Eeek! This took my way longer than what I was planning. But, to make it up to everyone, this one is a long chapter. Hopefully that will make up for the long wait that I put you through.

Disclaimer: Well, I tried to steal the ownership, but was caught before I even left the country. It's a conspiracy against me! You have to believe me!

Chapter 9

Heero spotted Wufei immediately in the café when he walked in. He would have been earlier, but Relena had attached herself to his arm, trying to get him to tell her where he was going. He eventually broke down and told her that he was going to be downtown with a friend for coffee. Satisfied, his cousin detached herself, telling him to be home for supper.

Glaring, he made his way over to Wufei, who had secured a table for them in the back corner, where it was the darkest. He sat down across from the teen. They sat there in silence, waiting until the waitress took their order and brought it out.

"What do you want?"

Wufei put his elbows on the table, clasping his hands together. "To talk."

"About what?"

"You."

Heero stared. Him? Wufei wanted to talk about him? Why? "There's nothing to talk about."

Wufei's eyes were intense, giving Heero the feeling like he could see into his soul. He looked away, refusing to reconnect his eyes with the other.

"Heero." Wufei's voice was gentle, soft, reassuring the visibly distraught teen. Heero watched as Wufei unclasped his hands, reaching for his own, and let him.

Slowly, he looked up, and saw understanding and concern in those black eyes, along with something else, something that made his chest clench, butterflies flitter in his stomach, and a need to talk, to let out his worries. Those eyes which made him feel warm, and safe.

He closed his eyes, sighed, and began to speak.

(Heero's POV, first person)

My family was not the richest, nor were we the poorest. Though we couldn't afford much, we were happy just being with each other. Mother and father both worked, mother only as a casual worker. She worked in an office building, and father worked as a truck driver. Their pay was little, but covered the basics. My memories of them are some of the best ones I have.

When I was about six, I think, mother got sick, really sick and had to go to the hospital. I sat beside her all night, holding her hand, but I remember that I was too excited being in a new place than worried over her. They let her out after a couple of days, and everything went back to normal.

But then she had to go back, and this time she stayed longer, and father was really scared. Mother looked so sick, so fragile. It didn't fit with my image of her: wonder woman, who could do anything. She was released, but was constantly returning.

Then she became worse, and when she left for the hospital, I knew that this time would be different, that she wouldn't be returning home. Father was working that night, so I stayed with her, telling her stories, and how much I love her. It was the middle of the night, when she turned to look at me. She caressed my cheek, told me she loved me more than words can express, sighed, and just…drifted away.

Father was completely devastated. He loved her very much, and couldn't understand that she wasn't in his life anymore, and spiralled down into self-destruction. He stopped going to work, and started to drink a lot of alcohol. I remember there being empty bottles everywhere, and I was scared. He wasn't…the nicest drunk, nor was he extremely abusive. I just needed him, and he was too busy to notice.

About three months after mother's funeral, we were at home; he was drinking, watching TV, and I was under my bed. I can't remember why. Actually, I can't remember much of that night. See, father also took up smoking, and he didn't properly put out his cigarette, and the house caught on fire, spreading quickly due to the alcohol scattered.

I'm told that he was the one who brought me out, but because of where I was, by the time we left the house, we were both badly burned, and suffering from smoke inhalation. He…died from his injuries before I could see him. I wish that I could have. Seen him, told him how much he meant to me.

He died in the same hospital as mother.

He stayed at the hospital for a year, undergoing surgeries and tons of physical therapy, before I was deemed well enough to leave. I was scared to leave, afraid of the unknown

Because I had no more family, I was put into foster care, which wasn't so bad, but hard for me to make any friends. Before I could, I would be moved to a new family. The families complained that I was too quiet, that I wasn't normal. The fact that the fire had left horrible scars didn't help either. I started to always wear shirts everywhere when one of my "brothers" asked his mother why I was living with them when I was monster, shouting that I would eat him in his sleep.

When the Peacecraft's took me in, I was already locked away, unwilling to show emotion, not wanting to be hurt. But while the parents, while not cold, were indifferent to my presence. Relena and Milliardo, though, were both determined to break through and be friends, if not family. For the two years that I lived with them, they stayed by my side, and kept me company.

When their parents realized how friendly they were being towards me, a lowly orphan, they were upset, and tried to send me away. Relena and Milliardo refused to let that happen, though, and it was decided that they would buy me a place to live in the next town, with someone to check up on me regularly. That way, I would be out of their hair, but still close enough for visits. I was ten.

I had to start over again when I moved here. No friends, no one that I knew, and eventually, I went back to the cold, unfeeling way like before. It was so hard, to live here, without anyone to rely on, even if it was insincere.

(End of first person)

Heero stopped talking, arms wrapped around himself, staring off into memory land, dredging up the feeling of being lost, unloved, and so alone. Always alone.

Wufei stared at him, heart aching at the sight the other made, of a lost boy, alone among the crowd. He got up, moving around the table to pick up Heero, who flinched at the sudden contact. Wufei didn't let that stop him, placing Heero on his lap, bringing his arms around the teen, offering his comfort, tucking the other's head beneath his chin. Heero relaxed, and leaned into the touch, dropping his masks for the moment.

Wufei rocked him, whispering soft words of comfort, combing his fingers through the wild mess of hair, smiling when Heero put his arms around his shoulders. The two boys remained unmoving, happy in the presence of each other. The customers smiled at the heart warming sight, and left them alone in their own world.

Outside the window, the moon shone brightly, lighting up the world in silvers and greys, guiding those caught unaware to safety.

A small light was on in Heero's room, reaching the corners that the moon could not reach. He had waited until both his houseguests had gone to sleep before turning the little lamp on, not wanting them to check up on him, wondering what he was doing so late at night.

Listening for a moment before deciding that they were sleeping, he turned towards his full length mirror. He stood there for a minute, and then started to carefully remove his clothes, ending up standing naked in the middle of his rooms. With his clothes gone, he inspected himself. Saw the hardened lines of his muscles, the faint tan lines, the scars covering his back and legs from the fire almost ten years ago. The sight made him want to hide, away from even his own eyes. He sighed.

Then Wufei's eyes swam in the air in front of him, full of concern for him, and understanding. 'I will be strong. He won't care about these scars. They don't mean anything to him.' Heero smiled. Maybe, just maybe, he would wear those clothes.

First off, I don't like this chapter. Which is okay since I like the next one. Just needed something to explain why Heero lived alone, and why he is so closed off. Yea, it sucked.

Anyway, thank everyone for staying with me for so long, even though I am absolutely horrible at updating. Anyone want to take my college courses for me? Anyone?

The next chapter shouldn't take as long. I swear I will post this sucker fully before the year is out…hopefully it won't take that long.

Questions, comments, reviews, criticism anyone?

Mistress