emotions," Wufei stated. He ignored Quatre's comment about Trowa.
"But they are all hurting..." Quatre started.
"Than let them hurt, it's the only way they will learn," Wufei interrupted. "Look Quatre, until you learn to let others deal with their own emotions I will not let you out of here."
"But I need to go, I hurt Trowa," Quatre desperately said, his body moving pleadingly toward Wufei.
"Trowa is a man, he understands... if it is that imperative, than you will just have to swear to stop hurting yourself. Reading emotions is one thing but trying to lesson them by putting them on your self is another. Quatre you must see reason. In two months we must start telling the planets of the voidus' failure. We need you for that and we need you as a friend," Wufei said his voice sincere.
Wufei faugh down his feelings of anger as tears appeared in Quatre's eyes. Quatre was weak now, because of Trowa, he was normally strong. Everyone had trouble every once and a while. Wufei started repeating this in his mind as Quatre cried. It eventually turned to sniffles and then to quiet hiccups.
"Thank you Wufei, I needed that. I will stop, you are right. Heero and Duo will learn if they start feeling the full tilt of their hurt... especially Heero. I just didn't want Duo to get hurt physically and he was so sad after he kissed Heero and Heero pushed him away like that," Quatre started to ramble and then stopped.
"I'm gland you have chosen the just path," Wufei stated blankly.
"Wufei, what's wrong?" Quatre asked. Wufei narrowed his eyes. "You seem uncomfortable when I talk about Duo and Heero... oh. I'm sorry I didn't realize that male male relation ships make you uncomfortable."
"Just keep your promise. They don't make me uncomfortable exactly," Wufei stated. Before Quatre could continue his pestering Wufei released the mental shield and stormed out of the room. Maybe Heero would be up for some sparring, they didn't spar very often because every time they didn't stop until some one was unconscious but right now he really needed the stress relief.
89 days until discovery –
"I can't believe I messed up so bad!" Quatre sadly said.
"God you sound like me," Duo responded. The two took big spoonfuls of their ice-cream and gulped them down.
"Do you ever wish you could turn back time?" Quatre asked, his words slightly slurred because of his num mouth.
"Yeha, every day. I just can't say the right thing or do anything rite. And now he's afraid to push me or get near me to help me out!" Duo whined.
"At least he's still teaching you," Quatre said, forcing the tears out of his eyes with more ice-cream. "Trowa hasn't even said a word to me!" Quatre couldn't stop the tears as he pushed away the ice-cream. "He won't acknowledge my presents unless it's an order, and even then he won't look me in the eye."
"Cat," Duo said as he moved over and gave Quatre a hug. Quatre wetted his bare shoulder for his troubles. "We'll just have to keep working at it. Trowa will come to trust you again, don't give up hope."
"I know Duo, I just need some time... and some more ice-cream," Quatre said as he picked up the container that he had been eating out of. Duo laughed and the two ate in silent heart ach.
mtc
Companions of a kind – Interludes of a year part 1
245 days until discovery –
"They left me here all alone again!" Duo complained to the main computer. "And it might be days like the last one before they come back... what in the hell am I supposed to do?" Duo asked the computer, as if it was all the computers fault.
Setting up the trading had been fairly tricky but fast. Every planet had seen the benefits of trade with one another but Quatre's instance to keep the Companion natural seemed to be the only thing the planets trusted. Magic became the only way the Companion could transport sprit, heat and cold. But to magic users those things were like transporting materials.
"What about this Gundanium I was reading about," Duo mumbled to his self. "Darlin bring up the info on Gundamium if you would," Duo addressed the computer. A moment later the info was once again on the screen. Duo skimmed it, he had already read it three times, and once again was left on indecision. He had tried to replicate the super strong metal but the computer had been unable to comply, because it was illegal so he wanted to ask Cassandra. But she was still bottled up in that stupid room... actually Duo would be ok if she stayed there for the rest of her life. He was still jealous of the connection she had with Heero.
"I'm gona do it this time," Duo stated as he stood up. "Wish me luck darling." The computer didn't respond as Duo marched his way to the room Cassandra was in. He raised his hand to knock on the door, but it slid opened. Cassandra already knew that he was there.
"Ah, hi," Duo said cheerfully.
"Gundamium is extremely hard to refine," Cassandra stated. Duo blinked and looked around the room. He couldn't see much it was dark, Cassandra's pasty skin stuck out where the light from the hall bounced off it.
"The replicator doesn't just make thing appear, it keeps the materials in their most bass form and them combines to create what is asked for. Find bay five and a half," Cassandra stated. Duo started to take a breath to ask more questions but before he could something pushed him out of the room and the doors hissed shut. Duo shivered. Cassandra gave him the creeps.
"Fine then, I'll just find this bay five and a half," Duo said to the door. The entrance to the bay's were on the bottom level, although most of them expanded up to the fourth level. Cassandra's personal room, which hadn't been opened for god knows how long were the only quarters on the bottom level. And engineering spanned four stories which started at the bottom with what Heero had said was the warp core, which gave the ship its power.
Heero spent most of his time on one of those floors; he had even made himself an advanced mini computer that was directly connected to the main computer. Damn Heero the man was always on the computer, unless Quatre was giving his orders or Cassandra was speaking to him through telepathy.
The labs were on the second level. This included the room Cassandra had locked herself in, the medical bay, which Quatre had made his second home and several science rooms which Trowa had taken over and every once and a while one could hear explosions from.
Trowa had become the weapons expert of the ship. There wasn't a weapon, magical or technological, that Trowa could not perfectly manipulate. And they had added several magical weapons to the Companion's arsenal.
The third level was the rest of the personal quarters and personal space. Heero and Trowa still shared the same room as well as Duo and Quatre while Wufei took his own room, the last empty personal quarters on the ship. This level also had the mess hall, a few large work out rooms, and a garden/library room that Wufei had made his home (and greatly expanded), and two strange dusty rooms. They were dark, with seemingly no lights. Black grids covered all sides of the room and as far as everyone on the ship could tell they served no purpose so were never touched.
The fourth level contained the most important rooms to the ship. The top of engineering was most of the control panels and directly connected to the bridge and the transporter controls and hanger; Cassandra had set the ship up to be able to be run by one. Wufei's plans had not changed that but had mad it more accessible to be run by five, which also made it more efficient. There was supposed to be some one on the bridge at all time and there was except when Duo was left alone and the ship was powered down. Then Duo would get board and he modified a triquarter to alert him to any activity on the bridge so he could explore, as he was doing now.
Duo stopped at bay four and very slowly walked to bay five, dragging his hand along the wall. It was smooth, not cracks to control panels no nothing. Duo wrinkled his nose and turned, leaning back against the door with a grunt.
"It's got to be a riddle then," Duo said to himself. "Find bay five and a half... that's not a fucking riddle! But what about the other side..." Duo started toward the other side. He ran his hands over the wall and scanned it with a triquarter.
"Yes! Gundamium!" Duo yelled when the triquarter finished its scan; there was a compartment behind the wall. "But how to get to it?" Duo asked himself. After another half an hour of searching with no results Duo finally yelled at the wall pulled out his staff. A loud explosion later Duo walked into the room via the hole in the wall. His eyes popped as he looked at the compartment and all of the stuff in it. Metals, wires, tools, gears, computers everything anyone could ever need to build a ship.
"Duo you have hit the jack pot my friend!" Duo exclaimed to himself as he ran around familiarizing himself with everything in the room. Duo grinned to himself and put his staff off to the side, his hands began flying over the computer an idea for a project coming to his mind.
242 days until discovery –
"Duo is not at the helm," Heero dead panned. Quatre wrinkled his nose and Heero saw his mental crystal glow with use.
"He's not answering, he must not be touching his staff... you did make him a holster," Quatre confirmed. Heero nodded although the question really didn't deserve recognition.
"I'll return to the ship and work the transporter," Heero dead panned. It still took 45 minutes for him to get through 05's heavy gravity and maneuver into the shuttle bay alone. As he walked to the elevator to get to the top floor, Heero noticed several bits and pieces of what looked like the ships walls.
Heero pulled out a knife in his right hand, leaving his left free to whiled staff power if necessary. His feet barely made a sound on the metal floor as he found the source of the mess. A giant hole in the wall, Heero flipped over his knife into a defensive position ready for an attacker.
He was quick and quiet as he slipped into the hole in the wall, and stayed quite as he was meet with the sight off all the building supplies and equipment. He turned just as Duo popped up, a ball of fire white hot in his hand.
"Hey Heero, how did you get here?" Duo yelled as the fire dissipated. Heero blinked at the giant machine Duo was working on before his eyes surveyed the rest of the room. Messy and full but Duo was the only living thing in it.
//Explination// Heero asked Cassandra.
//Shuttle building room, Gundanium and everything else anyone would need to build what ever they wanted. Duo found it three days ago, has only been out twice// Cassandra stated before she cut out. Heero narrowed his eyes, Duo was scowling at him.
"Have a good chat?" Duo asked icily. Heero stopped scowling in confusion before remembering the reason he was back on the ship.
"Trasporters do not work on their own," Heero dead panned before he left. He heard Duo's soft foot falls as he ran to catch up.
"Hey, don't change the subject," Duo said, his voice still icy. "How is Ass-andra doing? Do you have a date worked out later? Or are the two of you scheming to take over the ship?" His voice had taken on hints of anger with the ice.
Heero blinked, trying to understand why Duo was angry at him or why he would think Cassandra would try to take over her own ship. Or why Duo would think that Heero would date the woman... or any woman for that matter.
"I don't understand," Heero dead panned. The elevator doors finally opened and closed. In a flash they were on the top floor. "Cassandra would not take over her own ship nor would I date her. She is in the middle of an important project, as well as refining Gundamium."
"WHAT?" Duo screeched. Heero moved his hand to the trasporters controls and contacted Quatre.
//Are you ready to energize?// He questioned.
//Yes, what took you so long?// Quatre asked back.
//Duo found something interesting// Heero stated as he started the energizing process. //Once the compartments are filled I will target your staffs//
//Roger// Quatre responded.
"Heero," Duo questioned once Heero's white crystal of mind had stopped glowing.
"Hn," Heero acknowledge.
"Why is Cassandra refining Gundanium?" Duo asked. Heero looked into Duo's wide purple orbs. His eyes traced the lines around them and memorized their exact pattern and color. Duo was unbelievably sexy, especially in those leathers he insisted on wearing. But those cloths were not as tight as they had been when Heero left and dark bags hung under Duo's eyes.
"Because you asked for it," Heero stated. All sorts of emotions flew through Duo's eyes before he broke contact. Heero didn't understand Duo, but a small part of him wanted to. But Duo would never want that kind of contact, he had Quatre and that was that. Heero's carefully place controls set them selves as his training buried the emotions that were trying to make them selves known. The quiet suddenly became awkward, Duo's silence felt wrong.
"Meet me in the mess hall in ten minutes, you must eat," Heero dead panned as he turned back to the controls. The three still on the planet were waiting to beam up. Heero felt more than heard Duo leave as he beamed the three up, they appeared on the platform in front of him, unlike the refined heat which had been beamed directly to the cargo holds.
"Where's Duo?" Quatre questioned.
"Mess hall," Heero stated. Although he didn't know for sure that his orders had been followed he was almost positive.
"Good idea. If everything is secure than we can all meet down there and eat," Quatre said cheerfully. Heero gave Quatre sine that it was and the four headed down to the mess hall. Duo's face brightened as Heero entered and then slightly lessened at the sight of Quatre... no that was Heero's imagination, it had to be. Duo and Quatre were together and that is the way it went.
"Cat! You won't believe what I found!" Duo said as he launched in to an explanation of the room and a very long and dramatic version of how he found it. Finally he caught them up the present. "So now I'm working with Gundanium to build my own fighter! It's going to be a combination of magic and technology."
"Do you have it planed out already?" Wufei asked, genuinely interested.
"Yes I do," Duo said proudly. "And I have already started building some of the parts. Oh and get this, Heero told me today that any parts I need Cassandra will get for me. Cuz things like Gundanium can't be replicated," Duo said and nodded.
Heero followed Duo and the rest down to the lowest level to look at the parts he had built and the design.
"Well, this is a good idea but you will be hyper extending the left leg unless you move it up, and with Dernacum as the explosive in the arm shot could blow off your arm," Trowa stated. "It would be more efficient to leave them either filled in or with Venius in small doses."
"Trowa, I didn't know that you cared!" Duo said in false drama. "Hey if I could get all of your impute in each area than we could design the ultimate weapon! Will Cassandra get us enough supplies to build five of them?" Duo suddenly asked, giving Heero puppy dog eyes. Heero's face didn't change although his insides tried to melt, failed but tried.
//Yes, after I approve the schematics// Cassandra stated in Heero's mind.
"Once she has approved the schematic," Heero passed on. Duo jumped for joy, almost dumping over his tray of food. Trowa even looked excited for him as Wufei started giving his impute.
It took three days for the Gundanium fighters to be approved by Cassandra, and in the end although the basics for each one were similar they were going to be very different. And Duo was forced to agree that he would not work on his Gundam, as they were being called, 24/7. That he would take eating, sleeping and bridge duty breaks.
201 days until discovery –
"Trowa, will you hold this," Quatre grunted as he pushed on two parts of his Gundam that he needed to weld together. The welder was just out of reach and he needed two hands to use it.
"Here," Trowa said as he slipped up behind Quatre, his staff now in one hand. His fire crystal glowed on his staff and he formed the intense heat needed to weld the parts together in his palm. Quatre was thankful Trowa was at his back; both his face and nether regions were reacting to Trowa's body so close behind him.
Trowa was done welding all too soon and went back to his work on the wiring in one of his Gundam's arms. Quatre wished that he had fire magic for a moment and then looked to see if he needed to do more welding, but alas he could handle the rest of the leg he was working on himself. With a sie he got down to it.
When it was nearing his time for bridge duty Quatre took up his staff and headed for the bridge. It was time he talked to some one about this crush. He had had it from the moment he set eyes on Trowa's tall form but the man expressed no interest in him. Duo was waiting for him and was immediately concerned when Quatre walked in.
"Q-chan, what's wrong," Duo asked. His voice carried concern for his friend.
"Duo... do you have a sexual preference?" Quatre asked. He had decided to make sure Duo wasn't homophobic before he tried to get comfort out of his braided friend.
"Well, I consider myself bie. But truthfully I've never had a relationship, being a demon thrown out of town and all," Duo stated sheepishly. Quatre nodded, too stuck in his own dilemma to react.
"I need to talk to some one about this," Quatre stated as he tried to get up the nerve to talk to Duo.
"You have a major crush on Trowa?" Duo asked playfully. Quatre went beat red and sunk into one of the bridges big padded chairs.
"How did you know?" Quatre squeaked once he had calmed down enough to make a sound.
"It's obvious. You spend a lot of time with him, and you're always doing things for him and you have even dropped some subtle hints. Only a blind man wouldn't notice," Duo said, also taking a seat across from Quatre.
"It can't be that obvious sense you seem to be the only one seeing it," Quatre mumbled. Duo's laugh was ironic and Quatre immediately picked up the feeling. "What's so ironic?"
"Well, sense you're telling me I might was well tell you. I really want to get into Heero's pants, but the man doesn't pick up on a thing... and I think he's into either you or Cassandra or both," Duo said. His voice was teasing but Quatre could sense the pain behind his words.
"Oh Duo," Quatre said as he stood and embraced his friend. Duo hugged Quatre back and closed his eyes but Quatre suddenly stiffed and moved away from Duo, which in turn made Duo open his eyes. Movement at the door caught his attention as Heero's form turned to leave.
"Shit, it's not what it looks like..." Duo started but Heero was long gone. Quatre bit his lip as Duo sunk back into a chair. "Oh and I always seem to say the wrong thing when I'm around Heero. And he consistently comes in to rooms at the worst possible moments," Duo bitterly added.
"But Duo, I felt hurt from Heero when he came around," Quatre said. "He has to feel something for you to be hurt," Quatre added, his voice perking up a little.
"Ya, he's probably jealous of me for being with you," Duo said his voice almost defeated. Quatre blinked. Heero liked him?
"Duo, what makes you think that?" Quatre asked.
"Well he always says things like, Quatre would worry. Or his god damn logic," Duo said.
"Duo I really don't think Heero has any feelings for me," Quatre said. "My empathy has never picked up anything but respect from him."
"Really? What about Cassandra?" Duo asked, his voice gaining hope.
"Honestly, I don't know about Cassandra. When ever they are communicating it is blocked from me completely. But when ever she is mentioned Heero's emotions are blank," Quatre said, trying to be helpful. Duo sunk down in the seat after a few moments he looked up.
"So why don't you just scope out Trowa with your empathy?" Duo asked.
"Trowa shows more on his face than he will admit to him self. I always have to actually pry to get a sense of his emotions and I don't want to start a relationship like that," Quatre quietly stated. The two fell into silence and Quatre looked out the front of the ship. The stars were slowly moving around them as their next planet came closer and closer, the next day they would be landing on 02 to trade the heat for cold. Duo's laugh brought him back to reality.
"I have spent most of my time thinking that Heero wouldn't give me a thought because he was stuck on you... I should have just asked you earlier," Duo stated. "I think you should ask Trowa. He's always so protective of you and he supports every decision you make, it could be that that it the only way that he knows how to communicate his feelings."
"But, what if that's wrong! And he really is just being protective of me because I am important or agreeing because it is also his opinion," Quatre voiced.
"Than at least you will know the truth and not be stuck on it," Duo said.
"Than you have to do it too, no hypocrites," Quatre said, his eyes lighting at the idea. Duo tried to shrink into his chair.
"Well, I'd rather live believing that I have a chance," Duo stated quietly. As long as I can just be around him, although it is driving me insane, it should be enough," Duo said more bodily. "Now I am off duty and want to go work on Deathscythe, besides Heero will be working on Wing at the same time," Duo puffed up.
Quatre laughed as he watched Duo's retreating form. At least now he had someone to share his frustrations with; a person who also had the same trouble.
113 days until discovery –
"Maxwell!" Wufei shouted as he began scrubbing the bright offensive substance off his Gundam.
"Chang!" Duo yelled back in mock anger. Wufei's eyes bugged and in a flash his katana was in hand and Duo was running for his life.
"Chill out Fei, it was just a joke not harm done," Duo yelled behind him as he bolted away, not really paying attention to where he was going.
"Just a joke! How dare you defile Nataku with your dirty vile hands! Come back here and fight me like a man," Wufei yelled forward. Wufei slowed down as Duo skidded around a corner before making the same quick turn.
"Give me a break, pudding washes off just fine, and Nataku really needed some facial hair," Duo laughed.
"Maxwell!" Wufei yelled again unable to think of anything more intelligent over his anger. Wufei suddenly slid to a halt as Duo's form slipped around a corner and Wufei registered where he was. Engineering... Heero's domain. Wufei peeled his eyes and looked around for the soldier.
Heero was dangerous. He didn't like to be touched, and had nearly killed almost everyone on the ship as they were getting used to it. His muscles were beyond trained; they were conditioned to react in one way and one way only. Any touch not in his control was bad and there for stopped and punished.
"Heero, oh Heero I'm so glad you're here. Wufei is trying to kill me with his Katana again," Duo complained from above. Wufei looked up. Heero was on the second floor and Duo had used his monkey like climbing skills to easily scale the nets and latter's that Heero had put up to more easily get around than the lifts.
"Baka," Wufei barely heard Heero's response. He was facing into his computer terminals working on something and Duo had placed the deadly magic wheeler right in between them... although Duo was keeping his distance as well.
"This isn't over Maxwell!" Wufei yelled up. He turned to go work on his Gundam again and didn't listen to Duo's baiting of 'I know Chang!'
The braided youth had become impossible the last few weeks. The Gundams were getting closer to completion, it would probably be another few weeks and then they could start test flying and then sparring. And Wufei attributed his antics to exactly that, anticipation.
Wufei walked into bay five and a half, still mumbling about injustices and the rest. They had created a door in the wall and cleaned up Duo's explosion. He looked up just in time to see Trowa remove his hand from Quatre's waist and the two move apart, a slight pink to Quatre's face.
Wufei narrowed his eyes and stopped mumbling to himself as he studied the two. Quatre and Trowa, they had been slowly getting closer sense the beginning... were they a couple now? Wufei stopped starring and went back to Nataku, he didn't want to think about it. What Quatre and Trowa did was there business and it didn't concern him. Although Wufei was most defiantly straight he wasn't narrow, he just didn't like to think about those kinds of things too much.
"Nataku, what have I gotten myself into?" Wufei quietly asked his Gundam. It was coming along. Most of the major wiring was done and now he was connecting it all to the cock pit as he attached the peaces. His Gundam was a little more difficult sense he chose to put a flame thrower in one of the arms which put the Gundam off balance but he was compensating and his Gundam would work smoothly.
96 days until discovery –
Heero softly grunted as his leg turned over for a side kick before coming down in an elbow smash. His body flowed like water as it easily remembered its years of patterns and martial arts training. He had stripped down to a pair of black gie pants that he had replicated, and that was it.
His daily workouts had become a consistent heaven from the madness that seemed to surround his new life with people. Heero didn't mind Trowa or Wufei. On occasion Wufei would bother Heero when he started talking about religion and philosophy... Heero had no interest in those subjects.
It was Duo primarily who rattled his carefully constructed barriers. The braided baka constantly tested his control on both his physical and emotional self. Duo seemed to think it was a game – to see how close he could get to Heero before Heero would react. But to Heero, it was unnerving... especially the first time Duo had gotten so close as to touch him.
Quatre had given both Heero and Duo cleaning duty for the next two weeks; Heero for breaking Duo's arm in half and Duo for provoking him. Heero brought his leg down hard in an ax kick before spinning around into a 360 hook kick followed with a combination crescent kick.
"Wow, that's beautiful!" Duo's voice interrupted Heero's concentration. Heero turned to Duo and gave him a death glare promising future injuries. "Jeez chill out man," Duo said as he walked into the room ignoring the danger. The door hissed shut behind him and Heero suddenly realized that Duo had stripped down to just gei pants as well.
"Duo?" Heero quested. No-longer angry but confused. Duo had his back to Heero and his mouth began babbling.
"Well I was raised in an orphanage and I got into a lot of fights but I only learned cuz if you don't learn you get hit. And there were all the kids to protect and my honor, which was shit anyway, but anyway I really wanted to learn a formal way to fight and I asked some of the mages that knew how but they all told me that I would not use it for good so they wouldn't teach me..."
"Duo," Heero snapped. His one haven had been invaded by a babbling idiot. "Are you trying to ask me to teach you martial arts?"
"Yes," Duo stated. He turned to Heero, the light end of a blush viable on his face. Heero raked his hand through his hair. Why couldn't Duo have just asked him?
"Just ask me if you want something. Are you warm?" Heero dead panned. His face and voice in more control than his inner anger. Duo's eyes became big a watery and he clasped his hands in front of his chest.
"In more ways than one!" Duo said cheerfully as he literally bounced over to Heero. Heero shook his head, how was it possible to be warm more than just physically?
"Fine," Heero said, choosing not to voice his question. "Than you must stretch out first, just follow my lead," Heero dead panned. He sad down and put his legs in front of him, easily folding him self in half to stretch his leg muscles. Heero turned his head to look at Duo; he was surprised that Duo was just as limber as him. Heero watched Duo perform several basic kicks and punches. Correcting him where he needed it, but it was little nit picky details.
"You are sure you have no training?" Heero asked. Duo nodded, still holding up his leg in chamber position like Heero had told him to do. Heero studied Duo's form for a moment; Duo had been holding the chamber for almost a minute with out even wiggling from imbalance, his kicks where high and executed exactly how Heero explained them to him.
Suddenly Duo tiled and Heero instinctively reached out to stop the baka from falling. Duo barely caught himself and ended up putting his entire weight onto Heero, his foot cramping and giving out before he could put his chambered leg down. Heero felt Duo's weight in his arms. Duo was not light but he was not heavy, Heero suddenly felt a warmth in his stomach, his emotions once again trying to take over his mind.
Heero looked for a focus to help him burry his emotions and his cobalt blue met with bright purple. Heero couldn't break away as those eyes seemed to take over his sight, feeding the emotional side of his inner fight. Heero felt Duo's body seem to come closer to him and suddenly the purple eyes were the only thing in his vision as warm lips lightly brushed his own.
Heero's mind couldn't handle the emotions his heart and hormones were sending him and his muscles took over. The next thing Heero knew he was standing alone, Duo's body weight was gone. Heero looked at the wall, a small dent was in it and his eyes slowly moved to the ground where Duo's unconscious form lay.
"Duo?" Heero question. He immediately growled at himself for even speaking. Duo was unconscious, no one, especially Duo, could lay that still. Heero double checked that his emotions were banished back to where they belonged before walking over to the unconscious boy.
Heero checked for a pulse, it was strong and steady. But Duo already had a bruise starting on one of his shoulder and back, the back of his head must have been slammed against the wall. Heero scooped Duo up into his arms and quickly walked to the infirmary.
Quatre face paled as Heero lay Duo on one of the beds.
"What happened?" Quatre asked. He looked accusingly at Heero. Heero kept his face blank.
"Duo made contact at high speed with a wall, I believe that he hit his shoulder, back and head," Heero dead panned.
"You believe, Heero you pushed him into the wall," Quatre stated angrily. Heero felt those emotions try to sneak back up on him. Most he couldn't even identify as he fought and conquered them. "Heero, are you ok?" Quatre asked, the anger gone from his voice. Heero nodded and turned to leave.
"Heero, don't lie to me," Quatre stated, his voice hurt. Heero turned his face blank.
"Duo tried to kiss me, and my mind checked out and my muscles took control. I can not remember what I did, all I remember is being kissed and the Duo lying on the floor," Heero said quietly. His moved his hand up to his lips and touched them, as if they held the answer he was looking for. "I told Duo not to come around me, maybe he will listen now," Heero dead panned. He turned and walked quickly out of the room before Quatre could use any more of his empathy to influence his carefully placed controls.
Heero growled to him self and took a quick shower. He easily went into the Gundam room, Trowa was quietly working and only nodded to Heero before going back to what he was doing. Heero quickly engrossed himself in Wing, he absently went over Wing's plans once again with Cassandra. She was like him, emotionless and logic driven, it was good to get his mind off emotions.
93 days until discovery –
Trowa watched as Duo, dressed in only gei pants, walked into Heero's workout session. He was surprised when he felt arms go around his waist.
"Duo and I talked about it and he is going to pretend that nothing happened," Quatre said, muffled by Trowa's top. Trowa set his arms over Quatre's arms.
"And what is happening now?" He asked quietly.
"Heero is his normal blank self and Duo is still full of emotion turmoil. But it looks like Heero is going to let him stay this time, although I bet he isn't going to work Duo too hard just incase," Quatre said as he giggled.
"Was that the right advice?" Trowa asked, speaking about Duo's choice to ignore the entire thing.
"Trowa! I would never give anyone that advice. I told him to confront Heero about it. Sense Heero obviously didn't object to the kiss and was worried about Duo," Quatre hiss angrily. Trowa's gut sunk.
"I'm sorry, I didn't think that you did give out that advice," Trowa apologized.
"I'm sorry I snapped, I'm just picking up Heero and Duo's emotions, lets go to a quieter area of the ship," Quatre asked as he moved to Trowa's side. Trowa put his arm around Quatre's shoulders, letting his hand squeeze the blonds shoulder. Quatre snuggled into the embrace and the two walked toward the garden/library area. Wufei was on bridge duty so the room was empty and quiet.
The two say with dimmed lights on one of the rich brown couches. Quatre opened his mouth to ask a question, but Trowa's mouth was on his own before Quatre could speak. Trowa kissed his passionately and deep, his hands moving to explore Quatre's back and sides. Trowa's hands moved down lower but before they could get anywhere Quatre broke the kiss, gasping for air.
"Trowa," Quatre said, his voice was lower than normal and gruff. Trowa looked down at Quatre's crystal blue orbs, they were tired and confused. Without warring Quatre lifted his other hand and moved Trowa's bangs away from his other eye. As if hit Trowa flinched back, letting his bangs fall back into place; his emotions reflecting his actions.
"Don't, please," Trowa said, not moving closer to Quatre. Trowa looked at the blond, who he had trusted, the pain in his chest was hurt... the hurt he had been afraid of. It had taken Quatre months to help Trowa get over his fear and trying having a relation ship. As of yet they had done nothing but kiss and go on 'dates' where they each did nice things for each other. But Trowa had still started to invest his emotions in the situation and it hurt that Quatre would betray his wishes by trying to look at the eye Trowa had asked him not to ask about.
"Trowa, you can trust me," Quatre said, trying not to cry. Despite his efforts his voice cracked slightly. "I won't hurt you... I was just curious. Please I won't try again," Quatre almost begged. Trowa looked into Quatre's eyes and was surprised by what he saw there, emotions off all kinds were flying around, hurt, anger, humiliation, pain...
"Trowa, there are too many," Quatre said. Suddenly Trowa realized what was going on. Quatre was not him self, his empathy was over riding his senses. Trowa suddenly realized that he could loose his friend – the first person who cared about him and just wasn't trying to use him – and put his arms around Quatre.
The blond curled up into his lap and cried him self to sleep, Trowa was at a loss of what to do so he chose to hold Quatre. The blond had to fight his own battles.
93 days until discovery –
Duo was positively distraught when he came to relieve Wufei of Bridge duty. Not only did he smell like a gym and was sprouting sever impressive bruises on his chest but he barely managed to babble something about Quatre in Wufei's sanctuary and then yell at Wufei asking him why he wasn't going to check it out.
Wufei had taken the not so subtle hint and quickly headed out. With in a moment, in record time, he was in his sanctuary and starring at the two on the couch. Trowa was sitting with Quatre curled in his lap, his pants soaked with the boy's tears. It took Wufei less than a second to see that Quatre was emotionally over loaded. "Trowa, I need you to leave. Quatre needs some time away from you," Wufei said icily. Trowa nodded his stoic face show nothing of what he was thinking. Wufei watched his back as he walked out of the room and trough the sliding doors.
With the room cleared out Wufei quickly made a mind shield around him self and Quatre. He easily sat on the floor, legs crossed and waited for the blond to come around. It didn't take long for Quatre's tired mind to wake up from his over load.
"Wufei, where's Trowa... I messed up..." Quatre said, trying to hold back tears.
"Quatre, you must stop trying to help people with their emotions," Wufei stated. He ignored Quatre's comment about Trowa.
"But they are all hurting..." Quatre started.
"Than let them hurt, it's the only way they will learn," Wufei interrupted. "Look Quatre, until you learn to let others deal with their own emotions I will not let you out of here."
"But I need to go, I hurt Trowa," Quatre desperately said, his body moving pleadingly toward Wufei.
"Trowa is a man, he understands... if it is that imperative, than you will just have to swear to stop hurting yourself. Reading emotions is one thing but trying to lesson them by putting them on your self is another. Quatre you must see reason. In two months we must start telling the planets of the voidus' failure. We need you for that and we need you as a friend," Wufei said his voice sincere.
Wufei faugh down his feelings of anger as tears appeared in Quatre's eyes. Quatre was weak now, because of Trowa, he was normally strong. Everyone had trouble every once and a while. Wufei started repeating this in his mind as Quatre cried. It eventually turned to sniffles and then to quiet hiccups.
"Thank you Wufei, I needed that. I will stop, you are right. Heero and Duo will learn if they start feeling the full tilt of their hurt... especially Heero. I just didn't want Duo to get hurt physically and he was so sad after he kissed Heero and Heero pushed him away like that," Quatre started to ramble and then stopped.
"I'm gland you have chosen the just path," Wufei stated blankly.
"Wufei, what's wrong?" Quatre asked. Wufei narrowed his eyes. "You seem uncomfortable when I talk about Duo and Heero... oh. I'm sorry I didn't realize that male male relation ships make you uncomfortable."
"Just keep your promise. They don't make me uncomfortable exactly," Wufei stated. Before Quatre could continue his pestering Wufei released the mental shield and stormed out of the room. Maybe Heero would be up for some sparring, they didn't spar very often because every time they didn't stop until some one was unconscious but right now he really needed the stress relief.
89 days until discovery –
"I can't believe I messed up so bad!" Quatre sadly said.
"God you sound like me," Duo responded. The two took big spoonfuls of their ice-cream and gulped them down.
"Do you ever wish you could turn back time?" Quatre asked, his words slightly slurred because of his num mouth.
"Yeha, every day. I just can't say the right thing or do anything rite. And now he's afraid to push me or get near me to help me out!" Duo whined.
"At least he's still teaching you," Quatre said, forcing the tears out of his eyes with more ice-cream. "Trowa hasn't even said a word to me!" Quatre couldn't stop the tears as he pushed away the ice-cream. "He won't acknowledge my presents unless it's an order, and even then he won't look me in the eye."
"Cat," Duo said as he moved over and gave Quatre a hug. Quatre wetted his bare shoulder for his troubles. "We'll just have to keep working at it. Trowa will come to trust you again, don't give up hope."
"I know Duo, I just need some time... and some more ice-cream," Quatre said as he picked up the container that he had been eating out of. Duo laughed and the two ate in silent heart ach.
mtc