Tenth chapter yahoo! I'm in the double digits now, heheh. REVIEW! ...please?

Disclaimer: I, Sutoomu(Storm), do NOT own Gundam Wing in any way. None at all. This fanfiction was made purely for fun and does not get me money in any way. Besides, it's not as though I have any money to be sued for...

Hiryonin Ichimei

Slave Life

Storm

Trowa located Heero in the most obvious place. It was their hideout from when they were younger, their thinking spot now. It was an old treehouse that they had built themselves. Well, mostly by themselves. It sat in the largest oak tree in the courtyard, a grand ancient one which sat in a secluded corner. It had been a dungeon, a desert, a palace, a forest, a horse, everything. The tree and house had been through many of the two boys games and adventures, but now it stood bare most of the time. Bare, but still loved. Trowa had stared at it for a while before climbing up and sitting down. Even now, when both of them were taller and longer and bigger, it still had ample space, but they couldn't stand up in it anymore. Trowa longed for the younger, carefree days for a moment as they sat in silence. Heero was leaning against the wall with his eyes closed, and Trowa didn't dare break the silence. Heero would speak when he was ready, no matter how long that was. Trowa didn't have to wait long.

"Trowa," Heero began, his eyes opening to stare at the old wooden ceiling. "Why does he hate me?" Trowa didn't reply, and Heero continued. "I've never doen anything to him. I haven't hurt him or beat him or used him. He has a great shelter, good food, baths, new clothes. All that, and I haven't asked anything in return. But he still hates me. Why?"

Trowa chose his words carefully. "I don't think he hates you, Heero. Duo is just being cautious. He's a Draied. Everyone dreams of owning a Draied, and everyone thinks you have to beat a Draied to make them obey. Draied's have proved this to be pointless, but masters still beat them, worse than other slaves. Duo has had masters like that. He doesn't hate you, he's just confused as to why you don't beat him. I believe he thinks all slave owners are cruel and beat their slaves, and he's confused to why you are so nice to him when he yells at you or disobeys you or rebels as a slave."

"I don't want him to be a slave," Heero muttered. "I like the life in his eyes, the bounce in his step, the grin he's always wearing. I don't want him to be a dead, lifeless slave."

"But he doesn't understand that, yet, Heero," Trowa said. "He's trying to figure it all out. And, if my guess is correct, Quatre is helping him with that right now."

"Hn," Heero said softly. There was a long pause. "What if he runs away, Trowa?"

"You can send the slave-gaurds after him," Trowa said.

"You know I won't do that," Heero said, sickened at the idea. "They'll beat him and hurt him, and I don't want that."

"You could go after him yourself," Trowa said another option.

"I'm not a slave hunter, Trowa."

"You could get Koirine and Koidin to capture him again."

"I don't want him to be hunted. He's not an animal, and he has to know that."

Trowa stared at heero, startled at this change in his friend's attitude. How had Duo affected him so quickly? "If you don't want to do any of that, you'd have to let him go."

"I don't want to let him go," Heero exclaimed. "I don't want him to hate me or run away or be afraid or anything! I like him too much."

Trowa's eyes widened as he realized why Heero was acting this way. He liked the braided Draied. Heero seemed to realize what he had just said as well, for his eyes went wide and his hand flew up to his head in disbelief. Heero Yuy liked Duo, and not because of his body. He liked Duo for Duo!

"I can't like him," Heero was muttering. "He's a slave…I'm a prince….it can't work…" Can it?

"Zechs is a slave," Trowa pointed out. "And Trieze is his master and King. And they, as far as I know, love each other."

"But…," Heero was mumbling, then reverted back to his original statement as a defense. "He hates me, remember? How could I ever imagine that Duo Maxwell would like me? I'm not going to force myself upon him!"

"He doesn't hate you!" Trowa said firmly, a bit annoyed by his brother's foolish thinking. Why couldn't he just admit it already. "He's just confused." Trowa sighed, a bit tired. "Listen. I'll ask Quatre to talk to Duo, if he hasn't already, and help him understand. Just keep trying Heero. Failure isn't in your vocabulary." He looked at Heero's tired eyes as he nodded and added. "You should go to sleep now. You can sleep in tommorrow, since we have a free day. We could go swimming like we did when we were younger." Heero enjoyed swimming greatly, and the prospect perked him up a bit. Trowa nudged him towards the ladder. Heero climbed down, and he and Trowa walked silently back to their rooms. Trowa enveloped Heero in a hug, a thing which they used to do all the time when they were younger, but rarely now. He gave Heero all his support in the hug and then watched as Heero steeled himself and entered his room.

Yahoo, tenth chapter done. Hope you liked it! Review...for me...please...and don't burn me with the flames of hate! AAAAH!

Storm