Conditioning
"Heero." He heard the whisper and thought he was dreaming. Dreaming of a voice he hadn't heard in a long time. Dreaming of a voice he never thought he'd hear again. Dreaming of a friend, if he was honest, he'd long since given up for dead.
"Heero." He didn't know what to do. What was he supposed to do
'Please,' he begged noiselessly, 'tell me.'
As though responding to the unheard plea, then again Duo had always known him better then anyone, "Heero, turn around!"
Anyone except Zechs that is, or else Duo would know that he wasn't called Heero anymore, no real loss, not like it had been his name to begin with.
Slowly and silently he did as he was told. Looking into violet eyes that were staring at him, relieved.
"Thank God, for a minute there I thought it wasn't you." There was a pause; the eyes were looking wary now. "Heero…?"
Blue eyes met violet for the first time in the conversation and Heero silently and invisibly fought the urge to flinch but still he didn't speak.
"Heero I can get you out of here but you have to trust me and we have to go now."
Get out of here?
Leave this? His home. His life.
Leave everything?
Leave Zechs?
He was still being watched expectantly.
"Heero?" He didn't move.
"Heero, we have to go now!"
He stepped back slowly once and then immediately took another step, moving back into the room away from eyes that were widening with understanding, horror and betrayal.
He shut his eyes, squeezing them shut tightly and started to shake his head even as he backed away, moving deeper into the room, away from the balcony, blood roaring in his ears so loudly that he didn't realise he wasn't alone in the room until he backed into a solid chest.
"1001?" Immediately his eyes flew open and sought out the place where Duo's had been…
There was no one left on the balcony.
"01! Are you alright?"
He spun round and buried his face in the broad chest, "Master…" He whispered almost silently, sighing softly in relief as he felt strong arms wrap round him tightly.
"What happened? Who upset you like this? What's wrong?"
"I…" He broke off, shaking his head again, "it was… nothing."
Zechs didn't believe him, he could tell but he could also see that he was trusted enough not to push the subject, not now anyway.
He moved his head slightly from its place hidden in the fabric of Zechs' uniform so he could see the balcony out of the corner of his eye and silently and urgently he gave one last order, commanding his friend to run.
Owari