Together Paz Enai

Part 3

Wufei looked nervously out the window to the vast space beyond it, calculating how much longer it would take to get to the colony. He had already guessed correctly for his first transfer. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to say, or think, or do once he saw Duo… if he even did. Sure he was going a little out of his way to see him, but it had only been last night since they had argued on the phone. The time difference made it so that even though he left this morning, he would be arriving on X1722 before he had taken off, a wonder, since he figured on 4 more hours of flight time, well, 4 hours 12 minutes and 11 seconds, if they maintained this velocity.

Once again he looked over the makeshift mission in his hands. If Duo ever got his hands on it he would know right away something was up. He knew that Wufei was a good employee, he made sure to mock him about it every chance he could. Good employees did not get missions like this. This was the type of mission you would send a trainee on. Wufei was not a trainee. But he would do it out of necessity, to make up with Duo.

The man seated next to him fidgeted again, the fifth time since they took off a half an hour ago. It was making Wufei uneasy because with every shift the sleeping man took made him fall closer and closer to Wufei's seat. Not that he was a homophobe or anything. He just liked his personal space… Well, maybe he was a little homophobic, but not intensely.

But that was one thing that made him most uneasy about going to X1722… He had always been suspicious of Quatre and Duo, that's why he had often stayed to himself, the others were usually together and he didn't wish to get himself into any unnecessary positions, namely a bed, with one of them. Quatre and Duo both had enough charm and perks to get him there without him realizing it, at least that's what he thought.

Again he had been unable to sleep. Was it normal to worry about a woman when you were exclusively unable to tolerate them? Duo supposed so. Besides, Hilde acted more like a man then most of the men he'd dated, which was pathetic because his dislike for girly men was almost as high as for women in general. It was just too much work to deal with that entire female hormone thing, or the imitation of it. Even Tomboys had estrogen and could get mighty annoying at least a few days every month. That's what he didn't like about women, at least for starters.

Turning over again in his bed he looked blankly at a hardly decorated wall. On the other side of that wall was Hilde's room, it had been vacant for two weeks today, ten of those days due to her severe critical condition. He wished he knew what was wrong with her. He felt partly to blame, like a big brother who had done his sibling wrong somehow by not being around for them when they had needed it.

Turning over again he was face to face with his clock again, and realized it was already 5:30. Nothing on L2 is open at 5:30, but he gave up completely on sleep. He just didn't seem very able to get sleep. Maybe 2 hours after work and showering, but not much else. He was just too wired. Especially now that he had gotten into a fight with Wufei.

Getting up he decided that it would be best to finally call and apologize. Unlike him in every way, but it was entirely his fault they had gotten into a fight in the first place. Wufei had just been concerned, nothing else.

'You think, maybe, he likes you too?'

Shaking the thought from his head he got to the phone, he wasn't wearing a shirt. Hilde would have yelled at him for making noise this early and then yelled at him for not having a shirt on in front of her.

'Just cause you have no breasts doesn't mean you can show off your manly chest! Other people have to look at that!'

He frowned at not being able to physically hear her yell at him, he always got a kick out of her argument points. Picking up the phone he dialed the exchange operator and asked for a Mr. Chang Wufei's office phone, please.

"Hello?"

"Yo" said the teen as he gave a sort of half-salute on the vid-screen.

"Duo?"

"In the pixels. Is Wufei there?" He said almost trying to look over her shoulder through the screen.

"No he went on a mission this morning, why?" she said and gave him a blank face.

"I just wanted to talk to him. I was a real jerk the other day, I, uh… wanted to apologize. Don't laugh, I know its weird to hear me say that…"

"No, no, its okay, I understand. Actually truth-be-told he was awful the other day as well. He felt, and I shall quote, 'unclean' for prying into your personal life."

Duo just stared at her a moment then replied; "So he told you" She nodded slightly. "I see. All right. I guess I shouldn't be mad though; it was no good of me to keep it so secret. Not doing any good that way, right?" She nodded.

"Duo, I hate to say it but, you look awful, and where's your shirt?"

He half blushed at the mention of no shirt; he must not have realized he was standing far enough away from the phone to have enough of his chest showing to make that obvious. "Uhm, yeah, I was having trouble sleeping. Been worried sick about Hilde, you know?"

She nodded. "You're just like a big brother some times, you know that? Any idea what happened to her?"

"No clue, the doctors can't figure it out. Her symptoms change day to day. It's like, I don't know, every possible disease all at the same time fighting over who gets to show off today."

"Has anyone else come out with the same, well, diversity of symptoms?" she said noticing how he didn't fight being called a brother and recalling that any guy who was called a brother to their girlfriend would instantly fight the title.

So they aren't together, that cleared that up. She didn't like teenagers of the opposite sex living together if they were dating; it was too unstable.

"Nope, They keep doing checks on me since I live with her and all, but nothing."

"I see. Well hey, if you're interested he's doing a quick mission on your colony, he put off getting a flight until the last minute though, so he should be there in a few hours. Maybe you can meet him somewhere? I think his mission was at the hospital. It's a crummy job, but we're shorthanded right now so we had to send him, only one with all his reports done. You know how it is." He nodded. "All right, well I have get back to work now, but it was nice talking to you Duo. I hope everything works out."

"Me too. Well, bye Sal." He said and gave a farewell peace sign salute then the screen went dark. Sally let out a sigh, everything would work out all right after all.

As the ship pulled into the port Wufei looked at his watch, perfect as usual. He had to recalculate a few times during flight as the displacement and velocity had changed a few times, as he noted by watching the flight display on the back of the seat in front of him. He stirred uncomfortably in an attempt to wake the man who was using his shoulder as a pillow. Wufei couldn't help but feel weirded by the sensation of another person's body against his own. He finally pushed the man up and jerked him slightly and the man woke and looked around confusedly.

"We've arrived," Wufei said shortly trying to keep the blush of awkwardness off his face. He succeeded for the most part, but couldn't help but feel very odd anyway.

"Ah, thank you," and the man got up to get his carry-on bags from the over-head bin. Wufei let out a short sigh of relief and followed shortly after, making sure to let two or three other passengers get between him and the other man. His briefcase and duffel were all he had taken with him, so there was no need for him to go to the luggage claim.

He swiftly left the arrivals section and exited the spaceport hailing down a taxi; he wanted to leave that place as soon as he could. Several times he had tried to push the feeling of the other man off of his neck and shoulder, but it wouldn't go away so he tolerated it and stared out the window.

Arriving at his hotel he dropped his duffel off in the room and opened his briefcase, putting the file back in it and then went back out to his waiting taxi and drove off to the hospital.

Meeting Jeff at the corner next to the shop, Duo hopped into the passenger seat of Jeff's car. Duo didn't have a car of his own so Jeff had offered to drive to the hospital and, since they were both from different areas, they decided the shop was as good a place as any to meet.

On the ride over Duo was silent, with only gentle music playing in the background. Jeff respected the silence and drove at a steady pace, not wanting to rush. He felt as though getting to their destination too quickly would make Duo uncomfortable, and quite frankly it was bad enough without added stress. He lowered the music some more as they entered the parking lot and turned to the boy who was looking out the passenger window.

"How long you think we'll stay? The parking lot has time sensitive parking."

"Uhm, I'm not sure." After a pause he added, "I found out this morning that a friend of mine was arriving on the colony to do an inspection of something at the hospital…"

"Is it Wufei?" Jeff said without hesitation.

"Yeah… He was supposed to arrive this morning, or so his partner said. I called their office this morning to apologize… Let's say an hour or so? I can always invite him back to my place if we meet him here… I guess…"

Jeff wondered if inviting someone you have a sore crush on over to your house was a wise thing to do; but didn't say anything. He pulled into the short-term parking lot, parked and then followed Duo up the stairs into the hospital's front doors. Picking up their 'Visitors pass' buttons and they proceeded to the elevator.

Duo didn't speak more than was absolutely necessary. The nurses and staff seemed to recognize him; he must have come by a lot at this hour because they were all quiet and understanding.

When they got to the room the door was open, which Duo was startled at. "They only leave her door open when someone is in it."

They walked into the room and, sure enough, someone was in it. An average height, black haired man was standing at the foot of her bed with a folder in his hands. The folder looked as though it was the medical folder from the end of her bed.

Hearing the footsteps the young man turned and Jeff realized that the man was actually a rather attractive boy, about Duo's age. This must be Wufei, he thought. Dark eyes gave him a mysterious look and his strong frame was hardly concealed by the office shirt and slacks he wore. He had loosened his tie, and it hung loosely around his neck.

Jeff heard Duo gulp. He must not have expected seeing him so soon, or rather, was nervous now that they were face to face.

The boy took in Jeff carefully and then Duo before quickly turning to put the folder back into the rack.

"She's unconscious." He stated in a rather deep monotone voice, then turned back to them and stepped back so they could get into her side of the room.

Jeff walked in and Duo followed slowly, keeping his eyes on Wufei. Jeff Looked at her, the poor thing, she had become so skinny and her skin was so pale.

"My name is Chang Wufei," said the boy to Jeff and bowed slightly.

"Jeff, pleasure's all mine. I'm a friend of Duo's, we work together," Jeff introduced himself so Duo wouldn't have to. Jeff put out his hand and Wufei took it lightly, almost as if he didn't want to touch it, Jeff just assumed that he wasn't used to the custom. Then Wufei looked over to Duo who now had fixed his eyes on Hilde. He didn't look mad, but you couldn't tell sometimes with kids who fought a war. Feelings can be suppressed quite easily.

Jeff sensed the obvious tension in the room; he was a stranger on a thin strip of land that had room only for two friends. Unfortunately, those friends were in the middle of a misunderstanding.

"I'll be right back, I want to check something. I think that we got a call yesterday about something needing a repair downstairs. I shouldn't take too long." And he walked slowly out. If you're ready to leave for work before I get back go to the desk and send out a PA for me ok?" he said turning to look back into the room before stepping out.

FINAL EDITED VERSION